Saturday, April 17, 2010

Avery Salvation Belgian Style Golden Ale

Wow, I think we now qualify as the biggest slackers on Earth. I could just blame our busy schedules, but hell, I'll just admit I've been lazy. The sad thing is I have a TON of beers lined up that I've wanted to review. Hopefully my reviews will pick up during the summer. On to the beer!

Appearance: A nice clear golden color with a frothy finger of head, plenty of carbonation constantly bubbling. A very inviting appearance that makes me yearn for summer.

Smell: Great fruity hop aroma along with other herbs and spices. There are hints of orange peel, lemon zest, maybe some apricot, and some light spice I can't make out, maybe cinnamon. Overall very pleasing aromas emanating from the glass.

Taste: Mmmm, there's a lot going on there. It starts off with that orange/lemon combo, then follows it up with a sweet malt that I did not notice in the smell, and finishes with a bit of cinnamon spice that dominates the aftertaste. (Sidenote: I'm enjoying some Provolone Dolce with some little toast crackers. This might throw off my taste buds, but I claim it's enhancing them.)

Mouthfeel: Light, slightly watery, thin, a little bready/yeasty ( I know those aren't words, just bear with me), fully carbonated, a little bit of alcoholic aftertaste but not the patented kick I am used to for similar styled Belgian ales.

Drinkability: This was not the heavy impact Belgian I expected like some others I've had, but 9% abv is still nothing to sneeze at. However, with the bite throttled back, it makes this beer really easy to drink, perfect for those upcoming summer BBQs. One bomber of this is a pretty easy task and a good introduction into Belgians for those looking to expand their palates. I give is a solid 8/10 mainly because the mouthfeel wasn't what I was looking for, but the smell and taste were money.

Glass type: Duvel tulip glass
Serving type: Bottle, 22 oz.