Feb 2004 bottle. Aged some 11 months. Pour reveals this to be quite krausened. You can pour this stuff slowly, tilted and in to a big, steep edged shaker and the head still billows up, threatening to spill over the glass, after only about a third of the bottle has been poured. Good hazy copper-orange hue to the body, while the head is a mess of white foam. Compact bubbles rise to the surface quickly. Aroma highlights light herbal hops, grassy, slightly stewed, with notes of light almond and lemon. No sweetness felt in the nose. Not altogether unlike the nose of an EPA, though a hoppier, less malty one. Flavor begins with a crisp, strong dry bitterness. It’s not citric or very spicy, just a strong herbs and grass sort of thing. The malt, while giving ample body, adds no sweetness. There is a light chewy nuttiness from the belgian pale malt and a bitter hops refrain on the finish. Quite watery, not necessarily in flavor, but in body. Light natural carbonation, aerated, bubbly mouthfeel. Perfect for a session ale.

Bottle. Too malty. I was hoping for a few more hops, but they just don't show up. All I could taste was an unbalanced beer leaning towards the malt.

Revised rating: Hazy amber; aroma of lemon, flowers, some nuttiness. Long woody palate, some chewy earthiness, passion fruit, kumquat.

Cheers to VENOM for sending me this one - light copper, slight haze; interesting nose: oranges & lacquer. Tasty beer, though - light in body but with a good flowery hop character. Rating 2.8