 JoeMcPhee (3586), Jackson Heights, New York, USA
May 3, 2008
Drank after a day that really sucked ass, and this was like manna from heaven. Deep amber-brown beer with a thick beige head. Aroma is very rich and hoppy. Sweet pine, grapefruit and a light tropical mango/pineapple quality. Sweet crystal malt caramel and toast. Lots of sweet tropical fruit with a pronounced simcoe/amarillo quality. Mango and peachy fruitiness. As it warms some nice peppery and rye-like character comes to the fore. It’s big and sticky, but still very well-balanced and drinkable.
WISEGUY572 (1074), Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
Jul 3, 2008 Confused the hell out of me. I’m not going to enter numbers for another hour and another glass. Initial impressions were a fantastic pour, dark amber, huge foamy light amber head, gorgeous. Nose confused me, since my beer seller thought it was an IPA and it is obviously not. It’s a strong ale, but not an IPA. And still ... great citrus hopping, orange and grapefruit and pine ... and yet ... how confusing ... notes of sour lemon? Sweet malts, caramel, and then what ... a sour strawberry almost Rodenbach grand cru note, quickly hidden by the alcohol and the grapefruit and the pine and the caramel again. Long orange and pine bitter finish. Funky soapy nose ... did I mention that? Just not sure. My thoughts ten minutes on are alcohol, strawberry, and bitterness. Kind of average mouth feel, which would have been improved by more carbonation, cutting the thick syrupy sweetness and alcohol. No bonus points for a beer this strong; the trick is doing wonderful work at 5%, not 10%. And no bonus points on price; this is a first from Ithaca, a beer that makes DFH look bargain priced.
Ty5592 (1000), Hatfield, Pennsylvania, USA
Jul 2, 2008 Draft. Dark amber color with off white head. Malty aroma with caramel, earth hops, and chocolate notes. The taste was sweet malt and strange bittersweet chocolate notes. This was a really good brew. Smooth and rich on the palate with massive lacing left in the glass. The finish held light alcohol and earrthy hops.
BeerVirgin72 (553), C-Bus, Ohio, USA
Jun 30, 2008 Bottle shared at Cbus tasting 11. Dark murky orange pour. Smell is strong and malty. Flavor was sticky wood, pine, malts and a few too many hops.
lb4lb (1232), Austin, Texas, USA
Jun 30, 2008 Bottle in trade from kmweaver. Thanks man!
Pours a rich dark opaque maroon with a nice creamy beige head. Smell is strong sweet red ale like malt and a touch of hops behind. Reminds me of Decadence 06 (Evil Dead Red) Nice sharp hoppy flavor and solid bitterness but a nice depth of sweet red malt balancing. Bursting with flavor, is nicely bittered and balanced and is so easy to drink. Awesome beer.
Miver (267), WillowStreet, Pennsylvania, USA
Jun 30, 2008 On draft at Capones. Poured a hazy copper color with a small white head. Aroma of grapefruit and piney hops with an underlying fruity sweetness. Tastes of citrus and piney hop, with a sweet malt base. It’s a bit fruity, sweet, and bitter all in one. It has a very distinct Ithaca taste which I get from a lot of the other Ithaca brews (maybe the yeast). This one was ok.
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