Capital Prairie Gold

Brewed by Capital Brewery
Style: Belgian Ale
Middleton, Wisconsin USA

As I pour this into my 25cl tulip glass an aroma of grassy grain and then a touch of sweet grain hits my nose. The beer pours with a frothy, initially three-finger thick, pale tan colored head. The beer is a rich gold hue that shows a bright, full gold color when held up to the light. The nose has a touch of fruitiness to it that reminds me just a bit of brandy, green apples, unripe melon and perhaps a touch of something like cucumber. The before mentioned grassy grain notes are noticeable towards the end as is a crushed saltine cracker like aroma. Not overly characterful in the aroma department, this is a bit bland for the type of Belgian-styled beer that I prefer, but it is within the bounds of commercial Belgian examples (especially from the bigger breweries).

Sweet flavors of fruit, malt and alcohol lead the way. There is a bit of clove in the middle and a touch of hot alcohol to the finish. The fruit flavors are a mix of sweet green apples, watermelon rind, and lightly tart green grapes. While this has a only slight heft to it, one that I typically look for in Belgian interpretations, this comes off somehow as thin, which I think is more because the flavors seem a bit bland somehow. Bland may be the wrong description though as there are definitely some characterizing flavors here, it is perhaps more apt to say that this doesn’t have the finesse and edge to it that is needed to make this a balanced, characterful brew. A touch of honey-like malt sweetness and a faint grassy grain character, mixed with a light pale-malt biscuit note both of which tend to linger a bit in the finish.

Not a bad beer, but for some reason just doesn’t seem to work for me. I am looking for a bit more character and finesse to make this really good. Somehow this just seems to taste a bit too much like cheap malt liquor.

On tap, Muddy Pig. Appearance is a light golden color almost yellow color. Minimal head. Flavors of banana bread, candy sugar, and a bit of yeast. Bitter dry finish balances the sweetness well. Medium bodied, somewhat fizzy palate.

Crisp dirty blonde pour. Sweaty strawlike aroma. Freshly herbal; lemongrass, tarragon, and vanilla; weizen yeast qualities are predominant, especially as bubblegum and creamed banana notes begin to emerge. Unlike a weizen, though, it’s slow, and soft, without pungency and without the blind bite that a sharp hefeweizen can sometimes have. An ultrasoft sweetness of coconut flesh and something reminiscent of indian cinnamon yoghurt lingers in like a settling of feathers. Surprising.

Sharp and peppery yeast flavor; white pepper, lemon pepper, and cloves; sweetness of lemon curd, pastry crust, and still cinnamon yoghurt; bitterness of wildflowers. A somewhat basic and harsh wheat character, along with a crisp phenolic bite, locates the flavor firmly outside the lines of the best belgian blonde ales; even as this an elite position to expect a german-styled brewer to achieve, it really struggles admirably. There’s a soft, nutty briskness about the malt and hop interaction that gets close to the impressions left by the best, and it’s only in the filtration process and in the overbearing wheat flavors that it gets lost on that track.

Medium palate is crispy and calm, with a cool herbal bitterness, like green tea sweetened lightly with honey, drying out with a natural texture in the finish. Eminently drinkable, and much more couldn’t be expected from such a careful and execution-oriented brewery.

Bottle courtesy of freind from Wisconsin at a BBQ. Good balance of flavor and aroma; mild fruit and hint of spice. Good choice for a summer brew.

On tap. Dark gold with some lacing. Spicy aroma, sweet malts. Flavor is solid. easy drinking.

12oz bottle courtesy of Mother in Law. Aromas of toast and spice. Darker golden body with white head. Flavor had a mild friut and lot of spice present. Got a roasted toast flavor in the mix as well. Leaves a spicey aftertaste on the palate along with some roasted malt. Not bad intertesting brew.

pours a deep golden color with thin white head. aroma of spice and slight alcohol. flavor is belgian from the yeast with some real alcohol presence. nice body, almost like a duvel in style.

12 oz botle

Capital does solid German beers. I am not so certain that the expansion into Belgian styles is working out so well however. Before I checked the ratings of others I would have taken this for a premium lager instead. It has some aspects of a Belgian ale but not enough to make it clear. The main suprise is the ABV which I was not expecting from such an easy drinking release.

Aroma / Appearance - A huge billowing white head surged above the top of my pint glass. Beneath was a transparent coppery body which was easy to see through. Pineapple, malt, orange and yeast form a thick almost cloying aroma. Wheat plays nicely in the background.

Flavor / Palate - Peanut butter on toasted rye bread surges across the tongue. Next comes malty oranges before a warm finish. The alcohol is never revealed throughout the bottle. Even though it isn’t quite what I was expecting this is not the worst thing on the planet. It is worth a look if you happen to find a bottle for $1.50.