Rating from memory, as this used to be a favorite: amber color leaning towards brown, tan head. Appealing aroma of smoke, spices and sweet malt. Smoky, malty flavor with light, but well-balanced bitterness. A true pity that it’s now unavailable.

1 pint swingtop purchased at New Beer in NYC - considering that at least 60% of the ratings for this beer in the last year were entered by NY/NJ folks, I’ll assume they all got this beer there, too, so who knows how long it’s been sitting on their shelves (damn you, New Beer!) - the top made a huge pop and beer gushed out of the top of the bottle - really cloudy amber beer, with a frothy, well-sustained head - a lot of oxidation and mustiness in the aroma, woodsy campfire smells, and an underlying sweetness that makes the overall aroma remind me a bit of toasting marshmallows on a damp spring night - the flavor shows more signs of age than the aroma does - quite a bit of cobweb and earthiness - a bit of oxidation and acidic character - a little bit of over-ripe fruit sweetness, combining with the acidity and smoke to make it taste like baked apples wrapped in bacon (yea, weird) - too old, or just poorly kept (New Beer!), but I don’t imagine this was that good fresh either.

.5 liter bottle. Pours a murky woody smokey brown with a thin diminishing head- some lace to begin with but fades as well. Aroma is smoked meats, campfire, some beechwood and a harsher smoked alder- like a mild Alaskan smell. Flavor has some smokiness but not as intense, and is subdued by some stale malts, crackers, and paper- cobwebby and musty. Gritty and cereal finish- mouthfeel is a bit weak. Probably would be nice when fresh.

Shared with puzzl (thanks Andy!). Poured light brown with a bit of white head. Smelled like a barbecue pretty much. Plenty of bacon in there, no question about it. Taste is smoky, not much else. Palate was very thin, almost watery. Like puzzl said, don’t drink this warm.

Hammy, light smoke aroma. Florals and, err, hotdog. Thin and lacking flavor is mostly light smoke, certainly not bad but not full and rich like a Schlenkerla. Better cold.