DuClaw Colossus

Brewed by DuClaw Brewing Company
Style: American Strong Ale
Abingdon, Maryland USA

Bottle shared by Sparky27 at Hellbilly’s tasting. Sweet aroma of tobacco. Amber body with off-white head. Flavor of sweet molasses and sugar butter candy. Alcohol has a body warming effect. WOW!

pain brought on by sparky27... rich amber color with an expected short lived white head. looks thick. it smells good enough... cinnamon, maple syrup, brown sugar, dark dried fruit, grainy sweetness and a boozy burn. sweet cannot begin to describe this beast... i’m tearing up just rethinking about it... it tastes like super sweet wort with an astringent bitter finish... a kick in the teeth of alcohol too... i can’t do it.

Bottle shared by Sparky27 @ Hellbilly’s Holiday Tasting. Really enjoyed this one (more than the rest of the crew, I think). Ruby red pour with a whispy white head that left a bit of lacing. Impressed by the carbonation in this 21% monstrosity. Aroma of brown sugar, cotton candy, maple syrup, and alcohol. Honey, caramel malt, candied sugar, and dark fruit in flavor. Not as syrupy as one would expect. Tasty.

Appearance: Slips out of the liter bottle a clear, deep, dark amber body with a small, white head. Sure, it’s short-lived, but it’s surprising one can form at all what with all that alcohol in here. Oh, but check out those legs! Smell: Scent of light caramel shoehorned in amongst eye-tearing, monstrous (and monstrously huge) notes of tropical fruit punch, Bacardi 151 rum, and pound cake. My my my. Taste: Grimacingly sweet jolt upfront, along with a big sip of spiked punch and further wild berry candy notes. No real hop character or bitterness, unless it long ago expired from alcohol poisoning. The bottle suggests heating it beyond 100 degrees for kicks. Though I don’t have a thermometer handy, there is a microwave nearby! 45 seconds on high sounds about right. Right? !!! Okay, well, the heat brings about a touch of Grade A maple syrup, but it also unleashes a surge of isopropyl alcohol, though this brings about the good, wholesome fun would have doing shots of hot sake. The latter half offers up more fruit flavors and perhaps a splash of Midori. Finishes with an unyielding candylike sweetness and a kick of booze. Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied. Medium carbonation. Drinkability: American Strong Ale, indeed! It’s more of a shooter than it is a beer. Perhaps it’s a hot, chaotic mess, but it’s still strangely alluring (minus the $40 price tag though).

Bottle shared by Sparky27 at hellbilly’s holiday tasting. Deep amber pour with a small head. Aroma of huge sweet malt, dark fruit and alcohol. Flavor is also big and malty, very sweet with lots of alcohol. Good, though a bit sweet. Very tasty when mixed with fruit! Thanks Eric.

750ml bottle courtesy of GMCC2181 and shared with the Phoenix crew at hellbilly’s holiday tasting. Pours clear amber with a small beige head. The nose brown sugar, molasses, dark fruit and booze. The taste is caramel ice cream topping, brown sugar, honey, over ripe citrus and light alcohol. The sweetness hides the massive ABV pretty good. A tad sweet for me but still good. Thanks G-Money for the chance to try it!

Shared by sparky27 with the phoenix crew at hellbillys shop of horrors. Pours an amber color with a slight reddish hue and a small white head. Aroma is boozy, caramel, malt. Flavor is caramel, alcohol, lots of sweetness. Kind of reminds me of alcoholic whoppers candy meets werthers original. Strange brew, and considering the strength it isn’t bad. Just don’t smoke near this bad boy.

Sampled at the Ohio group tasting on DLD eve ’09. I was told to be careful with this one. Clear amber pour with a thin tan head. Aroma of alcohol, fruit, sweet malt and honey. Honey flavor with a nice alcohol burn. Definitely reminds me more of a mead than a beer.