Tenth Anniversary Imperial Rye Ale
Laughing Dog Brewing

Very dark appearance with half finger tan head that dedicates quickly and some carbonation. Mild eye aroma. Taste is rye with some vanilla and no alcohol aftertaste.

Poured into a Fremont small snifter. Pours a very dark mahogany brown with a fine half finger khaki head with great retention and nice lacing. Aroma is oaky and inviting, with mild dark toasted malt, vanilla and some unusual mixed wood notes; intriguing. Flavor is dark toasted malt with a hint of char, fresh cut and aged wood, hints of vanilla, caramel and rye. Finishes with a light rye tartness and lots more wood; oaky. Nice medium creaminess and good carbonation. Possibly the woodiest ale I've ever had; the malt flavor is somewhat subdued and it seems like it shouldn't work well, but somehow the lighter than expected malt and rye character carry the oakiness quite nicely. The mouth feel is excellent. I really liked this quite a bit, but not recommended for the wood averse. I'm always really happy to try something unique like this that skates on the edge, but is this drinkable. The wood flavors kept me so interested that the ABV is almost invisible. Well done and compelling.

Bottle #338 from Brewers Haven. Pours out a dark brown, like coffee, with a small silky head, small curtains of lacing around the ring of the glass. Lots of aroma, more reminiscent of a RIS than a rye. Probably the barrels. Vanilla comes first, marshmallows. Taste follows with some roast grain bite. Body is medium weight and silky smooth. Really pushing the boundaries of an Imperial Stout. Happy anniversary, LDB

Bottle picked up at the COOP for an incredibly expensive $17.... Especially since they were only $10 at the brewery.... Bottle #279

Poured into my smaller Teku... Walnut colored brew shows clear garnet near the stem end of the glass.... Long lasting dark tan head... Beautiful.

Nose shows bunches of oak that gives way to toasted marshmallow and coconut, a little boozy, but no big deal.

Dry toast and lightly tannic vanilla (huge) oak on the palate.. Drier than expected from front to back.. Finishes a little sharply IMO, could use a little bit of rounded maltiness midpalate to tie things together.

A little thin for a 12% beer... Again a little bit of residual sweetness would help remedy that.

Letting this warm up a bunch helps the beer come together a bit more... brown malt and little bit of burnt coffee emerges too... Really complex and definitely a thinker... I still would have appreciated a bit more sweetness and perhaps a whiskey or brandy barrel instead of raw oak.. but this one is a winner.

Probably the best Laughing Dog beer that I've had... Certainly the best I've had recently... I remember liking the Barleywine, but this is better.

4.25/4/3.75/3.75/3.75