Ymm, Beer

[OldPhiKap]

Here's a review I have from last year:

Maharaja-2011 Edition-Avery Brewing

This is just as much of a hop bomb as prior tastings but still one of the better IIPAs I have tasted. These are bomber only offerings in their Dictator series along with the Kaiser and the Czar. A highly hopped and grapefruity double IPA with some pine and cannabis notes, too. Huge malty presence for a nicely balanced taste. The IBU rolls in a a massive 102 and the ABV is a coma-inducing 10.54%. I had 4 ounces of this Sunday and Monday nights after a couple lighter brews and finished the bomber tonight with a 14 ounce portion. This is great as a night cap or would be fine with dinner with Indian or hot/spicy Asian fare. Part of the CB&B/devildeac trading series earlier this month. I'd buy another bomber of this at about $8 according to CB&B and hide it for a year .

This raises several important questions:

1. Does this really age well? I know that IPA's were originally designed to last long times in heat, but never heard of aging it after in the bottle. If so, should it be kept cold like wine in the chiller?

2. "cannabis notes" -- um, really?

[devildeac]

This raises several important questions:

1. Does this really age well? I know that IPA's were originally designed to last long times in heat, but never heard of aging it after in the bottle. If so, should it be kept cold like wine in the chiller?

2. "cannabis notes" -- um, really?

1. Yes. IIRC, it is bottle-conditioned, meaning there is yeast left in the bottle so the brew will continue to ferment, develop and "mature," sometimes over many years. The higher hop content in the original IPAs brewed by the British served as preservatives as the beers made their long journey to India, hence the name India pale ales. You will also find that your higher ABV brews will "age" or cellar well. If a beer is not pasteurized, and a number of micros are not, they should be kept refrigerated. Most beers are perfectly fine if you wish to keep them for a year or two (or even more) as long as you keep them away from heat and light so I'd stick a 6er or two of beer you'd like to try aging in a closet, basement or storage area.

2. Seriously. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hops and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cannabis. Specifically this: "The genus Cannabis was formerly placed in the Nettle (Urticaceae) or Mulberry (Moraceae) family, and later, along with the Humulus genus (hops), in a separate family, the Hemp family (Cannabaceae sensu stricto).[20] Recent phylogenetic studies based on cpDNA restriction site analysis and gene sequencing strongly suggest that the Cannabaceae sensu stricto arose from within the former Celtidaceae family, and that the two families should be merged to form a single monophyletic family, the Cannabaceae sensu lato.[21][22]"

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[devildeac]

Ruthless Rye IPA-Sierra Nevada

Brand new brew time! Quite a twist on your typical IPA with the addition of rye to the malted barley. The other brew I have had in the last year or two in which I recall rye being one of the grains is the Rye-Squared IPA by the folks at Terrapin Brewing. And, if my feeble memory is correct, I thought the rye imparted a bit of an earthy, musty taste. This one is different to me as the rye here appears peppery and spicy and not musty at all. All the other usual IPA characteristics are present including some malt sweetness, floral hop bitterness, all in a reddish-brown pour with a modest head. IBU are 55 and the ABV is 6.6%, both fairly typical for the style. Glad I bought my own 6er of this one as I traded two, drank one and now have to decide what to do with the other three.

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[devildeac]

Chocolate Stout-Harpoon Brewing

Almost black. Viscous. Smooth. Roasty. Cocoa-like flavors. Mild bitterness. IBU about 40-50. ABV probably 5-6%. Very pleasant mouthfeel and would make a fine dessert beverage by itself or with a brownie or slice of chocolate cake. This would even be good with a scoop of vanilla ice cream .

[devildeac]

Black Cannon-Clipper City Brewing

This is their variation on Loose Cannon with the addition of black and/or chocolate malts which impart a rather smooth texture to an otherwise rather hoppy IPA. There really are milk chocolate notes to this brew which balance the piney hop tastes very well. I'd guess the IBU about 50-60 and the ABV is 7.25% but I did enjoy it over the weekend to celebrate several events. The pour is a dark brown with a small tan head and this would be pleasant with ribs, 'cue or BBQ chicken or brats off the grill. I actually bought a 6er of this myself and plan on trading 3 or 4 and enjoying the rest myself.

[devildeac]

Brew Free or Die IPA-21st Amendment Brewing

I have read/heard about this brewery/pub in SF but no prior tastings. This was a canned brew I received as a trader last week. Pours a gold color, 2 finger head with a bouquet of hop aromas, including a bit of citrus and a bit of pine. Solid balance with the malts and a hint of caramel sweetness. IBU at 70 and the ABV is 7% from the 6 hop varieties and 2 malts. Pair with spicy dishes or thick soups/stews, ribs and BBQ. This is actually a contract brew with Cold Spring, Minnesota listed as the brewery/place of origin. Not sure what they pour in SF, whether it is brewed on site or in the frozen north. Worth a single, 6er/trader.

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[devildeac]

Sexual Chocolate-Foothills Brewing (2011 review)

A grand slam brew or hitting for the cycle. This imperial stout has become somewhat legendary in its several year existence and the pint yesterday afternoon at Tyler's Taproom prior to the NCSU game lived up to its reputation and more. The pour is nearly black and the small head which does not linger long is a medium tan. The nose is dark, semisweet chocolate and espresso and the tastes are the same with black strap molasses and dark aged rum. As is standard for imperial stouts, the IBU are high at 85 but the massive amounts of chocolate and black patent malts smooth the high IBU very nicely along with the ABV of about 10%. It was served cold but I sipped it about 30 minutes and the warming released all the above flavors. I actually drank water with my meal and savored this as a dessert beer. The pint was $7, which I thought was very reasonably priced. My drug rep buddy had a friend standing in line at the brewery on release date on 1/29 and he waited an hour in a line that was 3 blocks long and had to leave to take a child to swim practice so I ended up with zero bottles ( ( . I'd have another pint of this in a New York minute if we go out to dinner next week and it would be worthwhile for anyone living in NC to call around to your local beer emporiums to see if they have any left on draft. This was a stunning brew and easily makes my top 5 list along with the BBCS, the DFH Palo Santo Marron, Bridgeport's Old Knucklehead and the Goose Island Bourbon County Stout.

Oh, yea, I forgot:

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Sexual Chocolate (2012 version)-Foothills Brewing

I'll just let y'all read last year's review as this year's pint on Sunday at Tyler's Taproom before the Miami game was just as fine as last year's. I may visit a new micro brew store, Bottle Revolution, about as block from my office tomorrow on the way home and see if the owner got a keg and treat myself again on the way home from work tomorrow.

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[devildeac]

Fat Squirrel-New Glarus Brewing

I received this as a trader a couple weeks ago from another drug rep who calls on me at the office after his visit to relatives in Wisconsin over the holidays. I had placed an order for Wisconsin Red and Raspberry Tart but he said he could not find them so he split a 12 pack sampler with his BIL and brought his 6 back to NC for me. This is a bit of an unusual brown ale as it is unfiltered with a blend of a number of hops and malts. It pours a light brown with a modest head and has a floral hop bouquet mixed with a bit of nuttiness. The nuttiness (almonds and hazelnuts) are more prominent on tasting it and it is crisp and clean and only very slightly cloudy. I'd be happy to sip this with sandwiches, grilled fare or BBQ goods on a fall afternoon. I'd guess the IBU about 30 and the ABV around 5%. Solid session brew.

Some amusing brewer's notes:

Fat Squirrel
One deceptively spring like winter day, Brewmaster Dan walked home from the brewery, sat down to dinner and said, "Boy, there are some fat squirrels out there. They're running all over the place. I think I should brew a Fat Squirrel Nut Brown Ale." Deb agreed and so another beer legend was born.

100% Wisconsin malt of six different varieties impart the natural toasted color to this bottle conditioned unfiltered ale. Clean hazelnut notes result from these carefully chosen barley malts. Hops from Slovenia, Bavaria and the Pacific Northwest give Fat Squirrel its backbone. When the going gets tough, remember to relax a moment and enjoy the "Fat Squirrel" in your neighborhood.


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[fuse]

Belated but it's Hopslam season! If you like IPAs or "double" IPAs, Hopslam is a must drink. If you find any beer that has a better nose, let me know. Smells like pure hop heaven, and has a nice honey sweetness to balance out the high hoppiness.

Bell's makes some awesome beers.

[devildeac]

Lager-Brooklyn Brewing


Pretty standard fare here but a solid brew. Poured a light amber with a modest head and aromas of fresh flowers and tastes of light caramel and toasted bread. Had this at Chalk Talk with chicken and a light cream sauce, pasta and some veggies, succotash and 2 different salads. Would also be good with Brunchgate fare on a warm summer or fall afternoon. I'd guess the IBU about 20 and the ABV was 5.2% so worthy to include in a tasting session, too.

[devildeac]

Belated but it's Hopslam season! If you like IPAs or "double" IPAs, Hopslam is a must drink. If you find any beer that has a better nose, let me know. Smells like pure hop heaven, and has a nice honey sweetness to balance out the high hoppiness.

Bell's makes some awesome beers.

From a review I did here 2/4/08:

Tonight's delight-Bell's Brewery's offering of Hopslam. I will quote the bottle here. "Hopslam Ale-ale brewed with honey." (on the front of the bottle). "A biting, bitter, tongue bruiser of an ale. With a name like Hopslam, what did you expect?" (back of the bottle). My thoughts: this is an I2PA, or Imperial India Pale Ale. It is highly hopped(can't tell what kind of hops), and moderately bitter but the honey and high ABV(10%) smooth this out nicely. This is a sipping ale with some floral aromas and taste. I enjoyed it immensely as an after dinner type beer with a Granny Smith apple which was just about as tart and bitter as the beer. You hop heads in the Midwest (I am talkin' to you Ohioguy and TB) would really enjoy this one. Very comparable to the Dogfishead 90 Minute IPA.

Wow! I can't believe it has been 4 years since I tasted one of these. Outstanding DIPA. Good find/suggestion!

[devildeac]

For A-Tex Devil:

Belgo Anise Imperial Russian Stout-Stone Brewing

I'm going to let the professional reviewer describe this one and then add a few thought of my own:


Appearance:

The beer pours black with a deep tan head of foam.

Aroma:

The aroma is a blend of anise, coffee, and cocoa, with black licorice and dried fruit flavors.

Taste:

Up front taste impressions are classic Stout, with coffee and dark roasted malt flavors dominating. The anise comes through mid-palate, and blends nicely with the malt flavors. Towards the finish, the oak character from the aging on oak makes its appearance, and creates lingering subtle mellow vanilla and oak complements to the dark roasted malt.

Palate:

The palate is full bodied and very smooth. The alcohol is minimally perceivable, it's not very hot.

Overall Impression:

Really nice flavor combination. There's a lot going on in this beer, yet it never loses the original character of a classic Stone Imperial Russian Stout. The Belgian yeast is largely subdued, there's very little in the way of clove, and just hints of banana, yet the yeast esters add to the overall palate of flavors here, and come out more as the beer warms in the glass. This is one that will age nicely for several years.
Stone Beer Quick Facts
2011
Release Date:

May 31st, 2011
First Release Date:

July 2000
Hop Variety:

Warrior
Stats:

ALC/VOL 10.5%, 56 IBUs

There is not quite as much licorice flavor in this RIS as I thought. Certainly not as much as in Labyrinth from Uinta Brewing which I tasted at one of our Brunchgates. I found this brew to be almost overpowering but not so with the Stone product. It's boozey enough, giving it tastes of dark Caribbean rum, too. There are also hint of black molasses.

I found a bomber of this in Williamsburg at The Cheese Shop in December so I managed to "age" it for about 3 months before I split it over a couple nights last week. Definitely worth a tasting but not sure I'd buy it again although it was a very reasonably priced high gravity ale at $7.50 for the bomber.

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[devildeac]

Fifteen (2010)-Weyerbacher Brewing

Some brewer's note first:

This is a celebration of our fifteenth year making craft beer and it stands as an example of the bold flavorful beers that we have come to make. This is not a timid ale; it’s an intense, full-bodied smoke experience. Fifteen has a rich flavor profile balancing notes of dark roast, burnt toast, and spicy rye with a deep earthy aroma of smoke and wood. This beer should age nicely and be a smoky treasure for many years.

My thoughts:

Not quite as thick/chewy as some imperial stouts, but close. Pours almost black with a small tan head and multiple flavors of smoked peat, cocoa and espresso. This could be a dessert beer but could also be served with a meal of game or smoked meats such as brisket. Pretty standard IBU at 80 and an ABV of 10.8% so be careful as you sip one of these. Best served slightly chilled in a snifter or pint glass. I bought a couple of these and will save one to sample and review next year.

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[fuse]

An imperial stout with chocolate and cayenne pepper, leaves a lingering little bit of heat on the tongue.

Went well with some nice chocolate truffles last night, eminently sippable and enjoyable on its own.

Great Divide makes some fantastic beers. There are quite a few in the Yeti series, but Chocolate Oak Aged Yeti was the first I've tried. I'll be keeping an eye out for the rest based on how good this was.

[devildeac]

An imperial stout with chocolate and cayenne pepper, leaves a lingering little bit of heat on the tongue.

Went well with some nice chocolate truffles last night, eminently sippable and enjoyable on its own.

Great Divide makes some fantastic beers. There are quite a few in the Yeti series, but Chocolate Oak Aged Yeti was the first I've tried. I'll be keeping an eye out for the rest based on how good this was.

I'll try to locate some of my past tastings/reviews and add them here. That really is a great collection of brews and all are worth tasting. More than once.

From 1/16/10:

Oak Aged Yeti Imperial Stout (draft)-Great Divide-This was my dessert after the pulled pork, slaw and fries which were washed down with the Magic Hat Howl. What a complex beer! Served too cold in about an 8 ounce snifter-type glass, I let it warm for about 15 minutes and then sipped this onyx elixir. Small, tan head and many different flavors of molasses, dark dried fruits and bittersweet chocolate and expresso. I'd guess the IBU to be about 70. It is not for the faint of tongue or palate. It even tasted a bit peppery. ABV was a massive 9.5% and this gave it a more than a bit of booziness. The oak aging imparts a bit of smoothness, vanilla and woody character to the taste, too. I'd love to sample their chocolate and expresso imperial stouts. Ozzie didn't like this too much but I found it to be a fascinating beverage. I am also glad they did not have Hibernation Ale as I prolly woulda tried that, too.

[devildeac]

An imperial stout with chocolate and cayenne pepper, leaves a lingering little bit of heat on the tongue.

Went well with some nice chocolate truffles last night, eminently sippable and enjoyable on its own.

Great Divide makes some fantastic beers. There are quite a few in the Yeti series, but Chocolate Oak Aged Yeti was the first I've tried. I'll be keeping an eye out for the rest based on how good this was.

I'll try to locate some of my past tastings/reviews and add them here. That really is a great collection of brews and all are worth tasting. More than once.

From 1/16/10:

Oak Aged Yeti Imperial Stout-Great Divide-This was my dessert after the pulled pork, slaw and fries which were washed down with the Magic Hat Howl. What a complex beer! Served too cold in about an 8 ounce snifter-type glass, I let it warm for about 15 minutes and then sipped this onyx elixir. Small, tan head and many different flavors of molasses, dark dried fruits and bittersweet chocolate and expresso. I'd guess the IBU to be about 70. It is not for the faint of tongue or palate. It even tasted a bit peppery. ABV was a massive 9.5% and this gave it a more than a bit of booziness. The oak aging imparts a bit of smoothness, vanilla and woody character to the taste, too. I'd love to sample their chocolate and expresso imperial stouts. Ozzie didn't like this too much but I found it to be a fascinating beverage. I am also glad they did not have Hibernation Ale as I prolly woulda tried that, too.

From 10/17/10:

Espresso Oak Aged Yeti-Great Divide

Amazing beer. An imperial stout aged on oak chips with coffee added. Black and viscous with the taste of a good strong cuppa Joe with a generous shot of whiskey added and some dark chocolate syrup. I'd wager the IBU to be rather high as most imperial stouts are usually in the 70-85 range. The ABV is 9.5% and, served at air temperature at Brunchgate which was about 55, it was a bit boozey. The pecan rolls, coffee cake and banananana chocolate chip bread were nice pairs with the stout. This would also be highly tasty in a snifter for dessert by itself or with other chocolate baked goods. I think I have had this one other time at Tyler's on draft as my dessert that evening. It was even better from the tap, IIRC.

[devildeac]

An imperial stout with chocolate and cayenne pepper, leaves a lingering little bit of heat on the tongue.

Went well with some nice chocolate truffles last night, eminently sippable and enjoyable on its own.

Great Divide makes some fantastic beers. There are quite a few in the Yeti series, but Chocolate Oak Aged Yeti was the first I've tried. I'll be keeping an eye out for the rest based on how good this was.

I'll try to locate some of my past tastings/reviews and add them here. That really is a great collection of brews and all are worth tasting. More than once.

From 1/16/10:

Oak Aged Yeti Imperial Stout-Great Divide-This was my dessert after the pulled pork, slaw and fries which were washed down with the Magic Hat Howl. What a complex beer! Served too cold in about an 8 ounce snifter-type glass, I let it warm for about 15 minutes and then sipped this onyx elixir. Small, tan head and many different flavors of molasses, dark dried fruits and bittersweet chocolate and expresso. I'd guess the IBU to be about 70. It is not for the faint of tongue or palate. It even tasted a bit peppery. ABV was a massive 9.5% and this gave it a more than a bit of booziness. The oak aging imparts a bit of smoothness, vanilla and woody character to the taste, too. I'd love to sample their chocolate and expresso imperial stouts. Ozzie didn't like this too much but I found it to be a fascinating beverage. I am also glad they did not have Hibernation Ale as I prolly woulda tried that, too.

From 10/17/10:

Espresso Oak Aged Yeti-Great Divide

Amazing beer. An imperial stout aged on oak chips with coffee added. Black and viscous with the taste of a good strong cuppa Joe with a generous shot of whiskey added and some dark chocolate syrup. I'd wager the IBU to be rather high as most imperial stouts are usually in the 70-85 range. The ABV is 9.5% and, served at air temperature at Brunchgate which was about 55, it was a bit boozey. The pecan rolls, coffee cake and banananana chocolate chip bread were nice pairs with the stout. This would also be highly tasty in a snifter for dessert by itself or with other chocolate baked goods. I think I have had this one other time at Tyler's on draft as my dessert that evening. It was even better from the tap, IIRC.

From 5/3/11:

Oak Aged Yeti (bottle)-Great Divide Brewing


Getting kinda out of the dark beer season but couldn't resist this one which has been cellaring since January, 2010. This is a smooth, almost black imperial stout that has been aged in oak barrels. They have 4 versions of the Yeti: regular, oak aged. espresso oak aged and chocolate oak aged.
I believe the chocolate is my favorite but I'd buy another couple bombers of this next winter and enjoy one promptly and let the other sit for a year. Heavily roasted black and chocolate malts in large quantities give this brew the bittersweet cocoa flavors and the oak aging imparts woody and vanilla tones to the palate. No bourbon here. Hints of coffee, black licorice and dark molasses are present, too. IBU are at 75 and the ABV is 9.5% so this is a share beer (about $8 for the bomber) or cork and serve over 2 nights brew like I did. Dessert beckons, with or without a slice of double or triple chocolate cake/torte.

Can you tell I really like this series?

[devildeac]

An imperial stout with chocolate and cayenne pepper, leaves a lingering little bit of heat on the tongue.

Went well with some nice chocolate truffles last night, eminently sippable and enjoyable on its own.

Great Divide makes some fantastic beers. There are quite a few in the Yeti series, but Chocolate Oak Aged Yeti was the first I've tried. I'll be keeping an eye out for the rest based on how good this was.

I'll try to locate some of my past tastings/reviews and add them here. That really is a great collection of brews and all are worth tasting. More than once.

From 1/16/10:

Oak Aged Yeti Imperial Stout (draft)-Great Divide-This was my dessert after the pulled pork, slaw and fries which were washed down with the Magic Hat Howl. What a complex beer! Served too cold in about an 8 ounce snifter-type glass, I let it warm for about 15 minutes and then sipped this onyx elixir. Small, tan head and many different flavors of molasses, dark dried fruits and bittersweet chocolate and expresso. I'd guess the IBU to be about 70. It is not for the faint of tongue or palate. It even tasted a bit peppery. ABV was a massive 9.5% and this gave it a more than a bit of booziness. The oak aging imparts a bit of smoothness, vanilla and woody character to the taste, too. I'd love to sample their chocolate and expresso imperial stouts. Ozzie didn't like this too much but I found it to be a fascinating beverage. I am also glad they did not have Hibernation Ale as I prolly woulda tried that, too.

From 10/17/10:

Espresso Oak Aged Yeti-Great Divide

Amazing beer. An imperial stout aged on oak chips with coffee added. Black and viscous with the taste of a good strong cuppa Joe with a generous shot of whiskey added and some dark chocolate syrup. I'd wager the IBU to be rather high as most imperial stouts are usually in the 70-85 range. The ABV is 9.5% and, served at air temperature at Brunchgate which was about 55, it was a bit boozey. The pecan rolls, coffee cake and banananana chocolate chip bread were nice pairs with the stout. This would also be highly tasty in a snifter for dessert by itself or with other chocolate baked goods. I think I have had this one other time at Tyler's on draft as my dessert that evening. It was even better from the tap, IIRC.

From 5/3/11:

Oak Aged Yeti (bottle)-Great Divide Brewing


Getting kinda out of the dark beer season but couldn't resist this one which has been cellaring since January, 2010. This is a smooth, almost black imperial stout that has been aged in oak barrels. They have 4 versions of the Yeti: regular, oak aged. espresso oak aged and chocolate oak aged.
I believe the chocolate is my favorite but I'd buy another couple bombers of this next winter and enjoy one promptly and let the other sit for a year. Heavily roasted black and chocolate malts in large quantities give this brew the bittersweet cocoa flavors and the oak aging imparts woody and vanilla tones to the palate. No bourbon here. Hints of coffee, black licorice and dark molasses are present, too. IBU are at 75 and the ABV is 9.5% so this is a share beer (about $8 for the bomber) or cork and serve over 2 nights brew like I did. Dessert beckons, with or without a slice of double or triple chocolate cake/torte.

Can you tell I really like this series?

Oooh, I found another one from 12/1/11:

Belgian Style Yeti-Great Divide Brewing

Yet another twist on the Yeti brew, this one remains an imperial stout but is brewed with a Belgian yeast that imparts a bit of dark fruitiness and sourness to the usual flavors you would expect from a typical RIS and they are dark chocolate and espresso. The other Yeti are about 70 IBU and this one is about the same and carries an ABV of 9.5%. I split this $8 bomber over 2 nights and recommend it highly for dessert buy itself or with the usual chocolate suspects, too.


I have another bomber of this that I will cellar for a year and taste again.

There may be one more Yeti. I'm still looking.

[devildeac]

Oooh, I found another one from 12/1/11:

Belgian Style Yeti-Great Divide Brewing

Yet another twist on the Yeti brew, this one remains an imperial stout but is brewed with a Belgian yeast that imparts a bit of dark fruitiness and sourness to the usual flavors you would expect from a typical RIS and they are dark chocolate and espresso. The other Yeti are about 70 IBU and this one is about the same and carries an ABV of 9.5%. I split this $8 bomber over 2 nights and recommend it highly for dessert buy itself or with the usual chocolate suspects, too.


I have another bomber of this that I will cellar for a year and taste again.

There may be one more Yeti. I'm still looking.

If their web site is correct, they now have 5 Yeti.

1. Yeti
2. Oak Aged Yeti
3. Belgian Style Yeti
4. Espresso Oak Aged Yeti
5. Chocolate Oak Aged Yeti

Damn, come to think of it, there are more Yeti than there are Bigfoot/Bigfoots/Bigfeet.

No telling what they might have as draft only concoctions at the brewery but they don't count 'cuz I can't taste them .

[devildeac]

Insanity (2011)-Weyerbacher Brewing

Even smoother than the March, 2011 tasting. And I still have one bottle left to sample next year . Oak/cask/bourbon barrel aging has made most of the barleywines I have tried so much softer on the palate by giving them vanilla, woody and dark fruity flavors in addition to the whiskey tastes.

Here are my 2011 notes:

Insanity-Weyerbacher Brewing

From the brewer: Insanity is made by aging our perfectly balanced Blithering Idiot Barleywine in oak bourbon casks. This incredible combination creates a mélange of flavors from rich malts, raisons, and dates to oak, vanilla, and bourbon. Insanity will be yours this February!

From my lips: This is the style/manner in which most barleywines should be made. I'll guess an IBU about 70-80 but the ABV is 11.5% for an incredible malty backbone and balance. Quite smooth and luscious and even reminding me of another favorite of mine, Dogfish Head's Immort Ale, with some maple syrup notes. Marketed in 4 packs at about $13 for the grouping. The pour is slightly cloudy and deep reddish-brown, the head is modest and it should be served about 55-60 degrees in a snifter/goblet and sipped after ACCT victories

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