Great Divide Hades

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

I picked this up at Liquor Stop in Highland, IN. It pours a clear yellow/gold body with a substantial head. It has a sweet aroma of pale malt, honey, cherries, and light spices. The taste is more starightforward - pale malt and a light fruitiness followed by a soft citric bitterness. Not bad.

Bomber. Light straw color with a fizzy slowly diminishing white head. There is a nice continuance of champagne like bubbles that saves the appearance, somewhat. Sweet doughy malts, some light candi, touch of must, hint of honey, and mild sweet herb aromas. A fairly typical golden/belgian ale sniff. Very sweet, with clove honey, candi, thistle blossoms, apples, pears and pineapple all showing a presence in the early stages. Lightly acidic that help push some of the sweetness aside. I seem to catch some saaz and noble hops. as it has some light grass and herbal qualities in the finish. Linger is semi-dry with some raw grains and a sweet roll thought crosses my mind. Some hints of metal here and there. I have had worse belgian/golden ales and several coming from Belgium. A relatively simple ale.

Bottle@Home. Citrus and light herbal aroma. Pale golden colour, white head, fair lace. Sweet, hoppy, light fruity, citrus. Light sticky, alcohol hidden. Highly drinkable, crisp and clean.

Bottle: Misty yellow gold color, light head and lacing. The nose is malty with light pilsner notes, some yeast spice, floral noble hops and a light spice afterthought. The flavor is a bit bitter but has a decent malty mouthfeel. Lacking some of the trademark Belgian yeast esters. Restrained and safe approach to a usually doable style.

Bottle from Party Town. Poured a clear pale color with a large frothy white head that mostly lasted with good lacing. Moderate sour citrus, yeast and spice aroma. Medium body with lively carbonation. Medium biitersweet flavor with a medium bittersweet finish of moderate duration. Good drinkable brew.

Bottle. Pours a clear pale golden color with a small white head. Sweet malty and spicy aroma with some yeasty hints. Sweet malty spicy flavor with hints of yeast. Long malty spicy bitter finish.

Bottle from Capone’s. I love seeing mew Great Divide beers, but this is the second in a row (after Samurai( that I must call a disappointment. Very pale gold pour with an aroma that is malt liquory, with some hopcit, fruit, big grainy malt, and some funky yeasty notes, and a flavor that has hopcitrus, pale malt, funky notes, and even a tad of sake flavor. Not my cup of tea, this.

A golden devil’s ale with a very thin white head. Pleasant bubble gum aroma, with orange peels and fusel alcohol. In mouth, a nice oily ale with warm banana bread, orange peels, very nice. On tap at brewery, 24 Jan. 2009.