I swear, every time I set foot in a packie, I walk out with 7 more beers after only taking 2 or 3 out of my stash! It's a never-ending cycle dammit! I've really gotta step up my drinking game. Wanna help?!
Long Trail - Triple Bag (2010 vintage) Have been sitting on this guy for quite a while.. anywhere between 8.2 and 9.4% ABV depending on year. This is just a suped-up version of their Double Bag strong ale with a ton more malt added in. Syrupy-sweet aroma with hints of bubblegum and alcohol, some raisins and heavy caramel. Great malty nose... and a complete reversal of roles when it comes to the taste. A nice punch of hops from the get go that delves back into the complex malt carrying over from the nose. More caramel and toffee with heavy dark fruit and molasses with hints of the booze poking through often. The malty sweetness linger long after the beer is gone. This is one dangerous beer, the high ABV is fairly well hidden behind the malts and it goes down way too easy. Hell, I've probably downed this one far too quickly myself!
Alltech's Lexington Brewing Company - Kentucky Ale. A very cool description.. called a 'marriage of traditional English Pale Ale and Irish Red Ale styles" DAMN 16 IBUs and 5.34% ABV Super carbonated pour into a gorgeous amber caramel color that quickly lost it's head. Pale malt notes with a little wild honey, vanilla and floral aromas. A bit light an English Bitter on the nose... Hints of the Irish Red on the taste with light, crisp bready malts giving most of the flavor. Faint caramel sweetness and not too much else. A nice sessionable brew, but almost seems to come up short on it's attempts to meld the two styles. Nice profiles of each separate style at times, but the fusion of the two leaves the flavor fairly one-dimensional. Don't get me wrong...very, very enjoyable. Have had their Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale..definitely not a fan and this is on the complete opposite end of the spectrum. For sure worth a try!
Finally, Atwater Brewery - VJ Black Imperial Stout. After loving their Vanilla Java Porter, I had to try more from them. Turns out the VJ stands for Vanilla Java anyway! ..They just made a version of it on steroids! A huge, beefy 11% ABV version on steroids, that is! Pours like 10,000 mile used motor oil, but with a great head. Tons of malty caramel on the nose with some underlying coffee and milk chocolates. Vanilla and hints of bourbon come through from time to time. A super smooth and full, creamy taste that's very reminiscent of the Vanilla Java with huge roasted malts and more of that milk chocolate. Hints of a lighter, iced coffee-like taste with the faintest hop profile at the end to give it just a bit of bitterness. This was off the charts drinkable. Wait, what? Hyper drinkable at 11%!? Where was the alcohol... uh oh...this could get messy! If the Triple Bag was way too easy to drink, this goes down like water. One of the best Imperial Stouts I've had thus far, but oddly enough, I'd like the alcohol to be more upfront. Weird qualm to have about a beer..right? But oh so good! 
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