Coopers Extra Strong Vintage Ale
version 2006. 375ml bottle. 7.5% abv well, looks a disappointment in the glass. fairly light in color, deep amber and clear but with chunks of yeast sediment falling to the bottom of the glass. not the good, natural looking sediment you find in other coopers brews, but sort of not quite right stuff you dont want in your beer sediment. not only that, no head. pours really lightly into the glass and only musters up a 1cm head that quickly faded to just a ring around the edge of the glass. not what i was hoping for. ok, close the eyes and just smell. eh, a bit better. sweet fruit cake aroma with a bit of warming alcohol behind. the alcohol becomes more prominent as it warms which leaves it kind of one dimensional. not being a big fan of that acetone alcohol aspect to the smell of beer, this isnt all that appealing so far. the worst part of all this is that for a beer of this style and strength, it really needs/should be enjoyed at not so cold temps. unfortunately, the aroma, for me at least, makes that difficult. smooth flavor. strong malt presence with a bit of yeast accompaniment. some warming as it goes down. little noticeable hops but not sure if they would fit in much here. mouthfeel is ok. little carbonation keeps it from being too lively which wouldnt go well with the strong alcohol. what a disappointment. dont know if age will help tame this beast. not that i need to worry as this is the only bottle i got, and dont plan on going back for more.