Alpha Klaus Christmas (Xmas) Porter | 3 Floyds Brewing Co.
Brewed by:
3 Floyds Brewing Co.
Indiana, United States | website
Style: American Porter
Alcohol by volume (ABV): 6.00%
Availability: Winter
Notes / Commercial Description:
Alpha King’s festive cousin. A big American Christmas Porter brewed with English chocolate malt, Mexican sugar and of course, tons of strange American hops. Cheers!
38 IBU
Added by zerk on 12-06-2002
View: Beers | Place Reviews | Events
Reviews: 749 | Ratings: 2,173
Reviews by emerge077:
More User Reviews:
4.32/5 rDev +4.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Another review of a FFF beer. How does it stack relative to Alpha King, a beer of a totally different style (i.e., APA)? Here goes:
A: Like many other FFF beers, this beer looks exquisite. Dark, pitch black with a massive four-finger head. Leaves plenty of lacing as well. The beer is very well-carbonated.
S: I can see how the beer is related to Alpha King; it's relation is in the hops. The hop profile is exactly the same as Alpha King, even though the malt profile is completely different. Beer smells very grassy and citrusy - almost like a bouquet of flowers. This initial hop smell gives way to rich chocolate/coffee malts. Interesting mixture. Both hops and malt scents would be very good stand-alone; I'm not sure how well they combine, however.
T: Very good, but I like Alpha King a little more. The hops just jell better with the APA style. However, again, the beer's still quite good. Initial grassy/flowery hops give way to a very good malt backbone composed of chocolate, toffee, and rich coffee beans. Like most FFF beers, this one is very well-balanced between the malt and the hops.
F: Very good. Well-carbonated, thick, and refreshing.
O: A very good beer. Would have again even though Alpha King is better. A good seasonal release.
★ 1,277 characters
look: 5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Another review of a FFF beer. How does it stack relative to Alpha King, a beer of a totally different style (i.e., APA)? Here goes:
A: Like many other FFF beers, this beer looks exquisite. Dark, pitch black with a massive four-finger head. Leaves plenty of lacing as well. The beer is very well-carbonated.
S: I can see how the beer is related to Alpha King; it's relation is in the hops. The hop profile is exactly the same as Alpha King, even though the malt profile is completely different. Beer smells very grassy and citrusy - almost like a bouquet of flowers. This initial hop smell gives way to rich chocolate/coffee malts. Interesting mixture. Both hops and malt scents would be very good stand-alone; I'm not sure how well they combine, however.
T: Very good, but I like Alpha King a little more. The hops just jell better with the APA style. However, again, the beer's still quite good. Initial grassy/flowery hops give way to a very good malt backbone composed of chocolate, toffee, and rich coffee beans. Like most FFF beers, this one is very well-balanced between the malt and the hops.
F: Very good. Well-carbonated, thick, and refreshing.
O: A very good beer. Would have again even though Alpha King is better. A good seasonal release.
★ 1,277 characters
4.06/5 rDev -2.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
22 oz bottle poured into a snifter.
A: dark black with a dirty white/light brown head. After agitating the beer I got about 1/4 inch head.
S: Roasted coffee and sweet molasses/burnt sugar.
T: You get roasted coffee upfront with some malt sweetness, then you get a nice hop bitterness on he back of your tongue.
Overall an interesting take on a porter. The hops make this a beer stand out from others porters and a must try.
★ 428 characters
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
22 oz bottle poured into a snifter.
A: dark black with a dirty white/light brown head. After agitating the beer I got about 1/4 inch head.
S: Roasted coffee and sweet molasses/burnt sugar.
T: You get roasted coffee upfront with some malt sweetness, then you get a nice hop bitterness on he back of your tongue.
Overall an interesting take on a porter. The hops make this a beer stand out from others porters and a must try.
★ 428 characters
4/5 rDev -3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Appearance This porter came out very, very dark in color with a beautiful white head.
Smell The malts here are dark and roasty. There are some light coffee ground notes here along with some rather aggressive, leafy hops.
Taste The hops really come out at the taste. They are big for a porter, even an American-style one. The coffee flavor is mild but well represented. Theres a milky sweetness to this flavor profile as well that makes it a complex, very interesting beer.
Mouthfeel This AP is medium-bodied with some good, gritty bitterness that works well with the creamy milky sweetness.
Drinkability This is a very balanced, good-drinking porter that went down way too well.
Comments Big thanks to my BA bro BuckeyeNation for hooking me up with this classic Three Floyds offering.
★ 819 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Appearance This porter came out very, very dark in color with a beautiful white head.
Smell The malts here are dark and roasty. There are some light coffee ground notes here along with some rather aggressive, leafy hops.
Taste The hops really come out at the taste. They are big for a porter, even an American-style one. The coffee flavor is mild but well represented. Theres a milky sweetness to this flavor profile as well that makes it a complex, very interesting beer.
Mouthfeel This AP is medium-bodied with some good, gritty bitterness that works well with the creamy milky sweetness.
Drinkability This is a very balanced, good-drinking porter that went down way too well.
Comments Big thanks to my BA bro BuckeyeNation for hooking me up with this classic Three Floyds offering.
★ 819 characters
3.78/5 rDev -8.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
I dont quite grasp the hype surrounding this beer. Its quite good but I dont see why its worth paying so much for it when equally or better brews like the Fitz, Tommy, and Great Danes Cascade or Black Earth are available for half the price.
Pours a bronzed cocoa with moderately lasting sticky white-brown head.
Smells of citrus hops and cocoa, dark roasted malts and grape fruit. Also bits of anise.
Tastes cakey but also of iced down chocolate milk. A bit thinner than I would like, fluffier too. I want cream and am only getting iced milk. Sweet front, dry finish.
Very drinkable.
Ill pick of a bottle of this and try it again soon. Maybe their was something wrong with the keg I had or my taste buds that night but like I said, I dont get the hype.
★ 783 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
I dont quite grasp the hype surrounding this beer. Its quite good but I dont see why its worth paying so much for it when equally or better brews like the Fitz, Tommy, and Great Danes Cascade or Black Earth are available for half the price.
Pours a bronzed cocoa with moderately lasting sticky white-brown head.
Smells of citrus hops and cocoa, dark roasted malts and grape fruit. Also bits of anise.
Tastes cakey but also of iced down chocolate milk. A bit thinner than I would like, fluffier too. I want cream and am only getting iced milk. Sweet front, dry finish.
Very drinkable.
Ill pick of a bottle of this and try it again soon. Maybe their was something wrong with the keg I had or my taste buds that night but like I said, I dont get the hype.
★ 783 characters
4.29/5 rDev +3.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
3.5/5 rDev -15.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
4.27/5 rDev +2.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Thanks to JDV and pintsized for sharing.
A-Almost looks like a cola to me. Black with carbonation bubbles running up the side. Head didn't stick around.
S-Chocolate, molasses, slightly floral hoppiness, and a little bit minty
T-Nice roasted malt, chocolate, some licorice, floral hop increases as it warms. Very tasty.
M-Crisp in the mouth, medium to full body, maybe a little over carbonated
D-I would have hogged the whole bomber if they had let me. This review should also be considered an ISO for Alpha Klaus Porter.
★ 521 characters
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Thanks to JDV and pintsized for sharing.
A-Almost looks like a cola to me. Black with carbonation bubbles running up the side. Head didn't stick around.
S-Chocolate, molasses, slightly floral hoppiness, and a little bit minty
T-Nice roasted malt, chocolate, some licorice, floral hop increases as it warms. Very tasty.
M-Crisp in the mouth, medium to full body, maybe a little over carbonated
D-I would have hogged the whole bomber if they had let me. This review should also be considered an ISO for Alpha Klaus Porter.
★ 521 characters
3.9/5 rDev -6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
On tap at Palmers in LaGrange IL
Served in a shaker pint glass
Appearance was a deep dark brown with a 1 finger head that lingered throughout much of the pint.
The smell is just this sharp grassy piny hop with a low amount of dark malt sweetness. To me it was similar to sticking my nose in a bag of hop pellets where the nuances of the variety are shadowed by the sheer plant smell.
The taste was once again dominated by the grassy hop taste. Behind the initial grassy taste there is a typical porter malt profile to stand up against. The nice thing is the bitterness is pretty low and this is all about the aroma and flavor hops. Quite enjoyable to say the least.
If it had anymore bitterness I think it would cut down on the drinkability considering it is already a pretty full bodied beer.
★ 798 characters
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
On tap at Palmers in LaGrange IL
Served in a shaker pint glass
Appearance was a deep dark brown with a 1 finger head that lingered throughout much of the pint.
The smell is just this sharp grassy piny hop with a low amount of dark malt sweetness. To me it was similar to sticking my nose in a bag of hop pellets where the nuances of the variety are shadowed by the sheer plant smell.
The taste was once again dominated by the grassy hop taste. Behind the initial grassy taste there is a typical porter malt profile to stand up against. The nice thing is the bitterness is pretty low and this is all about the aroma and flavor hops. Quite enjoyable to say the least.
If it had anymore bitterness I think it would cut down on the drinkability considering it is already a pretty full bodied beer.
★ 798 characters
4.57/5 rDev +10.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Picked this up at Binny's in the South Loop, Chicago. Ironically, a few hours before I drank this, my sister in-law asked me if brewers ever combine aggressive hops like in an IPA with a roasted malty porter. I told her that I hadn't experienced anything quite like that. Well, now I can say I have!
A: Nice reddish dark brown - almost black. Tiny mahogany highlights on the bottom edge against the light. Dark tan finger head that quickly dropped to a quarter and then dissipated to surface wisps. Produced big spotty lacing that didn't stick around too long. Quite attractive.
S: Big hops - more hops than you would ever imagine from a porter. When you smell more deeply, you get the roasted malt chocolate/coffee smell hiding under the floral hop. Combo of big hop, big malt and slight alcohol is almost medicinal - in a good way. Some cinnamon spiciness there too. Very unique and an appropriate seasonal warmth.
T: As I concentrated on the drinking, the smell focused in on the dark bitter chocolate which added a lot. Very lively hoppy fresh experience. It dissipates to a more chocolate malt and the hop bitterness comes back in the aftertaste. Strange combination of the smooth porter with an aggressive hop bite. Worked for me.
M: Really light and crisp. Carbonation tingles on the tongue and the back of the mouth. Medium/low body. I would usually feel like this was thin but considering the uniqueness and level of hopping, it felt appropriate.
D: Very light and drinkable. If I was trying to evaluate this brew as a regular porter, it may disappoint me in some ways. If I think of it as a hybrid of porter and seasonal Xmas ale, it becomes a very unique and enjoyable experience. It felt right for the season which I think is a very important factor. It offered the comfort of a porter with the optimism of hops - a really nice change. As a malt head that has developed a hop addiction, I find this beer to be extremely enjoyable. The higher than usual ABV didn't hurt either. Happy holidays!
★ 2,009 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Picked this up at Binny's in the South Loop, Chicago. Ironically, a few hours before I drank this, my sister in-law asked me if brewers ever combine aggressive hops like in an IPA with a roasted malty porter. I told her that I hadn't experienced anything quite like that. Well, now I can say I have!
A: Nice reddish dark brown - almost black. Tiny mahogany highlights on the bottom edge against the light. Dark tan finger head that quickly dropped to a quarter and then dissipated to surface wisps. Produced big spotty lacing that didn't stick around too long. Quite attractive.
S: Big hops - more hops than you would ever imagine from a porter. When you smell more deeply, you get the roasted malt chocolate/coffee smell hiding under the floral hop. Combo of big hop, big malt and slight alcohol is almost medicinal - in a good way. Some cinnamon spiciness there too. Very unique and an appropriate seasonal warmth.
T: As I concentrated on the drinking, the smell focused in on the dark bitter chocolate which added a lot. Very lively hoppy fresh experience. It dissipates to a more chocolate malt and the hop bitterness comes back in the aftertaste. Strange combination of the smooth porter with an aggressive hop bite. Worked for me.
M: Really light and crisp. Carbonation tingles on the tongue and the back of the mouth. Medium/low body. I would usually feel like this was thin but considering the uniqueness and level of hopping, it felt appropriate.
D: Very light and drinkable. If I was trying to evaluate this brew as a regular porter, it may disappoint me in some ways. If I think of it as a hybrid of porter and seasonal Xmas ale, it becomes a very unique and enjoyable experience. It felt right for the season which I think is a very important factor. It offered the comfort of a porter with the optimism of hops - a really nice change. As a malt head that has developed a hop addiction, I find this beer to be extremely enjoyable. The higher than usual ABV didn't hurt either. Happy holidays!
★ 2,009 characters
4.41/5 rDev +6.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Purchased from 3 Cellars in Franklin, WI. Pours a black body with a nice tan head that leaves a good amount of lacing. Aroma is of roasted malts and coffee beans. Mouthfeel is medium to full bodied with low carbonation and feels soft and creamy. Flavors of chocolate, coffee and a touch of vanilla lead to a mellow finish. Excellent drinkability from this porter.
★ 363 characters
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Purchased from 3 Cellars in Franklin, WI. Pours a black body with a nice tan head that leaves a good amount of lacing. Aroma is of roasted malts and coffee beans. Mouthfeel is medium to full bodied with low carbonation and feels soft and creamy. Flavors of chocolate, coffee and a touch of vanilla lead to a mellow finish. Excellent drinkability from this porter.
★ 363 characters
4.5/5 rDev +8.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
2007 fresh bomber. Pours into my glass a deep black with dark brown hues on the edges. An inch of creamy tan head sits on top and lingers. Aromas begin with a big bold sweet cocoa and lots of rich brewed coffee as well. Creamy with a piney hop aroma in there as well. Light caramel with lots of roastiness overall. A touch of vanilla. Very enticing aroma, seems to have less hop presence than previous years.
First sip brings a roasted dark malt that's flowing with rich chocolate and coffee flavors right off the bat. Hints of caramel and a touch of vanilla. It moves into slightly floral, piney hops that bring along a nice touch of bitterness. Finishes with a wonderful chocolate aftertaste. Yum.
Mouthfeel is medium bodied, chewy, smooth and creamy. Spot on for a porter, it never gets too heavy. Quite a drinkable brew and one I always look forward to imbibing in large quantities around this time of year. Glad to see it on the shelves again. I give this one my approval yet again...go get a few bombers!!
★ 1,013 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
2007 fresh bomber. Pours into my glass a deep black with dark brown hues on the edges. An inch of creamy tan head sits on top and lingers. Aromas begin with a big bold sweet cocoa and lots of rich brewed coffee as well. Creamy with a piney hop aroma in there as well. Light caramel with lots of roastiness overall. A touch of vanilla. Very enticing aroma, seems to have less hop presence than previous years.
First sip brings a roasted dark malt that's flowing with rich chocolate and coffee flavors right off the bat. Hints of caramel and a touch of vanilla. It moves into slightly floral, piney hops that bring along a nice touch of bitterness. Finishes with a wonderful chocolate aftertaste. Yum.
Mouthfeel is medium bodied, chewy, smooth and creamy. Spot on for a porter, it never gets too heavy. Quite a drinkable brew and one I always look forward to imbibing in large quantities around this time of year. Glad to see it on the shelves again. I give this one my approval yet again...go get a few bombers!!
★ 1,013 characters
4.33/5 rDev +4.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Received in a trade from BeerBeing...been wanting to try this one for a while...
Darkest porter I've ever seen. Only a hint of light comes through in the crevices of my pint glass. Pours with a tan half inch head that reduces to a thick layer.
Quite a blend of aromas. Toasted malts with a little sweet caramel. Some dark ripe fruits come through. A little alcohol rounds it out. A bit of pine hops to boot. I don't seem to notice as much as other reviewers.
Damn, this is a tasty brew. So many flavors are swirled together resulting in an amazing taste. Not a whole lot of toasted flavors, a little, but not as dominate as the others. Smoke develops as it warms. It does have a bit of a toffee to it. A good bit of sweetness overall in the beginning while cold but subsides as it warms; caramel and dark ripe fruits once again. Finishes with a good bit of bitterness. Alcohol isn't as noticable in the taste. All of this works extremely well together. This is not the usual understated porter.
Mouthfeel is medium. Fairly creamy. Coats the mouth just long enough to let the flavors meld but each express themselves. This is an extremely drinkable beer. An awesome flavor and a nice mouthfeel.
★ 1,205 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Received in a trade from BeerBeing...been wanting to try this one for a while...
Darkest porter I've ever seen. Only a hint of light comes through in the crevices of my pint glass. Pours with a tan half inch head that reduces to a thick layer.
Quite a blend of aromas. Toasted malts with a little sweet caramel. Some dark ripe fruits come through. A little alcohol rounds it out. A bit of pine hops to boot. I don't seem to notice as much as other reviewers.
Damn, this is a tasty brew. So many flavors are swirled together resulting in an amazing taste. Not a whole lot of toasted flavors, a little, but not as dominate as the others. Smoke develops as it warms. It does have a bit of a toffee to it. A good bit of sweetness overall in the beginning while cold but subsides as it warms; caramel and dark ripe fruits once again. Finishes with a good bit of bitterness. Alcohol isn't as noticable in the taste. All of this works extremely well together. This is not the usual understated porter.
Mouthfeel is medium. Fairly creamy. Coats the mouth just long enough to let the flavors meld but each express themselves. This is an extremely drinkable beer. An awesome flavor and a nice mouthfeel.
★ 1,205 characters
4.05/5 rDev -2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.5/5 rDev +8.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.41/5 rDev +6.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
The liquid looks pretty normal: black, little bit of head...that's basically it. Swirling the glass does produce impressive lacing (particularly for a porter), but I was going +0.5 on the cool Three Floyds bottle (and cap) anyways.
This beer's nose is indeed exceptional, unlike any other Christmas concoction I've tried. The chocolate is background at best (more apparent, I suppose, in the black appearance), the hops are there via lacing (again, appearance), but the smell is sweetly unique. Based on the label's description, I guess it's the Mexican sugar. It probably wouldn't smell like this all by itself, but kudos to FFF for such a treat. While novel in its aroma, it still seems seasonal--I'm sensing brown sugar...and (maybe) some ginger; regardless, it's alluring like sweet Christmas cookies!
This brew oozes character. The English chocolate malts are indeed like a medium on which the sugar and American hops dance a jig. It actually tastes like equal parts of each ingredient. Though unlike a dessert beer--all congnacy and strong--it's like dessert IN a beer: hopped-up sugar and chocolate. There's a bitterness in the aftertaste that dulls this effect but, undoubtedly, it's among the neatest beers I've come across.
Aside from that bittering, it's like a cookie fresh out the oven. It must be the hops that make the sugar tingle; meanwhile, the chocolate coats cheeks. I expect something like this is trial-and-error (I mean, really, how do folks come up with stuff like this?), but this feels like a well-designed beer.
As with most unique tastes, you don't want to overdo it. It's novel enough to share with Christmas party strangers, and good enough for me to pursue each and every year. Alongside Gumballhead, this beer puts fits Three Floyds on the frontier of craft brewing.
★ 1,803 characters
look: 3.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
The liquid looks pretty normal: black, little bit of head...that's basically it. Swirling the glass does produce impressive lacing (particularly for a porter), but I was going +0.5 on the cool Three Floyds bottle (and cap) anyways.
This beer's nose is indeed exceptional, unlike any other Christmas concoction I've tried. The chocolate is background at best (more apparent, I suppose, in the black appearance), the hops are there via lacing (again, appearance), but the smell is sweetly unique. Based on the label's description, I guess it's the Mexican sugar. It probably wouldn't smell like this all by itself, but kudos to FFF for such a treat. While novel in its aroma, it still seems seasonal--I'm sensing brown sugar...and (maybe) some ginger; regardless, it's alluring like sweet Christmas cookies!
This brew oozes character. The English chocolate malts are indeed like a medium on which the sugar and American hops dance a jig. It actually tastes like equal parts of each ingredient. Though unlike a dessert beer--all congnacy and strong--it's like dessert IN a beer: hopped-up sugar and chocolate. There's a bitterness in the aftertaste that dulls this effect but, undoubtedly, it's among the neatest beers I've come across.
Aside from that bittering, it's like a cookie fresh out the oven. It must be the hops that make the sugar tingle; meanwhile, the chocolate coats cheeks. I expect something like this is trial-and-error (I mean, really, how do folks come up with stuff like this?), but this feels like a well-designed beer.
As with most unique tastes, you don't want to overdo it. It's novel enough to share with Christmas party strangers, and good enough for me to pursue each and every year. Alongside Gumballhead, this beer puts fits Three Floyds on the frontier of craft brewing.
★ 1,803 characters
4.82/5 rDev +16.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
No dating, but from the 2004 batch. Poured a deep, dark, rich, black brown. Deep khaki head that settled down as a thick and creamy head, but left only a dusting with islands drifting across, and a very thick ring of large bubbles. Scents of chocolate, coffee, and darknes. Smooth, luscious creaminess and decently carbinated. Great, dark maltiness and yummy hoppiness. Wonderfully drinkable!
★ 392 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
No dating, but from the 2004 batch. Poured a deep, dark, rich, black brown. Deep khaki head that settled down as a thick and creamy head, but left only a dusting with islands drifting across, and a very thick ring of large bubbles. Scents of chocolate, coffee, and darknes. Smooth, luscious creaminess and decently carbinated. Great, dark maltiness and yummy hoppiness. Wonderfully drinkable!
★ 392 characters
Alpha Klaus Christmas (Xmas) Porter from 3 Floyds Brewing Co.
4.15
out of 5
based on 2,173 ratings.
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
22 oz. bomber, 2005 release, cellared for a year.
I've been staring at this bottle in my fridge for the better part of a year...time to drink it.
After trying this on cask recently, I was curious as to how a cellared bottle would stand up. Brilliantly, I would say.
THe main difference is the subdued hops, still vaguely sprucey, but not overpowering at all. The version on cask carried a fresh hop flavor, like every other 3F beer.
Pours a deep black/ruby, nearly opaque. Thick foam takes it's time to settle, leaving residual lacing. Almost too much foam, even from a slow pour, but that's minor.
Smell is a piney hop with a hint of roasted malt.
Taste is unique, with notes of chocolate, coffee, spruce, and maybe a slight grapefruit hint in there too. Lots going on, and never a dull moment. This is far from one-dimensional.
Mouthfeel is rich and velvety, definitely a sipper. One bottle per sitting, usually a rare occasion around here...
★ 971 characters