From 5/9/15 and 8/29/15:
Prometheus Unbound (draft/growler)-Big Boss Brewing
Drink local!
I'll thank Total Wine for printing $2 off coupons in their ad in Sunday's News and Observer, for if they hadn't done this, along with $1.50 off a 4 or 6 pack, I'd have probably not ventured into their North Raleigh store on Thursday evening and made any purchases. This was a fabulous find for $6 for a mini-growler that I shared with our son late last PM.
Poured a dark mahogany with a small, creamy head into a pint glass and sipped over 30-45 minutes. Enticing scents of red wine and dark berries were followed by taste explosions of the same with added bonuses of dark caramel, chocolate, sour patch kids dark fruits, oak and vanilla. Incredibly complex brew. I'd guess IBUs of 20-30 and the ABV is 8%. I wouldn't pair this with anything as the flavors are so rich that it's a stand alone/dessert beer. Worth seeking out today as it's a limited quantity release from their Strange Cargo series (
http://bigbossbrewing.com/news.aspx) and won't be around long and might not be released/re-created again.
From August 29 (not West) PM (bottle):
The draft was better but the 12 ounce bottle I sipped over 60 minutes last PM from my Ommegang tulip was excellent also. Cost was about $4.50 with my 10% case discount so I bought 4 of these a few weeks ago from the Lafayette Village location of Raleigh's Crafty Beer Shop. This dark ale was aged a year in cabernet barrels which imparted the vinous notes, as expected. Maybe not so much sourness as a fresh draft. I've reconsidered and might pair this with some chocolate/fudge truffles or a slice of Black Forest cake for dessert, but, once again, it is a wonderful, stand-alone liquid dessert.
From last PM:
Prometheus Unbound (2014)-Big Boss Brewing
It's always nice to see/taste what a few more months of aging will do, in addition to allowing some family to arrive and share, something that almost always seems to make a fine ale taste even better. I think the only difference 4 months of additional cellaring did was to make this a bit smoother and more vinous and perhaps impart a few more dark berry-like nose mid-palate and to the finish. Spendy but worth a purchase of several to savor, share and trade.