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Signature Ale

Signature Ale - Belgian Strong Ale

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 Percentile 
98
overall
Brewed by De Proefbrouwerij
Style: Belgian Strong Ale

Lochristi, Belgium

bottled
common

on tap
unknown

Broad Distribution
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 Ratings  Average  Score  Seasonal  ABV  Style Pctl  Serve in 
3613.83/5.03.81/5.0Special8.5%94.2Trappist glass, Tulip, Tumbler
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Commercial Description:
"A stylish and artistic collaborative brewing effort that combines the enormous talents of Dirk Naudts, at Belgium’s De Proef Brewery, and Tomme Arthur of Port Brewing and Lost Abbey in southern California."
 Most Recent Top Raters Highest Ratings Who's Rated This?  
 DocLock (4648), Lower Pottsgrove, Pennsylvania, USA
4.5 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
10/105/58/104/518/20
Mar 14, 2008  
Big thanks to Old Mr. Crow for this one. 750 ml bottle. The pour is turbid deep golden with 2-fingers of off-white head and great lacing. This one looks great. The nose is very complex; floral, spicy, malty, with white pepper, limey citrus, rock sugar, honey-dipped peaches, hops, cobwebby yeast, mild Bretty funk. Amazing aroma that I sniffed for minutes. The taste is floral, fruity, with spicy peppery hints, some limey citrus, hops, tangerine, Bretty funk, and earthy yeast. Stays semi-dry, and acquires more funky, spicy, yeasty, and peppery notes as it warms, while never losing the fruit and citrus. With a little age, I have no doubt this would be a perfecto robusto.


 egajdzis (3602), Spring Mount, Pennsylvania, USA
4.3 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
9/104/58/105/517/20
Mar 14, 2008  
Poured a hazy golden amber color with a medium sized, white head that left nice lacing on the glass. Aroma of brett brux, horseblanket, pineapple, citrus fruits, and floral hops. Taste was sweeter, toffee malts, citrus, piney hops, tropical fruits, with a light tartness in the finish. Give these batch 2 bottles about 6 more months, and they will be really amazing. Thanks to miver for this!


 naivepegasus (183), USA
4 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/104/58/103/518/20
Mar 13, 2008  
Pours a light orange with a hint of red to it, with about a finger of stark white head. A lot of citrus and orange peel and spice in the odor. It tastes a lot softer and and lighter than I anticipated. Very sweet, with some candy malts in the taste. Very smooth and good.


 TomDecapolis (3130), Skippack, Pennsylvania, USA
4.1 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
9/104/58/104/516/20
Mar 13, 2008  
Thanks to mivers for sharing this one. Pours a lightly hazy golden with some orange notes and medium bubbly white head and left some lacing. Aroma was very floral, lots of citrus notes, slight funky notes, perfume, some Belgian yeast esters, bready, dough and some toffee notes. Flavor was bready, lightly tart, grassy, some hop bitterness, various citrus notes, light alcohol and dry.


 pintsize (1042), Austin, Texas, USA
3.6 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
6/104/57/104/515/20
Mar 11, 2008  
2-24-08 tasting
Thick orange yellow with average head and small speckled lacing. Nice flowery hops smell that warms to smell exactly like pollen - a bit off putting for me. Unique nose to say the least. Flavor is nice and citrisy with a hint of alcohol and funk in there as well.


 MrBendo (1039), Swedesboro, New Jersey, USA
3.9 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/104/58/104/516/20
Mar 8, 2008  
Thanks to JCB for the bottle. Mostly clear amber/orange with a large head. Brett stands out the most at this point. Apples, hard candy, and tangy citrus were tasted also, as well as some floral/perfume hops.
The funky brett has really taken over this beer since I got my first taste last summer.


 emacgee (1859), Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
3.9 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/104/57/103/518/20
Mar 8, 2008  
Shared by turd (thanks sam!). Nice honey gold with a one finger white head. The aroma is very citrusy, lemon zest, hoppy, Belgian yeast, very lively aroma. The flavor is spicy and zesty, nice citrus, hops, Belgian, waxy when warm. Waxy carbonated palate. Nice warm finish.


 MartinT (5030), Montreal, Quebec, Canada
4.3 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
9/103/59/104/518/20
Mar 5, 2008  
My Bottom Line:
Exotic citrus fruit swirl around copious honeyed, biscuity malts, embracing this Belgian Strong Ale’s sprightly coniferous wild yeast in a most lustful manner. Its inherent spiciness and heavenly harmony make this continental collision of brewers a decidedly unforgettable occasion.

Further Personal Perceptions:
-A layer of foam coats the deep golden mist.
-The citrusy fruitiness could be redolent of lime zest and lemongrass.
-The lively effervescence accentuates drinkability.
-Alcohol does not play a significant role in the flavor profile.
-Brettanomyces, malt character and hop fruitiness are all perfectly balanced.
-A light citrusy tartness wanders within.
-Sandy hop resins colour the finish, blending in the wild yeast idiosyncracies.
-The rich base malts are heftier than the usual Belgian Strong Ale, but they are crunchy, not heavy.

Bottle; thx Jason!



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