 cquiroga (370), Sylmar, California, USA
| 4.2 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 8/10 | 4/5 | 9/10 | 4/5 | 17/20 |
Aug 4, 2007
8/4/07. Poured out of 750 mL bottle, purchased at Holiday Wine Cellar in Escondido, CA 1/5/05. 2004 Vintage. Deep copper-bronze color with a dense, creamy, tightly-formed, medium-sized sandy-tan head. Lacing is sticky, slow, and falls in blotchy, thick ribbons, with swift but respectable sub-surfacing reverse-lacing. The head retains very well for the style in a thin wafer. Aroma is very strongly reminiscent of bananas foster, with caramel sauce and lots of rotten banana fermentation character, slight hints of black pepper, some warming alcohol (even in the nose), and other assorted dark fruits (dates, mostly, but some raisins too), all outlined by a slight toasty presence. But this is like toast that is very slowly browned (not burnt at all), then saturated with a fresh, deep brown honey to serve. Delicious. Flavor follows to fit that same mold-- caramel/rotten banana, some spice hints, a touch of cherry-like acidity (though no cherry fruitiness), and an earthy leather. Finish adds a very light bitterness which, when paired with the leather, makes for a nicely drying and gently massaging combo. There’s even a vague lime note to the acidity that helps with the balance. Body is medium-full, with just enough creamy carbonation to offset the sugary sweetness and soften the alcohol point. I do get a slight solventy note with the alcohol, humming in the retronasal like a super-smooth whiskey. Not an offensive alcohol presence in the slightest (but it’s worth noting that, despite the Commercial Description here on RateBeer, my ’04 bottle said "Alc. 10% Vol."-- whatever). Slight baked pear flavor in the finish. The beer is extremely sweet, for sure, but I’ve never shied away from that; the balance is fantastic with hints of dry leather and a quick lick of alcohol to scrub the syrup from off your tongue. The toast and dark honey/banana flavors linger forever. Probably the best $9.39 I ever spent and left sitting in the beer fridge for 18 months. When I open my own dreampub, I’ll be sure to have cases of this "on reserve" all the time-- only to be offered after they’re at least two years in the cellar. Here’s to aspidites for the jazz recommendation-- Chick Corea was a perfect pairing.
LuckyDuck (8), Seattle, Washington, USA
does not count  | 4 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 8/10 | 4/5 | 7/10 | 5/5 | 16/20 |
Nov 27, 2009 2009 batch, 750 ml bottle, 11/27/09. Pours dark brown with ruby highlights, with light tan head. Not a lot of head retention. Odor is plums, almost grape juice. Slight (but not offensive) green apple aroma. Hits the mouth sweet and grapey. Definitely some belgian candy syrup flavor. Plenty carbonated, but not to the extreme like some of this style. Mouthfeel is very smooth – one of the best, most surprising features of this beer, actually. No metallic flavor, alcohol is very well hidden, no astringency. Overall, I’d say this beer is essentially flawless, though a little one-dimensional with the dark fruity sweetness. Reminds me a lot of a Bernardus Abt 12, although not as dry. This beer was young. It is going to age very well.
Strykzone (1473), Wood River, Illinois, USA
| 3.6 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 7/10 | 4/5 | 7/10 | 3/5 | 15/20 |
Nov 27, 2009 2008 bottle. A huge tan head causes significant delay in enjoying this beer. Pour is a very cloudy dark brown that is almost porter a color. A complex aroma of spice, dark fruit, vinous notes, and cherry wood. Flavor is delicious. Complex fruit with both dark and tropical, alcohol, spices, sweetness and more sweetness. This was a very tasty beer for a beer drinker with a sweet tooth (like myself). However, it would have been a great beer to share. By the end of the 750 the sweet flavor had grown stale.
jthg (68), Austin, Texas, USA
| 3.6 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 7/10 | 4/5 | 7/10 | 4/5 | 14/20 |
Nov 26, 2009 The first thing I noticed about the 2007 version of this beer is the alcohol notes on the aroma. It wasn’t offensive, but definitely present. The beer pours a dark amber/brown that shines red in the glass without much head. With the alcohol, the beer has a fresh sweet caramel nose with a slight date smell. The taste mirrors the aroma and as the beer warms up, more alcohol notes are noticeable in the taste. Good beer.
And, if I were to have the pleasure of drinking this beer again, I would drink it cold!
pompelmoes (52), Belgium
| 4.3 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 8/10 | 4/5 | 9/10 | 5/5 | 17/20 |
Nov 26, 2009 Dark chesnut colour with fine beige foam on top. Rich nose with hints of brown sugar, dried fruits, caramel, plumpudding and spices. Taste is complex, full with nice roundings and smooth elements like candi, dried plums, nutmeg and soft hops. Alcohol well hidden.
redeyeloon (9), Colorado, USA
does not count | 4.5 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 10/10 | 5/5 | 8/10 | 4/5 | 18/20 |
Nov 25, 2009 2009 750mL -> trappist glass. Pours a dark reddish brown with tan head. Head laces slightly. The nose is quite dynamic: molasses and gingerbread followed by orange peel and eventually pecan - top notch. The tasting is quite pleasant milk chocolate and maple syrup - not as complex to the tongue as the nose would suggest. This ale is very sweet and has only a hint of bitter at the finish. The mouthfeel is creamy and syrupy. Overall, this is an excellent belgian brown, though sweeter than I prefer. Cellaring is definitely in order. If only I could get this product unrefrigerated.
Bricks (29), USA
| 4.6 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 10/10 | 5/5 | 9/10 | 4/5 | 18/20 |
Nov 22, 2009 Updated: Nov 26, 2009Aroma was sweet. Smelled of candy and fruit -- great. The taste of the beer was exceptional and I barely tasted the 11%. Syrupy, fruity, smooth. Might have been a little too sweet, but otherwise, no complaints.
Pipper (244), Ohio, USA
| 3.8 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 7/10 | 4/5 | 8/10 | 4/5 | 15/20 |
Nov 21, 2009 Bomber into glass: dark ruby pour with only slight ring of very light tan head. I guess I didn’t expect it to be so sweet but it was beautifully done -- not too sweet. Good malts, a little yeast and caramelized banana flavor.
annahawk (10), Sweden
| 4.2 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 8/10 | 5/5 | 8/10 | 5/5 | 16/20 |
Nov 21, 2009 Bottles. Dark redish brown in colour. Nose of caramell and banana. Tasted of banana and vanilla. A bir sweet. A new favourite...
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