Flying Fish Puckerfish

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 6

Sampled GABF 2008
This beer has a full amber color to it and is fairly hazy. It is topped by a thin, light tan colored head. There seems to be lots of Bourbon-like aromatics in the aroma with notes of vanillin, a big coconut component, hot alcohol and lots of solvent-like notes. The solvent character actually seems a bit sweet some how at times and it mixes with and / or causes a fruitiness that seems to lurk underneath the other aromatic components.

The beer is sweet tasting up front, but it finishes with a massive solvent character that is a mix of acetone and paint thinner. There is some acetic-acid sourness to this beer up front that is quite nice and becomes more noticeable as my palate gets used to the aggressive solvent character (unfortunately the solvent notes never disappear though). The solvent does bring out some Bourbon like notes in the flavor as well. This is just weird. Did this beer ever come near a barrel, much less a Bourbon barrel? I can't actually tell in the end as these notes might just be a phantom of the aggressive solvent character. This is actually so interesting that it even makes it enjoyable and somewhat contemplative. Can't say I would want this particular batch again, but it was certainly a fun thing to try.