Witches' Brew Golden Ale

Let me be the last to wish you a Happy Thanksgiving! I hope it was filled with plenty of pumpkin pies and pumpkin ales. We should all be thankful that we live in a time where we have so much variety in our choices of great beer...oh yea, and thankful for family, friends, loved ones, yadda yadda. Anyway, I heard good things about this Belgian beauty and want to give it a try.

Appearance: After popping the cork (I love uncorking beers, don't know why) it pours a clear crisp golden and orange color with plenty of suds rising to the top to form massive amounts of fluffy head thanks to the bottle conditioning (but does not stick around for long).

Smell: Smacked in the nose with citrus hops, orange, some spices, and almost a champagne style smell. There are some other fruits in there, maybe banana, and a bready yeast smell as well. Delightful.

Taste: Some great flavors in this one, bananas, oranges, lemons, and spices. Pineapples also come to mind as it warms up a bit as the spices also come more into play. There is the slightest bit of sweet candy malt in the background, but just enough to let the hops do their thing.

Mouthfeel: Light bodied, smooth, thin, a little watery for what I would expect from most tripels, sufficiently carbonated, a gentle warming alcoholic aftertaste, not as biting or harsh as you might expect.

Drinkability: This might be the easiest drinking tripel I've ever had. Everything about this beer is so pleasant that going through a 750mL bottle is no problem, though you might feel it later at 9.3% abv. The Belgian brewery this beer comes from is Brouwerij Van Steenberge. Obviously this is the first brew from them I've had, so if anyone has recommendations of their other beers, let me know. I highly recommend picking this one up if you see it, even if you're not a Belgian fan. 9/10

Glass type: Duvel tulip glass
Serving type: Bottle, 750 mL

Smuttynose Gravitation

I've been looking forward to reviewing this Belgian beast ever since I picked it up at Julio's in Westborough, MA. Gravitation is part of Smuttynose Brewery's big beer series, which can be found here.

Appearance: The color is a very deep red, almost brown, that is opaque, cloudy, and very little in terms of carbonation rising. There is a thin layer of lacy head, but just enough to coat the surface. Looks pretty menacing, like Chimay Grande Reserve (blue).

Smell: Citrus, fruity, and sweet with some hints of caramel. There's some raisin, apricot, and something else I just can't put my finger on. The scent is pretty bold but inviting.

Taste: Caramel and toasted malts with a spicy finish. Very sweet, sort of like licorice, so much so that it overpowers almost any fruit or citrus flavors. You expect quads to be on the sweet side, but this seems a little much.

Mouthfeel: Pretty smooth, medium bodied, coats the palate and little carbonation. It does leave quite an alcoholic kick on the aftertaste that takes a few sips to get used to.

Drinkability: I definitely wouldn't drink more than a bomber in a night because of the sweetness and the whopping 12% abv. There is no exact bottling date shown, but there is a notch in the label saying this beer was bottle-conditioned in 2010, so it must be relatively fresh. I wonder how this beer would age to see if the sweetness would mellow out just a bit. There's nothing wrong with the beer, I just wasn't overly impressed. 7.5/10

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

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.

Chimay Grande Rèserve

Ok, so this review will mean two out of my last three reviews are about the Chimay Trappist ales, and 4 straight Belgian style ales, but that's what I'm in the mood for as I try to expand my horizons. Don't worry, the next couple will be different, I promise. I'm becoming such a fan of the Chimays I might have to pick up one of those sweet goblets. This one comes with sky high expectations from a combination of what I've read and from my experience with the red label Chimay. I have to give a shout out to my local beer store for having these hidden gems I am starting to find there, so if you happen to be in the northern valley of NJ go to Beverage Barn in Northvale, NJ. On to the masterpiece.

Big Red approves of Big Blue

Appearance: The beer pours similar to champagne, you can hear it fizz as it builds its three fingers of head. The color is a crisp dark brown with no visibility. The head retains pretty well after a few minutes, but not as lacey like the Chimay red.

Smell: A combination of sweet malts, perfume and spicey hops, with what I swear smells like a bit of pepper are the dominating forces of the smell. I can't put my finger on it, but something in there reminds me of champagne again.

Taste: Wow. So many tastes that present themselves then disappear making it a unique experience. The spicey hops kick it off but are gone in a flash as the sweet malts take over, but just when you think its done it finishes with what can be described as roasted woodchips, almost like a dark chocolate, but with just the flavor and not the feel. Speaking of feel...

Mouthfeel: Alive and carbonated but not overly so, still relatively smooth. It feels light but heavy at the same time because of the dark malts.

Drinkability: I am probably not doing this beer enough justice, because it really is phenominal, whether you compare it to other beers of its style or to any beer. Its got many characteristics from a hoppy pale ale to a stout all combined to make a great Begian Strong Ale. Although you wouldn't know by drinking it, the 9% abv makes this a one bomber a night drink, but it is light enough where it doesn't have to end your night. In fact, if you are planning on drinking heavier stuff like stouts or porters later (like I am), you could get away with drinking it first because of its Belgian ale qualities. This one basically met all my ridiculous expectations and gets a 9.5/10 from me. I better put that goblet on my Christmas list.

Serving type: Bottle
Glass type: Duvel snifter

Ommegang Three Philosophers

My final review of the weekend. These bombers are putting a hurting on me, but it's been a hell of a ride. I wish I could drink like I did in college, but then I would be sucking down Natty Light and lighting up the pong table with Jimmy the Face. Young Gunz for life! Ok, enough of that, on to the review.

Appearance: A great dark brown color with that signature lacey finger deep head of most Belgians, it retains its head pretty well, taking quite a bit for it to disappear, couldn't see a damn thing through if I tried, without the head and the carbonation rising, you would almost mistake it for a stout

Smell: Fruity hops, mainly cherry, which is no surprise since the bottle touts that 2% of the beer is ale with added cherries, the one drawback being that no malts come through the smell because of the cherries, but that could just be my sensitivities

Taste: Wow, not what I was expecting at all, only the slightest hint of cherry with the oakey malts playing a huge role in the taste, the cherry and other fruits leave a great finish though

Mouthfeel: Well carbonated all the way down, heavy body leaves a full presence in your mouth, in between light and chewy

Drinkability: This beer definitely makes its presence felt at 9.8% abv. A good nightcap for me, but I definitely would not have more than one or two of these. I know you shouldn't make direct comparisions between two different styles of beer (although they are both Belgian, this is a Quadrupel and the Chimay is a Trappist Dubbel), but you can definitely notice the difference of styles. The Three Phils is aggressive in both feel and taste with distinct parts while the Chimay is more subtle and lets the ingredients play with each other. However, I do recommend this beer and will probably buy it again. It's hard for the American breweries to truly do it like the Belgians, but this puts up a fight. I give it a 8/10.

Serving type: Bottle
Glass type: Duvel Snifter

Chimay Première

I know I pretty much say "I'm excited" for every beer I review, but I mean it this time. My first true Trappist, brewed in the walls of an existing trappist monastery where beers have been brewed for hundreds of years. Each new beer coming out of these monasteries end up taking the characteristics of those brewed before it.

Appearance: The Chimay greets the glass with a dark reddish brown color, along with extremely well laced and long lasting head about 2 fingers deep

Smell: Lightly spiced hops with bits of fruit are the main character of the smell, almost a hint of apple, specks of light sweet malts in the background

Taste: The apple and fruity hops take center stage as the spiciness I smelled adds just a touch to it, but don't dominate, which creates a great taste, the hops don't stick around for long as the malts create this wonderful aftertaste on the finish, a combination of sweet and almost toasty chocolate, very complex flavor that bring your tastebuds for a ride

Mouthfeel: Short version - Awesome. Tolstoy - a perfect combination of carbonation to tickle the roof of your mouth, but a smooth finish, a little bite just to let you know that yes, this is a strong Belgian, but like the hops the bitterness is gone in a flash

Drinkability: I enjoy the Belgians so this is truly heaven. I could drink this alll night, and thanks to a not so earth-shattering 7.0% abv, I can. Every sip you take you will notice something different you didn't catch the previous time. I would absolutely recommend this to Belgian lovers and even non-Belgian lovers, give this a shot. I give it a 9.5/10 and it has passed Duvel as my favorite.

Serving type: Bottle
Glass type: Duvel Snifter

Brooklyn Local 1

I've been trying to experiment with more Belgians so I'm extremely excited to try this bad boy from Brooklyn. This will be my last review for tonight because I won't be able to distinguish between flavors soon, nor would it be coherent enough to print.

Appearance: Pours like you would expect, cloudy golden color with 2, maybe 3 fingers of lacey head, bubbly and alive

Smell: A scent of piney and perfumey hops greet the nose with a slight hint of herbs, very interesting mix, malts are very hard to distinguish as the flowery hops hide the rest

Taste: That mix of hops are prevalent in the taste, with a hint of spices on the aftertaste, again malts are too hard to distinguish, but it's not that the hops are overly aggressive, they just might be too subtle for my tastebuds at this point, overall a great balance because the hop flavors are at the right concentration

Mouthfeel: Extremely clean, well carbonated, plays around the palate before finishing nicely, smooth with a little kick at the end

Drinkability: Scarily easy to drink at 9% abv, you can start sucking these down before you realize your bomber is gone. Not as biting like you would expect from something like an IPA, but it definitely is stronger than other Belgians. I would definitely recommend this beer, especially for those looking for something extra in their Belgian beer; however, I would also recommend you be careful in how much you drink as the bottles can pass you by. I give it a 8.5/10 and would like to add that I like it almost as much as I like the Duvel Belgian Golden Ale.

Serving type: Bottle
Glass type: Duvel Snifter

Ommegang Abbey Ale

Wow, it has been a hell of a long time since I have posted a review. Hope I still have some sort of ability to review beers. On the way up to the Thousand Islands in NY, the girlfriend and I stopped at a Wegmans in Syracuse and came across this beauty. I have never had it before, and don't really know if it's any good, but I have wanted to try more Belgians, so here goes nothing. (Pic will be added once I head home)

Appearance: Dark orange/brown glow, about a finger of head, very bubbly, very inviting. The head holds for quite a while, keeping the smell and flavor trapped in the beer.

Smell: Sweet malts kiss the nostrils with a slight hint of caramel. Maybe its just my hiatus from beer reviewing, but the hops seem very faint and a little dank. I need to get back to practicing distinguishing the hops and malts. Or maybe its exactly what Ommegang was going for...lets go with this theory.

Taste: The malt smell translated well into the taste, with the sweetness being the first noticeable aspect. The hidden characteristics of an oaky/caramel flavor become prevalent on the aftertaste. Very little hops if at all, which makes me think my smell assessment was correct. This is a great balance of malts and hops for this style though, as I feel any stronger acidity from the hops would ruin the flavor.

Mouthfeel: An interesting sensation as the beer floats around. It is simultaneously light, heavy, chewy, and thin. It is perfectly carbonated as there is a slight tickle on the roof of your mouth, but not that blast back up the throat and nose.

Drinkability: I decided to do the first four sections before dinner and then decide on drinkability while having the rest of the beer with a pasta and salad dinner. Surprisingly, this 8.5% abv beverage went pretty well with food and can be drank a few in a night, but I personally would save it for night time. I don't feel its a refreshing afternoon bbq brew like I was somewhat expecting, but still a very good beer all around. The label boasts fruity aroma, yet I just didn't see it. Give it a try, maybe I missed it. I would still drink this again and recommend it. (Girlfriend's analysis: "Good." That's riveting stuff right there.)

Serving type: Bottle
Glass type: Pint glass (I know, I should have used a snifter or my Duvel glass, but I gotta deal with being a snot's throw from Canada and five hours from home.)

Urthel Hop-It Belgian IPA

Some fleeting thoughts on this beer:

I brought a nice big bottle of Urthel's Hop-It along with me for some delicious sushi at a restaurant that happens to be BYOB.

Appearance was pale, living up to the moniker I'm paraphrasing off the bottle "hoppy blonde ale."

The style "Belgian IPA" is no joke, though I would place it on the more Belgian end of the flavor spectrum. There was some bitter hop smack to the finish, but to my nose and taste buds (however distracted by sushi they may have been), the trademark Belgian sourness was up front and center.

Mouthfeel was light and bubbly. Good texture to go with my sushi.

I almost let the light feel fool me, until halfway through the bomber bottle I remembered this was a 9.5% Belgian. Maybe limit yourself to one bottle a night?

Overall it was a very interesting beer to drink. I don't get Belgians very often, as I'm usually drawn to the punch-you-in-the-face-with-hops offerings our American brewing brethren have to offer. Hence my purchase of the one called "Hop-It." I liked what I tasted though, and would recommend to any IPA drinker wanting a stepping stone over into the land of Belgians.

Urthel Hop-It Page
Thanks to Jimbo for the photo of his bottle of Hop-It. FYI, the bottle I got had a new, different label.

Duvel Belgian Golden Ale

Appearance: Has a great golden yellow color (the picture flash distorts the actual look, trust me that it's more yellow) that's slightly cloudy but extremely inviting. Tons of carbonation with what can be described as a fluffy head. Served from bottle into the traditional Duvel glass produces almost FOUR fingers of head (!!!) Even after letting it settle for a few minutes, the beer continues to release carbonation from the bottom towards the head.

Smell: Like the appearance, very inviting and extremely tempting to drink. Citrus hops are the first thing that hits your nose, with maybe a touch of floral hops as well. The malts are pretty well hidden in the smell, so maybe they will become more prevalent in the taste.

Taste: WOW. Talk about a range of tastes in just one sip. Like I wondered, the slightly sweet oatmeal malts present themselves in the taste, leaving the hops for the aftertaste. Great blend of all the ingredients, giving each one its highlight during the sip.

Mouthfeel: Despite the massive amounts of head, the Golden Ale is not overly carbonated. Nothing overpowering about the beer while its making its way across your pallet. Very smooth and light, but not watery. Perfect for a Belgian ale.

Drinkability: You better believe that I highly recommend this brew. It's on the pricey side as I paid $13 for a 4-pack, but consider it money well spent. At 8.5% abv, the alcohol you think you would taste is hidden nicely. A warning that since you don't taste that extra kick, don't drink too many, or you will hit the floor. Can't wait to taste others from the Duvel Moortgat Brewery.

Serving type: Bottle
Glass type: Duvel Snifter