Signature Ale

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

Objectively speaking: Successful collaboration between giants on a style (funky Belgian golden ales with American aroma hops) of growing popularity.
I like: Beautiful sunny golden hue. Large 1-inch eternal head. Superior aroma. Fresh tangerine notes. Tea tannins. Floral^2. Fresh and green. The best lemonade I’ve ever had. High complexity. Best new beer in a while.
I dislike: Still a bit more residual sugars than I prefer. Perhaps more bitterness would take care of that. A bit too cerealic/thick, pils malt needs crispiness, not roundness. Finishing soapiness. Out of place banana esters in mouth.

Bottle massive thanks to the cheeseman for this one, at home with mesandsim. First batch i believe. Aroma is bursting with Brett, like it basically just spells like Orval, small peppery character, floural and sharp. Its well tasty stuff, earthy hop softness with the sharpness of the brett makes it incredibly drinkable.

Bottle... O-Town Christmas Gathering ‘07... Hazy, light golden ale with a small, creamy, white head. Decent retention. The aroma provides grainy, herbal and citrusy notes. Medium-bodied and watery with prickly carbonation. Flavor of sweet pale grains with a whisper of tart acidity. Lengthy, sweet, grainy finish. Thanks to boboski for providing the bottle!

Pours a transparent dark golden with a spotty-lacing white head. Aroma of earthy dry citrusy hoppy character and some pale Belgian malt along with some leathery brett. Body starts lightly pale malty and sweet with a lot of brett and big citrusy bittering hops. Finishes drier with some lingering bitterness and crisp fresh hoppiness. An interesting and enjoyable hoppy Belgian.

Orange, small white rim. Citrus, orange, alcohol and fusels. Fusels again, orange, candi sugar, apricot, and yeast esters à gogo. Very slick, oily, syrupy and in the aftertase, a little hops. Well. Seems they get the same results in Belgium...

Cloudy golden colour with a white head. Malty, light sweet aroma with fruity and floral notes and hints of alcohol. Malty, fruity and light citric flavor with citric notes.

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!

Bottled at Papsoes Blind tasting 19th. June 2008 no 28: golden coloured. Unclear. Dense off white head. Brett, sweetness and some sourness in the aroma. LIght fruits and sourness in the flavour. Light spices. Meidum bodied. Sweetish end with a sourish touch. A bit bland imo.