~ First Tasting ~
March, 27th 2003
(24 Days)
Click on a photo for individual Tasting Notes

Steve Wagner President & Brewmaster	Lee Chase Head Brewer	Greg Koch Chairman & CEO	Arlan Arnsten Vice President of Sales	Chris Cochran Marketing & Promotions

Steve Wagner President & Brewmaster Appearance: A nice hazy, dark amber/ light brown. Aroma: Wonderful! Slightly phenolic with a nice spiciness. Flavor: Sweet candy / fruit flavors balanced with spices and hop bitterness. Palate: Soft, full mouthfeel with nice carbonation. Overall: Very drinkable now, but some cellaring would make the spices more subtle and develop some complexity.

Lee Chase Head Brewer Appearance: Has a red/brown color. Pretty dark if not held to a light. Doesn't have much for legs after a swirl. White head on a nicely contrasting brown body. Aroma: Aroma: Spicy coriander and pepperiness under a pungent Abbey yeast aroma (a little phenolic, little like cookie dough, unmistakably "Belgian"). Not surprisingly, I don't get much for malt aroma. That may come with time (?). Flavor: All the spices and yeast flavor jump out at first. The maltiness, which is pretty apparent, is nicely checked by an assertive hop bitterness, tang, and pepper spiciness. The sweet malt fades, leaving an aftertaste of coriander and hops. A little dry, but just enough to invite another taste in the not too near future. It has an enjoyable aftertaste. Palate: Some carbonation prickliness followed by a soft, slightly slippery palate, then the tingling of hop bitterness. Overall: Lots of flavors and a great mouthfeel. Can't wait to get this thing a little older. I think it will develop more of the yeast complexities and round out the layers of flavors. Fun to drink.

Greg Koch Chairman & CEO Appearance: Medium brown with ruby hints. Gentle pour produced a modest head. Aroma: A spicy, peppery nose. Alcohol and roasted malt notes. Flavor: What a melee! A cacophony of flavors – a train wreck? No, more like a Pollock painting. The beautiful mess makes me not want to wait for some future date and instead enjoy it all now. Roasty flavors with a hint of Mother Earth. Palate: Ample pin-point carbonation with a medium body. Low to modest residual sweetness. Alcohol present but not strong on the palate. Complex dances, jigs, waltzes and tangos confuse my tongue. Perceived flavors spin me around then disappear leaving me exhausted... and looking for another go. Overall: I want more, we're sold out. Damn! Time to check Ebay.

Arlan Arnsten Vice President of Sales Appearance: Deep reddish, copper color that's slightly turbid. A long-lasting cream colored head with significant lacing. Aroma: Although my sniffer is plugged, I can still get some caramel notes and fruity esters of dried cherries. Flavor: Big malt flavor – slightly fruity and dry. Low hop flavor but evident way at the back – very complex. Palate: Medium to bold body yet delicately tickling thy tongue. A little bit of alcohol warmth, just enough to tempt me for more. Overall: After tasting, I sat my glass down for longer than I intended and upon revisiting I noticed a pronounced malty aroma and lingering sweetness. This was a splendid experience. Kinda Belgian in character, but not totally. God, I love when our brewers screw me up like that – I know I'll get something truly unique.

Chris Cochran Marketing & Promotions Appearance: A slightly hazy, deep amber color. Perhaps a little more "grainy" after the yeast shot from the final pour. Nice head. Aroma: Initial spiciness, but not as intense as the '02 version. Slightly fruity with a hint of roasted aromas – maybe caramel – very Belgian like. Flavor: Very smooth and mellow. Has a great balance between the spicy nature and the over-all sweetness. Palate: Nice, crisp carbonation and has a lingering mellowness after the initial spices fade away. Overall, a delicate mouthfeel. Overall: Another beer from our brewers that doesn't fall into a specific category – man I love when they do that! As it warms it seems to take on a little bit of a "double-ish" Belgian style.