<As Eric Idle of Monty Python would say "it's not a beer for drinking, it's a beer for laying down and avoiding...particularly heavy, and should only be used for hand-to-hand combat. Really opens up the sluices at both ends.">

Yeah, it really was rough at first.
For Virginians, it can be found at the beer & wine shop in old downtown Ashland. BTW, they have an outstanding selection. They carry Madeira & mead too.