Conflux No. 1 (Collage) - Deschutes Brewery

boilermakerbrew

Indiana

4.89/5  rDev +17.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 5

Finally got to the 4-30-13 "Best After" date, and I just finished my second to last undergrad final....let's do this.

A- Pours sort of thick and syrup-like. Body is a murky, very deep amber to brown color. Some light gets through the edges, revealing a little more of the red color in it. Small, .5 finger head forms and sticks around as a very thin lace for a good while. Lacing is pretty good for the small head.

S- Some booze and tart notes up front from The Dissident. Tart note is slightly fruity, but very Flanders Red in scent. Complexity after that is huge. A mix of bourbon and oak are the main characteristics, although dark fruits and some semi-sweet malts are in there too.

T- The most complex thing I've ever tasted. Like the scent, starts with a slightly tart bang of a Flanders Red. Moves quickly into more bitter oak and bourbon flavors, but neither are strong like in a BBA stout. Dark fruits make a cameo right after the barrel notes and taste like a combo of the port and The Stoic's quad flavors. Ends with some alcohol bite and a slight return of the barrels and tartness.

M- Surprisingly high in carbonation. Feels most like a Flanders Red, rather than a barrel aged strong ale. Rather drinkable with the hint of alcohol heat towards the end being the only thing holding it back from being quaffed quickly.

Overall, I should have bought a bunch of this. Terrifically complex, yet refreshing for a beer with so much barrel aging and high alcohol content. Too bad this was $9/bottle, because that's about the only negative thing about it.

Serving type: bottle

05-02-2013 23:55:44 | More by boilermakerbrew

lordofstarside

Nevada

4.83/5  rDev +15.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

Finally hit the best after date, rewarding myself for a paper I just finished
12oz to a snifter. Best after...today (4/30) About twenty minutes out of the fridge to let it warm up a bit

Pours a very murky burgundy with a half finger of foam. Red hues pour out the side when held up to the sun, some rust color up towards the top. High carbonation though the foam has dissipated quickly as expected. Actually some decent lacing and nice alcohol legs

Man this thing reeks of booze. It's sitting about a foot and a half away as I type and I'm catching quite a few alcohol fumes. When I stick my nose in it: bourbon, whiskey, oak, caramel, red wine, toffee, rum, and sherry stick out the most. The subtler aromas include chocolate, tobacco, and some leather. Some tart fruits from the dissident also are buried in there. This stuff is exploding with complexity, however it could come together better. Time may smooth that out, but for now it's the only thing costing the smell a perfect score

Taste is incredible. Chocolate, cherry, bourbon, wine, caramel, figs, dark fruit, toffee, rum, banana, some tart cherry, some spice from the hops, and a hint of alcohol. The thing I pick up on most is the bourbon/whiskey and Fred. The only other beer I've had is Dissident, which is a bit muted relative to everything else. It'd be really interesting to get the blend percentage of all the beers and barrels. All comes together flawlessly

Despite the incredibly boozy smell, the alcohol itself is completely masked. Medium body with little carbonation and a dry finish. This beer is a sipper for sure, but very drinkable

Overall, as far as complexity goes this beer makes my top five. This is probably my longest review because there's just so damn much to say about it. A ton going on, well crafted, and tastes excellent. And thanks to a $10 price tag all my regular stores are still well in stock, and probably will continue to be for months, maybe even another year. This works greatly in my favor- I have five more aging, which I'm hoping will grow to ten or twelve over the rest of the year. I'll be back next year with a re-review

Serving type: bottle

05-01-2013 00:47:50 | More by lordofstarside

korguy123

Ontario (Canada)

4.8/5  rDev +15.1%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Review #500
Special thanks to kristalynn for this amazing bottle.
Conflux No. 1
Deschutes The Stoic, Dissident and Hair of The Dog Fred and Adam aged in Rye Whiskey, Cognac, Sherry, Pinot Noir, Bourbon, new American Oak, and new Oregon Oak. Bottled May 2012.

Bottle into tulip.

A- Muddled, murky brown with red hues. Half finger large bubbled, off white head. Lacing is okay.

S- Having never had The Stoic or Dissident I can't comment on what qualities they've contributed to this so my review will be a generalization. Right up front you get some red wine and some strong vanilla from the bourbon barrels. Brown sugar, figs, dates, definite new oak aroma. There is some alcohol presence and some shoe leather and tobacco in there along with some strawberries.

There is A LOT! going on in this beer.

T- Again there is a LOT going on in here. Right up front you get the vinous characteristics from the Pinot Noir barrels. Followed by the whiskey influence, throw in some dark stone fruits and some vanilla, brown sugar and a whole heck of a lot of char, leather and cherries and you get this beer.

M- Syrupy, heavy side of medium body, sticky on the lips.

O- This is something I'd never imagine trying. It's just an amazing colaboration. There is so much going on here that to fully appreciate I'd need multiple bottles and to have also tried the other two base beers I haven't had before.

Regardless this is something worth seeking and savouring.

Here's to 500 reviews and many, many, many more! Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

09-16-2012 19:25:56 | More by korguy123

TheEarl

Washington

4.75/5  rDev +13.9%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Pours a dark red/brown with two fingers of a quickly dissipating light khaki head and lots of tiny bubbles. This beer is quite opaque and the color is virtually uniform from edge-to-edge.

Smell: Aroma is sweet and sour with apple, dark fruits, and maybe an apple cider vinegar thing happening at the end. The sourness from The Dissident is certainly the dominant component in the aroma.

Taste: The taste is initially sour, quickly fading to fruity sweetness, and finishing with an oak/barrel/wood taste. The taste isn't as sour as the aroma suggests and, relative to most strong ales, is a bit more complex. For me, the taste was the biggest surprise.

Mouthfeel: The mouthfeel is somewhat sticky but thinner than most beers of this gravity. The ABV and appearance suggest a heartier feel but the beer is only a bit thicker than your average ale.

Overall: This is a remarkable beer. The smell and taste both surpassed my expectations and the smell alone justifies the $10.99 price. Also, I noticed, after I was halfway through, that my bottles say “Best after April 30, 2013” so I suspect this beer will only get more exceptional with age. It will be interesting to see if The Dissident mellows in favor of the less overt flavors in The Stoic, Adam, and Fred.

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2012 02:30:47 | More by TheEarl

sunkistxsudafed

New Mexico

4.75/5  rDev +13.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

poured from a 12oz bottle into a tulip.

A- pours a clear dark burgundy with a very minimal khaki head, no lacing. This beer has legs.

S- the first thing i get is the Dissident and sherry. Maybe some cognac here as well. This is followed by darker malts, brown sugar and dark fruits from what i suppose is Adam. I'm not picking up any of the pinot or rye barrels in the nose, but there is a slight singe on the nostrils from the alcohol.

T- oh. my. god. I am floored by the complexity and the shear deliciousness of this beer. It starts with tart cherries, funk, and slight pepper (probably from the rye whiskey). I'm also getting some of the pomegranate from the Stoic up front. Next comes the maltiness of Fred and Adam, both playing nicely with the hypercomplex barrel notes and their Deschutes counterparts. The hop bitterness is almost nonexistant due to the sweetness of this glorious symphony of spirit barrels and beer.

M- perfect. the wine barrels seem to place their biggest part here. the perfect amount of carbonation and viscosity.

O- my only complaint about this beer is that it didn't come in a larger format. I would gladly pay $19-22 for a bomber of this stuff! all of the base beers and the barrels all play with each other and compliment and juxtapose each other in such a beautiful way... I loved it. I have another that i'm going to age, but come next pay day i might find it hard not to buy another to drink a week from now!

Serving type: bottle

06-01-2012 06:27:58 | More by sunkistxsudafed

Impfan

Washington

4.75/5  rDev +13.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Admittedly, this enigmatic blend took awhile to really grow on me. The flavors just seemed too disparate, at first. Now on bottle number three, I’m beginning to get it. Beautiful sour cherry and pinot aroma with subtle spiciness lurking underneath. Reminds me of a fine Gluhkriek. Flavor has more of the same, with slight underpinnings of chocolate, and bourbon, and stronger hints of rye whiskey. The Dissident is in the forefront, although I can pick up leather and tobacco from the Adam, and citric hoppiness from the Adam. The flavors seem to have begun to coalesce after only a short time, and I could see this being amazing in another year.

Serving type: bottle

06-01-2012 20:23:11 | More by Impfan

Resuin

Massachusetts

4.74/5  rDev +13.7%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

Re-review. Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a Westvleteren Goblet. I've had this bottle for about 6 months, but it is still well before the Best After Date, which is 3 months from now.

Appearance: Pours a deep cherry, raisin color. Very little head, well less than a finger and the head is off-white in color

Smell: Chocolate and cherries are the first aromas to get to my nose, and it is a mouth-watering combination. Some bourbon, figs and malts as well. Terrific smelling beer, very complex.

Taste: Matches the nose very well - chocolate and cherries. Bourbon, cognac. Very complex, malty, figs, even a tad bit of sourness in this one. Alcohol finishes this one off and ties all the flavors together seamlessly. Absolutely fantastic.

Mouth-feel: Despite the lack of a head, some carbonation is definitely detected and it helps lift this beer up. This is a fantastic beer to chew a bit and has a nice medium-bodied feel to it.

Overall: This one just keeps getting better with age. This is an extremely impressive brew - very different from most beers I have tasted, it's almost in a genre of its own. The chocolate and cherries which have the greatest presence in the taste are so well balanced with all the other flavors and the carbonation keeps this one from being too heavy or thick. This beer is a wonderfully crafted "collage".

Serving type: bottle

01-28-2013 05:11:45 | More by Resuin

natemort13

California

4.7/5  rDev +12.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Off white almost khaki colored fluffy head that recedes into a pocked cap with a solid ring. Color is a dark brown with ruby accents.

I could smell the barrels as I opened it. Upon closer inspection there is a strong oaky cabernet component to it. Slightly sour grapes. Definite cherries, some cola. The nose is very strong and direct. Some sherry and cognac as well.

Taste reveals more cherries and strong oak, a bit of candi sugar underneath the initial taste. Some fig and a definite sour character. Complex flavors that meld extremely well. Full flavored dark fruit with an oakiness that never overwhelms.

Mouthfeel is full bodied verging on syrupy with a nice tingly tartness.

Overall this is excellent, drink it now and or age.

Serving type: bottle

06-13-2012 05:45:35 | More by natemort13

joefuzz

New York

4.7/5  rDev +12.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours deep red/brown with a very tiny collar of bubbles

Smell is mostly the dissident up front with a nice vanilla spirit hint

Taste is out of this world....so complex im getting some slightly tart cherry with the red wine barrel notes on the first sip. After a few sips i start to pick up on a very sweet toffee like aftertaste with very strong cognac and bourbon notes...lots of oak.

Mouthfeel is outstanding, just where it needed to be. Carbonation is low but that is welcome and expected at strong ales of this caliber.

Overall this beer is outstanding, a true test of the limits of barrel aged beers.

Serving type: bottle

08-01-2012 01:07:53 | More by joefuzz

mudbug

Oregon

4.68/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

From the 12 oz. bottle into a wine goblet with an aggressive pour results in a one inch off white bubbly head that falls quickly into a thin cap, very little lacing noted.
Aroma is moderate and complex, you need to take time with this one. If you are familiar with the base beers you will pick up the nuances of them, for me it was the Stoic fruit that was forefront. Otherwise it's a miasma of stone fruit, wood, and berries with caramel syrup.
Taste is a game changer tangy sour cherries, drying rye whiskey,puckering lemon rind, Oak. deep malt sweetness. WOW!
This is so good now, even before the best by date, I will edit this in a year with the next tasting for sure, I wouldn't be surprised to see a lot of fives

Serving type: bottle

09-26-2012 05:29:01 | More by mudbug

caskstrength

Minnesota

4.66/5  rDev +11.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

12oz bottle into a HotD tulip.

A: Maroon with decent carbonation (thanks Deschutes!). No sediment, some light comes through.

S: Sour cherry up front. Some darker red fruits follow. Undefined spirits from the barrels. Vinous, subdued, but complex.

T: Sour cherry blast, then many things follow. Barrel sharpness, dark fruits, wood, leather. The sweet/sour balance works well, and each sip brings something different. Think about fruit, it's there. Focus on the barrels, there you go. A strong ale/wild ale/pinot/port hybrid. All over the place, in a good way.

M: The sour pucker balances perfectly with the bubbly fruits and barrel woody-ness.

O: HotD and Deschutes nailed this one. Love the 12oz. format. Love that it's reliably carbonated. Love that it's relatively available. Great now, may be greater down the road. I'm quite critical of overpriced beer, but this is worth it.

Serving type: bottle

06-08-2012 15:17:31 | More by caskstrength

TheCondor

Missouri

4.65/5  rDev +11.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

This beer was recommended to me by a professor from a local college. At a retirement party, neither one of us knew the other was into craft beer, but when one went into the conversation, the other followed, and this recommendation was one of the results. The price is exorbitant, almost robbery at $10 for a 12oz. bottle. But sometimes in life, you get what you pay for…..side poured with standard vigor from the bottle into a Boulevard tulip.

Appearance – Pours a beautiful deep mahogany/burgundy color with almost no head at all. Despite this, it still leaves lacing, and some carbonation can be observed inside the glass.

Smell – Complex, but unlike almost anything I have ever smelled. Rye, whiskey, red wine, leather, barrels, some fruitiness, and sour. It is certainly one of the most unique brews I have ever smelled. Very interested to taste it.

Taste – Follows the nose rather closely. The dark, sour fruits come up front, but there are certainly notes of bourbon and red wine. It is amazingly good, it’s like beer, bourbon, and red wine (a few of my favorite things) all mixed into one fantastic concoction. The three wise men. As was intended, this a complex, difficult to describe, very layered and strong taste. Not for a new craft beer drinker.

Mouthfeel – The alcohol is certainly detectable, but what do expect at an ABV of almost 12% in a beer aged in bourbon and wine barrels? Very smooth, lightly carbonated, finishes tart with a bourbon kick. Outstanding.

Overall – I believe this to be an outstanding beer, and I am glad I paid the outrageous cost to get one of the bottles. The science and art behind mixing, matching, blending, aging, and then producing this beer was downright ridiculous, and I am glad I got to sample the creation from these two breweries. Absolutely not for a new craft beer drinker, this beer can easily overwhelm a palate, even on an experienced drinker. It is one of a kind. I would like to see what some aging inside the bottle does to this one, but I was way too anxious to try it for all that. I will be writing my professor friend tonight and congratulating him on an excellent referral.

Serving type: bottle

06-29-2012 02:43:59 | More by TheCondor

martyl1000

Wisconsin

4.65/5  rDev +11.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Holy guacamole. Definitely the most complex beer to have ever traipsed across my tongue. My wife put it thusly: it's like a really good over-sugared whiskey sour, only it's beer.

It pours into a tulip glass nearly devoid of head (hence the 12% alcohol), w/ an odd stickiness on the glass that approximates lacing, but later leaves a crystal clear Windex shine. The aroma is flat-out strange. Like a tart dessert wine that carries an impossible-to-place savoriness that could be mistaken for turning (as in rotting) beef.

Then you get it in your mouth, and it's all over. The puckering sour screws up your salivary glands, causing the mouth to run like a stuck toilet. The syrupy mouthfeel says you're swishing a sauterne or an eiswine through your teeth, while the sweet malt and oaky-bourbon insist otherwise. In other words, the front of your tongue argues with both the middle and the back of the palate, the front saying "ack--sour white grapes!" the others saying "maple-sugar-sweet astringency!"

Serving type: bottle

10-17-2012 04:10:46 | More by martyl1000

DonDirkA

Arizona

4.65/5  rDev +11.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a hazy reddish color with a one finger white head that fades to just a thin film. The nose is definitely from barrel aging. Heavy oak, vanilla, tart cherry and sour grape weave caramel, toffee, almonds, plums, figs, other wood notes like cedar and birch, dark fruit, slight banana, clove, cardamom, and heavy scents of sherry. Super complex, there are probably 1000 scents I'm missing. The taste is oak and sour cherry, vanilla, grape, apple, dates, figs, dark fruit, booze, toasted almonds, rich caramel, port, grape juice, smoke and a bit of chocolate. This beer is insane. The "Best After" date is 4/30/2013, I can't wait til my other one gets past that. Maybe I'll pick up one more so I can do one year and two. Beauty. Its like a blend of a sour, a stout and a brown all barrel aged in sherry oak casks and bourbon barrels.

Serving type: bottle

10-23-2012 03:30:56 | More by DonDirkA

chugalug06

Colorado

4.63/5  rDev +11%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Slight *pst* sounds when opened. Fluffy, one and one-half finger, tan head. Very little lacing; to be expected with the style. Brew stands Blood red.

Lots of Cherries. Slight belgian funk buried in banana. Adam and Fred both have a large presence too. Big barrel nose with tons of vanilla scents.

Very dark cherry bitter with tart cherry undertone. By no means is this a sour, it just has wonder depth. Vanilla from the barrels stand out profoundly with the *slight* kick of booze, nothing heavy. Very light carbonation is also appropriate. Airy and wonderful with each sip.

HotD/Deschutes have nail what a collaboration should be. A near perfectly complex brew. A cannot wait until they create their next "Collage", perhaps with Jubel and Bluedot? Well done, well done.

Serving type: bottle

06-12-2012 03:22:36 | More by chugalug06

Ghenna

California

4.6/5  rDev +10.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a ruddy amber with off white head. Dies down quickly but has stuck around the top of the beer for the last 20 minutes.
Nose: wood and vinegar, bit of citrus.

Initial taste is mild caramel malt sweetness, fruit follows, then chocolate cherries at the end. Wood is present through the sip. There is a bit of sour at the top and a generally mild acidity, but it's presence in the beer is mostly in the smell. MF is lighter than I expected, especially considering the Matt and Fred.

This is an amazing beer. When I first tried it (ten minutes out of the fridge) I was a little put off, especially considering that it was 1$/ounce. Once it warms up though it really shines. I'm really looking forward to seeing how those bugs work on the sugars in the beer after a few years. Might snag another bottle to add to the one I currently have in the cellar.

Serving type: bottle

07-20-2012 02:50:26 | More by Ghenna

flagmantho

Washington

4.59/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.75

Poured from 12oz bottle into a tulip. Label says best after 4/30/13, but I just couldn't wait any longer!

Appearance: deep ruby hue with a haze-free body and a light effervescence. Head is a finger of frothy tan foam. I love the richness of the color.

Smell: now *this* is what a strong ale should smell like. The deep, rich malt featuring plum, raisin, and cherry aromas; the vanilla and wood; the tinge of lactic sourness. Truly a mélange to be savored! Wonderful.

Taste: wow, what an amazing and dynamic flavor. It starts off with a sweet, fruity malt; rather like a quadrupel. Then the more traditional sweet and robust American strong ale character takes over, right as the sourness is starting to kick in. As the sourness mellows a little bit, the wood, vanilla and alcohol come together for the dessert-like finish. The tail end is a subdued sourness and alcohol warmth. What a beer!

Mouthfeel: medium-thick body with a relatively low carbonation but a good, smooth and almost silky creaminess. I like it.

Overall: this beer really floats my boat. It's a little bit hot on a few counts to be perfect, but it is a damn, damn fine brew. Even at ten bucks a bottle, it's not overpriced.

Serving type: bottle

01-11-2013 03:12:44 | More by flagmantho

n2185

North Carolina

4.58/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 3.25 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 4.75

A: pours a murky brown with a finger 9f beige head that fades into a frothy ring with little lacing.

S: caramel, vanilla, tobacco, dark and tart fruits, sourness, funk, Port, and other aromas. So much going on and it all works so well together.

T: similar to the aroma, there is caramel, vanilla, tobacco, dark fruits, tart and sour fruits, breads, and a light alcohol presence. Like the aroma, there is just a ton of stuff going on and it works really well.

M: medium-thick body with lowish carbonation, this beer avoids being watery, but only just.

O: such a fantastic beer. A little weak on the body and appearance, but other than that is damn near perfect.

Serving type: bottle

07-26-2012 00:59:54 | More by n2185

libbey

Washington

4.55/5  rDev +9.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

12oz bottle poured into a Deschutes tulip.

A: The beer pours a dark ruby amber with a decent cap of head that settles quickly into a thin film leaving a trail of spotty lacing throughout the session.

S: The initial nose, while the beer was at it's coldest, showcases the sour tart Dissident end of the blend. Sharp cherries and a hint of funk and oak mingle with a candied fig malt finish (Stoic?). The barrel notes become more pronounced as it warms and I got a good deal of the Adam with it's familiar leather, tobacco and bourbon vanilla notes as it continued to warm also showing hints of the Brandy and Sherry barrels. The finish has a hint of hops that I'm assuming is the Fred showing itself. This is a super complex nose with a ton of layers to work through. This is really pretty remarkable.

T: Again the initial taste is of the sour Dissident: cherries oak and brett and it transitions quickly into the leathery, smoky barrel characteristics of Adam. The interplay between the barrel flavors of the Adam and the tartness almost wine like attributes of the sour Dissident is super unique. It's strange but it works for me. The finish has a decent amount of hop bite and it plays well with younger oak barrels giving it a nice hoppy new green wood flavor. Again a ton of flavors here to work through. This is the definition of a sipper. Take your time and you will be rewarded.

M: The carbonation level on my bottle was perfect. Just the right amount of fizz to carry this medium bodied blend throughout. Each sip leaves a different flavor profile lingering on the pallet. One sip oak and cherry, the next leather and tobacco, the next barrel, vanilla and candied malt. A very impressive journey for the senses.

O: Overall this is a fantastic collaboration from two of my favorite Breweries in the NW. Layers and layers of flavors here. I look forward to revisiting this beer throughout the years to see how it morphs and evolves. World Class.

Serving type: bottle

05-23-2012 22:45:59 | More by libbey

AgentMunky

Alabama

4.55/5  rDev +9.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 12 ounce bottle into a Koningshoeven chalice. Best after 30 April 2013.

A: Muddy translucent Indian red. Little head, no lace.

S: Oh dear gods. Bright fruit, deep spice, impressively strong, almost intoxicating. A brilliant tartness (sour yeast?) skyrockets this one to a 5.0.

T/M: Mmmm, impeccable. Tart fruit (Stoic?) provides excellent top notes with molasses sweetness (Adam?) offering an interesting counterpoint. Light, vaguely carbonated, and puckery. White grape, pear, peach, apricot. A distant discordant note reminds of a homebrewed cider that tasted like rubbing alcohol. This flaw is slight and sporadic, but does knock it down from a perfect score. Strong, but superlative.

O: Truly the sum of its parts. The Stoic provides the bulk of the smell and spice, The Dissident the perfect sour accent, Adam an excellent and abiding sweetness, and Fred some funk and yeast. Inspired a well-executed. Highly recommended.

Serving type: bottle

07-04-2012 06:36:51 | More by AgentMunky

RollBounce

New York

4.55/5  rDev +9.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 5

Brown color with a red fiery glow, Almost no carbonation smell is so layered and complex. Wild yeast, sweet coconut rum like in the front with herbs and carmel lending to a dusty tart berry and oak finish, and that is just off the nose.
Sweet dusty upfront flavors, with tart fruit. Whisky comes to in the light hop and spice finish. ABV is noticeable.

Overall; Amazing nose!! Can't wait to see this beer age. As i notice after i opened it said on the bottle best AFTER 4/30/13. Good thing i have a few more :)

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2012 19:42:10 | More by RollBounce

harrymel

Washington

4.53/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Best after 30APR13

I cracked the crown and let it warm up to about 60 degrees. Drunk over the coarse of an hour.

Pours a candied walnut brown with a solid fleeting sheet of peanut foam. Cola clarity. Smell is very, very complex. I'm gonna take a shot, but there is not real logical hierarchy here, just naming as they come: cherry, sherry, pomegranate, grape, oak, smoke, cognac, some leather and the slightest hint of mulling spice. Fuck me, I did not expect this one to taste like this. I really anticipated much more of the sour and fruit I was getting in the nose. Leather, oak, vinous fruit, tawny sugars, aspirin bitterness, alcohol, soft tartness reminiscent of dissident. Really a sincere sipper - just sooo intense. Mouthfeel hits it out of the park, velvety and full with a watery roll and slight carbonation. I think this might be one of the best pairings of feel to total beer concept I've encountered, really pristine. The alcohol leaves my entire oral cavity, oropharynx and cheeks warm.

This beer is a sincerely unique experience. I would never serve this to an inexperienced beer drinker, and actually most beer drinkers. This one is profoundly complex, and I would argue too much so for the majority of drinkers (maybe even myself included). It is hard to tell if the beer will merge it's individual traits and come through with a new beer a year from now, but for right now, this is just sooo insane. I read a review earlier that indicated they'd pay the $20+ for the bomber of this, I would be hesitant, as I would never be able to do a whole bottle of this. I'd even consider a preference to a 7oz nipper for this beast. It's just so complex.

Serving type: bottle

06-04-2012 15:37:24 | More by harrymel

RenoZymurgist

Nevada

4.53/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

a Pours a clear crimson with a thin off white head that subsides quickly

s Tart sour cherry with a hint of alcohol and caramel

t Initially the flavors seem to ebb and flow as the tartness and the rich malt go back and forth. A very enjoyable experience as this beer has a ton of depth. At the end the sourness clenses the tongue but the sweetness balances and you are left with the desire to drink more. very balanced

m Thin yet crisp, lightly carbonated but I think perfect for the style as too much body would take away from the drinkability and too much CO2 would make the sourness more pronounced

o I very much enjoyed this beer and I will buy one more bottle to give to a friend but at 11 bucks a 12 oz this is a beer to drink as a reward

Serving type: bottle

06-07-2012 05:50:20 | More by RenoZymurgist

cooler4life

Quebec (Canada)

4.53/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Poured into my trusty Duvel Tulip. Best Before April 2013.

A: The beer is a smoky dark apple cider color. Poured a half finger head that settled rather quickly to a thin off-white ring around the edge of the glass. Even through the murkiness, I can see multiple streams of carbonation racing to the top.

S: Fantastically intense. Tart apple cider, cherries mixed with oak, moss, whisky, toffee. As I inhale deeper, an influx of fruit surges down my nostrils. Green apple, more cherry and grapefruit dominate.

T: Begins with a funky cherry tartness that is intertwined with smoky vanilla. Complex. Leather and some hops play into the game as well. Finishes bourbony sweet with just a touch of the alcoholic heat. Note: For a brew coming in at almost 12% ABV, it's really pretty drinkable.

M: Smmoooth! I was expecting it to be a little more viscous, however, it coats your mouth with a tart syrupy wooden goodness. Could use a tad more carbonation, but I'm not complaining :)

O: I was pleasantly surprised by how good this beer turned out to be. I got too excited with the July 4th festivities to properly cellar this beer, but I have no doubt that it could mature to even more greatness. This brew is not for the faint of heart. With every sip I picked up on different nuances hence the 5.0 overall rating. This beer is like a journey, who wants to join me?

Serving type: bottle

07-04-2012 23:18:08 | More by cooler4life

MADhombrewer

Oregon

4.53/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

A - Muddy red. No head. Small ring of tan bubbles.  Good lacing though. Which is weird. 4/5

Smell- leather, wood, dark dried fruits. Tart dried cherries.  4.5/5

Taste- Tart, dried cherries.  Some plumb and fig flavors as well. 4.5/5

Mouthfeel- Medium mouthfeel. Perfect for this beer. 5/5

Overall- Outstanding beer. I will have to get another for my cellar to see how it is in a couple of years. 4.5/5

Serving type: bottle

09-10-2012 03:51:56 | More by MADhombrewer