Petrus Speciale

Brewed by Bavik-De Brabandere
Style: Belgian Ale
Harelbeke, Belgium

3rd beer at Barleycorns beer tasting. Started with a couple mild English pints, and now moving on to the slightly heavier Belgians. This one was hazy amber, copper red, with a fluffy white, short-lived head. Aroma is very complex, hints of apple, cinammon, and corianer dominate the aroma, with a light winey lingering scent. The taste is full of stone fruits: apricots, plums, peach, and even some grapefruit bitterness. Spicy, with a great bitter balance. Overall, this is a fun beer to drink, and definitely saved my opinion of Petrus’ brews after a devastating experience with the Oud Bruin.

An interesting brew. Pours a hazey rusted apricot color with a shallow froth that settles to a fine, dusty canopy and a full ring. Mild aromas of malted carrot cake and sour grapes. Medium nectar with ample residual effers. It’s on the sour side of the spectrum w/o being obtrusive. Bitter stonefruit pit’s, tree bark, sour grapes, green peaches, wild green apples with a touch of rocky minerals. The finish is bittered to parchment but rather satisfying. Overall: if you like sour beer you’ll find enjoyment here.

Bottle. Clear amber colour with a medium mostly lasting off white head. Rich arom and taste malts, fruits and syrup.

Pours a clear apricot-amber with a small layer of foam, great lacing, and an aroma of sudsy hops, green grapes, and dry white wine. Flavour is lightly sweet with more green grape and a soft, dry and slightly tart finish. Carbonation is soda-pop-esque, body is creamy but dry to finish. This is a very pleasant beer, much better than their Oud Bruin. Would accompany food very well.

Bottle. Clear light to medium amber orange color with a average, fizzy, good / fair lacing, mostly diminishing, off-white head. Aroma is moderate malty, bread, øllebrød [danish dish made of bread, sugar, and non alcoholic beer]. Flavor is moderate sweet and light to moderate bitter with a average duration. Body is light to medium, texture is oily, carbonation is soft. (190907)

Bottle: Orange copper color, nice puffy off-white head, some spotty lacing. Nose of light aromatic malts, but no dough, toast nor biscuit. The flavor a bit yeasty, some bright apple peel and grass. Somewhat thin and lightly hoppy. Not too belgian either.

330ml bottle. where’s the head??? belgians are known for their big airy heads. this petrus...it was gone by the time i finished the pour, 0.5" tops. pours a murky and faded burnt orange. aromas are a little tart, but with baking sugar notes. granny smith apples, faint plums, over-ripened berries, semi-sweet chocolate w/citrus chunks. complex indeed, but...eh. taste is yeasty, a very lively mouthfeel. it’s a brighter beer, not thin, though low in abv. it still, i get sprite characteristics from this, but mixed with a mildly dry-hopped apa. the somewhat lingering finish has a hint of styrofoam and cardboard to it that is a major let-down. what’s the special part of this ’speciale ale’? i’m a bit confused and befuzzled by this one. it’s a great effort, and i’ll re-taste down the line, but i’m just not feeling it this go-around.

Almost clear amber with minimal head. Hop presence on the nose with a bitter tone. Smells like an IPA to me. Flavor is almost washed out, bordering on watery...perhaps not bordering. Two toes might have already crossed the line. Feel is thin. Not very drinkable at all due to the fact that it has no punch or anything unique or interesting about it. This is the 4th I have tried from the Petrus 6-pack, and it is by far my least favorite. Why exactly is it labeled "Speciale" again? I am hoping the last two from the six pack are in a different league.