A refreshing lemon-pine hop blast initially greets the nose, interwoven with more subtle hints of dough and biscuits. Interesting spicy notes hint at oregano. Smooth and well balanced, with a clean yet firm and sweet malt profile, with a backgound of lemony citrus hops, and a medium bitter finish. Resiny hop aromas develop as it sits and warms. There’s just something a little off about the finish, maybe a tartness to the bittering hops, with a dryness showing where the initially sweet malts disappear at the back of the palate. Very easily drinkable, it just disappears out of the glass! Nice amber color with a full foaming head that settles down to a firm cap with good lacing.

2003 vintage, on tap at Mug’s Ale House - cloudy, turbid, strawberry color - kind of damp, thin aroma of fig and hops - highly acidic for the style, but the alcohol is well-hidden - some caramel malt and light fruits (strawberry) - very thin, especially in the finish - bad keg?

A hazy amber beer with a huge orange head. The aroma is mostly alcoholic, but with some notes of hops. The flavor is sweet hoppy - from a good hop sort - giving it grapefruit notes, is it Cascade? The alcohol also shows its presence with a slight metal note, leading to a dry end. Nice.

September-October 2005 bottle from the generous Zathrus13, consumed on 2/24/06 in a Nashoba Valley wine glass at about 50 degrees to start
Very large head even at 5 months of age. Beige with dirty snow colored flecks. Tiny bubbles rise in an auburn-to-rich-amber body, not quite crystal clear, but more like fatigued glass on a mirror.
Sweet, sourdough-like malt sugars rise up to greet the nose, with zesty rye-pumpernickel notes and notes of sugary caramel over warm baguette. BUT, unfortunately, it is very weak in strength. Let us, however, keep in mind that it is quality not quantity! As it warms, I note light cherries and mashed walnuts with some brown sugar thrown in as well (though a little more dry than that sounds) that prove to complement the zesty, bready malts. And by the way, the head is still well-retained after the 15 minutes it took me to write that.
Cherries, sweet baguette dough and brown sugar combine to serve a strong helping of malt upon first sip. Bitter hops clear the sweet, round malts, while a soft, very rounded texture smooths the moderately bready, munich maltiness. Only a mild spiciness from the tettnangs (horizon and crystal in actuality) and perhaps the malt flavors could be a little deeper. But then, perhaps not. This is a session style, it’s not a doppelbock. Head never falls below cover (never fully dissipates) and there is light, web-like lacing. No alcohol apparency, little yeast apparency. The different malts are well-represented here. I was wondering why I couldnt find a crisp lager yeast bite on the end, and now it all makes sense. . .

12 oz bottle-pours an off white head. Color is amber. Tastes malty, good carbonation. Finishes slightly bitter.

I have not been much of a fan of the beers I have had from this brewer in the past, but this is the first I have stopped to rate. Sampled from a 12 oz brown bottle this beer pours a mahogany color with a small creamy tan head. The aroma is sweet and sugary with a chocolate element. The flavor is rich and sweet and has a strong chocolate note. Not a bad brew, but really does not taste much like a dubbel to me.