This beer was very drinkable but also snuck up on me and knocked me out. Pours from the growler a hazy orange, amber color with a soapy white head. Aroma is all citrus, orange and grapefruit mostly. Flavor was more of the same, flowers, citrus but also some nice malt anchoring the back. Finish is lasting bitterness and slightly thick on the tongue. I enjoyed drinking this.

This was my favorite of all the beers I had there. This beer was a murky straw yellow, but very appetizing. Smooth, bitter flavor but very balanced.

Had a dark, ruby color. The aroma had more pine than their other IPAs. The alcohol was well hidden and the flavor was sweet.

Darker than the other IPAs I had here, average aroma, average flavor. Smooth finish.

Light in color, only slightly hoppy. You could really taste the rye malts.

Cask half-pint at NERAX on 5/3/06. Still, black body shows medium clarity and burnt chartreuse tones on the edges. Light tan head is poorly retained, leaving a ring on the edge and eventually dissipating completely. The appearance does make the beer easier to smell, as the very delicate coffee notes rise from the liquid, mixing with a touch of ash and even more faint hops (light, dusty/leafy green hops). It is immensely clean, and though the lack of brightness in this one may contribute to dulling the aroma (and flavor), it does not have any heavy yeast nuttiness or other notes. Some vanilla and touches of honey cream follow the coffee notes, but are sparse and failing. Roast stays strong to the end, upon warming, with some light fruits arising (dark berries, very light). First sip produces a slick, lightly chocolatey liquid, with the coffee from the nose, delivered very dryly with a hard sensation on the palate to counteract the light maple-chocolate sweetness. Vanilla notes linger on the finish as some water creeps in. For 5.5 abv, it certainly is well controlled and a delicate beer. Very moderate on the coffee, with very soft, low carbonation. Hops are actually quite noticeable as it warms, though more nutty/hay-like and minimally bitter.

Cask pint at the brewpub, 4/29/06
Somewhat muddled black-raspberry-tinged fiery-copper color, with some dull tan highlights as well, on the sides. Not served "bright", unfortunately. Head is white/off-white and retained at cover, with low to moderate lacing.
Sweetly sugary malts, tempered by some dry, rather hard and quick finishing crystal malt open up the aroma, while the hops zip in as well, on the heels of the malt. Bitter, dry, citric centennials and resinous columbus notes are surprisingly reserved, while soft, flowery, mildly fruity amarillos come as an afterthought. For five malts, it dosent seem to go very far, drying and petering out, with some notes of dry graham crackers and cardboard. The hops seem tired, not overly aromatic and bogged down by water and sweet touches of malt.
Flavor brings a heavy dose of crystal malt, very simple, sugary and hard, finishing quickly, with little depth and substance on the tongue. Water disperses the hops, which run about confusedly on the palate, some bitter, some fruity, but nothing strongly flavorful or focused. Orange candy sweetness comes forth as it warms, with some toastiness balancing, but a dry cardboard-like oxidation steps in; either that or just heavily drying, hard crystal malt. After a few sips, its run its course and the palate just feels watered down, with notes of sweet honey/sugar and citrus going nowhere. Low carbonation, actually starts out rather cool for a cask beer. No alcohol noted, no brewing flaws. Must have been the very tail-end of the cask, which is too bad, but they should take it off once it begins to go.

Draught pint at the brewpub on 4/29/06
Brassy-bronze body has light copper hues with a golden overtone. Off-white head is well-retained, receding to partial cover, eventually, with little to no lacing. High clarity and a rush of bubbles.
Grassy, lightly spicy hops open up the aroma, with a smattering of honey drops, lightly sweetening things, as a crisp yeast wraps things up on the finish. Baked dough is dry, but not overly aromatic, keeping things light, but adding some complexity to the otherwise mainly pils-like malt tones. Not terribly sour, and not overly bready, with a medium strength and no alcohol apparency. Almost could mistake it for a golden ale, with the dominant honey malt and light, grassy hops.
Some bread mixes with water, as light farmy-hay-like minerals and grassiness add a smooth texture and some spiciness on the end. Grows a touch sourish as it warms, with the munich malt emerging more, but still finishes with a sticky, honey creaminess, fairly sweet. Medium carbonation. No alcohol apparency.

Draught pint at the brewpub on 4/29/06
Quite a dull reddish-orange, almost a dried apricot sort of color, high clarity and a beige head atop, medium size and well-retained.
The nose is very munich-like. Bready, lightly sour malts throwing out plenty of melanoidins, giving a dry melon-like note. Sourdough continues to unfold as it warms, with tangy, noble hops, mostly dry hallertauer , that keep things dry and spicy. Some wateriness invades the nose, keeping the aroma only at medium strength. Some touches of toasty crystal-like malts and a hint of sweetness, but overall, dry, bready and very German.
After the aroma, I’m no longer expecting an American amber ale, but almost more of a dark German lager, like a marzen, but with the heavy, biting yeast of a helles, and plenty of breadiness. Spicy hops are bittersweet and seem much less crisp and refreshing than they could be, while too much astringency builds up. Crystally-sweet texture at times, some toastiness contributes to this and the light sugariness as well, but there is a touch of wateriness to this one as well, with moderate carbonation. No alcohol noted in flavor or aroma.