Saucerful O' Secrets - Firestone Walker Brewing Co.

seaoflament

California

3.8/5  rDev -7.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I got this 12oz bottle via Kegergator>KingG so thanks to both.

Poured a shade darker than a mahogany color with some ruby on the sides. About an inch of foam is produced that had some light yellow highlights. Very good retention and I just needed to give it a swirl or two to get the head going again.

The first aroma that came up to me as I poured was bread and bread dough. Then I got the sweetness of caramel and dark fruits like raisins and figs. After it settled for about a minute the spices and yeast aromas came through, some cinnamon, nutmeg, perhaps some subtle vanilla and clove. The aroma was quite pleasant; there wasn't any dominating aromas from the spices/yeast and it has a nice balance of bready aromas and dark fruits. A touch of alcohol was also present and some cherries as well.

Tasted a bit too much of grains and toasted malts and overpowered the bread characteristic of this beer which I really liked on the nose. Sweetness came in on the middle along with the raisins and various fruits and finished with a bit of heat, but not too much. Very malty, would have liked to see a bit more dark fruits but if this is a Belgian strong dark ale I think it fits that category well. A bit of an off taste in the finish, slightly metallic in the aftertaste and a bit of bitterness near the end.

Mouth-feel was rather good but had a conflicting finish in which it tasted watery but the carbonation made it seem soapy or almost full. I'll give this one a pass.

Quite good actually, wouldn't mind having another.

Serving type: bottle

04-10-2008 22:59:56 | More by seaoflament

HalfFull

California

3.65/5  rDev -11.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3

Pours a very deep amber with minimal head yet decent carbonation, which lingers on but yet provides no significant lacing on the glass.

Smell is nondescript when cold, a hint of malt. Yet opens up ever so slightly as the beer warms.

Taste on the other hand is all up front! A blast of malts, caramel and chocolate and very enduring and endearing. Finishes with a chewy sugar-malt flavor. Drinkability depends on what you're having for dinner. Me, I'm having a salad after this because I think I just had dessert ;)) Yum...

Serving type: on-tap

05-21-2008 06:05:01 | More by HalfFull