2016 bottle. Medium yellow in color. Very cloudy but not quite opaque in a small tulip; it settles some after a few minutes. The head is white, medium-sized and fairly fizzy. Lots of apricots in the aroma. Fairly juicy. Strong acid note, mostly lacto in character, mild vinegar. Moderate to medium oak. Taste has medium acidity. It’s fairly sour but not mouth-numbingly so. Pretty nice fruit flavor. Good bit of under ripe apricot. Stronger vinegar acidity in the taste than aroma, particularly comes out as the beer warms a bit. Pretty big lemon. Some yogurty flavor, as well. Light to medium body. Oaky aftertaste. The sourness gets a bit intense as the beer warms, but it’s rather nice at first. Solid but not great sour.

Poured from a 2016 vintage bottle. Aroma is rather apricot forward with some light pineapple, citrus and tropical fruit notes. Light oak notes with a bit of a grainy bread character. Pours a very hazy, pale yellow straw color with a medium sized, thin, white head that recedes to a thin film that lingers a bit thicker on the edges. Light lacing and faint legs. Flavor is moderately acidic with a a light sweetness. Some light grain notes with medium oak character. Moderate apricot notes though not as strong and bright as in the aroma. Light bitterness with some tannins from the oak and apricot skins. Mouthfeel is medium bodied with medium carbonation. Low astringency and low alcohol warmth. Overall, a pretty nice apricot beer with a balanced, but strong acidity. Some nice, balanced oak notes. Acidity is a bit strong perhaps, but still a very nice apricot sour.

Poured from a 750ml bottle. Aroma is rich with lots of caramel and toffee notes. Some lighter raisin and hints of cherry. Some treacle and lighter burnt sugar notes. A hint of roast, light coffee and light bourbon. A faint hop character. Pours a moderately dark brown with a medium sized, moderately thick, light tan head that recedes to a thin film that lingers for a bit. No lacing and moderate legs. Flavor is moderately sweet with some caramel, toffee and toasted bread. Some lighter but t sugar and treacle. Medium light coffee with a hint of roast. Coffee is a very light roast though and fruity. Some raisin and cherry notes. Medium bitterness with a hint of resiny, woody hop notes. Light oak and medium light bourbon. Some lingering bitterness, coffee and caramel. Mouthfeel is medium full bodied with medium carbonation. Low astringency and medium low alcohol warmth. Overall, an alright beer but not amazing. The coffee helps cut the sweetness of the big barleywine, but it also thins out the mouthfeel a bit too much. The bourbon notes seem too hidden as well. The lingering coffee and bitterness notes aren’t great and could use more sweetness to smooth it out.

Draft. Golden beer with a cream head. Grapefruit aroma. Grapefruit and pine flavor. Medium bodied. Grapefruit and pine lingers with light astringency (but not bad).

Bottle split at RB Best bottle share, thanks to Booby 30/01/16. Black with a moderate tan head. Nose is chocolate, nutmeg, spice, subtle barrel, liquorice, aniseed. Taste comprises chocolate, coconut, spice, charr, Bounty bar, toffee fudge. Full bodied, fine carbonation, rising boost in the close. Solid BA impy.

On tap at Mellow Fellow in Reno
Black with a small tan head, light lacing. Aroma of roasted malts, chocolate, caramel and coconut. Taste of roasted malts, chocolate, roasted coffee and ashy
Ok.

Draft at Mellow Fellow Reno. Opaque brown color, beige head. Cocoa powder aroma. Taste has bitter chocolate and coffee. Nice.

On tap at Mellow Fellow in Reno
Pours black with a medium sized tan head, some lacing. Aroma of roasted malts, vanilla and coconut. Taste is vanilla, leather, bourbon and woody
Nice

On tap at Beer Baron. It pours a clear light golden color with a white head. The aroma is pretty light with some bready malt, hints of chemicals, mango and pineapple. The flavor also has some chemicals, herbs, flowers and a little honey. Medium bodied with medium bitterness. A rare miss for Hangar 24.
Earlier Rating: 4/24/2011 Total Score: 3.7
On tap at the brewery. It pours bright orange with a disappearing off white head. The aroma is honey and malt with some citrusy hop presence. the flavor is balanced with honey and slightly doughy malt, bitter pine and citrus in the finish. Well balanced IIPA.