La Caracole Saxo

Brewed by La Caracole
Style: Belgian Ale
Falmignoul, Belgium

A: Poured with a average-sized, white head that hung around for awhile and left some nice lacing on the glass. Body is a burnt-orange color, and hazy. S: Aroma of yeast, spices, and some citrus fruit (lemon?). Very, very faint scent of alcohol. T: Nice flavor, with the spices and citrus coming through most prominently. A bit of alcohol warmth in the finish, but not very much considering it’s 8% ABV. A slight bite in the finish as well, which is nice. M: Light-to-medium bodied, slightly creamy, with average carbonation. D: Quite drinkable at 8%... not the best Belgian strong pale ale I’ve had, but it’s still very good, and very solid. And does it earn an extra point for having a snail playing a saxophone on the bottle/glass? Yes. Yes it does.

On tap. Golden color. Decent head. Yeast, fruity. Surprisingly complex. Slightly spicy finish. As a fan of good Belgians this was a nice surprise!

On tap at Pizzeria Paradiso in DuPont Circle no thanks to the bartenders there that know nothing about beer and are just downright rude.

Pours a hazy light orange with a small, temporary white head. No lacing. Aroma is big spice, orange peel, potpourri, yeast, sourdough bread. Taste is pretty much the same albeit a bit syrupy sweet and medicinal. I’m giving it a low score because it is so boring. Yawn.

Bottle. Pours a hazy, yellow color with a very large, frothy white head. Aromas of bananas, wheat, and some light malts. Lively mouthfeel with a crisp palate to start and a creamy finish. Flavors of banana, orange, malts, and some light lemon. Very good drinking beer.

750ml bottle. Pours a hazy dark gold color with a one finger off white head and some light lacing. Aroma has a sweet breadiness and aromatic hops, along with citrus and spice. The taste starts with sweet biscuitiness and toasted malt. The middle has some mild fruit, pepper, and vanilla. Then the finish is spicy, with mild hop bitterness. Overall a nice Belgian blond.

TAP: orange pour, small head. Floral/orange aroma, taste is spice, grain, lemon/orange, and some hop. Solid beer.

Drank it with rcasta, rsamayoa and dageek in La Pepeshka while traveling in the Bocana, Costa del Sol. Delicious, light bodied, great for the beach, nice and sour.

Pours with a big large bubbled head that deflates pretty quickly. Body is clear and light yellow color. Aroma is yeasty, doughy, bread. and slightly bitter with a touch at the end.