 beermatrix (1497), Twin Cities, Minnesota, USA
Nov 30, 2003
Wowee, wow, wow, what a fantastic beer! The beer Gods from Stone have bestowed this upon us for a reason, because to know heaven you must pass through hell! This is pure pleasure and make no mistake you will pay by nights end. Pours a deep firey tawny amber brown, settles a bit darker in the chalice glowing of newly created lava from the earths crust as it procedes to grow a tall, firmly thickened, whipped froth of tannish wonder. Fades ever so slowly like a dieing fire to a thin ring and a hazy skim across the liquid leaving massive sticking amounts of webby laced sheets. Aroma appears stronger then smoke, more like heat from an oven with mounting sweet caramel, lightly burnt, earthy crispness of deep woods pineyness. Malts are king in this world, ruling with a mighty pitch fork that pokes at the hops as if to say "Ha, ha... Try to take my throne you measly weed". Taste is where it leads you down the path of whats about to become a head full of everything thats tempting. Complexing malts are forest fire big, tons of great semi sweet caramel, thick and thicker yet, flowing in and out of scorched and deeply ripe dark fruityness, pineapple, mango, plum, and raisins bursting within with a light burntness touching everything. Its calmingly smooth and far to creamy for such a fire to burn, but yet it does, and it builds with a wind of hops thats burning up brush of small dwindling pine, dried leaves, and wood. Incredibly balanced bitterness is deep and crackly over the musculature of the big boned skeleton of malts. Alcohol never makes its presense felt til it finds its way to the head where it smokes out any notions of all before it. You remember liking this thing you enjoyed the next day but are now lurking around like a zombie wondering how in the hell did I survive such a dance with the flames of a devil. F*cking great stuff!! Can't wait to dance again with this dark nectar, but not any time soon, as not to become a devils second hand. I hopefully have learned my lesson. Why did they have to put this in a bomber? Much like a devil its always tempting you to take more.
Skeegle (335), USA
Dec 4, 2008 Mmmm. FINALLY! I have looked yonder mountains and in the wee shops of whoville for this stuff and alas! the search is fruitful. I feared the bottle would implode and cease to exist once I opened it. But nay. Mmmm. Double Bastard. This really tasted like a barley wine to me. Except sweeter. Which was bizarre. But it was great none the less. Lots of flowery bouquet notes with a definite dark raisiny cheek watering bite. Well worth the wait.
PorterPounder (2881), Tallahassee, Florida, USA
Dec 3, 2008 Savannah, Georgia - Habersham Beverage Warehouse - 22 oz bomber. Pours a medium to dark copper with a thick sticky off-white head that produces nice lace that clings to the glass for the entire time. Resiny aroma with some nice mountainy Scotch pine accents and a wee bit of alcohol. Succulent flavor with some sticky grapefruity hoppiness, some nectarines, pomegranates - you name the fruit it is in there. Nice malty backbone with some maple syrup notes, molasses, brown sugar. Sticky rich thick mouthfeel. Excellent - best beer I have had in a long time.
RedSox2004 (199), Pacific Palisades, California, USA
Nov 30, 2008 22 oz bomber poured into a pint glass. Two-finger head that stayed strong and left nice sticky lacing. Caramel and citrus were strongest on the nose, which also held a background of dark fruits and malts. Wonderfully balanced caramel malt sweetness and slightly citrusy hops bitterness on the palate. Complexity seemed to increase as the beer warmed, and additional flavors of spices, ripe fruit, and carmelized sugars came through. Medium to full mouthfeel, good carbonation, and a pleasant aftertaste. Alcohol is warming, not overpowering. Excellent beer.
branspra (86), Arlington, Virginia, USA
Nov 30, 2008 Bottle. Pours with a white head, rather small. Body is a dark amber color with excellent lacing. Aromas of hops, mainly citrus, roasted grains and malts, and some casket-like port or wine. Flavor smacks you in the face with a bold initial taste followed by a very nice bitter aftertase. Texture of sticky and carbonation almost perfect. Well worth the wait each year.
garthicus (595), Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Nov 30, 2008 On tap at ’Ginger Man’ in NYC. Dark ruby red, tiny wispy pancake colour head. Deathly still. Aroma: Alcohol, some allspice, hops and then alcohol again! Flavour: HUGE, just huge, alcohol, some distinct hops, very very bitter finish, long brandy in the finish too. A lot of alcohol. Woah.
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