Enjoyable Belgian-styled candi-sugared dubbel blends sweet ‘n sour cider pucker into creamy caramel malting and wintry clove-gingerbread spicing. Lingering white peppered hop sharpness usurps peat-mossy red grape, fig, and raisin subsidy.
- Author: John Fortunato
- Brewery: BISON BREWING, BERKELEY, CA.
- Category: Beers A-Z
- Comments: None
Arid champagne-tingled light-bodied tripel drags sour lemon-candied acidity through grassy-hopped coriander encumbrance. Perfumed herbal spicing, whimsical spearmint-menthol sass, unripe apple tartness, and tertiary white grape-apricot-peach sunset falter.
- Author: John Fortunato
- Brewery: BLUEGRASS BREW. CO., LOUISVILLE, KY.
- Category: Beers A-Z
- Comments: None
Nowhere near as complex as its academic-bound moniker, but this strong wheat-backed Belgian-styled ale places clove, orange compote, and herbal notes in good stead.
- Author: John Fortunato
- Brewery: BLUE MOON BREWERY, DENVER, CO.
- Category: Beers A-Z
- Comments: None
“First brewed by Belgian monks,”" this foamy dark amber blends watery freshness with prickly-hopped red ale bitterness for a fine American knockoff. Only drawback is malt creaminess subsides too quickly at vague finish. Seasoned drinkers will get bored after a few gulps.
- Author: John Fortunato
- Brewery: VAN HONSEBROUCK, INGELMUNSTER, BELGIUM
- Category: Beers A-Z
- Comments: None
Sour yeast-scented bitter-hopped Belgian featuring sweet Scotch malts to dainty butterscotch finish. A bit bland and ashy for pale ale but fine for adventurous pilsner skulls.
- Author: John Fortunato
- Brewery: BRASSERIE D'ACHOUFFE, ACHOUFFE, BELGIUM
- Category: Beers A-Z
- Comments: None
Advertised as summertime seasonal, but much closer to winter ale styling with its clove aroma, mint stimulation, and yeast sinew. Though malted rye gets top billing, highly carbonated soft nuttiness dominates front end of this complex cola-like amber. Peculiarities will offend amateurs.
- Author: John Fortunato
- Brewery: DE DOLLE BROUWERS, ESEN, BELGIUM
- Category: Beers A-Z
- Comments: None
Robust generically-named wholly organic Abbey-styled ale gathers strength from explosively tangy opening to bitter orange finish. Lingering sour wine-y tartness of unripe grapes envelop grassy wheat husk, lusty floral richness, apricot tease, and rosewood-spiced herb tangent, settling into bittersweet green apple warmth as foamy Brussels lace simmers. An acquired taste for open-minded experimentalists.
- Author: John Fortunato
- Brewery: HARPOON BREWERIES, BOSTON, MA.
- Category: Beers A-Z
- Comments: None
Limited edition single batch abbey-style re-creation layers bruised orange bitterness above prickly hop tongue and buttery crystal malt flow. Green apple, lemon peel, and grapefruit tartness lure durable clove spicing.
- Author: John Fortunato
- Brewery: HUYGHE BREWERY, MELLE/ GHENT, BELGIUM
- Category: Beers A-Z
- Comments: None
Made at a family brewery, this pale-toned foamy-headed ale has better malted hop depth and fruitier esters than its cousin, Karibik Ale. Plus, it’s fuller, more distinct, and more enjoyable. Perfect balance between sweet wine nuance and rich malt graining achieved, settling into luxurious nutmeg finish.
- Author: John Fortunato
- Brewery: BRASSERIE JEANNE D'ARC, RONCHIN, FRANCE
- Category: Beers A-Z
- Comments: None
Champagne-styled bottle with cork set-up contains hefty 8% alcohol abbey-styled artisan ale. Sugared barleymalts, musty wheat grass, and highly fermented yeast provide straw-hued blonde with full-bodied assertiveness alleviated by subtle resin-y grained hop bittering to buttery caramel finish. Bold after dinner treat with rich spicy-herbal bouquet makes fine alternative to French wine.
- Author: John Fortunato
- Brewery: BRASSERIE DUCYK, JENLAIN, FRANCE
- Category: Beers A-Z
- Comments: None
Soft-toned chestnut-hued fleshy-headed amber ale boasts crisp artisan water and toasted grains, emitting floral, cedar, and earthy horsehide-hay illusions to subtle barleywine finish, where delicately embalmed cork dryness swells.
- Author: John Fortunato
- Brewery: BROUWERIJ DEDRIE KRUIZEN, WEST MAAS, HOLLAND
- Category: Beers A-Z
- Comments: None
Traditional top fermented bottle conditioned Dutch abbey with strong barleywine essence, ripe prune overtones, and loud liquor-stained fortitude (11.2% by volume). Very unusual for Dutch brew: caramel-ish instead of sour malt-y like Heineken or Grolsch beers. Compares favorably with less fruity Belgians.