Stylishly genuine Belgian pale ale (with warming 10.2% ABV) brings candied yeast spicing to white-peppered dried fruiting, caramelized butterscotch-toffee conflux, hard cider dryness and mildewed cellar musk. Apricot-bruised peach, cherry, pear and apple tones spread across sharp hop bite. In the midst, sweet yellow-caked banana and vanilla creaming tingled by clove, allspice and cardamom seasoning.
Tag Archives: Belgian pale ale
UINTA MONKSHINE BELGIAN BLONDE ALE
Effervescently smooth summertime moderation offers sunny lemon zest and modest pineapple tang to tingly allspice-clove-coriander seasoning. Beneath sunny citrus spree, honeyed vanilla malts and candi-sugared Belgian yeast contrast white-peppered herbage. Soft white-breaded spine secures the bottom end.
ST. BERNARDUS EXTRA 4 BELGIAN ABBEY ALE
STONE STOCHASTICITY HIBISCUSICITY
Oddly muddled envelope-pushing Belgian pale ale (part of ambitious Stochasticity Project) lacks focus and dimension. Pinkish amber dry body needs deeper hibiscus flowering and more enthusiastic orange peel influence to overcome less effective lemony hop spritz. Herbal tea nuances fade worse than stagnant berry fruiting. Sourdough wheat bottom falls out. Light and soapy.
BARRIER BELGIAN 1 PALE ALE
On tap at Burger Loft, sour lemon-candied tartness picks up sweet orange-peeled pineapple, peach and apricot tones over peppery dry hopped herbage. Subtle banana-clove nuances flutter by just beneath the surface. Nearly perfect.
CAPTAIN LAWRENCE FROZEN FLOWERS
DC BRAU THE CITIZEN
Fruitful Belgian-style pale ale (in a can) allows candi-sugared yeast to spread across lemony banana taffy sweetness, sugary caramel malts and soured cider. Subtle orange marmalade, yellow apple, pineapple, tangerine, mango and pear illusions add luster while minimal clove spicing, terse herbal honeyed niche and vinous white grape notions fill the backdrop. Fizzy carbolic overload brings unwanted aridity to delicate citrus finish where minor aspirin-like acridity seeps in.
BROOKLYN WILD STREAK ALE AGED IN BOURBON BARRELS
Elegant caramel-spiced Belgian pale ale contrasts sugar-caned fruit sweetness with light brettanomyces yeast earthiness and dry Scotch tinge. Subtle bourbon warmth soothingly softens orange-dried cider tartness, buttery Chardonnay respite, oaken vanilla niceties and mild banana daiquiri illusions. Tertiary pineapple, apricot, red apple, pear and peach nuances drift in and out.
PERENNIAL ARIA
OVERSHORES SIMPEL
PETRUS AGED ALE GRAND RESERVE
Stronger Grand Reserve version of oak-aged farmhouse ale (7.3% ABV) utilizes dry-hopped astringency to create “undiluted old ale” aged longer than Petrus Aged Pale Ale. Lemony cider tartness and oaken cherry respite settle into sparkling champagne fizzle. Vinous white grape tannins recede to salty bottom. Notions of pencil shavings drift below the surface of succulent sour ale.
SPENCER TRAPPIST ALE
Perfectly re-creating ‘full-bodied Belgian golden ale’ style, this heavenly New Englander’s the first certified Trappist beer made in America. And it’s an easygoing and highly approachable winner! Zesty fruit-spiced tang, white-peppered herbal salting, musky cellar-like yeast rusticity and doughy pale malting provide elegant blend. Lemon-peeled orange zest and tangy clementine-tangerine-banana triage stay fresh to dry-hopped finish. Softer thirsts will appreciate its easygoing nature.