Profiled by Maria Deva for PGA
Pours the color of burnt caramel with a frothy head of khaki foam that’s creamy and lays itself on top of the beer. When the glass is not too full you can see cola colored hues and honey golds. Lace is shimmering like sea foam in the bright moonlight.
Nose is lush caramel and a fainter molasses. Coffee, chocolate and roasty malt. A sultry whiff of sweet bourbon and a bit of vanilla. The malt is earthy and fragrant. Some elusive dark fruits seem to flash and fade like twinkling stars but the one that lasts is a alight plum.
Taste is dry roasty malt with it’s sweet underpinnings. washes over the palate with a surprising milky sweetness. Strong bitter coffee, dry bittersweet chocolate, subtle vanilla and tempting bourbon. There is a wood so light on this that it seems to be afloat, weightless on the beer. A slight warmth from alcohol as this one finishes crisp, dry, thinnish to the palate but with a medium mouthfeel and with some hop bitter to linger alongside all that smooth caramel.
4.
Welcome to the PGA beer rating system: one beer “Don’t bother.” Two: Eh, if someone gives it to you, drink. Three: very good, go ahead and seek it out, but be aware there is at least one problem. Four: seek it out. Five: pretty much “perfecto.”
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Maria Devan lives in Ithaca, NY and is frequent reviewer of beer and a beer lover deluxe.