~ Sixth Tasting ~
August 30th, 2005
(2 Years, 5 Months, 27 days)
Click on a photo for Tasting Notes

Steve Wagner President & Brewmaster	Lee Chase Head Brewer	Greg Koch Chairman & CEO

Arlan Arnsten Vice President of Sales	Chris Cochran Marketing & Promotions	Matt Hanna Guest Taster Stone Fan

('02 Vertical Epic also tasted during this session)

Steve Wagner President & Brewmaster Appearance: Clear, light brown, with a tan head. Aroma: Complex fruitiness with dark malt aromas. Beautiful. Flavor: Tasted a little dry at first but as it warms up, the malt flavors really open up – nice bottom of sweet toffee with dried burnt flavors. Palate: Good carbonation, full bodied with coating mouth feel. Overall: Coming along. I think a little oxidation in this will benefit it, and has been adding some additional sherry-like flavors and complexity.

Lee Chase Head Brewer Appearance: Pours clear with some sediment at the bottom. Brown in color. Aroma: A little perfume sweetness, yeast aroma is subtle but present…did it die off a bit? Flavor: Some heat from alcohol, spicy pepperyness – really drinkable. Late (or acclimated) toasty, and some hops are detectable. Palate: Drinkably thin, but not watery. Nice, dry. Overall: Holding up nicely. Spiciness is not as present, but still really tasty!

Greg Koch Chairman & CEO Appearance: Hazy reddish amber. Aroma: Light roastiness. Flavor: Amazingly light on the palate. A brown ale that next to most, would outshine them easily. Still, brown ales don’t excite me that much. I preferred it when it was spicier. Palate: This beer’s drinkability has shot up…almost disappointingly for me personally. Fascinating to experience the change over time though. Overall: ---

Arlan Arnsten Vice President Sales Appearance: Deep amber nectar – slightly hazy (after the condensation was wiped away) because more hazy after I looked away. Aroma: Big malt nose. Flavor: Fruit flavors of apricot, cherries, and lemon. Palate: Big mouthful coating the palate – pleasantly appropriate. Overall: Great beer today – I’ll hang on to it for a long while.

Chris Cochran Marketing & Promotions Appearance: Brownish-carmelly color, bright to begin before the yeast. Aroma: Fruity – yeasty, flowery? Not many spices in the nose. Flavor: Nutty, fruity, mild spice – perhaps pepper. The alcohol comes through at the finish. Palate: Medium – body, smoooooth beer. Nice CO2. Overall: 2 ½ years, are you kidding me? This thing tastes great!