Great Dane Belgium Special Pale Ale

Brewed by Great Dane Pub & Brewery
Style: Belgian Ale
Madison, Wisconsin USA

Name: Belgian Ale
Date: 08/10/2008
Mode: Draft
Source: Brewpub, Hilldale

Appearance: cloudy pale yellow, fine white head, lots of lace,
Aroma: sweet malt aroma with spicy hops combined with some spicy phenolics,
Flavor: lightly sweet malt flavor, well balanced with a perfect blend of spicy hops and spicy phenolics, light lingering bitter finish,

Aroma: 6/10; Appearance: 7/10; Flavor: 6/10; Palate: 6/10; Overall: 12/20
Rating: 3.1/5.0
Drinkability: 7/10
Score: *4

(Draught 8/8/08) Pours a hazy yellow body with an average off-white head. Aroma of floral, citrus, spoiled veggies, and grass. Flavor of hops (citrus, grass), pepper, biscuit, spoiled, and Belgian yeast with a somewhat grainy mouthfeel and dry finish. 5/3/5/2/9

(Draught 8/7/09) Pours a cloudy golden body with a small white head. Aroma of citrus, yeast, and grass. Flavor of orange, Belgian yeast, grass, banana, and pepper. 7/3/7/4/14

18 Nov, 02 Amber color with a slight haziness. Small creamy looking head. Strong caramel and mild alcohol aroma. Strong fresh hops flavors and and btterness. Green apple and light candi flavors. Mild sour /bitter finish. Flanders/Special cross. Needs to be cleaned up a touch for a good special. 30 June, 03 - Better than previous sample. Clearer, with a lot of Saaz characteristics.

Sample at the Madison location. Slightly hazy gold with a lasting small cap of foam...lightly yeasty, lemony, tart-sweet nose...creamy mouthfeel, hints of thyme and other dried herbs, maybe some rosemary...solidly carbonated, bit of late sourness.

On draught at the Great Dane Hillsdale location. Pours a semi-hazy golden colored brew with a thin off-white head that has some nice retention and spotty lacing. Aroma of golden grain malt, some Belgian yeast, orange zest, cloves and field straw. Taste is medium bodied, with flavors of golden grain malt, some citrus zest, lemon and a touch of clove. Finish is slightly overly carbonated, metallic and a dry herbal aftertaste.

Re-rate 8/7/09: On tap at the downtown Dane. Poured hazy medium amber with a short cap of sticky white head. The aroma was spicy with lots of banana and peppery yeast over sweet pale malts.. too aggressive. The flavor found sweeter pale malts at the core paired with aggressive sour fruity character and dry yeast.. sour and tangy on the back-end.. decent balance and taste. Light-medium bodied and more sour than expected on the palate.. I might have another, but it was far from great.

10/29/06:On tap at Great Dane - Madison. Poured clear medium golden with a short cap of white head.. some lacing. Sweet lighter fruits in the aroma.. some banana, floral hops, and citrus too... bit of a tripelly feel to it. Flavor picked up sweet light fruits and spices primarily.. pale malts.. and caramel... alcohol and peppery spices rise toward the back-end. Creamy and smooth across the palate.. moderate bitterness.. felt good. 7 3 7 4 14

Murky yellow color with a very thin head. Weird aroma that was hard to place... brocolli? Tasted of vegetables and was very dry. Not to my liking at all.

Draft at Great Dane (downtown). Poured a hazy light orange color with a white head. Some lace was left behind on the glass at the end. There were whiffs of orange marmalade, clove, and hay, and while pleasant, the aroma was subdued overall. I really had to get my nose in the glass. Light bodied, dry, and a little tart. Pale malt and lemon dominated the flavor with an odd papery note emerging at the end.