Goose Island - Pere Jacques (aged 5 years)

Not many people are forgetful or patient enough to age a bottle of beer for five years.  Luckily, I happen to be a little of both, no matter what my wife tells you about the whole patience thing and the new/exciting expletives I invent during video game play.  On the label of Goose Island's high(er) end beers, it is claimed to develop in the bottle for up to five years.  The bottle of Pere Jacques that I will be reviewing today has been aged for 62 months to the day, past the date it was bottled.  I have not experimented with a beer like this before so I am excited to see how it will end.  If well, that means the other aging beers in my cellar have a chance.  If not, I may have wasted a whole lot of beer money.  To say I'm a little anxious is to understate the matter.  Let's pour!

Aroma 10/12

The label says "Belgian style ale," but it is clearly leaning more toward the tripel in aroma.  Lots of fruit present here.  Mushy, over ripe apples are present along with notes of real apple cider, though without the spice.  Bright raisins are not far behind and if I were more familiar with my dark fruits, I'm sure I could tell you if it were more fig vs something else, but all I can say at this point is that it stops short of prunes while definitely hinting at them.  Absent from the "Belgian style" is any sort of Belgian yeast notes and any spice.  I don't necessarily expect the former in a dubbel/tripel/quad, but I certainly expect a little of the latter.

Appearance 3/3

Easy points here.  It's a dusty copper shade when poured in small amounts, but larger amounts lend bright red and magenta highlights to the brew and make it pleasing to the eye.  The head on this 5-year old beer was still (surprisingly) present in a half finger's worth of tan foam that faded with a slight crackle.

Flavor 18/20

This beer takes its time to make an impression on the palate, fading straight away into its backbone of flavors and giving no introduction.  The easily found primary flavors are the dark fruits from the aroma, but without the bite or subdued acidity that the apples might have brought.  The cider character of the apples is still present and plays very well with the other fruits.  There is a notable booziness that hid itself in the aroma, but comes across as very outgoing in the flavor.  Holding the brew in the mouth allows the initial sweetness of the fruits to die down a bit and the slightly bitter, "browned apple" flavor to step forward in addition to a previously undetectable spiciness.  A welcome addition to any Belgian ale!  It pricks the tongue a bit, gives more interest to the bitter, and keeps things true to style.  A swallow quickly brings more of the bitter as well hints of a vinous, purple grape.  Ultimately, the bitter and the sugars of the dark fruits combine to give a lasting final impression of the beer.  The aftertaste is more notable for its mouthfeel than its flavors, becoming somewhat sticky in the mouth and the alcohol drying on the tongue.  Though it the acidity of the apples does reprise itself after a lengthy pause.

Mouthfeel 4/5

The body is good for the style and the spiciness does eventually show up if you hold it in your mouth long enough.  The alcohol is just right in this beer - enough to let you know it's there, but not so much that it even comes close to taking over a flavor, even a minor one.  Carbonation is adequately active, though made to seem less by the medium-heavy body is has to move through.  The spiciness is a nice addition to the finish and, with the carbonation, is another way the beer's creaminess is perceptibly diminished without effecting the body.

Overall Impression 8/10

Even for an "old" bottle, this beer is unsurprisingly tasty.  Lots of dark fruits, true to its style, and a robust version of a Belgian without trying to be too huge.  I would be more than pleased if someone purchase this beer for me in a pub.  Goose Island prints right on the label, "Develops in the bottle for up to 5 years," and by George, they're not lying.

Total  43/50

If one were to use the "grading scale" found in schools, this score would register a solid "B," but if you were to ask me personally I'd say an easy "B+."  Bottled on May Day 2009, this beer has had to wait a long time for its heyday, and it delivers with a true to style, tasty, dark fruit laden, palate-warming treat.  Furthermore, this bottle has been impeccably kept, remaining either in standard refrigerators or a special beer fridge (50 degrees Farenheit) for its entire existence.  Talk about a princess.  Such excellent storage conditions in mind, had there been any "off-putting" flavors, the beer would have no one to blame save itself.  However, with its excellence proven, it now stands to claim all the glory.  Solid work, Goose Island.  I'll be trying this experiment again.

Hoppin' Frog - Barrel Aged Naked Evil

Today is a bottle that has been a long time coming.  I received it as a Christmas gift from my father and its name alone qualifies it as one of my more rare/interesting beers.  First off, it's barrel aged.  This is more often than not a good start to a great beer though far from a prerequisite.  Second, those barrels are whiskey barrels and not bourbon barrels.  Not that there's anything wrong with bourbon barrels, I just happen to be much more familiar with whiskey than bourbon, with few exceptions.  Third, this is a barley wine - a style that lends itself unusually well to being made into big ol' beers.  Fourth, it's a Belgian-style barley wine.  This is just another layer of complexity that I'm looking forward to having wash over my taste buds.  The bottle has this to say,

"On a recent trip through Belgium visiting the monastery breweries, we discovered an excellent barrel aged ale that had an incredibly satisfying flavor combination.  Aging in oak barrels added a memorable richness, that we seek to achieve with this barrel aged Belgian-style barley wine-style ale. Being the ideal celebration beer to release on our 5-year anniversary, Barrel Aged Naked Evil is fermented with both British and Belgian yeasts and aged in whiskey barrels for a lightly spicy twist on this old-world beer style.  Sweet malt flavors will become smoother and rich dark fruit characteristics will build with time to add a wonderful complexity and depth of flavor."

Aroma 12/12

I smell this and instantly feel like I should be in more formal surroundings.  You are immediately embraced by dark boozy fruits, raisins, vanilla, whiskey, and a lesser oak.  It is simply a fantastic blend.  As it warms the whiskey takes the forefront with strong tones of vanilla, toffee, a lesser oak, and a faint Belgian spiciness hidden in the back.  The dark fruits are still very present, but know their place.

Appearance 3/3

Pours like silk with very little head.  In fact, one wonders if they'll receive any head at all until it begins to fade in at the middle of the glass and slowly push its way to the top like a person newly awakened and slowly making their way through the first of their morning routine.  The ale's legs on the other hand are ridiculous.  They stick to the glass and show virtually no signs of falling.  The color is a bright copper with an abundance of ruby glints, sunset orange hues, and earthy reds.  Gorgeous.

Flavor 20/20

Oh my!  This begins in the same sweet fashion as the aroma with boozy fruits, but makes a gradual and seamless transition into vanilla, toffee, candi sugar, and more whiskey.  Somehow the oak is not completely subdued by all these imposing flavors and still manages to make its own small contribution.  Sitting in the mouth it continues to enjoy all those confectionery inspired flavors and ceased to be quelled.  The finish is like the smoothest, sweetest shot you could imagine.  Think high end, "no burn" whiskey, and caramelized hardened sugar.  Oh, but add amazing dark fruits and oak.  Enticed yet?  The aftertaste adds some bitter, but it appears to be a result of the dark fruits and alcohol, not so much that of hops.  Absolutely wondrous, rich flavor as complex as it is harmonious.

Mouthfeel 5/5

The mouthfeel was the first clue that this beer was not going to be Belgian-style in a yeasty, banana, bubble gun, clove, spicy kind of way.  It was going to be a Belgian-style in a quad, knock your socks off, highly carbonated, dark fruit kind of way.  Carbonation is initially pretty strong, but fades to a perfectly appropriate level; being present to provide texture, but never allowing that sensation to become too strong or to distract from the flavor.  It also never threatens to lighten the medium-full body.  Obviously, the whiskey provides some heat to the beer at 11.3% ABV, but again in congenial way where it never threatens to usurp the other more important flavors.  The spiciness incorporated by the brewers doesn't hurt one bit either, nor does the way it leaves the mouth sticky with caramel in the aftertaste.

Overall Impression 10/10

A masterpiece for Hoppin' Frog!  By far the best offering of theirs that I have ever tasted.  It is a rich, superbly blended cornucopia of Belgian quad goodness: active carbonation, dark fruits, whiskey heat, and smooth as you please.  Good gracious!  Can we all sign a petition so that they'll make this again?

Total 50/50

Well, Hoppin' Frog has joined the elite ranks as one of the few beers to earn a perfect score on Sud Savant. Deservedly so.  This beer is fantastic!  The barleywine style that they claim in their descriptor can be difficult to find sometimes, especially if the drinker is more accustomed to the more common "American Barleywine" style.  However, as a traditional or "English barleywine," this beer is a marvelous blending of styles.  It incorporates all the malty, caramel-laden, fruity, boozy, silky goodness that we've come to know and love and combines it with even more dark fruits, active carbonation, and spice from the Belgian style.  On top of that it throws in whiskey and oak!  What else could you want?!  The correct answer?  Some in your glass and then some in your stomach.  Top marks to Hoppin' Frog!  What a beautiful bruiser!

The specs.

Flossmoor Station - 15th Anniversary

Well gang, in the last week I celebrated yet another birthday.  Besides recounting all the blessings and accomplishments of the past year, it's also a great excuse to drink whatever the hell I want.  Today, that translates into someone else that celebrated a birthday, too.  Today's review is for Flossmoor Station's 15th Anniversary Abbey style Tripel Ale.  Flossmoor's 15th anniversary has long since past as I've been holding onto this bottle for quite some time, but today seems as good a day as any to open it.  Besides, it's my birthday.  For those unfamiliar with Flossmoor Station, they're a local brewer located in (you'll never guess) Flossmoor, IL and have had some past success at events you may have heard of like GABF and those listed here.

The bottle specifically lists the brewery's 15th anniversary as July 8th, 2011.  Looks like I've been cellaring this longer than I intended.  The bottle also tells us that this brew tips the Toledos at 15.0% ABV, utilizes magnum and crystal hops, and pilsner, carapils, & demarara sugar malts.  Also, in my neck of the woods one will hardly ever see smaller breweries using nice wax-dipped bottles, which is always a nice touch.  Let's pour!

Aroma 12/12

It's the first sentence and there's already SO much going on in this beer.  The nose begins with lots of fruity aromas like apples, green grapes, honey, and a subdued Belgian yeast.  As it warms, the Belgian notes really come on strong with a pronounced banana note and a clove-based spiciness.  Later still, it becomes dominated by a wonderful sugary smell with a little warmth and a spiced-not-sweet Belgian yeast.  Finally, it puts all these things together by toning down the larger scents (Belgian, sugar, spice) and bringing out the fruity acidity.  Now THIS is a golden ale!

Appearance 3/3

Perfect.  It pours as golden as the wax crowning its bottle, but sits in the glass as a brilliant ocher color.  Oddly, looking down at the beer from the top it shows strong ruby hues!  And no I don't have red flooring.  Because I have aged this bottle so long, any sediment remains in the bottle and the resultant beer is crystal clear and bright.  The head is as white as the snow outside my window and rose to a finger in height; an impressive feat considering that the bubbles are nearly microscopic in size.  It lasted as a ring around my glass until well into the beer.

Flavor 20/20

This is an insanely complex brew!  It begins with unadorned sugary, malty sweetness and quickly moves into fruity sweetness full of apples and golden raisins.  Things blossom widely as those two flavors combine into the flavor of caramelized fruits (this is not an exaggeration).  Belgian yeast, not far behind, adds its goodness and a strong alcohol presence is felt.  Note that it is "felt" and not "tasted."  The strong warmth never impinges on the flavor itself, but gratuitously pricks the tongue while in the mouth.  A bitter note is present when holding the beer in the mouth for an extended period and adds complexity and balance to this sweet beer.  Way back in the flavor profile is a dull sour whose origin likely lies in fruity acidity.  This makes even more sense upon swallowing where the first impression of the finish is an almost citrusy splash of said acidity and a reprise of the aforementioned bitter.  The aftertaste is surprisingly clean after such a warm, sweet, clingy beer. However, the only sensation remaining in the mouth is the lingering effects of the alcohol on the tongue.

Mouthfeel 4/5

This is a beer that absolutely coats the mouth with its sweet, sugary presence.  It borders on syrupy at times, but its lighter flavors and ABV help draw it away from that characterization.  It also possesses a halfway sneaky alcohol warmth.  Granted, at 15% ABV, it's hard to do anything sneakily.  However, the flavor is never too boozy.  To the point, I've had many bourbon barrel-aged brews with half the ABV that taste twice as hot as this brew.  While it doesn't taste hot, the alcohol is undeniable in the mouthfeel and how it pricks the tongue. A lot.

Overall Impression 10/10

This is the lightest tasting big beer you'll never try.  It's not light in flavor - anything but! - but most big beers tend to be heavy handed with the hops or a very rich stout.  This beer is a giant, but still manages to taste like an excellent golden (an Imperial golden?).  The fruits and sugars are present to keep this beer sweet and innocent, even if the ABV and heavyweight body would just as soon mug you in broad daylight.  In your own driveway.  In front of your kids.

Total 49/50

Personally, I liked this beer a lot.  It's complex, big, and captures all the essentials of the intended style.  The flavors are out-of-this-world intense an unlike anything that you'll find anytime soon.  I checked the average scores on BA and RateBeer after this review and was shocked to see them so low!  Perhaps it was a different beast when it was fresh, but as it stands currently it is an "Imperial Golden" that will be my measuring stick for some time to come.  If anyone disagrees with this point of view, please remember that it's my birthday so I am right and everyone else can go suck a potato (insert good-natured wink).  Good work Flossmoor!  Please know that we won't hold it against you if you decide to NOT limit this recipe to just a 15th anniversary beer and to brew this one again.

21st Amendment - Monk's Blood

As almost all of you have heard by now, 12.12.12 was the date that the monks at the St. Sixtus Abbey who brew the famed Westvleteren 12 allowed some of their beer to be sold in the United States.  This was all over the news even outside of craft beer circles.  As this beer is often mentioned in discussions about "The Best Beer in the World," it was highly sought after and was sold out almost instantly at any location that was given an allotment of the six packs, despite its $84.99 price tag.  Needless to say, I was not able to buy any, but have a bottle of Dark Lord ready and waiting (plus a mystery Bonus Bottle) for anyone that is willing to trade.

Because I'm a little full of sour grapes right now, today's review will be for 21st Amendment's "Monk's Blood."  It's a Belgian-style dark ale that is made with cinnamon, vanilla, oak chips, and dried figs.  The new ingredients intrigue me and at 8.3% ABV it also sounds like it packs quite a punch.  Oh, and for those not willing to read the old-timey text written on the can, it reads as such,

"Legend has it that in the evening, the monks would retire to their chambers & settle in with a few passages from the Good Book.  But Brothers Nicolas and O'Sullivan had other plans.  Working in the brewhouse all day, they were forced to repeat the same old recipes the elder monks had invented years before.  They needed a little diversion, And found it in the cellar of the monastery with a fresh twist they put on the beer and the way they enjoyed it.  Brother Nicolas (or 'Nico' to his close friends) brought some hand-rolled cigars.  O'Sullivan, the outspoken one, broke the vow of silence by spinning a remix of some Gregorian chants.  Together, they'd thrown down a could nice hands of Texas Hold 'Em and savor the handcrafted brew they crafted in secrecy.  Everything was good.  Or so it seemed. But deep in his heart Nico knew they were drifting into the 'dark side' of beer.  Next thing you know, they'd be skipping Lent.  Then one night they'd face the Judgement for their actions with a hard knock at the door.  Outside, the Abbot and elders would be holding stones in the air.  A threat the brothers were sure would lead to the spilling of "Monk's Blood"

Maybe they should just stick to brewing, but as always they feature a kick-ass can design.  This particular brew was canned on March 5th, 2012.  Let's pour!

Aroma 11/12

All the things that make the strong Belgian style great come rushing out of the glass.  Lots of cloves are quickly overwhelmed by even more of the yeast's banana notes.  Raw sugar (or likely Belgian candi sugar) and vanilla intertwine, while the figs and warmth sit back at first.  Eventually the figs come on strong and mingle with the banana delightfully, even if the figs edge out the banana ever so slightly.  Warmth grows stronger as well, but never becomes intrusive.

Appearance 2/3

I'm afraid this isn't a very attractive beer at all.  Have you had or seen prune juice before?  Yeah, it's that color.  Even when held to light it's that same milky brown hue.  The head was modest in size, beige in color, and crackled and popped its way down to a ring on the surface's edge.  There is also a lot of sediment in this brew, so pour gently.

Flavor 18/20

The first sensations of this drink are much brighter than anticipated, given the prominence of the dark fruit in the aroma.  It begins with a delicate, playful vanilla and some citrus-like tones.  However, it rapidly grows dark like a bank of storm clouds being pushed across the sky.  Very quickly there are the dark figs, the cinnamon, and the earthiness of spice all present and dominating the flavor profile.  Thankfully, the cinnamon avoids my worst fears and refrains from overwhelming all other flavors.  These dark flavors are intense and feel even larger with the strong alcohol warmth.  In the finish, things remain dark but also become bitter thanks to the earthiness from the cinnamon and the newly detectable oak.  It's a combination of dark fruits, bitter, and some boozy vanilla to wrap it all up.    A word of caution to those of you who enjoy slurping to enhance certain flavors!  In this brew, all you'll find is a brash alcohol.  

Mouthfeel 5/5

This beer is appropriately carbonated, which in a strong Belgian means there's a bunch of it.  Good news though, it seems to be taking the same advice as the cinnamon and is not a distraction by being overly prickly on the tongue.  There is some of that sensation, but it's mostly due to the cinnamon and not the bubbles.  Warmth plays a large roll in this brew and is not shy about it.  I dug it.  It makes for a strong beer, yet didn't suffer the same failure as many of the new "bourbon barrel-aged" beers by tasting like "two fingers, neat."  A full body carries all these flavors perfectly.

Overall Impression 8/10

This is a very well put together beer: the gentle flavors come out and the big flavors are not permitted to destroy a lá General William T. Sherman.  The lighter, sweeter flavors are quite nice and I wish they played a larger role by perhaps utilizing a less quick and dramatic shift to the dark, strong flavors.  However, this is a Belgian strong and it is supposed to be both dark and strong so the beer can't be faulted for that.  I enjoy the  interpolations that 21A has introduced here as a change of pace, even if my personal taste would prefer something lighter.

Total 44/50

Let me just say that I am comparing beer from a can to some of the best Belgian beers that I have ever had.  To those that for some crazy reason still doubt that amazing beer can be canned, this beer stands in direct opposition to your argument.  It is a great Belgian dark with its own twists and I always love trying new takes on old styles.  This particular beer is still well worth your time, especially if you normally find some Belgian varieties too sweet.  The earthiness and dark flavors help tone those down a great deal.  I didn't get much of the oak throughout the beer, but that's OK.  There were more than enough other flavors to compensate for it.  Also, I'd like to mention that this beer left my glass far too quickly.  I was fighting to ration it the entire time so that I'd have enough beer for later parts of the review.  So while my tiny, tiny gripe is that I wish the up-front sweetness lasted long or had a larger role, the proof was in the pudding as I drank this beer faster than I could write about it.  If you have some, great!  If not, you may want to find a kind trading partner as 21A has made it official that Monk's Blood will be taking an "indefinite hiatus."  Which begs the question, if they're shelving a tasty beer like this, then what do they have in the works?

Smash Brewery - Belgian Waffle

Today, I'm reviewing a homebrew from a good buddy of mine who is brewing some truly creative and delicious beer.  Also, at the rate he is procuring larger scale brewing equipment, it wouldn't surprise me if he quickly becomes a neighborhood favorite (and beyond).  The beer of his I'll be drinking today is his "Belgian Waffle," which, you guessed it, will taste like a Belgian waffle.  It's my understanding that actual whole, cooked waffles were used in the brewing process, though I don't recall at which stage.  I'm excited to drink this and see who it stacks up against the more established, widely distributed craft brewers.  Let's pour!

Aroma 10/12

The beer begins pleasantly enough with the sweet aroma of crisp apples and a fainter caramel.  Oddly, I am not getting an intense maple or syrup aroma at this point.  Further back is a faint almost champagne-like dryness and it's a unique little nuance that seems thrown in for good measure.  Slightly more detectable is a lightly floral aroma that blends nicely with the sweet apples from earlier.  All these aromas were from a 2-3 oz pour, but after I poured the entire bottle and got all that tasty sediment off of the bottom, this beer really opened up.  It went from "just plain apples" to "apples and gobs of caramel apple dip."  The caramel complements the apple very well and only now can I begin to see the maple syrup arriving on the scene.

Appearance 2/3

During my initial 2-3 oz pour, the beer was golden in hue and quite nice.  After pouring the entire bottle and its sediment into the glass, it more resembled apple cider fresh from the orchard; brown, cloudy, and a pinch of dark crumbs at the bottom.  The head rose nicely with loads of tiny, tightly packed bubbles, fizzed loudly, and faded away very quickly to absolutely nothing.  No lacing.  No head.  Nada.

Flavor 17/20

The waffles sure do not take long to make their presence known as even the earliest flavors are that of golden, fried, sweet, bready goodness and even a sweet cream.  The sensation is longer than most introductions, but slowly the apples' honey-like sweetness creeps in and is easily detectable, especially on the tip of the tongue.  A slight alcohol tingle is also present from time to time.  When held in the mouth the beer has a blending of light sweetnesses almost like the aforementioned cream, but in its candied form, like the center of a "bulls-eye" or "cow tail" candy.  As the beer warms, the sweetness shows its true colors and reveals itself to be the Belgian yeasts that were undoubtedly used in the brewing process.  The finish truly adds another dimension to the brew!  Its 7.5% ABV is laid completely bare and gives the impression of a much more alcohol-laden beer.  The alcohol combines with a wonderfully high and unexpected smoothness and goes down like a caramel liquor with the tongue still left tingling.

Mouthfeel 4/5

There's lots of good things happening here, especially for what I consider to be a golden-style Belgian dubbel (or a duppel-style golden ale).  A medium body with lots of lively carbonation and well utilized warmth are all appropriate for the style.  Though even for a Belgian dubbel, the carbonation can be a bit to aggressive a prickly at times.

Overall Impression 8/10

Obviously this brew has some Belgian-style roots and is not afraid to show them.  The sweetness, yeast, carbonation, and warmth all point to its origins.  The overarching apples were an unexpected, yet welcome twist, as were the light floral notes in the aroma.  They almost had me classifying this with a "golden ale" twist, but the other stylistic points were stronger contributors to the brew as a whole.

Total 40/50

Definitely a great start for one of this homebrewer's earlier efforts.  It had tasty, distinctly Belgian characteristics and added something of its own to make it unique.  I must say, while the taste of the Belgian yeasts were certainly detectable, as were the waffles - thus satisfying both parts of its namesake - I was expecting some serious maple syrup action.  Not that the caramel didn't satisfy that necessary sweetness, and   not that said caramel didn't go phenomenally well with the apple notes.  I suppose I was just expecting more of the maple syrup used  during brewing to come through as... well, maple syrup that I use on my waffles and pancakes.  It's a minor complaint for a tasty beer that follows its style remarkably well and I'm sure will only become more refined in its subsequent batches.

New Holland - White Hatter

Here's another installment from New Holland Brewing's "Hatter" series.  It seems like just about every type of Hatter imagineable has come forth: Imperial Hatter, Regular Hatter, Rye Hatter, Farm House Hatter, Black Hatter, White Hatter, Oak Aged Hatter, and even a Hatterday (see what they did there?) tour at the brewery (actually scheduled for this upcoming Sautrday, June 16, 2012).  It seems like an awful lot of their eggs are in this one basket.  I am a little confused on the plethora of styles present here, but I've never held a little creativity against a brewer and I'm not about to start now.  Let's pour! 

Unfortunately, I was at a local pub and was unable to
take my usual round of photos.  Sorry!

Aroma 9/12

The fresh hop cones are very forward and are rich with spice, pine, resin, and a lesser bitter grapefruit.  For a beer that also claims to be also a pale ale AND a Belgian white, I’m getting very little none of either of those styles.  At this point, I’d have guessed that I’m smelling an IPA.  The malts are non-existant and what little sweetness I can detect could just as easily be from the hops’ citrus.  Does any of this make this a bad smelling beer?  No, just underwhelming given its claimed style.  The beer has to warm quite a bit before the Belgian yeast becomes detectable at all.

Appearance 1/3

This is utterly indiscernible from an adjunct lager except that the macrobrews have a better head. Granted, this is on tap, but I still expect a little something.  The color is a light, golden yellow with extremely high clarity (if you can read reversed text, you could read looking through this glass).  To be honest, it looks more like cider than ale.

Flavor 15/20

Thank goodness the flavor is interesting!  Frankly, that’s the way I prefer it (hence the weighted scoring of this category).  The beer begins by with a little bit of Belgian yeast sweetness and really nice dry, crackery malts.  There also appears appear to be a scuffle amongst all the spices present (peppery hops, cloves) in which no one is a winner and the effect is a jumble in the mouth.  It doesn’t take long before adding an undeniable lemon zest citrus and foaming up in the mouth very pleasantly.  The citrus flavor along with a substantial mouthfeel would have me believe that the wheat percentage of this malt bill is fairly high.  The finish drops out the citrus (and all other sweetness) all together and shows a reprise of the dry, crackery malts.  It also adds a nice bitter, which is complimentary and never threatens to overthrow the malt flavors.  Though in the aftertaste, all that lingers is that same bitter, made all the more intense by the fact that it’s unaccompanied.  As a pale ale, this is a decent, citrusy version of the style.  As a Belgian, it’s virtually non-existent; even more so than in the aroma.  At least in the aroma, it had the decency to show up as the beer warmed up.  In the flavor, it is all but completely AWOL.

Mouthfeel 5/5

The carbonation is a high point of this beer!  It’s crispness really compliments that of the malts and its moderate foaming action in the mouth never contradicts the beer by feeling thick & silky or way too light & mousse-like.  The body feels very full, undoubtedly a contribution of all those dry malts.  No detectable warmth or flaws.

Overall Impression 6/10

This is the story of a better than average beer made less by under-delivering on a promising sounding style.  Had the sweetness from the “Belgian white” come through to sweeten the pale ale portion of the brew, you’d have yourself a interesting combination and probably some great aromas.  Instead, it stands as a pretty decent pale ale with a twist (Get it?  Like a twist of lemon?  Get it… oh nevermind).  However, the mouthfeel is awesome for the pale ale style and the carbonation is spot on.

Total 36/50

I think the “Overall Impression” section says it all. If you drink this for a combination of styles, I think you’ll be disappointed. If you drink this as a pale ale, you’ll probably dig it. The malts are everything they should be for a pale ale: lightly bitter, dry, and crisp. The hops are nicely aromatic, but contribute little other than citrus and spice to the flavor. This is a beer that should’ve been better than the sum of its parts… and the sum of its styles.

Warning: Colors in advertisement's glass may be darker than they appear.

Ommegang - Rare Vos

I realize that somehow I have not yet reviewed a bottle from Brewery Ommegang.  This is not because I haven't been drinking it, far from it.  I've been drinking their beer at festivals (especially their BIPA), bars (Gnomegang, anyone?), and buying bottles to share with friends because I am supremely confident that even those new to craft beer will enjoy a brew from Ommegang (their Witte seems to go over especially well).

For those not familiar, Rare Vos is the Belgian-style amber ale from Brewery Ommegang.  Their bottle description reads as follows. "Rare Vos is Flemish for 'Sly Fox' and the name of one of Brussels' great cafés.  It is also the name of our cunning Belgian-style Amber, which sports a mellow, fruity character and an elusive spiciness."  That's all I need to hear.  Let's pour!

Aroma 11/12
The Belgian yeast is strong, sweet, and a delight.  I've always associated Belgian yeast aroma with bananas, but this bottle clearly let's me see why others say bubble gum.  The Belgian bubble gum aroma is strong enough to make it difficult, though not impossible, to smell the amber ale behind it.  Any of the amber malts sweetness is overcome by that of the yeast, but the malts do still add a toasty, lightly earthy note to things.  As the beer warms, a surprising citrus arrives with the previously absent malt sweetness, which also helps loosen some of the yeast's stronghold.

Appearance 3/3
I'm on my first glass, so there's still quite a bit of sediment at the bottom of the bottle, but currently this beer shines like a new penny.  A bright, high-clarity copper color that absolutely glows as it sits in the glass.  It also enjoys a column of ascending carbonation and a superior head.  The head pours generously without threatening to overflow the glass.  It's so thick and tighly packed that it mutes the sound of the pour.  I love that.  It retains this head for, what after a while seems like just showing off and eventually as the bubbles join each other, the sides of the head turn soapy and leave a delicate lace around the glass.  Full marks!

Flavor 18/20
The beer slides immediately into its primary flavors with no introduction.  I was concerned after smelling the beer that it was going to be a witbier with a bit of amber malts.  Not so.  This beer's flavor is that of an amber ale all the way and what an amber it is!  It has everything that an amber should, but also adds a clean citrus behind it, which I can only attribute to a hop presence.  Holding the beer in the mouth, allows the Belgian sweetness to make an appearance, but it never comes close to stealing the show.  Slurping this beer brings out the toasty notes from the malts and bits of the yeast.  The finish is again more amber than Belgian, by being crisp and clean.  Well, clean minus a final good-bye from the toasted malt and a hint of spice (nice!).  The aftertaste is also clean, but leaves whispers of the earlier citrus.

Whoa!  Ok, so I just got down to the bottom of the bottle where all the sediment (a.k.a. the good stuff) was resting.  I stirred it up a bit and it gave a whole new cohesiveness to this beer!  Obviously the appearance became much more translucent and hazy, but the flavors now seemed more in tune with each other.  Instead of having an amber ale with a Belgian yeast "witbier" note in the background, this beer is now a wondrous blend of amber malt grain flavors and toastiness plus a dull, darkened Belgian yeast note that now seems more inclined to wrap itself in the amber ale instead of being placed along side of it.  Oh, and a increased bitter in the finish.  Very cool.

Mouthfeel 4/5
The carbonation is appropriate even toward the end of the bottle.  It's tiny and far between, but what is there is quite lively and adds to the refreshing, clean nature of an amber ale.  The medium-full body is more substantial than an amber ale requires, but the Belgian yeast flavors allow that body to not seem out of place.  There is not detectable warmth in this 6.5% ABV brew, but sometimes the yeast aromas can make it seem otherwise.

Overall Impression 9/10
I'm pretty pleased with this.  It's a substantial beer, but never lost the refreshing, crisp nature that makes the amber ale so popular.  I love that it shows you its different faces at different times (when cold/warm, in aroma,  etc), but when utilizing the sediment at the bottom of the bottle, everything comes together in a very nice and unexpected harmony.  It's like when chords finally resolve in music; it is both a relief and pleasing.  Being from Ommegang, it should come as no surprise that the technical aspects (appearance, mouthfeel) of the brew are top notch.


Total 45/50
As I mentioned earlier, I was initially worried that this beer labeled as a "Belgian-style Amber Ale" would end up being a Belgian yeast laden ale, with touches of amber ale just to be able to sell something different.  Allow me to say that Ommegang is delicious even with my foot in my mouth.  This truly turned out to be a craft beer that proudly emphasized the amber ale and only gave hints at a Belgian influence.  True to form, this beer not only satisfies the experienced, but would also please the novice.  If you're looking for something crisp, but a more substantial that the light, citrusy spring offerings, then you should definitely pick up a bottle or two.  It's definitely worth sharing.  Cheers Ommegang!  You've done it again.

Avery - Salvation

Ok, so technically this isn't a winter seasonal or Christmas beer, but with a name like "Salvation" this beer may be lie nearer to the heart of the Christmas season than any other.  Avery's religion-themed beers have earned a great deal of respect from me for their hop accentuated, malt-balanced beers, so I am more than willing to pry off the top on another one and see how it drinks.  Let's pour!

Look.  It's glowing!

Aroma 12/12
No questions about this score.  If there were more points available, it would get those too.  This beer is a spot-on perfect interpretation of what a Belgian-style Golden ale should smell like.  It has a robust, muffled Belgian yeast ester, a vanilla-laced cream, a good spicy clove, and a lesser alcohol warmth that all come together into a aroma that is near floral as any beer I've experienced.  They even throw in a little apricot to keep the drinker on their toes and a brighter grassy hop note comes along to make us believe all the more that we are in some flower strewn meadow.  Salvation indeed.

Appearance 3/3
This pours like liquid gold.  Not some alloy, I'm talking a bright, shining yellow, just-came-from-the-earth, the-Aztecs-would-have-owned-this-if-they could, type gold.  I mean, look at the above picture.  This beer is borderline incandescent.  The high clarity on top of it all just seems wonderfully excessive.  The eggshell colored head was satisfying in size, retention, and enjoyed a modest amount of lacing.  To be frank, it's the first thing this beer has done modestly.

Flavor 19/20
The beer enters the mouth with a fanfare of thick, cream-flavored beer.  It rolls quickly to the backbone and shows hints of its warmth while displaying that wonderful Belgian yeast that is lessened a bit by some newly introduced caramel malts.  Held in the mouth, the caramel and warmth seem to dominate the profile, but a slurp quickly strengthens the Belgian yeast flavors.  More spices are present in the mouth than in the nose, most notably the nutmeg, but not the clove from the aroma.  The spices lend another layer of complexity to place on top of the caramel.  None of the floral esters from the aroma are present, but the finish tries to make up for that with a strong hop presence.  The finish begins with a caramel flavor that I swear I was going to have to chew first.  Thankfully the hops are there to balance by giving more bitter than one would expect in a Golden and a nice peach/apricot note which compliments this beer superbly.  The aftertaste is a fairly distinct hop bitter, a noticeable warmth, hints of the caramel, and a spiciness on the tongue.

Mouthfeel 5/5
This beer is as thick a Golden as I've had.  It's surprising it can be so hearty and still showcase so many delicate flavors!  The carbonation is a perfect match to its big body and the warmth, while never camouflaged, never threatens to overwhelm any other aspect of this beer.  It sits at 9% ABV, but tastes lower.  The hops are very drying despite the robust caramel malts.

Even the label glows!  Crikey!

Overall Impression 9/10
Sure, there is room for improvement, but not much!  The aroma was flawless as was the appearance.  The flavor did not play at quite the same level, but left little to be desired.  More of the floral notes would have been quite a treat and may be my only valid "nit-pick" about this beer.  The beer also introduces more hops than one would expect into a Golden ale.  What else would one expect from Avery?

Total 48/50
This review wrote itself for the most part.  It was all I could do to type fast enough as my mind could gush praise.  Things slowed down a bit in the flavor, but only because there is SO much going on there.  I struggled to grasp it all at once and feel that in addition to my wish of "more florals from the amazballs aroma," my only other aspect at which to nit-pick would be that of an overall theme of flavor.  Not that this beer is all over the place or that it has combined seemingly random ingredients.  Only that I had trouble picking out everything that was going on in this beer!  Each ingredient seemed to grab for my attention at a different time instead of drawing me in together.  In the end, even those grabs for attention were pretty gentle since the beer as a whole is fantastic.  What a tasty, perfume-like, full-bodied bottle of goodness!

While finishing this beer, it seems that Avery has blended the styles of Golden Ale and their big IPAs.  The golden happens in the mouth, but the finish is all about that "big malt" that Avery is so fond of mixing with a pronounced, delicious hop profile.  Very neat and something I'll look for again next year.