Defying traditional Belgian pale ale styling by integrating Americanized raw-honeyed malt graining with mustily earthen citric-soured dry hop acridity, interestingly divergent moderate-bodied hybrid wins on its own terms. Lemony grapefruit pith bittering, tart orange rot follow-up, delicate green grape esters and unripened peach-apple-pineapple conflux pick up herbal peppercorn accents, becoming dryer at yellow-wooded citrus finish.
A bit unspecific, combining fungi-like Belgian yeast herbage with creamy caramel malts, dried fruits, peppery spices and dewy earthiness in a wayward manner. Below the surface, dried apricot, brown apple, date nut bread and Bosc pear illusions flutter softly alongside lightly roasted chestnut whims.
On tap at Track 84, well designed moderation brings herbal white peppering and dewy mossiness to mild grapefruit-yellowed orange rind bittering, picking up phenol Band-aid reminder over salty mineral-grained bottom.
On tap at Ambulance Brew House, excellent Belgian strong pale ale brings abundant honey sinew to sugary fruit juicing, contrasting gin-like alcohol burn. Banana-bruised peach, cantaloupe, nectarine and tangerine sweetness creates luscious blend atop toffee-candied caramel malting.
Less effective, more sessionable Belgian pale ale than brewers’ better P-2 sets the tone with black-peppered floral citrus resilience overriding peat-y pale malts. Lemony orange, peach and grapefruit illusions stay mild.
Crisply fruited Belgo-American hybrid receives affluent orange-peeled grapefruit, pineapple and mango tropicalia to brighten pine-needled herbal nip above buttery biscuit malts. Sharp dry-hopped bittering reinforces fruity aspects well.
‘Intricate’ Belgian-spiced candi sugaring, sourdough breading and herbal peppering inundate delightful yellow-fruited moderation. Below lemon-soured orange compote tartness lies cotton-candied Vienna malt sweetness that contrasts wispy lemongrass-peppercorn salting and earthen musk.
Delicately complex Belgian pale ale never fails to delight. Lemony banana bubblegum blast sweetened by cotton-candied butterscotch sensation, syrupy peach-pear sinew and creamy vanilla-caked spicing. Peppery hop bittering wispily imbues subtle clove, coriander and allspice seasoning before reaching doughy baked bread bottom. A luscious stylistic marvel.
Almost as intricately woven as its Belgian-styled bobbin lace moniker suggests, copper-hazed light-to-medium body offers candied yeast sweetness to tart lemon-soured plantain flatness and hefeweizen-related banana-clove bubble gumming. Distant clove-coriander spicing and murkily fig-dried peach tones curtailed at biscuit malt bottom .
Unspecific, yet easygoing, limited edition smoked ale lacks true Belgian yeast character and could use amplified smokiness. Nevertheless, its toasted caramel sweetness and orange-spiced fruiting pleasantry override paltry peat-smoked malting. Weirdly, this had little correlation to brewers’ muskier and drier Belgian Ale.
Surprisingly similar pungent yeast profile as brewers’ Irish Style Ale confusingly compromises tropical guava, kiwi and passion fruit whim as well as herbal earthen musk with gnarly solvent-like astringency and dank yeast fungi. In the distance, musty grape stems and soured apple cider inform peppery hop coarsening.
