The bottle I picked up the other day has a bottled on date of “05.07” I assume that means May of 2007, making this beer s little over a year and a half old. Good thing it's a 8.5% ABV brew with a rich malty profile which should hold up well to a little age.
The first thing I notice upon “popping” the top is a rich malty aroma. The beer pours a rich brown color that has a filtered clarity to it. The head is a thick tan foam that settles into a thin film and leaves some moderate lacing on the sides of my glass. The aroma has definite sweetness to it that is molasses-like, but a little lighter, like fresh figs. Very complex, not sure if I can describe this properly. I also pick up a solid toasted bread aroma and a hint of a peppery spiciness from the hops. It is almost like an English Barleywine.
The flavor has the same complex maly sweetness to it, I also detect some toasted bread and toffee notes. The mouth feel is rich and full with a nice smoothness to it. The hops try to bring about a dry earthy finish. Only after sipping about half the beer do I start to notice the warming effects from the alcohol. I don't know if it's the age or craftsmanship, probably both, but the alcohol is very well hidden in this brew. Overall this is a deliciously complex brew and I'm sad I only bought one. I would absolutely recommend it, even if it's been sitting on the shelf for awhile.
