snowcrash000 (1790) - Cologne, GERMANY - DEC 19, 2021UPDATED: DEC 19, 2021 Pours a deep mahogany coloration that turns ruby red when held up against the light, with a medium fluffy head. Smells of bready, grainy, caramel malt and distinct peat smoke, as well as notes of dark and red fruit, brown sugar and hints of honey. Taste is an excellent balance of bready, grainy, caramel malt, dark fruit and red berries, with notes of plum, fig, cranberry and red currant, some peat smoke and heather honey, as well as hints of walnut, spice and bitter, herbal and earthy hops. Finishes bittersweet, with some heather honey, peat smoke, dark/red fruit and brown sugar lingering in the aftertaste. Full mouthfeel with a medium/rich body and medium carbonation.
Reading some of the other reviews, I was afraid that this would be way too sweet for me, but I did not end up feeling like that at all. While there are some rich caramel malt, brown sugar and heather honey notes to this, they are balanced very nicely against some peat smoke, bitter hops and subtle spice here. The dark fruit and particularly red berries are coming through strongly as well, lending some certain sherry undertones to this along with the warming alcohol presence and hints of spice. Overall, this makes for a very rich and complex example of the style that balances sweet malts against spicy and bitter hop notes very well. Maybe it's because, assuming a 12-moth best-by date, my bottle is quite fresh at less than 2 months old.
hopihalido (1974) - Hamburg, GERMANY - DEC 17, 2021UPDATED: DEC 17, 2021 AR: malzig, erdig, Dörrobst, leicht rauchig,
AP: klares dunkelrotbraun/kastanie
TA: malzig, erdig, fruchtig, leicht rauchig, brotig, süss,
DoctorHU (1832) - Transcarpathia, UKRAINE - JUN 2, 2021UPDATED: JUN 2, 2021 330 ml bottle. Pours brown with a off white head. Aroma is toasty bread, nuts, caramel. Taste is medium sweet, caramel, nutty, dried fruits.
Jerseyislandbeer (3514) - JERSEY - FEB 28, 2021UPDATED: FEB 28, 2021 Old rating from 2009 - 500ml bottle, pours brown with a off white foamy head. Aromas & tastes of caramel, dark fruits, butterscotch, earth & roasted malt. Medium body. Warming finish
ivanoc (75) - - DEC 8, 2020UPDATED: DEC 8, 2020 Colore rosso rubino, schiuma colore panna-beige a grana fine, poco persistente.
Al naso cioccolato e caffè, in bocca ancora caffè.
Ottima birra, mi è piaciuta molto.
z87 (3055) - Frydek-Mistek, CZECH REPUBLIC - NOV 20, 2020UPDATED: NOV 20, 2020 Lahvové třetinka z ostravské pivoteky pivní mozaika. Příliš sladké příliš alkoholové, absolutně se netrefilo do me chuti.
WillySenpai (169) - MEXICO - NOV 13, 2020UPDATED: DEC 19, 2020 Una cerveza con espuma generosa y persistente. Notas a manzana roja, bollería y mantequilla. Persiste el acidez en la boca.
tape7 (349) - FINLAND - AUG 24, 2020UPDATED: AUG 24, 2020 How: bottle. BB: JUL2021
Head: two finger, off white.
Colour: deep amber.
Aroma: malts, caramel, fruit cake, light alcohol.
Taste: medium body, below average carbonation, follows what aroma suggested. On sweeter side.
Malts& fruit cake in long aftertaste with balancing bitterness.
ChrisOfstad (5258) - Hamar, NORWAY - AUG 8, 2020UPDATED: AUG 8, 2020 0,33 litre Bottle from Old Cellar Collection. Almost Black with beige head. Roasted malts, hops, Caramel, sweetness, some herbs.
MattShizzle (726) - Bernville, Pennsylvania, USA - AUG 5, 2020UPDATED: AUG 5, 2020 Bottle - in 4 pack. Very dark brown - cloudy. Malty aroma. Very malty flavor - sweet. Almost no hop flavor. Flavor also has some roast.