The beer was (and is) available on draft. At Radio, it is served in a snifter (6-8 oz). When it was on tap across the street at Blind Pig it was served in a tulip.The brewery calls the beer an American Strong Ale. It comes in at 12.5% ABV, so you don't need much more than a snifter of it.
The beer was black, almost like a stout. Why this was an American Strong Ale and not a stout is probably up for debate. Oh, according to Beer Advocate, American Strong Ale is a category for beers that don't really fit into any other category, except are above 7%.
So, this black, not a stout, was relatively flat. There was no head, and no bubbles whatsoever. That's not necessarily a bad thing. It didn't feel flat, it just wasn't bubbly. Previous years bottles of this have been flat. It smelled syrupy. If syrup has a smell. Otherwise, you could describe it as very sweet smelling, almost sugary. I thought it smelled similar to a Sam Adams Utopias. It felt thick and coaty. It was very sticky on the lips. It felt like syrup as well. (Syrup will be a recurring theme).
It tasted like... wait for it... syrup. That wasn't a bad thing. How do you describe the taste of syrup? It was mapley, and sugary. There was a bit of chocolate, also some coffee and raisin flavors. I didn't get any vanilla flavors or anything else that I would expect to pick up from the oak.
So, how was it? Awesome. Would I have this again? To quote Sarah Palin, You betcha!
At Radio Maria, this beer will cost you $7. If you go on Wednesday, it's $1 off.
If you would like to have a bottle of this, you can get one at the Blind Pig Brewery. It should still be available at Friar Tucks. A 22 ounce bottle will cost around $30, so don't be too shocked by the price. It rarely happens, but it's actually cheaper to drink this beer in a bar. A 6 ounce glass for $7; four of them would be 24 ounces at $28. Which would be 2 ounces more, for $2 less. (Wednesday at RM, with the $1 off, it'd only be $24. )
This isn't a once in a lifetime beer, you will be able to get it again. Yes, it's expensive, but it's well worth it. If you can only get it in a bottle, try to find some friends to share it with.
It is assumed this beer will age well. If you are going to get a bottle, consider getting two, one for now, one for later.
