9th October 2008. GABF. The name give at the fest was the regular Argus but the abv was 8.3% and this was a hoppy beer so I am taking a leap of faith and guessing this was the Imperial. Cloudy dark brown beer. Quite hoppy. Quite dry. A little sweet and aromatic.

9th October 2008. GABF. This was displayed at 8.1% abv. Lovely name! Clear brown beer. Very dry palate. Sweet and a little fruity with a touch or rye like aromatics.

Draft goblet at RBY. Dark brown with red highlights at the sides, a crowded ring of foam. Smells fruity, and a little bit yeasty, a light sweetness in the back, and not much alcohol. The taste is much fuller, with cherries, plums, brown malts and caramel. However, I get an impression of salt. No kidding, and I have no idea how. Some combination of my current head cold, Pacific hops, yeast (which I think may have a zinc based supplement) or a bit of extra potassium in the brew water. Or maybe it’s because it’s what can happen with a young barley wine. I’ll try again if it’s still on tap later, otherwise, surely a barrel-aged version will pop up a year or so down the line.

On tap at RBY, Dec. 17. Is this from the same base batch as the Black Forest Porter? Maybe. Color is almost black, but with red edges. Smell has a bit more fruit to it than the Black Forest. Alcohol is well hidden in the smell and the taste. There is more of a raspberry taste to this one, too. Bourbon notes still "fill in the chinks" rather than trying to take over. Only a slight after taste. Clean malts with just a trace of alcohol heat. A smidgen of hop here and there makes for a big, but balanced beer.

Mug Club draft. Dark, cloudy yellow, but with a bright white weizen head. This actually smells a little like wheat, which I don’t always find in a wheat beer that’s been spiced up. Taste is, well, simply pleasant. Nice mix of wheat beer spiciness, light honey taste and mellow American hops. None of these components is over-aggressive, but they each stand out on their own. Honey is there, sweet without being saccharine. A fine lunch/dinner beer.

Sampler. Dark Scots brown, with a thin ring of foam. Surprisingly light on bourbon smell or taste. Starts with fine, smooth dark malts, with a modicum of bitterness. Some bourbon poached malts do settle in after the first few sips. Not overdone on any component, and that’s not easy with a bourbon barrel beer. Instead, a fine, mellow dark ale.

Mug Club draft. Creamy head over a cloudy, wit-like body. A light melange of spices in the nose, almost obscuring a nice, fresh beer smell. Taste starts with the lemongrass and some light cardamon. Some juniper, but without the dryness of gin behind it. Sweet citrus and spice all the way down, almost too much spice. Toward the end, I thought I had a Christmas wassail. Keep to a pint glass and you’ll be fine.

Sampler at RBY. Cloudy yellow, just a tinge of reddish brown. Sampler glass won’t support a proper hefeweizen head. Smell is understated: banana and clove esters are detected, with cherries, but not overwhelming. Same goes for the taste. All the ingredients of a hefe, but not a banana bomb, with a fruit presence that’s not cloying. Mouthfeel is a little thick for a summer beer, but just right going into the fall.

Mug Club draft. It’s also available on cask, but this was the $3 beer of the day. Cloudy yellow ale color, a half finger of white foam. Light malt smell with just a waft of summer fruits. Taste is not so much malty as "ale-y," a golden ale, yes, with hints more of lemonade, white grape and a mist of strawberry. Slight English hop note cannot mask some fine Pilsener characteristics as well. Carbonation is just right for a taste delivery system. This is my 63rd rating this month, tying November 2007 as my Best beer Month Ever!™