The initial whiff is of ham-like smokiness, quickly followed by bubblegum esters. Toasty/grainy malt with a trace of caramel is supported by a light presence of peppery phenols. The taste starts with toasted malt, along with some caramel and toffee that is swept away by a pungent bitterness that is dominant and has a lingering coarse edge. The fruity esters are not as distinct in the flavor, which is an interesting mélange of characteristics that are all secondary to intensely bitter hoppiness that finishes with some solvent sharpness. This is a beer of many flavors that clash as often as they mesh.