Dan's tasting

Hunahpu's Imperial Stout - Laird's Apple Brandy Barrel

Huge thanks to Alpar for sharing this rarity, I am pretty sure there's no way I would have been able to land this!

Looks dark, thick and still. Impressive legs upon swirling. Aroma is a blast of vanilla, fruit and some tartness. The roast has managed to stay alive in the taste! There are layers of coconut, vanilla and fruit and this is a very complex and very very smooth beer. I can't help but notice the similarities with Matt, that I remember liking a tad better. But this is pretty f'in good as well.

I think I will have to track down a bottle of the brandy those barrels make assuming it is not too costly!

4, 4, 4.5, 4.5, 4

Ruination Tenth Anniversary IPA

Ruination 10th Anniversary IPA shared by Joe at Dan's. Side by side with Ruination. Thanks!

Much darker and thicker looking than the regular. Certainly a more "serious" attempt at ruination of the palate but a tad too big for its own good. It's moving from one of my favorite IPAs towards the Devil Dancer territory and that's not a plus in my book... more viscous and unpleasantly bitter at times in comparison to the regular version. Also maltier.

However, considered on it's own it's still a pretty good 4+ rating DIPA; just not the clean, dry beer that Ruination, Pliny and Heady are.

4, 4, 4, 4.5, 4

Spring House Big Gruesome

Cannot recall who shared this beer but thanks!

Dark brown with a medium head, head retention etc. Incredible aroma that is more peanut butter wafer like than peanut butter wafer itself! Beats me how they did, but they did it very well.

Tastes very dessert like with a slight sweetness and plenty of flavor. Only part that makes it a stout is the slight roast and unfortunately a slight tartness typical to many stouts.

Medium mouthfeel and ok carbonation. I had several samples of this and it was enjoyable but only in small quantities... can't see myself drinking a bomber of this on my own and it is a novelty (or gimmick?) in that sense.

4, 4, 4, 4, 4

Cantillon Rosé De Gambrinus

Thanks Doug!

Dirty pink-orange hued with plenty of bubbles. Aroma is funk, acid and raspberries lurking in the backdrop. Tastes quite sour with a good fruit flavor but it is certainly missing the clean character of Gueuze. In fact, I am pretty certain that there is some vinegar involved. Mouthfeel is great as with all Cantillon.

4, 4, 4, 4.5, 4

Steel Toe Before The Dawn

Looks black, duh.

Dark and chocolaty aroma with with a good presence of barleywine fruitiness. Tastes big and somewhat boozy with a finishing roast and you can tell that it started its life as a stout (if the rumors are true).

However, there's plenty of toffee sweetness and dates/figs notes that make it a barleywine alright. Much lower barrel presence than their first one (Lunker) but delicious nonetheless.

I am comparing it to a 2+ years old Nightstalker because that's what this is reminding me of. The mouthfeel could have been better. Overall it is very good and I might have rated it higher had there not been a pour of MOAS on the side to keep things in perspective.

4, 4, 4, 4, 4.5

Westbrook Gose

Thanks Ryan (Steasy66) for sharing this!

Hay colored with plenty of haze; good head and medium retention. Softly sour and generally clean aroma with some malts hanging out at the back. Tastes only lightly salty and mildly tart but each sip begs another. Light bodied, clean and refreshing, pretty much a perfect summer beer without being overly simple. I liked it and highly recommend it!

4, 4, 4, 4, 4