Sierra Nevada Brewing Company - Chico, California USA
Dogfish Head Craft Brewery - Milton, Deleware USA
American Strong Ale (ABV 10.2%)

[Best served in a Snifter]

Rating: 3.9/5.0

Aroma: 8/10
Appearance: 4/5
Taste: 8/10
Palate: 3/5
Overall: 16/20

The pour was a very dark brown with caramel highlights and an average sized (1-2 finger) creamy light brown head that had good longevity, reducing some but lasting throughout thus producing some really excellent sheets of lace left sticking to the glass.

The aroma was right up front with a sweet alcohol presence and had a strong caramel malt, a mild resin hop and a sweet doughy yeast with notes of maple syrup, caramel, dark fruit and a hint of cola.

The taste was malty sweet with notes of caramel and maple syrup at first, and then it became sweetly bitter and slightly acetic with a hint of dark fruit and a moderate alcohol finish. The flavor lasted an extremely long time after the swallow with a strong alcohol dark fruit taste sticking around for a while.

Mouthfeel was just past medium in body with the texture being creamy and a tad dry and having a strong carbonation.

Overall a very sweet, flavorful and potent brew that definitely should be sipped and savored slowly.

Sampled: 1/21/2012