Intensely roasty!,  Monday, 18 February 2008 This beer smells so incredibly dark and roasty. It is all I want from an Imperial Stout. All at once I got a raft of dark rich black burnt malts coffee and raisins. There's a hint of alcohol in the nose and just a flirtation with anything hop-like.

It is thick and black, and pouring it from a can makes it look somehow like oil. This is the blackest black, with a dark brown or even purple head, which is really just a thin ring around the edge of the glass.

The flavor is intensely bitter and roasty, from start to finish. Speaking of which, the finish is one of the longest lasting I can think of, and it is pure burnt black beauty. Although OB claims this has 98 IBU, the hops just barely peek through for a moment before they're immediately suppressed back into their little hidey hole by the attack dog of roasted flavor. This tastes like burnt toast or a really charred steak. I could imagine it going well with the blackened meat of your preference, though I had it after dinner without food. Another great match would be your favorite dark chocolate cake, or the creamiest vanilla ice cream you can find.

The feel of this beer strikes me primarily as slick. It is not too full or sticky, and not thin or watery in any way. The structure kind of drops out for a brief moment in the middle, but quickly recovers. Sloshing it around excites a few bubbles, but not too many.

Overall this is awesomely aggressive, and a total treat. It's another great example of the lack of limitations of canned beer.

 Might just be the best smelling beer on earth!,  Sunday, 17 February 2008 This beer pours a sweet clear crystal malt red color with a thin, but well-retained head.

The smell is pure heavenly hops. Massively sweet floral bitter juicy fruity piney hops. Man, I hardly even want to sip this because to do that I'll have to stop smelling it for a moment. This just might be the best smelling beer on earth. I think they should make a TV ad with this slogan.

The taste delivers on the hops - everywhere. It starts with hops. The hops jingle around in the middle. Then, the hops guide you away and linger til the awesomely bitter end. Alcohol warmth kicks in promptly, but in a soft, comforting way. This beer has a great combination of thick and thin. But there's this thing that I get when I drink it. There's this thing in the middle, that's just really thick, syrupy, and fat, and sort of too much. Sometimes I find it, and sometimes not so much. Fortunately, the hops take over for much of the experience, but the low palate rating comes from the thing in the middle.

Don't let my impression of the middle detract you. It is still an awesome beer that I will buy again. Sweet goregous hops pick you up and take you away while you drift your way through this incredible creation. This beer is a must-have for any hop-loving beer fan.

 I love my local beer!,  Sunday, 17 February 2008 This beer pours crystal clear, light copper-colored, with a thin head. It is effervescent from within.

The smell is grainy and bready with a dose of floral and citrus hops showing up.

The taste is smooth and mellow, but still hoppy and full. The hops are bitter and tasty, and also well-balanced with the malt presence. It is amazingly crisp and clean feeling, while at the same time tasting and feeling solid throughout.

This beer is easy drinking and enjoyable. This is not an extreme beer, but it is extremely well-crafted. It has enough flavor to please the hard core, but at the same time, it isn't so over the top that it would put off the uninitiated. A great go-to beer for any fridge.