8.4/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 9
Texture 8
Overall 8.5
Got in a BIF from Roguer. 22 ounce bottle into signature teku glass, bottled in 1/2016. Bottle #1542/1624. Pours nearly opaque dark brown/black color with a 1-2 finger fairly dense and fluffy tan head with good retention, that reduces to a small cap that lingers. Light spotty lacing clings on the glass, with a fair amount of streaming carbonation retaining the cap. Aromas of big milk/dark chocolate, cocoa, coffee, caramel, vanilla, toffee, raisin, plum, date, cherry, berry, red grape, toasted oak, and nuttiness; with light smoke, leather, pepper, tobacco, and roast/toast/oak earthiness. Damn nice aromas with great balance and complexity of dark/roast/bready malt and wine barrel notes; with great strength. Taste of big milk/dark chocolate, cocoa, coffee, caramel, vanilla, toffee, raisin, plum, date, cherry, berry, red grape, toasted oak, and nuttiness; with light smoke, leather, pepper, tobacco, and roast/toast/oak earthiness. Light roast bitterness and wine/oak tannin spiciness on the finish; with lingering notes of milk/dark chocolate, cocoa, coffee, caramel, vanilla, toffee, raisin, plum, date, cherry, berry, red grape, toasted oak, light leather/smoke, and roast/toast/oak earthiness on the finish for a while. Fantastic complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/roast/bready malt and wine barrel flavors; with an awesome roasted bitter/sweet balance, and zero cloying flavors after the finish. Slight dryness from roast bitterness and wine/oak tannin, lightly increasing through the glass. Light-medium carbonation and medium-full body; with a very smooth, creamy/silky/velvety, and lightly chalky/tannic balanced mouthfeel that is awesome Alcohol is well hidden with a mild warmth lingering after the finish. Overall this is a fantastic wine barrel aged imperial stout! All around awesome complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/roast/bready malt and wine barrel flavors; very smooth and easy to sip on for the ABV. Very rich for the ABV. Great wine barrel balance without getting too fruity, tannic, or drying. A highly enjoyable offering.
Tried
from Bottle
on 19 Mar 2017
at 19:56
7.2/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 7
Poured into a becher pint glass, the appearance was a soft golden amber color with a decent little white head. Stringy lace.
The aroma had some heavy citrus bitter rind-like hops. Some cracker/bready malts and then a light resin/piney-ness.
The flavor seems to lean more towards some orange pulpy sweetness, and some grapefruit and then some orange zest. Aftertaste is full of the citrus blend. Finishes slightly dry.
On the palate, this one sat about a light to medium on the body with a fair sessionability about it. Moderate carbonation. Good strength from the ABV.
Overall, decent APA that I could have again.
The aroma had some heavy citrus bitter rind-like hops. Some cracker/bready malts and then a light resin/piney-ness.
The flavor seems to lean more towards some orange pulpy sweetness, and some grapefruit and then some orange zest. Aftertaste is full of the citrus blend. Finishes slightly dry.
On the palate, this one sat about a light to medium on the body with a fair sessionability about it. Moderate carbonation. Good strength from the ABV.
Overall, decent APA that I could have again.
Tried
on 21 Feb 2017
at 09:41
4.2/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 4
Flavor 4
Texture 4
Overall 4
Poured into a nonic pint glass, the appearance was a soft dark brown close to black color with a finger’s worth of white foamy head that dissipated at a level pace. Stringy lace roamed around the glass decently.
The aroma had some coca cola, brown sugars, super subtle roast and some coffee grounds.
The flavor combined those previously mentioned aromas and adds a slight root beer taste to it, weird, but alright, is that intentional? Aftertaste is full of super sweet notes of coca cola, root beer, heavy brown sugars. Sticky sweet finish.
On the palate, this one sat about a light to medium on the body with a lower sessionability than I wanted for this style. Cloying in the feel and undercarbonated.
Overall, yeah, I’m not sure what happened here. That’s too bad, but I would only have this again if I knew I had a fresh batch.
The aroma had some coca cola, brown sugars, super subtle roast and some coffee grounds.
The flavor combined those previously mentioned aromas and adds a slight root beer taste to it, weird, but alright, is that intentional? Aftertaste is full of super sweet notes of coca cola, root beer, heavy brown sugars. Sticky sweet finish.
On the palate, this one sat about a light to medium on the body with a lower sessionability than I wanted for this style. Cloying in the feel and undercarbonated.
Overall, yeah, I’m not sure what happened here. That’s too bad, but I would only have this again if I knew I had a fresh batch.
Tried
on 21 Feb 2017
at 09:32
7.6/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 8
Flavor 9
Texture 6
Overall 7.5
4 oz. draft at Sunset Grill and Tap. From notes: Strong citrus, tropical fruit, pine. Mild hay stacks.
Flavor has the tropical/citric right upfront with pine toward the backend. Mild pale grain and hay stacks. Light caramel. Balanced good bitterness that is not to aggressive. Has a light juice texture. Medium body and does show some alcohol. But at 9.3 % it is rather expected. Maybe the high alcohol changes the typical "Nelson" hop flavors but I still really enjoyed this.
Flavor has the tropical/citric right upfront with pine toward the backend. Mild pale grain and hay stacks. Light caramel. Balanced good bitterness that is not to aggressive. Has a light juice texture. Medium body and does show some alcohol. But at 9.3 % it is rather expected. Maybe the high alcohol changes the typical "Nelson" hop flavors but I still really enjoyed this.
Tried
from Draft
on 16 Jan 2017
at 13:04
7.8/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 9
Flavor 9
Texture 8
Overall 5
On draft at the Willamantic brewpub it is a clear golden color with a slight white head. The aroma isc Citrus and the taste is strong bitter flavored of grapefruit and it has a Bitter finish.
Tried
from Draft
on 16 Nov 2016
at 14:04
7.1/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 6.5
On draft at the Willamantic brewpub. Pours a clear gold with an off white head. Citrus nose. Flavors of pine and hay. Bitter finish.
Tried
from Draft
on 16 Nov 2016
at 13:50
7.9/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 8
Flavor 9
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
750 ml bottle supplied by T.J, much thanks Chalumeaux! Deep brown / black color, no head. Aroma is grapes, Chocolate, raisins, and light wood.
The wine barrel did add a layer of complexity. If added a blackberry, red grape, current hints. The body is medium plus with the alcohol totally hidden. However, it is an aged bottle. Still real nice.
The wine barrel did add a layer of complexity. If added a blackberry, red grape, current hints. The body is medium plus with the alcohol totally hidden. However, it is an aged bottle. Still real nice.
Tried
from Bottle
on 08 Nov 2016
at 21:06
8/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8
Poured from bottle #214 of 1624 dark amber cola pour with a nice mocha head and some lacing. Aromas of dark fruit malt caramel vanilla. Taste is wine oak barrel malt and vanilla creamy mouthfeel. Well done.
Tried
from Bottle
on 08 Nov 2016
at 21:05
7.5/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 8
16oz can shared by beerbeggar. Clear dull gold color. Surface covering lacing. I usually would hate this hop combo. But maybe I hate how Seattle uses these hops? Aroma is all hops, low bitterness and bursty and juicy with orange rind and other light tropical fruit. A bit of light pine sneaking in, which I like less. Flavor is just less juicy and bursty with a little pine tree. A little slick malt and a little slick mouthfeel. Another DIPA tick that berko hasn’t had.
Tried
from Can
on 14 Aug 2016
at 13:58
5.2/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 5
Flavor 5
Texture 6
Overall 5
Draught at Ginger Man, 8/2/16.
Medium-high clarity in this copper-golden body. White head atop is rocky and shows moderate retention.
Smells full of citrus, earth, tea, pine and odd, grainy, almost dirty notes. Maybe this has been on tap too long? Nothing smells bright or particularly juicy, being rather earthy and dull and full of wet leaves.
The flavor has a low, loose carbonation, with grainy-dirty malt and yeast notes. If this was a juice bomb, the juice has certainly faded heavily, leaving bitter tea, old herbs and grapefruit-pine in its place.
Medium-high clarity in this copper-golden body. White head atop is rocky and shows moderate retention.
Smells full of citrus, earth, tea, pine and odd, grainy, almost dirty notes. Maybe this has been on tap too long? Nothing smells bright or particularly juicy, being rather earthy and dull and full of wet leaves.
The flavor has a low, loose carbonation, with grainy-dirty malt and yeast notes. If this was a juice bomb, the juice has certainly faded heavily, leaving bitter tea, old herbs and grapefruit-pine in its place.
Tried
from Draft
on 09 Aug 2016
at 14:34