Oak-Aged TREAT (Imperial Chocolate Pumpkin Porter)
Midnight Sun Brewing Co.

Thorpe429 from Illinois

2.86/5  rDev -32.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Bottle courtesy of GT2. Thanks! Pours a very dark brown with a tan head. The nose carries some strong pumpkin spice along with light oak character. A bit of tannin into the flavor along with bitter herbs and spice. Roast and chocolate in the background. Medium body with a dry herbal finish. Not a huge fan of this one; I prefer regular T.R.E.A.T.

Dec 15, 2012

jlindros from Massachusetts

3.7/5  rDev -13.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Another big thanks to rudzud for sharing. From last year.

Much bigger bubbly creamy head dark mocha colored of almost 1 finger, same very dark almost black color, decent lacing.

Nose is quite different from the original. It has many of the same base, but this time big wood esters, dank shelf, lots of spices a strong spice I can't put my finger on, almost curry ish but not quite, a Persian like spice. Also light mocha and pumpkin more gourd like.

Taste bitter acrid slight tangy metallic like, bitter slight burnt roast, kinda icky at first. Then cocoa, light roast, plenty more of that spice that's again Persian like but less so. Light yeasty bready flavor and malt, little chewy as well. Light bitter roast and earthy hops. Some cocoa powder, light pumpkin gourd like but very little. Some wood dust and dank wood shelf, some nutmeg but not nutty. Finish is drier than the original but still little sticky syrupy, some burnt acrid malts and spices.

Mouth is med to fuller bodied decent carb.

Overall hard to see if this is better than the un oaked version. it's fairly meh overall, the oak really only seems to add dusty wood and weird spices that i didn't really get in the original, so hard to decide, but not great either way.

Nov 23, 2012

rudzud from Massachusetts

3.7/5  rDev -13.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Received in a trade and poured into a Kate the Great tulip. Consumed side by side with the regular version.

A - Poured a nice very dark brownish black hue with a good one finger head that left a nice light cloud with a firm rich halo. Nice. Much better than the regular.

S - Aromas are alot more intense than the regular treat. Tons of barrel and wood notes with amped up chocolate, cloves, and nutmeg. Nice vegetable notes too.

T - Taste is...odd. lots of over charred almost acrid barrel notes. Much sweeter than the last one. Nice chocolate and subtle veg with tons of acrid bitterness. Kind of perplexing in that this should be awesome but that barrel almost ruins it...uhhh...

M - Mouthfeel is nice and brightly carbonated, wish it was creamy though.

O - Overall I was somewhat disappointed with this beer. Was expecting. Sweet...weird. what oak barrels was this aged in....very sad. Its good but, I don't know. Wouldn't really go out of my way for this one again.

Nov 22, 2012

Phocion from Minnesota

4.53/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Bomber brought back from Anchorage by a wonderful friend of mine who was visiting family up there. Poured into a Surly tulip. Very, very dark - black without even a trace of brown or crimson. Solid finger of light brown head with excellent retention. Thick and sticky lacing. This is a very good-looking beer.

Nose is very spicy, dominated by a heavy mocha flavor. A bit of funkiness - were these aged in wine barrels perhaps? Tons of cinnamon, followed by nutmeg and a little bit of clove. A touch of roasted malts. Only the most subtle hints of pumpkin and woodiness as it warms a bit.

Wow. That first sip wasn't exactly what I was expecting... There's a lot going on in this thing. The first thing noticeable is a warm oaky flavor and a bit of alcohol, combined with the cinnamon. Touch of a funky cherry/red grape flavor. Just a light amount of bitter chocolate flavor to balance it a bit. Lots of spices. Lots of wood. This beer is damned tasty.

Nice mouthfeel. Very smooth and creamy. Mild carbonation and medium-full bodied.

Excellent beer overall. The cinnamon would do well to be toned down a little, but it is otherwise very well-made. Complex flavor profile and everything works together in great harmony. Once you get over the initial cinnamon hit, it gets better and better. Definitely try this if you get the chance.

Oct 16, 2012

stakem from Pennsylvania

2.42/5  rDev -43.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Bomber into a snifter. This is the most recent release that appears with the normal treat label and "Oak-Aged" across the bottom. The brew pours dark brown to black in color with a finger of light brown froth. Rising bubbles stream out of suspension and support a half finger across the top. As the cap fades, it leaves some fingers and stringy lace pattern on the glass. When held to the light, some lighter brown clarity is noted through the edges. Overall it's an attractive looking brew.

The aroma opens up with some raw barrel character that has a spiced aspect like cinnamon, cedar and incense. There is a tangy alcohol note also present that is somewhat out of place in what you would expect for an "imperial chocolate pumpkin porter." More smells bring out some chocolate covered cherries with a faint spiced inclusion. As it warms up, there is a note of earthy nutmeg, ginger-like citrus and a solid focus on cocoa.

The first sip is strangely tart hinting almost toward sour cherries. The barrel presence is quite forward with a raw oak feel that imparts a flavor almost like cedar or incense just like the aroma indicated. As the palate becomes accustomed, the flavor of cinnamon is quite evident. The alcohol inclusion is fairly aggressive with a solvent kick and warmth down the back of the throat. As the brew warms up, the spices mingle together in an interesting mixture inside the mouth that isn't terribly pleasing when mixed with the alcohol tang and sour cherry quality. The aftertaste is raw oak mixed with cocoa with a bit more focus on earth like nutmeg and a mild vegetative quality like pumpkin flesh.

This is a medium bodied brew with a modest amount of carbonation. I had really high hopes going into this and was really let down. I dont want to be "that guy" who screams infection but something terribly different is going on in this brew that was not expected. At times, when I try and ignore the tang and sour cherry, it shows promise of what this beer might have originally been but what this now is... is well.. interesting.

Sep 25, 2012

HuskyinPDX from Washington

4.42/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Now called Treat, Oaked Aged. Opened 8.9.12.

A - Pours a dark brown with a small brown head that slowly moves to the edges.

S - Cloves, cinnamon, and some nutmeg.

T - A mix of spices with a pumpkin sweetness. The oak-aged really smoothes out the tastes.

D - Decent carbonation with a medium body and a slightly sweet finsih.

O - Smells like a pumpkin pie, tasts are more deep and sweet. Nice.

Aug 10, 2012

CharlieMurphy from New York

3.77/5  rDev -11.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Black with white head, brown edges.

S: Lots of oats, more refined pumpkin, nutmeg, cinnamon, clove, nutella, I think even a little hint of peppers.

T: Mild-moderate flavors overall- nutmeg, pumpkin, cinnamon, clove, a little bit of bitter chocolate, peppers, and I'm pretty sure I'm getting a bit of a brett presence. Oaking is mild, most prominent on the first sip with some thick syrupy chocolate presence about it. It really fades from my consciousness that this is "oak aged" which usually means bourbon oak barrel with Midnight Sun.

M: Very silky and smooth when the liquid is actually on my tongue, but starts to dry significantly towards the end of a 22oz. More drying than the average -bal beer. Carbonation is appropriately low and nuanced.

O: Very good, but nothing to write home about. Then again, I'm not usually a fan of pumpkin beers.

Jun 22, 2012

scottfrie from California

3.88/5  rDev -8.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks a ton for sharing Jeff! 2009 bottle.

A: Pours black with caramel highlights beneath a dark brown colored head that left a few spots of soapy lace.
S: Pumpkin spice, nutmeg, and roasted malt. I feel the complexity of spices is deeper than my nose can pick out, but all I know is it smells like pumpkins and ‘spice’. I sure the oak is playing a part.
T: Follows the nose with a big spicy flavors of nutmeg, all spice and I’m not sure what else. Maybe cinnamon. The pumpkin flavor tastes a lot like roasted pumpkin straight out of the oven rather than sweet pumpkin pie filling like a lot of other pumpkin beers. Still, this beer has a good dose of sweetness to it from the malt. The aftertaste is very roasted and has a few hints of chocolate and vanilla.
M: Smooth, rich and creamy mouthfeel with even carbonation.
O: Great as far as how pumpkin in beer goes. Solid porter as well, very roasted. Tasted like fresh roasted pumpkin.

Jun 25, 2011

brokensail from California

3.97/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Big thanks to Jeff for sharing this. Been wanting to try this for awhile.

A: The pour is dark brown in color with a rather tall off-white head.

S: Still a strong spiciness to. Lots of nutmeg and all-spice with a little bit of cinnamon. Not too much pumpkin flavor, but a nice roastiness, bit of dark chocolate, and a moderate sweetness to the beer.

T: The spices really stand out on the tongue, too. All-spice is the most prominent with some nutmeg in there, too. Mild roast, hints of vanilla, and a little bit of chocolate. Again, not too much pumpkin.

M: Medium in body with a medium level of carbonation.

O: This was a bit better than the regular TREAT/Imperial Chocolate Pumpkin Porter, but not amazing.

Jun 23, 2011

Sean9689 from Illinois

4.42/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Review #500!

A huge thanks to Alex (Masterski) for breaking this out on a random Friday. It's been on my wants forever and finally the time has come! Thanks, buddy!

A - Pours black, mocha-colored head which vanishes quickly and leaves a ring around the glass and some whisps on top here and there.

S- Spice, pumpkin, chocolate, oak. The pumpkin add a nice spicy sweetness and the oak follows right after. The chocolate is there, slightly, but enough to add another dimension of deliciousness.

T - There's a lot more chocolate on the palate then the nose. Great pumpkin and spice notes followed by a nice dose of oak. Basically, a chocolate pumpkin pie...how good does that sound? Yeah, I know...awesome.

M - Medium, rich and slick, very very light carbonation, creamy finish.

D - This tastes like a chocolate pumpkin pie, which is badass, if I do say so myself. I'm hearing that there's a new batch coming out, which is cool! If you like chocolate and pumpkin, you'll like this. Recommend.

Mar 25, 2011

sprucetip from Alaska

4.65/5  rDev +9.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

2008 vintage, which is actually the 07 batch that sat in the barrel longer than the regular version. 'Twas my last one.

A gentle pour produces a good two fingers of root beer/mocha foam on top of fluid that is almost black like a stout. There is decent retention and virtually no lacing.

Soft but obvious coco, very gentle booze, and nutmeg hit early and combine for an amazing Thanksgiving desert type aroma. Next the oak emerges, more clearly with each sniff. And while I definitely get pumpkin pie, I don't actually pick up the pumpkin directly in the nose. ...Late in the sample there is more depth to the spices. Exquisite.

Tastes malty sweet with coco and mild bitterness at first. It's oak flavored, and spicy with cloves and others. The pumpkin is present, and it is very lightly boozy. Wicked smooth and delicious.

Plenty carbonated with rich medium/full body, and luxurious creamy texture. It is mildly viscous with mellow warming and a lightly bitter and spicy finish. Deluxe.

There likely aren't many more of this version of this vintage of this beer left at this late date. So it's unlikely that you'll be able to verify my claim that this is a phenomenal beer. But there may be a geek or two or a few in Anchorage that have some of this packed away. If so, it's drinking really really well right now....

Mar 22, 2011

mothman from Minnesota

3.3/5  rDev -22.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

Pours a 2 finger dark tan head. Color is a dark brown, black. Decent retention, leaving some thin rings.

Aroma: Wow, the pumpkin very sweet. Big chocolate and malt flavor. very sweet smelling beer. Oak/wood aroma along with some vanilla. Tons of spices.

Taste: Well, I can tell this, there is a ton of pumpkin in this beer, but not overdone. Some chocolate. Oak/wood flavored along with the typical vanilla. Too much spice.

Mouthfeel is smooth, silky, and creamy. Well carbonated. Full bodied. Leaves a woody pumpkin flavored aftertaste. Very clean.

I was really excited to try this beer and it was alright. I wouldn't seek it out again. Even though it was oak aged, it still showed to much spice for my liking. Pretty average. Way too spiced for me.

Mar 16, 2011

DrDogbeer from Massachusetts

4.2/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

2009 bomber. Poured into a snifter. Pours a nearly jet black with a decent sized tan head after a fairly aggressive pour. SMells strongly of pumpkin pie. Also some bourbon and oak. Taste is similar with lots of graham cracker flavor along with the pumpkin and a bit more bourbon. Very sweet at the end. Fairly full body and a bit slick. Gets a bit sweet and boozy as I finish but overall a really original and great beer.

Oct 16, 2010

ktrillionaire from Florida

4.94/5  rDev +16%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

A - It pours a shiny brown-black, with a nice almond-hued foamy head that leaves a bit of lace.

S - The nose is outstanding. Words cannot do it the justice it is due. An amazing fusion of chocolate, pumpkin and mint dominates the aromatic aspects, although the oak has tempered the impact somewhat.

T - Phenomenal. One of the best beers ever. The chocolate-pumpkin-mint-mulled flavor is unreasonably delicious; I am floored. Nothing left to say here, and unfortunately precious little left to drink.

M - Awesome. Merely having beer this delicious touching your mouth qualifies as ridiculously good mouthfeel.

D - Highly recommended. Midnight Sun is mind-blowing.

Jul 13, 2010

afausser from Montana

4.84/5  rDev +13.6%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Split with CrellMoset in a side by side with the non-oaked version.

Appearance: Seems to be a much heavier brew than the non-oaked version, despite the similar ABVs. There's less head, despite being poured into a more appropriate glass, and has just a slight and faint ring around the top of the glass extremely quickly, as well as (were it possible) even fainter lacing.

Smell: Chocolate pumpkin deliciousness in the smell. Extremely oaky and earthy. The oak is quite complex and the brew well crafted.

Taste: pumpkin juicyiness (didn't know there was such a thing, huh?) comes out more in the oak aged version. The oak is much chocolatier...there's a nice caramel here that blends well with the barrel notes. delicious.

Mouthfeel: Carbonation is a bit lower in this one and a bit spicier, but actually a bit better.

Jun 19, 2010

CrellMoset from Virginia

4.25/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

22 oz bottle as a stupendous extra in a trade long ago from alaskajoe - thanks, buddy. Poured in to a 12 oz. snifter, and enjoyed alongside the regular Chocolate Pumpkin Porter, aka TREAT. Side by side, baby.

Appearance: I can almost literally copy my TREAT review here. Pours as one would imagine a porter would pour, thicker without being too thick, dark, entirely opaque, and straddling the border between black and brown. Compared to TREAT, the collar - formed once the initially one-finger-high moderately tanned head fades in to obscurity, which is, for the record, relatively quickly - is thin, sad looking, a little uneven. The lacing also leaves a little more to be desired - swirls and sips leave little notice of their having had happened.

Aroma: Whew, jesus. It's almost funky when done side by side, like a musky wine. It's thick, wet, and woody, like a forest after a torrential downpour, and this - while introducing an interesting and perhaps not entirely undesirable element - obscures a bit of what I would hope to get out of this beer. I find it actually a little offputting when you sniff the former before the latter, and though it perhaps augments the pumpkin - rendering it older, like an overly ripe melon, whereas TREAT smells crisp, underripe - it does a lot to obscure the porter notes here, with only faint hints of cocoa and earth being evident.

Taste: Similar to the TREAT, but with a huge amount of green, woody, oakyness - whodatunkit? The taste is really great - mellow, relaxed, smooth, and balanced. You get those great porter notes - milk chocolate, bittersweet notes, tons of toast, dark toffee, and a slew of oak, almost as if this beer were literally injected with pulverized oak chips, dripping with essence. It's an intense taste, particular with the way the oak chips mingle with the spices, nearly covering them up in places but allowing the cinnamon and nutmeg to emerge in certain places to accent a near afterthought (or, at least, a well-masked or thoroughly well-integrated to my untrained palette) pumpkin note. Huge step up over the nose.

Mouthfeel: A little uneven, but pretty smooth, mellow, and well-done on the whole. It's a little oily, but there's enough crispness to counterbalance this. On the whole, it just has that aged feel, relaxed, not trying too hard, and I think that works well with the flavors above, which seem to be falling where they may, not trying to impress anyone with their technical superiority. Nice.

Drinkability: For the record, a side-by-side review is hard to do when mildly intoxicated, at least when you're reviewing straight in to BA. It's interesting to do this sort of comparison and see exactly what oak aging can do for your beer. And ... well, it's less than I thought. The oak aged version I had was far, far older than the fresh TREAT I enjoyed it alongside with (perhaps about a year difference, which means the beers themselves may be as much as two years different). But I thought that it would do more for this beer than it did. Not quite the amount of authenticity, diversity, and enjoyability of aroma that I'd like here, and though the flavor was intense and delicious, I think the beer as a whole was lacking somewhat in the complexity that you might want from a beer like this. Worth trying, particularly as an educational exercise, but don't let anyone fool you with the price tag.

May 01, 2010

Deuane from Pennsylvania

4.44/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Done as a side by side with the non-barrel aged version. It amazes me what a little time in a barrel can do for a beer!

A-Deep black/brown with a thin tan head that left spotty lace.

S-Sweet and spicy upfront with the molasses, turbinado and pie spices initially with the subtle accenting aroma of oak and vanilla courtesy of the barrel aging.

T-If you think the standard version is complex....this is even more mind bending....but not necessarily better per se. The chocolate, pumpkin spice and sweetness combine nicely and this is all accented by a touch of vanilla then finishes with a touch of oak dryness.

M-Medium bodied and surprisingly creamier than the standard version. Practically luscious it is so creamy feeling. Good lingering flavours and oak dryness.

D-Take a good base beer that lends itself to some barrel aging, tend it well and then PRESTO--an AWESOME brew emerges! Simply a wonderful concoction! So happy to have had the chance to try this delicious brew.

Apr 05, 2010

tpd975 from Florida

4.32/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Shared by beeruser at pre-sex

A: Pours a deep dark brown hue with a tight one finger tan head. Lite retention with just a few spots of lace.

S: Wonderful aroma. Lots of fresh pumpkin, chocolate, and pie spices.

T: Real pumpkin. Lots of nutmeg, with mild ginger, clover and cinnamon. The chocolate is more cocoa than milk. There is a nice roasty quality holding it all together. As for the barrel there is just a dash of wood.

M: Medium in body, smooth.

D: Great beer. One worth seeking out.

Mar 24, 2010

byaeger from Oregon

4.68/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Bottle c/o Nick3. Huge thanks!

Everyone has a favorite food, a sentimental favorite probably dating back to their childhood. Mine is my mom's chocolate chip pumpkin bread she makes every year around the holidays. It's moister than most pumpkin breads and the chocolate chips just put it over the top. So I was simultaneously excited and afraid to try this beer, wondering if it was meet or fall shy of my hopes and dreams.

It pulls off the chocolate and pumpkin with flying colors!

It boasts equal parts rich, silky milk chocolate and spices redolent of homemade pumpkin pie. Whereas some pumpkin beers feature no pumpkin at all, just spices such as nutmeg and cloves, this squeezes them all in from allspice to vanilla, with the spiciness offset by the pumpkin's creaminess.

This is a heavy beer but the flavor will have your tastebuds floating on air. I wonder if my mom can sue Midnight Sun for intellectual property theft.

Oct 27, 2009

nickd717 from California

4.42/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Bottle generously shared thanks to Nick3 on BA. The name of this beer is a real mouthful and takes forever to say.

A - Pours just about black with a creamy tan head and some lacing.

S - Aroma is lots of oak, pumpkin, spices, chocolate, and roasted malt.

T - Flavor is loads of rich chocolate, caramel, roasted malt, pumpkin, spices, and oak barrel notes. Was this -bal aged or just aged on oak chips? If I had to lay my money down, I'd put it on -bal aging. This had great -bal notes.

M - Palate is silky smooth with soft carbonation.

D - Very high for an imperial porter. Overall, the closest beer I've had to this is The Bruery Autumn Maple -Bal Aged. That was good, and this is damn good.

Oct 26, 2009

John_M from Oregon

4.5/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

The 2008 BA Imperial Pumpkin Porter, courtesy of the extremely generous AKBelgianBeast.

The beer pours a blackish brown color with excellent head retention and lacing. As with the regular version of this fine beer, I get pumpkin, pumpkin pie, coffee, chocolate and vanilla. This really doesn't smell all that different from the regular version (not that that's a bad thing), though perhaps there's a bit more vanilla and chocolate. Flavors on the palate replicate the nose almost exactly, with no more then moderate sweetness on the palate. Mouthfeel is very soft and plush, with a long, smooth finish. Alcohol is quite well disguised, and drinkability is excellent.

For my money, the best pumpkin beer on the market these days. Thanks Frank!

Sep 13, 2009

JohnGalt1 from Idaho

4.07/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

22 from my homeboy in alaska... AkBelgianBeast.. I sooo appreciate the chance to try this one.. and so did my local homeboys... Thanks Frank.. This was enjoyed a while back at Eric's house and poured into my small La Trappe glass.

Of course... very dark brown.. pretty murky.. no real head to speak of.. but what is there is a fairly dark tan..

Chocolate and oak sorta jumped out of the glass at me.. I was surprised at how the pie spices were used with a judicious hand.. cinnamon and allspice are there, but are no where near as much as most pumpkin monstrosities...

Flavor has a bit more clove than the nose... and some vanilla comes out more.. again some cocoa helps meld the spices together.. good dark malt sweetness that works very well.. The body seemed on the light side.. but what do I know?

I was pretty happy with this one.... I rarely like porters.. and pretty much can't stand pumkin beers.. and almost always hate beers with pumpkin spices... yet this one came through and was very drinkable yet I never would have appreciated an entire 22.... fucking thankful Frank sent it here .. and damn glad I had a few good fellas to share it with.

Edit: wow.... I feel a bit bad about my review... I am rarely on the low side.. but damn! Pumpkin spices just don't belong in beer... maybe I need to bring a Pie or a smoked turkey to the next tasting and break out the non-oaked version :-) thanks again frank... you're a good BA.

Aug 27, 2009

ccrida from Oregon

4.59/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Huge thanks to the AK BA who hooked it up! Bomber poured into a my tall Midnight Sun glass, MSBC's OAICP is a murky blackish brown with a creamy light brown head that's a bit spritzy, quick settling, leaving no lace or skim. I'll let the vanishing head slide more the normal, as it's barrel-aged.

Smell is amazing - pumpkin, all-spice, vanilla. Wow, very tasty, but not overwhleming or heavy handed. As it warmed towards the end of the glass, the oak really came out, woody nose, even a bit in the taste.

Taste is very tasty, great mix of porter and pumpkin, superbly balanced. I though this was going to be a flavor bomb, but it's really quite smooth, yet still exceptionally tasty. I've never had the regular ICP, but I can't say I'm getting a lot of oak, at least in the taste, more so in the nose. If I had to guess, I'd say it was aged in bourbon barrels. A little phenolic, but it gives it a lactose like character that works well with the chocolate malts. This is by far the best pumpkin beer I've ever had!

Mouthfeel is smooth, a bit slick, medium-light bodied side.

Drinkability is pretty high, a damn fine beer, very tasty. That said, one is plenty satisfying. Worth trying for sure

Jul 23, 2009

DefenCorps from Oregon

4.69/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Drank this side by side with the regular ICPP at The Graduation Tasting

A: Dark brown with reddish highlights. Thin tan head

S: Hysterically good. Mild spice, maple, cinnamon and nutmeg. Dark chocolate. Not as spicy was the regular ICPP. Roasted malt character is pleasant and in great balance, lending a mild sweetness. The BA character is not very noticeable apart from a mild vanilla character.

T: Very, very complex spicy character with nutmeg, cinnamon and chocolate. Bourbon character appears mid palate with great flavor, some vanilla but no heat. Excellent balance

M: A little thin, but excellent. More creamy than the regular ICPP.

D: Outrageous, I need more!

May 21, 2009

mikesgroove from South Carolina

4.87/5  rDev +14.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Insane. A huge thanks to Frank for sending this one my way. I had been itching to try this one for I cannot even begin to tell you how long. Served at cellar temp and poured into my DFH snifter, this one was consumed on 05/15/2009.

The pour was pitch black, no light was escaping this one at all. Rich, evil looking with a thin tan head on top that only slightly faded as it came back down to earth really just coating the inside of the glass completely as it went down. The aroma was huge, this is exactly what I had hoped it would be. Rich pumpkin notes that were interlaced perfectly with rich chocolate and hints of vanilla and oak. Sublime and perfect in every way. As I go in for a sip I find the same thing, simply perfect. Smooth, seductive, a bit lighter in the body then I would have thought, but still wonderfully smooth. Rich chocolate dominates here early before the pumpkin spice takes over. Lots of cinnamon here as well as it really is soo complex I find it hard to really put into words. But I drink on and as I do, wonderful oak and woody notes greet me as it comes up to room temp. No ABV here at all, I am blown away. The most sublime pumpkin beer I could have imagined.

Overall I am impressed, overjoyed, and amazed at how good this one is. Everything I had hoped for an more. I would take this anyday over most everything.

May 16, 2009