Review re-written after the Oct 5th 2009 BA crash.
I’m on a bit of a budget for beer at the moment (very unusual) but I didn’t hesitate to drop the $12.99 ‎for the corked & caged 750 mL bottle from Hop City, Atlanta, GA, USA, despite the fact that the ‎sweet potato element makes me raise my eyebrows!
Pour gives a bright orange body, nicely carbonated with good clarity and some excellent, rocky, high ‎head.‎
Smell gives lots of peppery bitterness a touch of alcohol and some Belgian yeasts. The beer is quite ‎aggressive for an Allagash beer with the emphasis on the spice and peppery bitterness. It smooths out ‎beautifully over the course of the beer and becomes increasingly drinkable. The sweet potato is ‎conspicious by its absence.‎
Less Saison/Farmhouse given that the funk is very reserved (if at all) in its presence, the beer falls ‎firmly into the spicy, peppery Belgian pale area which is an Allagash trademark.‎
Warming alcohol increases on the way down and the beer seems to drink above the advertised 8.3%. ‎Although more Belgian Pale than Saison, this beer is an instant classic which reminds me quite a bit of ‎Brooklyn Local 1.‎