 beermatrix (1497), Twin Cities, Minnesota, USA
Nov 2, 2005
2003 bottle- Thick set russet brown color with a small, compact tannish cap. Bits of lace grab hold in light ink blot patches.
Nice aroma of tangy molasses and dark fruity syrup. Fairly plump and ripe with raisin, fig, and dates floating around on top keeping a big boosted sweet malt profile. Notes of slightly burnt or smoldering doughnut dough.
Taste is darkly sweet and ripe with ample dark fruity flavors masked within a molasses tang. Has a partial smokey finish with regards to some vanilla, brown sugar, and licorice. Nice doughy center and creamy mouthfeel with a sweetly dark brigade behind it all keeping a fairly bold and dense action of flavors and bread doughy heft. Dark cherry hints and very light tobacco spices sweep off and on throughout the finishing areas as it floats away with one finely appealing dryness.
Mellow but stark and darkly set with sweet fruits and sugared breads. Age has suited this well. The feel is quite big still. Creamy medium/full tilted body with just a slight edge of warmth and alcoholic texture underneath. Bold, clean, and rightly set with dark fruity tang and sweetness. Nicely balanced. Easily drinkable and easy to get use to. 10% shows up later. A nice complimentary beer to all the other fine Alesmith brews. Yum.
Ibrew2or3 (1925), Safety Harbor, Florida, USA
Dec 4, 2008 This 2006 vintage consumed Nov. 2008 pours clear deep copper with light tan head. The aroma is smooth deep dark fruitiness followed by a slight sensation of alcohol to go along with faint notes of cherries and cotton candy. The taste is as smooth as the nose led onto with figs, prunes and sugar stewed raisins coming together into a nice blended flavor sensation yet all swimming around in a pool of molasses and caramel candy. This has aged wonderfully. Very nice treat.
fishingnet (928), Brandon, Florida, USA
Nov 30, 2008 Bottle. Pours a slightly hazy amber with a one finger off-white head that leaves good lacing. Aroma of dark fruit, spicy yeast, and caramel. Taste is the same as aroma. Medium mouthfeel with a mild amount of bitterness and smooth alcohol. Very good.
daknole (1131), Plantation, Florida, USA
Nov 27, 2008 Tasting at Brewtopia. A nice clear amber pour with a fairly small tan head. I smell some good fruit on the nose, figs and golden raisins. caramel is evident with some great belgian yeast and bready notes are evident as well. Flavor is really nice. Yeasty, breadiness, malt, golden raisins, apples, sweetness and some spices are all combined to make one helluva beer.
mreusch (482), Olathe, Kansas, USA
Nov 26, 2008 750ml bottle, with thanks to dirty martini from almost exactly a year ago, so this bottle has at least that much age on it. Pours a clear honey amber with a one finger frothy tan head that drifts down to a thin but complete cap, minimal spots of lacing. Aroma is initially some of telltale that belgian yeast, with sweet spices, dark fruits, maybe some breadiness. Flavor is a touch sweet, with more bready malts, ripe fruits, and light spice. Nicely done, and wouldn’t expect anything less from AleSmith. Thanks Larry!
JohnQPublic (256), Brooklyn, New York, USA
Nov 21, 2008 Bottle into chalice. This example is about a year old. Pours a clear, incredibly effervescent, stunning red-brown, with a tight, fizzy off-white head that recedes quickly. This is a beautiful beer. Nose is figs, white grapes, bit of yeast and sweet caramel malt then blend into a beautiful breadiness - clean and wonderfully crisp. Picks up some nutty cocoa notes as it warms. Flavor is equally fantastic - starts with a big hit of yeast, but then a big toasty sweet malt quality is folded into the massive vinous fruity notes - raisins and dates, slightly over-ripe apples, pears - it’s all there, along with a bit of spicy brown sugar sweetness. Finish is yeasty, rich with lingering fruit and doughy malt notes, and a vinous exhale. Mouthfeel is lightly carbonated, smooth and a bit syrupy, full. This one is a home run.
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