Bottle, dated September 1, 2002, purchased and savored at Choice City Butcher and Deli, Ft Collins, CO. I am not sure how Russ procured this, but thanks. Pours cloudy brown with a spare, rocky, light brown head, diminishing, spare lacing. Aroma is heavy malt (caramel, chocolate, toffee), average hops (flowers), average yeast (dough) with notes of dates and honey. Full bodied, creamy and alcoholic texture, average carbonation and a bitter finish. Long duration, moderate sweetness, acidity and bitterness.

On tap at Clarkston Union Bells event. Pours a hazy golden amber color with smallish soapy white head. Aroma is dough, molasses, grains. Flavor is dried fruits, yeast, candy sugar, raisin, molasses. Palate is medium bodied, medium carbonation, finishes sweet. Excellent stuff.

<i>Cask; 2003 RAF</i>: Cloudy rust color. Frothy foam. Lightly smoked aroma. Hints of dark grape, bread, and caramel. Thick palate. Full bodied. Smoke flavors overrides plum, candied fruit, and yeast with a hint of iron and raisin. Underlain by a mildly coarse hop presence. Reminiscent of Bell&#39;s Batch 5000 with more barleywine-like aspects. Highly impressive.

Wow! It is amazing how much flavor and uniqueness can be stuffed into a 4 ounce glass!!!! Warm sugar cookie dough dipped in rum, rolled in hay, drug through a field of oats, dipped in rum again, and finally poured into my glass with a hops-infused cherry on top. &#40;Jeez, that sounds like I just stole this out of DaSilky1&#39;s notebook!&#41;