Benelux Archangel

On tap at Max’s Belgian Fest: Pours a transparent bright golden with a nicely-lacing white head. Aroma of sweet toffee and caramel malt with some licorice and clove notes. Body starts with good fullness and sweet biscuity malt balance before a clean, bittersweet finish. True to style and a very enjoyable brew.

The 36 hours of Belgium festival at Max’s was getting pretty intense by late friday night, kegs were kicking left and right and it was a quest and a half to get a couple beers from the bar. Enter the Benelux Archangel Ale. Never heard of Benelux and the sheet only said "ale" so this was pretty much a completely blind review. Cool roasted gold to orange color, but not much head, though I can’t fault it much as it was a sample chalice and the bartenders weren’t going for great head on their pours. The aroma had a clear belgian yeast estery deal going on, with banana and orange elements. The flavor was also fruity and a bit yeasty, with light pale malt, some herbal hops, and low bitterness. Light in body with a medium level of carbonation. I pegged it a blond ale, quite similar to Leffe actually. Pretty uninteresting overall, but I could easily have put down a couple more chalices of it.

"Tap at Max’s. Pours a nice clear light coppery orange with a thick full white head. Aroma is a nice Belgian yeast character good balance of prickly harsh phenolicy spices (but in a good way) and a lot of nice fruity peach, apricot esters, with a good sweet pale and toasty malt backbone that really comes through the yeastiness. Flavor has the same big malt backbone without being too sweet, and still finishes relatively dry- with good clove phenolics, and nice peach and pear fruits. Smooth and balanced with a touch of honey in the middle. Very nice Belgian.