TEN - Ithaca Beer Company

SPLITGRIN

Kentucky

4.75/5  rDev +17.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

The little bit of leakage from shipping doesn't seem to be a problem as I easily get three fingers of doughy beige head that leaves thick lace as it slowly fades. Body is a beautiful deep murky brown with hints of burgundy when held to light. You really start to pick up the nose on this one even before you bring it close. Fragrant rich sweet dark fruits such as plum skin, ripe cherries, and even zesty baked citrus are accompanied by soft spices and even a slight sappy hop profile. The dark fruits are easy to pick up especially raisin and plum up front. Malts range from toasty and caramelized to rich fruit and candied sugars. Hops are there for such nice balance with some sappy notes and some citrus marmalade. Mouthfeel is dynamic and expressive leaving you wanting another sip. I could drink this one all night and often.

Serving type: bottle

01-21-2010 20:01:29 | More by SPLITGRIN

Photekut

Azerbaijan

4.25/5  rDev +5.2%

05-19-2013 00:51:39 | More by Photekut

GRG1313

California

3.75/5  rDev -7.2%

03-31-2013 23:52:21 | More by GRG1313

liamt07

Ontario (Canada)

3.75/5  rDev -7.2%

03-09-2013 16:35:28 | More by liamt07

calcnerd

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev -1%

02-01-2013 02:59:18 | More by calcnerd

DmanGTR

New York

4/5  rDev -1%

01-29-2013 14:49:46 | More by DmanGTR

imperialking

Illinois

3.75/5  rDev -7.2%

01-17-2013 19:03:30 | More by imperialking

merc7186

New York

4.03/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bomber into snifter glass.

Version: E014 (obviously)

A: Amber/Brownish Hue, Passes Mild Light, Off White Head, Great Lacing

S: Dark Malts, Raisins, Sweet Bread

T: Raisins, Dark Fruity Malts, Sweet Bread

M: Decent Carbonation, Medium Bodied, Semi Sweet, Mildly Boozy

Overall, after almost 5 years, this beer still has a lot of malty kick and sweet boozy flavor...not much left in hops (obviously)

Serving type: bottle

11-22-2012 06:55:57 | More by merc7186

oline73

Maryland

3.58/5  rDev -11.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

I had this at the November Baltimore BA tasting. Poured from the bottle into a tasting snifter.

Appearance: The beer pours a cloudy reddish amber color with a layer of off white head that sticks around quite nicely.

Smell: Definitely malt forward with dark fruit and mild caramel malt note. The overall smell is a bit fruity.

Taste: Definitely reminds me of a red ale. The malt is the dominant flavor but it doesn't seem overly sweet. I'm getting some dark fruit. This beer may be a bit faded due to the age. The finish is slightly bitter.

Mouthfeel: The body is medium to a bit syrupy. Lots of smooth carbonation with a dry finish.

Overall: I liked this beer now, it was probably even better in its prime. Still quite nice.

Serving type: bottle

11-12-2012 21:06:35 | More by oline73

mendvicdog

Maryland

3.25/5  rDev -19.6%

11-06-2012 19:39:53 | More by mendvicdog

marlinsfan4

Maryland

3.5/5  rDev -13.4%

11-05-2012 22:45:59 | More by marlinsfan4

duceswild

Maryland

3.75/5  rDev -7.2%

11-04-2012 17:01:20 | More by duceswild

t0rin0

California

4/5  rDev -1%

10-15-2012 02:35:42 | More by t0rin0

Mora2000

Texas

3.58/5  rDev -11.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to Exiled for sharing this bottle.

The beer pours a reddish-amber color with an off-white head. The aroma has a lot of the malt I typically associate with red ales, as well as some toffee and grass. The flavor is similar, with a lot of red ale notes, toffee, grass and alcohol. As the beer warms I start to get some cinnamon notes, as well a some pine and resin from the hops. Medium mouthfeel and medium carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

07-07-2012 04:04:20 | More by Mora2000

FrankShirley

Pennsylvania

5/5  rDev +23.8%

06-25-2012 02:26:01 | More by FrankShirley

seeswo

Ohio

3.5/5  rDev -13.4%

05-11-2012 18:51:06 | More by seeswo

Gueuzedude

Arizona

3.9/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Batch E!006; Sampled January 2012
A solid pour into my large Tripel Karmeliet tulip produces a two finger thick, amber tinged, dirty tan colored head. The beer is a dark amber / plum color that shows a lightly hazed brightly red stained, amber color when held up to the light. The aroma smells of lightly aged malt, dark fruit, and aged citrus / berry fruit aromatics (this last seems distinctly like a hop signature). Oxidized, caramelized malt notes lean a bit towards sweet tea (though without the sticky sweetness), definite caramel, toasted-brown-sugar-crusted desert breads and a touch of nuttiness that is even more accentuated by some oxidation character. The hop character here is still quite present, even after four years, though it is certainly greatly diminished it still reminds me of citrus infused berries and ruby red grapefruit.

The beer is fairly sweet tasting, though this is fairly well tempered by a lot of citrus oil hop character, some palate coating hop bitterness and a toasted and nutty / oxidized malt character that comes into its own towards the finish. Flavors reminiscent of caramel soaked grapefruit zest, fresh pine needle syrup, ripe / fresh spruce tips (with that woody / citrus vibrancy). The hop character still has enough vibrancy to them to add a green, almost astringent edge towards the end of each sip, and there is still a lot of fruity hop character here, despite it being obvious that the hop character has been quite reduced since it was fresh. My wife describes the confluence of aged / oxidized malt and hops as smoky, which I can definitely see, but wouldn’t have come up with on my own.

This definitely has a nice character to it; it reminds me a lot of an aged bigfoot; it is certainly better fresh for those that are pure hop heads, but this is close to the sweet spot for the oxidized malt yet still fairly aggressive, but greatly mellowed hop character. Actually, as I work my way through the second glass, after the beer has warmed up a fair amount I really start to get a peaty, smoky, umami / not-quite salty character that is definitely noticeable; I would swear that there is some smoked malt in this, but age could have done it, and seems the most likely that this last is the case.

Serving type: bottle

02-18-2012 02:47:03 | More by Gueuzedude

kbnooshay

New York

1.53/5  rDev -62.1%
look: 2.5 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 1 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

I have had this forever! Hope age didn't kill it by turning it in to a malty mess. Poured a very murky orange-brown with virtually no head. Aroma is a pungently nasty. It smells like snot. Seriously. I can pick up some dark fruit and lots yeast but overall something weird is going on. MUST BE THE AGE. UGhhh. So i took a sip, instant drain pour unfortunately. There is no way this is the way it should taste and i feel awful about it.

WHy am i reviewing it then?

Well because the bottle says that that this can be aged indefinitely. Yet the bottle says it can be aged. The hops here have changed into the over sweet bitter death. Mouthfeel is irrelevant. POUR. Soured and ruined. The bad kind of sour!

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2012 03:21:11 | More by kbnooshay

jfcaa193

Connecticut

3.5/5  rDev -13.4%

02-05-2012 20:00:34 | More by jfcaa193

chrispoint

Connecticut

4.5/5  rDev +11.4%

02-03-2012 19:21:31 | More by chrispoint

bonbini26

New Jersey

4/5  rDev -1%

01-12-2012 17:37:14 | More by bonbini26

IdrinkGas

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev -13.4%

01-04-2012 23:34:35 | More by IdrinkGas

rpaul2012

California

3.5/5  rDev -13.4%

12-20-2011 05:12:00 | More by rpaul2012

Chriscrundwell12

Minnesota

3.38/5  rDev -16.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

750 ml bottle poured into a Darkness snifter glass, sharred with a fellow BA.

A- Pours a dark brown cloudy color, sediment is evident, decent carbonation, tiny bubbles in the head, one finger off white head that dissipates to a nice layer around the glass.
S- The aroma is interesting, Dark fruits, REALLY malty, bready/nutty notes, some woody notes as well, earthy characteristics, the hops are nowhere to be seen.
T- Huge malt bomb, some dark fruit notes come out (plums, raisins), lacks carbonation, flat, sweet bitterness.
M- Medium mouth feel, under carbonated, alcohol is hidden, dry finish.
O- Interesting beer, would love to try this when it was fresh, can definitely tell this is an aged beer huge, malt bomb, not bad for being almost 4 years old.

Serving type: bottle

12-20-2011 04:40:36 | More by Chriscrundwell12

FrankyLikesIt

New Jersey

4/5  rDev -1%

12-14-2011 19:36:46 | More by FrankyLikesIt