~ First Tasting ~
August, 9th 2002
(6 Months, 7 Days)
Click on a photo for Tasting Notes

Steve Wagner President & Brewmaster	Lee Chase Head Brewer	Greg Koch Chairman & CEO	Arlan Arnsten Vice President of Sales	Chris Cochran Marketing & Promotions

Steve Wagner President & Brewmaster Appearance: A hazy, golden color (possibly from the yeast mixed in from the pour) Aroma: This beer has an initial hint of cloves and spiciness along with a smell of honey. Almost like a “candied” sort of aroma. Flavor: Initially sweet followed by a strong, pepper and wheat sharpness which lingers then fades back to a sweeter profile. Palate: Nice, soft (but full) mouthfeel. However, more carbonation would be nice – that could change over time! Overall: Enjoyable now, but give it 10 to 12 years! The flavor components have a nice presence, but haven’t quite blended into a cohesive whole – yet.

Lee Chase Head Brewer Appearance: Pours clear, bright and golden. Needs to be 90% evenly distributed, then swirl and touch up with yeast – which leaves the appearance hazy but not cloudy. Aroma: Very “Belgian-gone-Californian.” There is a huge coriander/orange nose with all the wit-yeast aroma characteristics adding depth, earthiness, and spice. Haven’t had many Belgian Wits with such pronounced aroma – but I guess we are loud Americans and this is over 7% abv! Flavor: Medium/Light carbonation. Has a nice spicy taste with an almost numbing, citrusy effect (definitely the orange rind) on the bigger sips. Lingering bitterness, earthy, bitter/sweet and a light warming effect (alcohol). Palate: Soft, low/medium body with a deceptively drinkable mouthfeel. Overall: I need to make some more as a homebrew – cuz’ I like the way it tastes now. I would like to see some of the melding of flavors over the next few years! I don’t think this one will lose much over time, but it seems spicier than it was in back in February.

Greg Koch Chairman & CEO Appearance: Milky. Aroma: Got the first sniff of the aroma while it was still a foot away from my nose! Sweet and clovy, almost reminiscent of an unlit, fresh Djarum (clove cigarette). Flavor: Bitterness kicks in from the get-go, but not in an overpowering way. However, it is still a bit atypical for the style. Wait...this isn't brewed to a "style"...it's perfect! Palate: Great body. The cloying sweetness that was hinted by the aroma does not materialize (thankfully). Overall: This bottle had actually traveled to Oregon and back. A swirling meld of flavors that nearly defies description. A lingering bitterness at the finish persists. Spicy, peppery and orange citrus! Maybe will dry out a little more with time?

Arlan Arnsten Vice President of Sales Appearance: Deep, golden color; hazy and with an almost opaque look. Aroma: Clove, spices, and a hint of pepper. Flavor: Sweet Nectar from the beer fruit with a slight, bitter-hop finish. Very nicely balanced and subtle. Palate: This beer has a surprisingly big mouthfeel. Overall: Excellent drinker – but I’ll be keeping the rest of my stash a little longer. I can’t wait to try this beer again next year!

Chris Cochran Marketing & Promotions Appearance: Golden, a little on the cloudy side from the yeast. Almost has the hue of honey; a straw-blonde shade of yellow. Aroma: Nice, exquisite and spicy. Meets the nose way before the glass even gets close – I love that in a beer! Tell-tale signs of a Belgian style beer. Flavor: Initial spiciness: coriander? cloves? pepper? Aging beautifully at this point in time. Can’t wait to see how it is in the next few years, five years, ten years! Palate: Very crisp and refreshing. A little bit of sweetness at first that seems to linger as it warms, but gives it a nice, overall mouthfeel. Overall: A very impressive first edition of this series. For a beer of this quality and being bottle conditioned, I can only hope the rest turn out this good. And I can’t wait to see how it ages years from now. It will also be interesting to see what other styles show up in the Vertical series to compliment this one.