Date: 03/22/2008
Mode: Bottle
Source: Tasting, Cellar Party

Appearance: clear dark ruby red, wispy tan head,
Aroma: dry caramel malt aroma with a light sweet fruity character,
Flavor: dark caramel flavor with a sticky sweetness, lots of earthy character keeps it somewhat dry, light fruity character, lasting earthy bitterness,

Aroma: 6/10; Appearance: 7/10; Flavor: 6/10; Palate: 6/10; Overall: 11/20
Rating: 3/5.0
Drinkability: 7/10
Score: **/4

(22oz bottle, #0652/2007, thanks mj) Cloudy dark brown body with small tan head. Aroma is medium sweet, herbal, some grassy. Taste is moderately sweet, grassy/herbal, some astringency. Medium-full body.

Bottle # 0481: Pours a transparent dark copper amber with a stringy-lacing off-white wispy white head. Aroma of sweet, sugary caramely malts and lots of light frutiy esters. Body starts fairly full and earthy dark caramely malty sweet before a drier bittersweet finish. A decent barleywine, but could use some time to age.

22oz bottle acquired in trade with The_Beer_God (thanks!). Bottle labeled # 0399 / 2007. Poured a deeper mahogany color with an averaged sized off white head. Aromas of dry grassiness, husky, caramel, roast, and some dark fruits. Tastes of toffee, earthy, citrus, and dark fruits.

22oz bottle from Whole Foods in Vienna. First hint of the nose and I’m thinking of the somewhat herbal mixture you get with cut grass and a freshly laid dog turd. Sounds crass but that’s honestly what it smells like at first. I guess after a little aeration the smell seems to improve, with some young, greenish hops showing through and a mildly acidic malt body. Seems to resemble a high gravity randomly spiced scotch ale, and the texture is a bit slick, twangy, and wet, finishing with a bit of a fuesal caramel malt flavor. Not exactly good, and this seems like it need more time to condition in the bottle.