Great Divide Hades

Brewed by Great Divide Brewing Company
Style: Belgian Ale
Denver, Colorado USA

Bottled in June of this year. Pours with a sparkling golden color and a brilliant white, creamy-pillowy, average head; a decent amount sticks around and is very persistant leaving no lace. Nose is simple but pleasant; notes of grain, yeast, banana esters, honey, and lightly peppery spices with a bit of perfumey notes. Flavor is much spicier and more tilted towards the hops than I would have thought; pepper is noticable quickly with dominance almost followed by honey, light esters, light yeast, and a hint of fruits (pear maybe). Hop flavors filter in and dry out with more spice, hay, and an herbal note (I saw lavender in some notes) leaving the malt notes to disappear and a moderately high bitterness to take over. Palate is less than medium, somewhat creamy, and lively. Finishes mostly bitter with pepper spices bringing some warmth and dryness, yeast, and the lavender note. Somewhat like a strong golden Belgian but with more hops and plenty of spice. Pepper spicing and noticable hops create a good bitterness but malt complexity is lacking as well as fruit notes. Interesting American version of this Duvel-type.

Described as a golden ale at my bar and this faired well in that respect. Nicely poured and full flavor profile with a nice hop addition made this golden more bitter than your average selection. Well made.

From a twelve ounce bottle . Gold with 1/2 " of white head and good lacings. Aroma was strong cider-like scent. Sour, bitter, slight amount of malt, and plenty of alcohol. I detected no spice notes or anything complex or interesting at all. I had a hard time drinking the entire bottle.

22 oz bomber purchased in KC, MO. Pours almost clear yellow like a macro lager. Heavy carbonation from the bottom. Small head that seems to sustain. Nose is minimal, but I’m dealing with a head cold...aarrgg. Initial flavoring is mild with a yeasty and mild hop flavor. The alcohol is well hidden and this beer is very smooth-not an "in your face" typical GD beer. I was expecting more of an over-the-top style Belgium style beer. This is a decent "single"-nothing more-nothing less. I will re-rate after I get rid of this cold and wish for better. This is not a Mars Volta beer....

22 oz bottle. Pours a clear golden yellow with a fizzy white head that quickly diminishes.

The aroma is musty yeast with slight banana and clove and some sweet malts in the background.

The flavor is sweet malts, slightly sugary, with some banana and cloves and a little corn. The mouthfeel is medium with a good amount of carbonation.

Overall, a mediocre outing from Great Divide. I normally enjoy their beers, but this tastes kind of like a Belgian malt liquor. It does improve some as it warms and I enjoy it more as I get through the bottle.

12 oz. bottle share, about 6oz. to a hi-ball glass. Light gold/straw color with some white foam to the head and modest ring of lacing. The aroma was distinct Belgian yeast, some spice, a little sweetness, and a hint of banana. The flavor was a clean presentation of these in addition to an appropriate, even hop bitterness.

Reminds me most of Victory Golden Monkey (3.2/5). Crisp, bubbly and light for a Belgian-style ale. Enjoyed somewhat with an "artesian" cheese (Australian cheddar) that the label promised this would be best enjoyed with. I think I’m getting more from the cheese. Alcohol pronounced; quite a fuming-warming sensation with this one. Head-fading to zero halfway through the first glass is a bit too much. I tried to rate this higher, I really did. but it kept letting me down. It should be noticeably above the 3.0 level but it hardly has anything going on with the first two components.
Playing: Mozart’s 39th

Sweet citrus aroma comes through in this bright golden ale with a big thick white head that lingers. Taste is smooth and sweet with some banana, and the tartness one expects in a Belgian. Some pleasant sourness in the finish. Alcohol does not present itself, but there is a little warmth after the swallow. Good stuff.