This beer pours out a cloudy reddish amber, and left an inch thick creamy head that looked like a cloud...impressive.
The smell had the caramel malt iness I was expecting. Could tell by aroma alone that this beer was going to be good.
The first taste - we both said WOW! This beer is packed full of flavor. Nothing boring and unimposing about this one. Quite sweet caramel malt upfront, with a hint of citrus...then the hoppy bitterness on the back end. Just a tinge of the alcohol taste. For 10.5% ABV, it wasn't overpowering, but the alcohol does sneak up on you! Some have compared this to a barleywine. There are characteristics that are the same, but I think it is much better. A very drinkable beer on those occasions that you want something stronger than the average.
I would give this beer an enthusiastic "A".
