Tomorrow Is Already Here (2018)
Kane Brewing Company

 

This beer is a beast--and I mean that in a good way. Syrupy in consistency, sweet but not cloying long-lasting maple flavor, barrel-aged smoothness that disguises a whopping 13.8% abv. Kane makes a great wheatwine called Mysterioso. Then they made a great beer greater.

 

 

Poured from bottle into a Kane snulip glass. It pours a dark brown resembling tea with a thin, ecru-colored cap that dissipated quickly leaving minimal lacing. There's lots of maple syrup on the nose, along with caramel, brown sugar, rye, and raisin. It's very fragrant. The maple fairly explodes on the palate, sweet and syrupy. While it's very sweet I wouldn't describe it as cloying because of the negative connotation of the word. But thereafter it becomes more complex with notes of raisin or fig, oak, brown sugar, cinnamon, and brown bread. The rye is apparent but not overpowering. And there's an interesting spice at the finish that I cannot really describe. This ale is viscous and chewy with a low level of carbonation, and you cannot miss the 13.8% ABV which is more than simply warming. Overall, Tomorrow is Already Here (could be a good title for a James Bond film) is a very fine sipper - either as dessert or around a fireplace. It's the type of beer that Kane excels in brewing. It's big in every sense of the word - but thoroughly enjoyable.

 

Pours a dark brown caramel color with ample foamy head, a little on the thin side for the style. Huge maple syrup aroma. Very, very, very sweet. Loads of barleywine malty flavor - think Vengeful Heart, but replace the hops with a crapload of maple syrup. Barrel aging melds the malt and maple nicely. For as sweet as it is, I still was able to easily drink a 12 oz pour. It is really delicious. Carbonation creates a creamy mouthfeel. Outstanding beer.

1/20/19
Draft at brewery
4.5 rating

Muddy brown to dark red prune juice with a solid khaki blanket settling to a thin chain and leaving stunningly tall clear legs with a swirl.

This tastes very similarly to Aaron--it may be a different style, but the addition of maple brings it there. Flavor is more distinct, substantial and easier to nail down here, though. Yes, the maple comes out, but there's an overall wide array on the flavor profile, including dark fruit and fig, cranberry-raisin, rye black peppery oak, golden brown graham biscuit, vanilla glaze and a hint of cinnamon spiced orange.

Smell exhibits even more of the charred barrel and rye spice than the palate, and also features hints of grilled orange with a light spiciness that's almost like root beer or just sassafras with mapled date.

While a warming heat rolls all the way down, it's contrastingly easy to drink, again bringing Aaron to mind. A tingly effervescence unbelievably enhances the medium body, which finishes slightly sticky and semi-dry.