I should have saved popping this one from Two Brothers until the weekend as I have a decent shot at a run to Marche Jovi and a number of bieres de garde to compare with this mid-western take on the style. But I didn't.

It pours an enormous fine off-white head. Sort of like that foam insulation you spray around windows. Somewhere near the bottom of the class I see candied orange coloured ale gathering as the foam subsides. It gives off a herbal orange cream aroma - a decidedly un-ale-esque scent. I have had soaps that smelled more like beer. The cream continues in the mouth with a malty richness verging on melted ice cream cut with pear and apricot fruit with herbal hops that may just qualify as earthy. It moves a little towards cough drop but without the cloy. A very singular beer.

The bottle shows some age with a little cap crud on the lip and a ring inside the bottle at the high tide mark. The best by date is "12/01/08" which, by the US calendar format, means nine months ago and not, if it were Canada, nineteen and a half. But if this is past it, give me more. High respect from the BAers.