Livery Anniversary Ale (Belgian IPA)

Formerly brewed at The Livery
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
Benton Harbor, Michigan USA

GTMW ’08. Poured a hazy medium orange color with a white head. Attractive aroma of citrus fruits, flower blossom, and sweet/pastry-ish malt. Medium bodied and delicately sweet with modest carbonation and mild bitterness. I tasted citrus fruits (especially orange), flower blossom, and a hint of clove. Delicious stuff.

On tap at the Great Taste of the Midwest (8/9/08): Pours a hazy dark copper orange with a spotty-lacing white head. Aroma of fresh grapefruity hops and some sweet caramely pale malt. Body starts with a great fresh grapefruity hoppy flavor and sweet toasty caramel malts before a smooth bittersweet finish with a hint of vinous oak. A very well-balanced unique brew.

Draft: Poured at the brewpub on their 3rd Anniversary celebration...cloudy copper color with a white head. Light belgain yeast nose with some candied sugar, floral and citrus hop notes and a bit of a woodsy tone that takes it to another level. Medium body, slightly sticky sweet which detracted a bit. Sweet bready malts, soft floral hop notes and some citrus and a very mild oak undertone. Good stuff.

Draft at The Livery. Poured a hazy copper color with an average frothy white head that mostly lasted with excellent lacing. Moderate to heavy complex yeasty hoppy aroma. Medium body with slick texture. Medium to heavy bittersweet flavor with a medium bittersweet finish of moderate to long duration. This is a good brew.

Great Taste 2008. Labeled "Third Anniversary Ale." The Livery continues to impress, and really does a fabulous job at the Great Taste. Notes of grass and toffee blend with honey and thyme and Rye bread. Finish is hoppy and shows its oak heritage. The merlot probably takes this to a darker fruit direction than say the caramel-vanilla of bourbon barrels. Once again, a great and complex beer.

Draft @ the Livery. Pours a clear, bright honey-orange color; white head with fine-bubbled lacing. Solid, oily Belgian ester character coupled to a mineral / piney hop bitterness in the aroma; resiny, dry, with touches of vanilla. Medium-to-full mouthfeel: nice Belgian hybrid presence in the mouth: chewy, resiny pine and mineral hop bitterness coupled to a honey-laden and sweet, ester-filled core; tasty, dense, nicely balanced Belgian hybrid presence in the mouth; very drinkable, touches of red wine notes (very slight), and very light tannins throughout; excellent blended beer, with very light vinous notes. Lengthy finish: toastiness, esters, honey, and soft piney bitterness; the barrel presence, throughout, is very slight.

Handbottle from BBB63, thanks Mike. I lost my Three Philosiphers Chalice on this one, oh well. That’s one way to thin the collection, shared with my girlfirend Cyn. Pours orange with a tan ring. Nose is very nice with lots of big floral notes and citrus. The taste is also full of citrus and is overall very very flavorful. Lots of character and overall quite good.

On tap at the brewery. This hazy golden ale poured with almost no head. There is a sweet caramel malt start with a sour bitter finish that is surprisingly very pleasant. Some banana esters were noted.