Strong Beer Month 2010 - kickoff!

It's my first return visit to Magnolia, since moving out of the old hood, and I plan to try my luck at imbibing all 12 of this year's Strong Beer line up. Not in one sitting, of course.
As an interesting aside, I've not been in here since the big remodel, which may have been 2+ years ago. The distressed wood furniture and wall coverings give it an old saloon feel which is quite nice. The old hippy-scape mural is gone, and it is really missed. It was unique and really tied this place to the history of the Haight area. The replacement gold leaf walls just seem to be begging for something more. It's just a bunch of dead space now. I've never really been enamored with this place and that has not changed.
Anyway, moving on...First up is Delilah Jones Rye (10.2%). It's got a good amount of grassy flavors, which I'd attribute to the rye. There's not much of a nose and it's rather light bodied. A little bit of hop-induced bitterness is detectable, but no real flavor. It's very drinkable and hides the alcohol well, but I'm a little disappointed in the overall beer.
Next down the gullet is Four Winds Quadrupel (9.1%). It's an immediate explosion of flavor! A slight dried fruit aroma, maybe a whiff of prune, and lots of funky flavors fill the mouth. It's very full bodied and on the sweet side of the spectrum. This will probably be my favorite, but we shall see.