Craftsman Aurora Borealis

Brewed by Craftsman Brewing Co.
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
Pasadena, California USA

Date: 12/02/2005
Mode: Draft
Source: Brewfest, Strong Ale Fest

hazy light amber, fine white head, sweet hoppy and minty aroma, overwhelming minty flavor, weird

Aroma: 4/10; Appearance: 4/10; Flavor: 2/10; Palate: 6/10; Overall: 6/20
Rating: 1.7/5.0
Drinkability: 4/10
Score: *+/4

Draught at Lucky Baldwins Delirium Cafe, Sierra Madre
What a unique and intriguing beer! Peculiar but pleasant, packs a helluva punch. Menthol, eucalyptus, and other medicinal (but in an intentional way, not an off-flavor) flavors predominate. Strange and funky, I am oddly drawn to this beer..... and then the floor.

Clear bright orangey amber appearance. Sweet, malty, tropical fruit aroma. Rich, sweet flavor, thickish, slightly syrupy. Orange fruitiness, yeasty and mild spice. Sweet malty finish and hearty alcohol warmth.

Draft, 2005 PP Strong Ale Fest. Golden yellow and hazy. Yeasty spicey aroma, with some mint and a little vanilla. Malty and yeasty flavors predominant, with a fair amount mint and herbal flavors. A touch medicinal. Unique, and very interesting.

9th Annual San Diego Strong Ale Fest: This is a strange one but it quickly grows on you. Yet I don’t know why. Very hazy light amber with a big off-white head. Aroma was pretty herbal. Juniper maybe? Pickles and mint? The mint grows pretty strong as the beer warms. Flavor starts with malt that quickly turns to wrigley’s spearmint gum or maybe tic-tacs. Medium to full bodied. Unique that’s for sure.

Draft. Ruddy orange amber with a small white head. Bubble gum, spicey aromatics. Bubble gum, citron hoppy flavors. Spicy and malty sweetness in the finish. Mouthfeel is medium.

Tasted on tap at the 2005 Pizza Port Strong Ale festival. Medium gold color. Small head. Aroma is root bearish, sweet and sweet. A medium bodied Strong Ale. This is one frelling weird beer. People are either going to love it or hate it. There will NO middle ground. It is an avalanche of tastes. Root beer is the main flavor, with lots of Belgian esters and yeasts. Sweet and surprising drinkable. It just impossible to describe.. Go out and find some and see for yourself. No alcohol presences at 11%. Mouthfeel is full. Finish is clean and smooth. Aftertaste is slightly sweet.

Yes, I also had this at the Pizza Port 9th Strong Ale Festival. This beer was hard to pin down to a style, I suppose Belgian Strong is close enough, but I felt that it was quite unique nonethess. Light silty amber, fruity and sweet with distinctive spice estery array. A very drinkable and interesting creation.