Flat Earth Belgian Style Pale Ale

Brewed by Flat Earth Brewing Company
Style: Belgian Ale
St. Paul, Minnesota USA

22oz bottle: Clear amber pour with a whispy white cap. Spotted lacing that is weak at best. Flat, dirty nose that is dominated by stale caramel and earthy yeast. The aroma reminds me of grandma’s cellar if you know what I mean. Flabby carbonation and malt profile in the body create an unexciting experience. The yeast lends near to nothing here. The same can be said for the hops, which are mildly grassy and don’t really mesh with what malts are here. Not infected as the previous reviewer stated, just boring.

22oz bottle (a volcanic gusher). Head is initially huge, frothy, off-white, mostly lasting. Body is hazy medium amber, unfiltered. Aroma is lightly to moderately malty (toasted grain, cookie), lightly hoppy (flowers, apricot), lightly yeasty (cobwebs), with notes of sour apple, bile, autumn leaves. Flavor is moderately sweet, moderately acidic, lightly bitter. Finish is lightly sweet, moderately acidic, moderately bitter. Medium body, watery texture, lively carbonation. Sour in the not-so-nice way...pretty clearly infected. Whether intentional or not, it’s an unpleasant variety of bacteria at work here.

Pours amber with huge fluffy head. Smell is musty grain, honey, fruits, and a weird tartness. Flavor is honey, spicy yeast, slight fruitiness (apple), and finishes with a weird mustiness and sort of unpleasant after taste. Medium body. This is just ok for me.

Bottle: Pours a amber color with a medium size frothy white head. Aroma is sweet with hints of pear. Flavor is spicy with a mild finish. Refreshing and enjoyable!

My first thought was, "What’s a Belgian pale ale? De Koninck? Is that something to aspire to?" Bomber pours bright copper color with quick-fading white head. Pleasant nose of dried flowers, herbs, dry dusty hops, caramel, faint cider. Tight and lively carbonation carries slight cidery-bready tartness and caramel, quickly swept away by a dusty bitterness that goes very dry at the end. Leaves bitter impression, in a nice way. Guess I don’t care what its supposed to be. I like what it is.

Bottle from River’s Bend. Poured clear dark amber color with an average frothy white head that mostly lasted with good lacing. Moderate citrus, fruity, and yeasty aroma. Medium body with soft carbonation and slick texture. Medium bittersweet flavor with a medium bittersweet finish of moderate duration. Complex drinkable brew.

22oz bottle from iowaherkeye. Thanks as always. Smelled of subdued apple/pear, dough, and a dash of cinnamon. Reminiscent of apple pie. Poured a clear medium orange color. The head was thick, foamy, and white with good retention and lacing. Pretty good looking beer. Carbonation was on the higher end of the spectrum. Detrimentally high even for a Belgian Pale. My stomach felt like an inflated balloon by the end. Light to medium bodied. Tasted mostly of spiced apple and pear. "Inspired by Orval and Rare Vos", but not as good.

Courtesy of Degarth. Pours hazy brownish copper/orange with bubbly tan head. The aroma is kind of tart with some apple fruitiness and sort of a cola soda note. The taste starts fruity sweet. That note is quickly consumed by tartness and finishes up with notes of roastiness and maybe some wheat.