(10/29/08) Bottle sample at the brewery in Stockton (thanks a lot Steve and Mike!). Deep amber color. Aroma of malt, fruits, brandy and wood. Sweet flavor with cookies, caramel, alcohol, wood and some fruity notes. Full-bodied.

Draught at The Bistro. Leftover from the BA fest. Really lucked out on coming across this one; awesome beer. Amber orange with a fine head. Huge fruity and caramel aroma, with plenty of brandy and wood influence. The flavor is quite sweet, but has so many good fruity nuances, along with honey, caramel, and vanilla, that It comes together. Full bodied, with a smooth, melded feel. The brandy and bright, popping fruit really make this one.

Draft @ Bistro BA Fest. Pours a dense, reddish-orange color; light-tan head with fine-bubbled lacing. Lots of maple syrup, brown sugar, and slightly warming alcohol; a touch warm. Medium-to-full mouthfeel: chewy, dense maple syrup, oozing brown sugar and dried fruits; gorgeous, dense caramel character; reserved alcohol if slightly warming; nicely composed, very dense and heavily malted. Lots of chewy dark fruit. Lengthy finish: dried dark fruits, caramel, and sweet toffee; little alcohol in the finish; ends in reserved sweetness.

Draft at Bistro BA fest. This is a hazy orange pour. Aroma is really sweet toffee, brandy sweetness, super sweet malt. The whole beer is just sweet and it somewhat masks the alcohol, but it is somewhat hard to drink still.

Thanks to Steve for the chance to try this! Poured an amber color with a small cream head. Aroma was maple syrup, dark fruits and toffee. Taste was much the same, more sweetness throughout and on the finish, with some alcohol that worked nicely on the end. This was certainly tasty around the firepit on my deck. And also served as the celebratory beer right after my buddy Brett proposed to Kelli. Cheers!