Signature Ale

Brewed by De Proefbrouwerij
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
Lochristi, Belgium

From a 750mL Bottle. Purchased at the Carlsbad location Bottle Shop. Healthy crack upon opening the bottle. Pours a mostly transparent, golden honey color with a thick layer of even, frothy white head. A fresh, lemony hop aroma immediately grabs my attention. Behind the fresh American hop layer erupts a nose of yeasty fruits that is uniquely Belgian. Notes of papaya, melon, honey, and rose petals promise richness. Earthy peppers and musky orange rinds add more depth. Medium bodied, richly carbonated mouthfeel. There’s plenty of doughy yeast to chew on up front, but the palate is lightened substantially by the richness of the carbonation. I’ve had this a couple of times before, but never an entire bottle to contemplate by myself. This beer is substantially more complex than I noted before. Along with the yeasty dough flavors come some creamy banana, cardamom spice, a hint of musky funk, and a gentle kiss of pepper. The palate dries up mid-palate as the American hops start to shine through, perhaps Amarillo. The yeasty characters outlast the hops in the end, however, leaving a brett-like dryness lingering on the palate. As it warms, I’m starting to notice the brett more and more in the aroma as well. A touch of warming alcohols are noticeable in the finish, but not really a negative point in the big picture. This is a wonderful example of a Belgian-American fusion beer.

Honey-straw hue with vigorous carbonation and a bubbly white head. First thoughts are of Orval with all of the brett and hops, but the hops are much more grassy- and citric-American in this beer. Bananas, pepper, pineapple, tarragon aromas. Very bright and dry with prickly carbonation. Citric and bready to start, finishes with lots of pepper and pine. Lingering doughy taste. Light in body with a slick texture and fierce carbonation. Should improve as the brett picks up, but already very good.

Can i call this the best American beer i have ever had? not really, because it was made in Belgium. Can i call this the best Belgian beer i have ever had? no, because it is not quite as good as a Westvleteren 12. but it is without a doubt the best collaboration since Itzhak Perlman picked up his Stradivarius and played Paganini! wow! Full rich amber, slightly hazy, with a huge white head that vanishes leaving amazing lacing up the goblet. nose of apricots, orange blossoms and yeast ... makes me think of a Karmelite Tripel. Taste of yeast and bread and sweet apricots again ... just wonderful. Mouth is full and rich. Everything about this is just about perfect. Maybe a touch less hops in the finish than the Tripel, maybe a touch of Brett. Different from anything I have had before, and wonderful. I’m not going to share this with anyone but family ... and even there, only with guys i really love.

A nice and unique brew. Bottle from WBF in Raleigh. Deep golden amber pour. Hops and brett present on nose and in mouth. Fruity funkiness, too, with some scuppernong grape and apple flavors present. Hint of ash/smoke. Fizzy mouthfeel. Yum.

bottle. golden/copper pour. light haze. foamy white head. lacing. delicious aroma earthy barn yard, light spice, apricots and plum, light yeasts and nice hops. beautiful balance. well hopped. funky earthiness behind the fruit. dry, light peppery finish. great brew. bottle purchased at Tony’s Fine Wines in Littleton.

Bottled. Beer is clear, light caramel. The head is large, white, frothy. Fuzzily diminishes, mostly and admirably lasts. Significant lacing on the glass.<P>Lean and fruity. Malty with light notes of cookie, toasted grain, trace of caramel; Hoppy with moderate/heavy notes of resinous pine, moderate herbal grapefruit oil, light lemon zest; Yeasty with a light note of band-aidy plastic, trace of basement and dish rag; Light pepper, faintest trace of lacquer.<P>The flavor is moderately sweet, lightly acidic, light/moderately bitter with a long, moderately bitter, trace acidic, lightly sweet finish.<P>Nice mouth feel. The body is full, the texture is velvety and the carbonation is lively.

750mL bottle poured into a tulip. Pours a hazy amber that shines a very bright orange when held up to the light underneath a big fluffy white head that settles to a thin soapy ring. Lots of sediment in the bottom of the glass. The aroma is light and fruity with apples being the first thing I notice with some spicy belgian yeast and a little sugar. There is a musty character to the aroma overall with the brett barely showing. The taste is more of the same with the apples still dominating up front but the spicy yeast is much more prevalent than in the aroma. I do get some hops in the taste as well, mainly of a lemongrass character. The mouthfeel is medium bodied with strong carbonation and dry and musty in the finish. This is a subtle but complex Belgian pale with a good hop profile considering the age and very drinkable overall.

First Official Houston Tasting. Pours a glinty golden color with a small head. Spicy nose of autumn with floral and hibiscus notes. Pine comes in there as well, peaches too. Flavor is lightly hopped up front with peaches and apricots in the middle. Nice hop finish. Creamy mouthfeel that dances on the palette.