aracauna (2374), Georgia, USA
| 3.2 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 5/10 | 5/5 | 6/10 | 4/5 | 12/20 | Jul 10, 2005 Dark brown body glints ruby at its center. Large yellowish tan head lasts for a while. The aroma has a slightly sourish aspect. The fruitiness mixed with the phenols kind of reminds me of a refrigerator crisper in need of dumping. With the anise and nutmeg spicing the aroma is just a jumbled mess. The flavor improves with a good brown sugar maltiness and a bit of apple peel and most of the less desirable aspects of the aroma falling out. Still, it falls flat with an incongruous metallic bitterness that kind of ruins the effect. bb (2905), Martinez, California, USA
| 3.6 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 7/10 | 4/5 | 7/10 | 3/5 | 15/20 | Jul 9, 2005 Bottle. Very dark amber-mahogony beer with a nioce beige head. Rich malt aroma with some fruit and cola. Rich fruity/malty flavor - sweet malt, dates, raisins, yeasty spiciness. Full bodied. Easy to drink - hides alcohol well. Some cocoa and roastiness. What keeps this from being a great beer is that it misses the rich aftertaste. The flavor just sort of peters out without giving you enough satisfaction. Panzuriel (993), Westerville, Ohio, USA
| 3.6 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 7/10 | 4/5 | 8/10 | 3/5 | 14/20 | Jul 8, 2005 Dark brown opaque beer with a thin mocha head. Mild spicy hop nose with good tang. Flavor is a spicy smoky hoppy blend. Texture is light but fluid. Finish is warming but a little tangy. cigarsnbeer (146), Valley City, North Dakota, USA
| 3.6 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 6/10 | 4/5 | 7/10 | 3/5 | 16/20 | Jul 7, 2005 Strange...I wouldn’t expect this from Stone, I thinks an American take on the Belgian Strong Ale. Fruity and peppery through out, with a cigar tobacco aftertaste, REALLY complex! biz82 (1328), austin, Texas, USA
| 3.4 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 9/10 | 3/5 | 6/10 | 3/5 | 13/20 | Jul 7, 2005 Dark fruit aroma with tropical highlights. Passionfruit, starfruit, grapefruit. Clear and dark red with little head. The flavor does not match the aroma. It’s one dimensional, though clean and somewhat interesting. Where’s the flavor? Styles (1653), Lincoln Park, Michigan, USA
| 3.8 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 8/10 | 4/5 | 7/10 | 4/5 | 15/20 | Jul 6, 2005 Bottle courtesy of Pailhead. Pours dark brown/ruby to the light. Aroma has lots of spice and smokiness. Reminds me more of a dubbel than a strong. Flavor was the same spice and smoke with some dark fruits. Long spicey aftertaste. mybrainhurts (213), North Dakota, USA
| 3.7 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 7/10 | 4/5 | 7/10 | 4/5 | 15/20 | Jul 4, 2005 Pours deep brown with a short lasting tannish head. Aroma is yeasty, peppery, with hard fruits, dates and plums. Complex indeed. This is just from memory but it almost brings to mind HOTD Adam, only not as good. Molasses, coca, earth, tobacco, and peppery spiciness. Somewhat thin and chalky in the mouth. This is enjoyable now, but I question how it will age. Only time will tell. Ughsmash (3999), Waukesha, Wisconsin, USA
| 3.9 | Aroma | Appearance | Flavor | Palate | Overall | | 7/10 | 4/5 | 8/10 | 4/5 | 16/20 | Jul 3, 2005 Deep ruby pour with a moderate beige head. Aroma was quite complex with spices (incl. cloves), dark fruits, Belgian yeast, plums, and some malty sweetness. Crisp mouthfeel from the hops, and white pepper, dark fruit, a medium sweet malt backbone, and cloves were in there. The sweetness dominated the flavor, but I think it may mellow out with time. Familiar Stone hoppy finish with some cloves and sweet malts. I enjoyed this, but the 04’s balance gives it my nod at this point in time.
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