 jimmack (1221), Nutley, New Jersey, USA
Mar 13, 2005 750ml. bottle shared by Slander. Light brown color with a small tan head. Great aroma of sweet fruit, bread and spices. Flavor kind of reminded me of a
fruitcake, but a good fruitcake. Lots of sweet plums, cherries, yeast and spices. Alcohol sneaks up on you at the end. Very enjoyable. Thanks Steve!
willblake (2160), Belcamp, Maryland, USA
Mar 12, 2005 03.12.05 750ml bottle thanks to slander. Root beer brown pour, even head. Cherry and apple pie with a buttery, sugary crust are what I smell. If that’s not appetizing, I don’t know what is. There is quite a strong alcohol presence on the nose that seemed to clear the sinuses a bit. That was a good thing today. Flavor starts out soft and sweet like that pie from the aroma. Levels out to something big and boozy but quite drinkable. Lots of sweet flavor, complex, stylish for such a big beer. Reminds me of Stille Nacht. I dig it.
ARMed (485), Garnet Valley, Pennsylvania, USA
Feb 4, 2005 1.5 years old when opened. Nicely complex and powerfully spicey with a high coriander and apple spice flavor. Deep amber clear color with nice carbonation. Moderate lacing but not significantly stable. Smooth and robust with the alcohold becoming more prevelant with each sip. Warms you nice on a cold winter night. Greta accompanyment to the roasted pork sandwich I ahd.
Kåstå (1149), Mol, Belgium
Jul 2, 2004 WCII: Dark amber beer with a small head. Weak aroma. Sweet light sherry tasting beer with a light refreshing touch. Rather dry finish.
JCW (1262), Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
Jun 14, 2004 Well made Grand Cru. Very dark mahogany colored is a good description. Opaque. Aroma is yeasty, spicy and candi sweet. Coriander is apparent. The licorice and grains of paradise are barely discernable. Fizzy and full bodied. Sweet finish, but lingering dryness (from the spices) following the the sweetness. Thanks Bert, I really enjoyed this one.
OlJuntan64 (1267), Perth, Australia
May 8, 2004 WCCII: Thanks egajdzis. Deep golden brown bourbon with a small head. Slightly metallic butterscotch and malt aroma. Medium dry wine like palate. Light vinous dry sherry, younginsh portwine and medium malt flavours. High alcohol is ear warming but still reasonably well masked. Dry low sweetness malty finish.
cb (809), Wheat Ridge, Colorado, USA
Apr 29, 2004 Aroma of mincemeat and raisins as well as fresh bread. Extremely dark-fruity malt base. Noted some phenols. Alcohol more evident as it warms. Not as much spice as I thought there would be. "The working man’s grand cru"...a bit rough around the edges but worth chilling with. Like Jack Nicholson in "Five Easy Pieces," this beer has talent that hasn’t even begun to shine through. Many thanks to egajdzis for sending this to us.
TAR (2087), Boulder Co., Colorado, USA
Apr 27, 2004 Hazy black cherry. Broken off-white head with a thick ring. Firm, earthy malt aroma coupled with fruity belgian yeast, black pepper, and plums. Bountiful spicy anise notes softened with citrusy esters, herbs, and soft floral hints. Quiet roasted character. Soft body with robust spritz. Starts with sweet plums infused with alcohol and spicy anise. Lovely interplay between the spicy esters and tangy dark fruits. Light notes of caramel, passion fruit, and delicate melon notes balance some of the sugared malt sweetness. Tongue-numbing spicy esters agitate the alcoholic heat, which exaggerates some of the sweetness. Delicate floral and yeast notes add some elegance and trail the sweet malt blanket alongside persistently spicy alcohol and zesty grains of paradise at the finish. Lingers with sweet plums and muted malts. This is Pennsylvania’s answer to Trois Pistoles, only this is much spicier, yet less creamy and much more alcoholic. Will most definitely be world-class after a few years in the cellar.
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