Bottle Pours a clear light amber with a nice off white head. Lots of citrusy hop aromas. Flavor is a bit light in the malt body, but quite hoppy. The citrus/grapefruit variety. lively carbonation, and nice sharpo bitter trailer. Nice IPA

Cask at Long Island Real Ale Festival - light amber with minimal carbonation (cask, duh) - rich caramel malt aroma, with hints of smokiness and a light alcohol/bourbon character from the barrels - the peat smoked malt from recent vintages really comes through, dispite the blending and barrel aging - very smooth - the bourbon barrels lend a nice, gentle vanilla character to the beer - just a touch of hops way in the back (probably from the more recent vintages) give a slight, herbal spiciness - quite nice.

Bottled. Ruby red, not much head. Grassy, hoppy nose with ryeish and fruity notes. Also some weak barnyardish notes can be found. Strong grassy malty and hoppy flavour with some spicy hints. Quite watery palate after all the different stronger ABV stuff. Good for a 4,5% though.

Bottled (BB 04/2006)
Clear ruby red color, small off-white head. Rye-malty aroma with some barnyardish notes. Malty, a bit hoppy too. Good palate for a 4.5% brew. Balanced, solid but a bit boring beer.

Cask at the brewery - the "normal" version of this beer has improved significantly this year, and the barrel-aging just makes it even better - the bourbon is very evident, but not overpowering - instead of washing out the flavors of the beer, it simply modifies them - the roastiness and caramel presence becomes more of a bourbon-soaked vanilla flavor, and the herbal qualities of the beer become a bit more subdued, as the wood from the barrel smooths out the bite they once produced - very nice - I hope they do more of these experiments.

Red amber lager with creamy off-white head. Light sweet malt in aroma with sharp hops. Very caramelly malt with sharp german hops. Fairly good malt base with nutty notes. Medium bodied. On tap at Clark’s Ale House, Summer 2005.

An amber beer with a thin beige head. The aroma is sweet and very hoppy as well as very fruity. The flavor is sweet with light notes of alcohol coming thru the notes of grass, and leading to a dry hoppy and bitter end.

At Oliver Twist
Amber color. Strong fruity hops (grapefruit…). The body structure is not very complex, the bitterness is pleasant, and very long.

On cask at Sunset Grille, 9/10/2005. Pours a nearly opaque, muddy, murky deep black, with some light tinges of chocolate-brown on the edge, a bit of tan/mahogany highlights, I suppose. Head is foamy, wet, heavy and fairly well-retained, with spotty lacing. Aroma is full on black pepper steak and smoked bacon. Light anise, salty, rich, bitter chocolate espresso and a touch of light prunes and sweet toffee. Flavor takes the smoke and runs with it. Like a smoked stout, this almost qualifies for the "smoked" style designation. Chewy, unfiltered, dry, salty and rich, but with enough sweet chocolate malt through the middle to balance it fairly nicely. Sharp, raisiny, or perhaps vinous-like notes on the edge of the palate, with an alcohol apparency on the finish, that is a little unsettling. But a smooth, chewy, substantial palate. A bit jumbled, and I dont think they keep the casks well at Sunset (the beer being murky is enough evidence for me), but the smoke was tremendous. Low hop flavor, moderate alpha hops bitterness on the finish.

Bottled. Pale amber, average head. Rich lychee aroma. Sweet and fruity with clean, rounded mouthfeel and solid malt structure. Really hoppy with loads of oranges and lychee. salty, tarry finish. Well crafted, but does not score points for originality.