This is a balanced, nuanced yet still HUGE beer. Pale amber in color with big bubbles, this beer's head dies fast, but it has nice lacing and big legs. The nose wafts beautiful grapefruit and evergreen aromas out of the glass, reminiscent of northern California's Sequoias, with undertones of tawny port, alcohol and old fruit. An almost tart hop sharpness is cut by a rich barleywine-like, mouth-coating malt backbone. This malty, hoppy, bubbly and oddly refreshing beer (considering its strength) finishes very clean with a volatile bitterness that threatens to leap off your tongue if you open your mouth. Very warming.
This is a truly lovely beer: Nicely balanced, surprisingly easy to drink and just wonderful.