Deep copper-red body, thin cream clumping head. Very caramely aroma with light notes of earthy hops. The flavor is likewise slanted towards the malts, with caramel, brown sugar, and hints of light fruit balancing the earthy hops. Increasingly bitter finish as the beer is quaffed. Towards the end of the glass notes of tobacco leaf develop. More or less a low ABV American Strong Ale, along the line of Bear Republic’s Red Rocket Ale. Thanks Stephen (tiggmtl) for the bottle!

Pours oily black, appears still except for the thin layer of head. Strong roast, bit of espresso, acrid black malt. Popcorn? Strong roast in flavor, oily mouthfeel. Bitterness in the throat. Palate is thick but on the lighter side of imperials at 7%. Acrid flavors linger.

Opaque dark brown, medium fading tannish head. Rich aroma: astringent and husky, smoky/ashy, oaky, roasted. Smoke is less apparent in the initial flavor, instead a rounded husky roasted malt sits big up front. Surprisingly light body, and light acrid ashy finish. Smoke lingers long on the palate. A smoked baltic porter?

Lightish gold color with nice full lacy head. Classic pilsner aroma, redolent of aromatic spicy grassy hops with a hint of tomato vines. Flavor is briskly hoppy above a thin layer of malt. Finish is more balanced than expected, malt carries through until the end. Still, a firm bitter background is omnipresent. Less crisp than a classic Bohemian pilsner but still rather good stuff.

Initially a vibrant floral and herbal hop aroma hits the nose above a subtle background of earthy caramel malts. The flavor does a reversal though, with a nice full rounded palate featuring burnt caramel malt, mild earthiness and a hint of smoke with floral hops skirting the edges. Finish is balanced. A very "down to earth" beer and highly similar to the Free State Copperhead Ale.

A nice bock. Deep garnet color, medium to no head. Rich malty aroma of munichy melanoidins, burnt caramel, a background of smoke. Earthy for sure. Flavor is earthy and caramelly toffee, with a surprising rise of hops in the finish. Body seemed to waffle from light to medium. Fairly well drinkable.

2003-2004 bottle. Pours a pitch black with a lovely tan head, quite creamy. Aroma has some light licorice, bitter hops, some sticky sweet caramel and roast. Flavor starts out very bittersweet, the hops mixing with the roast very nicely. Flavor stays intense but then the creamy, rich palate really makes itself known, some chocolate malt develops and balances the bitterness. Hints of cocoa, roast and hops all mixed together on the finish. Wonderful beer right from the beginning and got better as it warmed, proving smoother, but every bit as flavorful. Thanks to Jeff (radiomgb) for the chance to try this one and for always hooking me up.

2003 bottle (Batch #1) thanks to Jeff (radiomgb). Pours a very coppery/amber color, crystal clear (filtered), quite shiny with a small white head. Aroma of light yeast, light red berries, and some dry, yet not overly bitter, hops. Flavor is a mix of lightly floral hops, some yeast, dough, and more light fruits. Toasted malt in here as well, somewhat astringent. Lightly grainy/chewy texture, good amount of wateriness. Strange one here, but at least it’s unique. Not "dry" in that it is super-hopped, but also no real sweetness from any significant caramel malting. Delicate, if somewhat thin of flavor. Clean, short finish. 6/4/7/3/13
2005 bottle Different recipe it seems. A much darker colored beer, deep amber-auburn with a big yellow head, well retained. Aroma of mounds of diacetyl at first, and the flavor is full of it too. Tons of thick toffee, butterscotch, cream and only light bitterness on the finish. Medium-full body does not disappoint and after giving this beer time to breath and warm, the diacetyl seems to vanish, leaving just a full flavor of caramel and honey, with light toasted malt. Low carbonation. Far, far better than the overly dry, astringent, perfumy rendition that they used to make, IMHO. 7/5/8/4/15

Deep amber with a thick off white head. Very smooth hops aroma....i mena very smooth. Everything with grace in the resinous overlays. Good attack of malts followed by restrained hops going all the way to post taste. Balance is the key word here...a good offering from René!