7.9/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
750 ml bottle into tulip glass; no bottle dating, but is a recent release. Pours hazy golden orange color with a 1 finger dense white head with good retention, that reduces to a thin cap that lingers. Nice spotty soapy lacing clings around the glass, with a moderate amount of streaming carbonation retaining the cap. Aromas of big tart cherry, berries, lemon, orange, pear, apple, white grape, peppercorn, clove, light banana, honey, wheat, biscuit, herbal, straw, grass, light funk, and yeast earthiness. Very nice aromas with good balance and complexity of fruity/spicy yeast, cherries, and moderate bready malt notes; with great strength. Taste of big tart cherry, berries, lemon, orange, pear, apple, white grape, peppercorn, clove, light banana, honey, wheat, biscuit, herbal, straw, grass, light funk, and yeast earthiness. Good amount of yeast spiciness; with light fruit tartness, tangy wheat, and herbal hop bitterness on the finish; with lingering notes of tart cherry, berries, lemon, orange, pear, apple, white grape, peppercorn, clove, light banana, honey, wheat, biscuit, herbal, straw, grass, and yeast earthiness on the finish for a good bit. Very nice complexity, robustness, and balance of fruity/spicy yeast, cherries, and moderate bready malt flavors; with a great malt/bitter/spiciness balance, and zero astringent flavors after the finish. Light-moderate dryness from tart/bitter/spiciness, increasing through the glass. Medium carbonation and medium-plus body; with a very smooth, moderately grainy/bready/sticky, and lightly acidic balanced mouthfeel that is great. Alcohol is very well hidden with only a mild warmth lingering after the finish. Overall this is a very nice fruited imperial saison. All around nice fruity/spicy yeast, cherries, and moderate bready malt flavors; very smooth and easy to drink for the big ABV. Very nice authentic cherry flavors; but not overpowering, sweet, or syrupy feeling from the fruit. A very enjoyable offering.
Tried
from Bottle
on 31 Oct 2016
at 21:20
8.1/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8.5
750 ml bottle into tulip glass, 2016 vintage bottling. Pours slightly hazy golden orange color with a 1-2 finger dense white head with good retention, that reduces to a thin cap that lingers. Light spotty soapy lacing clings around the glass. Aromas of big tart/sour lemon, lime, orange, grapefruit, apricot, pineapple, peach, passion fruit, guava, melon, citrus peel/rind, pepper, oak, pine, hay, straw, musty funk, floral, grass, light leather, light honey/bread, and yeast/oak earthiness. Damn nice aromas with great balance and complexity of citrus/pine hops, fruity/funky/acidic yeast, oak, and light-moderate pale malt notes; with great strength. Taste of huge tart/sour lemon, lime, orange, grapefruit, apricot, pineapple, peach, passion fruit, guava, melon, citrus peel/rind, pepper, oak, pine, hay, straw, musty funk, floral, grass, light leather, light honey/bread, and yeast/oak earthiness. Moderate pine/citrus rind/peppery bitterness and fruity/tannic tartness on the finish; with lingering notes of sour lemon, lime, orange, grapefruit, apricot, pineapple, peach, passion fruit, guava, melon, citrus peel/rind, pepper, oak, pine, hay, straw, musty funk, leather, and yeast/oak earthiness on the finish for a while. Damn nice complexity, robustness, and balance of citrus/pine hops, fruity/funky/acidic yeast, oak, and light-moderate pale malt flavors; with a great malt/sour/bitter/spiciness balance, and zero astringent flavors after the finish. Moderate dryness from sour/bitter/spiciness, increasing through the glass. Medium carbonation and body; with a very smooth, moderately acidic/sticky/tannic, and lightly grainy/resinous balanced mouthfeel that is awesome. Minimal warming alcohol for 6.8%. Overall this is an awesome sour IPA! All around excellent complexity, robustness, and balance of citrus/pine hops, fruity/funky/acidic yeast, oak, and light-moderate pale malt flavors; very smooth and easy to drink with the moderate sourness/acidity and bitterness. Even for the young age of this vintage, the Brett is already extremely well developed. A highly enjoyable and very impressive offering all around.
Tried
from Bottle
on 25 Oct 2016
at 21:39
2.8/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 3
Flavor 2
Texture 2
Overall 1
This looks like a big thick hoppy brown beer with little chunks floating around in it in a kind of oily way. These chunks, that you would expect to go to the bottom don’t, they just hang round in thar. Smell is nearly sickly perfumy sweet thick hops. In the mouth, this is a big thick bitter hoppy volatile tasting beer as well. Cannot appreciate the way this stuff gets in yer face, and then, knocks you dizzy silly. Terribly terribly on style. If you love strong american over the top IPA strong ale (did I say strong?) ruff riden american stronger ale, you need to try this. I bet it would be like sherry if you let it age a decade. JMHO
Tried
from Can
on 21 Oct 2016
at 15:33
8.1/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8.5
750 ml bottle into tulip glass; no bottle dating, but is a recent release. Pours slightly hazy medium golden yellow color with a 1 finger dense white head with good retention, that reduces to a thin lace cap that lingers. Light spotty lacing clings on the glass, with a moderate amount of streaming carbonation retaining the cap. Aromas of big sour lemon, lime, peach, apricot, pear, pineapple, green apple, white grape, hay, straw, oak, leather, pepper, musty funk, light white wine vinegar, wheat, cracker, light vanilla, and yeast/oak earthiness. Damn nice aromas with great balance and complexity of fruity/funky/spicy/acidic yeast, oak barrel, and light-moderate pale malt notes; with great strength. Taste of big sour lemon, lime, peach, apricot, pear, pineapple, green apple, white grape, hay, straw, oak, leather, pepper, musty funk, light white wine vinegar, wheat, cracker, light vanilla, and yeast/oak earthiness. Moderate sourness and yeast/tannic oak spiciness on the finish; with lingering notes of sour lemon, lime, peach, apricot, pear, pineapple, green apple, white grape, hay, straw, oak, leather, pepper, musty funk, light white wine vinegar, and yeast/oak earthiness on the finish for a while. Damn nice complexity, robustness, and balance of fruity/funky/spicy/acidic yeast, oak barrel, and light-moderate pale malt flavors; with a great sour/tannic/spiciness balance, and zero astringent flavors after the finish. Moderate dryness from sour/tannic/spiciness, increasing through the glass; only lightly puckering on sourness. Medium carbonation and light-medium body; with a very smooth, moderately crisp/acidic/tannic, and lightly creamy/grainy balanced mouthfeel that is great. Zero warming alcohol as expected of 4.9%. Overall this is an excellent fruited sour ale! All around great complexity, robustness, and balance of fruity/funky/spicy/acidic yeast, oak barrel, and light-moderate pale malt flavors; very smooth, crisp, and easy to drink; despite the elevated sourness/tannic spiciness. A very enjoyable offering.
Tried
from Bottle
on 19 Oct 2016
at 21:52
8.2/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 9
Texture 8
Overall 8
On tap at ABC Microbrewery Ypsilanti. Pours gold with a light haze and a small white head. Tart aroma reminiscent of SweetTarts candies, an acetic sourness. Flavor has the SweetTart tartness, acetic and citric sourness, pale malty, fruity, brett-like flavors. A really good one.
Tried
from Draft
on 09 Oct 2016
at 18:04
4.9/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 5
Flavor 4
Texture 4
Overall 5.5
Purchased at Siciliano’s Market in Grand Rapids, MI, enjoyed at home on the first day of fall. Appearance is pitch black, moderate consistency. Aroma is very faint with light fudge. Taste is a bit odd, there is fudge in there but it’s more of a watery stout, so watered fudge would be an accurate description for this brew. Not a fan.
Tried
on 23 Sep 2016
at 17:50
6.4/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 6
Flavor 6
Texture 8
Overall 6.5
Sampled on draft at Vintage Estate this beer poured a dark caramel color with a medium sized foamy white head that left decent lacing. The aroma was sweet and tangy with notes pine and tangerine. The flavor was sweet and tangy with pine, orange and tangerine notes. A touch boozy. Long finish. Moderately full bodied. Decent.
Tried
from Draft
on 11 Sep 2016
at 09:42
5.9/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 6
Flavor 5
Texture 8
Overall 5.5
Sampled on draft at Vintage Estate this beer poured a black color with a small foamy tan head that left minimal lacing. The aroma was dryish with wood, chocolate and smoke. The flavor was dryish with smoke, roasty malts, cocoa powder and wood elements. Long finish. Moderately full bodied and fairly smooth. Disappointing.
Tried
from Draft
on 11 Sep 2016
at 09:39
7.1/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
12 ounce bottle from Whole Foods Ann Arbor Eisenhower, 3/23/16. Dark brown, thin tan head, good retention. Aroma of coffee, roasted malts, chocolate. The taste is roasted malts, chocolate, dark fruits, coffee. Thin bodied, creamy.
Tried
from Bottle
on 04 Sep 2016
at 00:27
6.4/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 5
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 6.5
12 ounce bottle from Whole Foods Ann Arbor Eisenhower, 3/23/16. Dark brown, large brown head, good retention. Aroma of chocolate, roasted malts, band-aid. The taste is chocolate,caramel, nuts. Medium bodied, high carbonation.
Tried
from Bottle
on 04 Sep 2016
at 00:26