04.04.04

~ Third Tasting ~
November 16, 2005 (1 Year, 7 Months, 12 Days)
Click on a photo for Tasting Notes


Lee Chase
Head Brewer
Greg Koch
Chairman & CEO

Chris Cochran
Marketing & Promotions
Arlan Arnsten
Vice President of Sales

Bill Sherwood
Brewing Facilities Manager

 





Lee Chase
Head Brewer
APPEARANCE:
Pours bright golden (not straw).
AROMA:
Limey-nice-tropical (or is it just my imagination wandering to the tropics?) Bubble gum and lightly herbal/sage-like...
FLAVOR:
Bright up front, refreshing for an 8.5% beer! Tart aftertaste, nice bitterness and fruit esters combine w/limeleaf and make for a great complexity.
PALATE:
Soft, really soft and medium bodied. A bit sweet but lingering tart/bitterness on the tongue.
OVERALL:
Wow! Really tasty! I'm surprised...but not too surprised, of course.



Greg Koch
Chairman & CEO
APPEARANCE:
Clear deeeeeeep gold.
AROMA:
 Sweet triple-ish aromas. Alcohol, but not too strong.
FLAVOR:
Really crisp. Surprisingly so for a year-and-a-half old beer.
PALATE:
Bright and fresh tasting. Light on the palate for an 8/5% beer, but a lot of depth in its hoppiness. Citrus notes, spicy, but in subtle ways.
OVERALL:
This is really, really delicious. I recall it being sweeter and it's dried up a bit (thus the "crisp" comment above). I am loving this and will have to break open one from my personal stash on Turkey Day!



Chris Cochran
Marketing & Promotions
APPEARANCE:
Lots o' CO2 and bright. A nice golden-sun-setting-orange-hue color.
AROMA:
A touch of lime, some flowery/perfumy character with some noticeable gummy-banana-yeasty traits.
FLAVOR:
Mild spices, yeasty, not much bitterness (hops) --- this is 8.5%?
PALATE:
Crisp, medium-bodied, a tinge of alcohol and lingering spiciness...the hops are barely hanging on.
OVERALL:
Yummy! For over a year and a half old, this is still a youngster. Becoming more "one" with the spices, the yeast, the lime leaf, etc....



Arlan Arnsten
Vice President of Sales
APPEARANCE:
Crystal clear, orangish-gold with a tight low white head.
AROMA:
Citrus, fruit, yeast, alcohol...fresh.
FLAVOR:
Citrus up front with flavors of malt catching up quickly.
PALATE:
Comes on light on the tongue then follows with a full feel like the Chargers linebackers rushing past the front line. Lingering fullness gently dropping off while still sticking around.
OVERALL:
Amazingly deceptive --- watch out the 8.5% will get you if you take this on too fast. Drink slow and you'll appreciate the character from beginning to middle to finish.



Bill Sherwood
Brewing Facilities Manager
APPEARANCE:
Brilliant honey-gold color, clear minimal head, with some lace.
AROMA:
Plum, bananas, and spices...slightly herbal.
FLAVOR:
Mixed fruit, herbs, touch of clove...
PALATE:
Slightly chalky, or oily?
OVERALL:
Really an interesting beer and aging extremely well. No off flavors, very complex and well balanced but the finish is a little edgy for my palate.