~ Fifth Tasting ~
March 24th, 2005
(2 Years, 21 days)
Click on a photo for Tasting Notes

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

Chris Cochran Marketing & Promotions	John Egan Guest Taster Packaging Supervisor

('02 Vertical Epic also tasted during this session)

Steve Wagner President & Brewmaster Appearance: Clear, light brown, with a tan head. Aroma: Belgian yeast, dark malt, and spices. Flavor: Abbey yeast flavors: strong with dark malt dryness and some spices (coriander). More malt complexity comes through as it warms up. The finish sweetens as well. Palate: Good carbonation, full bodied, and a nice rich mouthfeel. Overall: Shows well now…I look forward to some age-induced flavors working their magic.

Lee Chase Head Brewer Appearance: A nice Light/medium brown, with average carbonation, and fairly clear in my sample (but with some haze in other samples). Aroma: Initial aroma was actually kinda hoppy (but that will change as it warms). A little roastiness, caramel, and a touch of yeast character…with some Earthiness too. Flavor: Dry, slightly roasty & toasty with some slight caramel notes. Not much spice character at the start, but comes through as it warms up. Palate: Dry and a little thin from the top of the bottle, but more body and more depth after yeasting it…too much yeast and it gets a bit chalky. Overall: Good now, better as it warms, and better with yeast in the sample. Was it better before? I didn’t get as much spice out of it. If an alligator pepper kernel falls into a beer and no one drinks it for nine years, was it there?

Greg Koch Chairman & CEO Appearance: Slightly hazy, but only slightly. Aroma: Roasty. A more mellowed roastiness than what I recall. Slight honey. Dates. Saw John write “chocolate truffle” and would agree… rumball too. Flavor: A light roastiness, bread pudding, and cocoa. Palate: Warming. Effervescent yet bready (in a bread pudding way). Amazingly lingering late bitterness and roastiness, although not overly intense . Overall: ---

Chris Cochran Marketing & Promotions Appearance: Good looking light brown color, nice and bright (clear), with very little head. Aroma: The nose is very subtle. Some caramel/malt notes are present but little hop character. As it warms alcohol comes forward with a hint of raisins or plums. Flavor: Toffee, caramel, and roastiness are all present with a tad bit of alcohol. Kinda dry with a little doughy character. Palate: Medium body with decent carbonation, but a little on the dry side. The warming effect (alcoholic) is more prevalent as it warms. Dances on the tongue. Overall: Interesting and complex and tough to describe. The flavors are melding, and it seems to be aging well, but it’s hard to pinpoint & decipher what’s happening in there.