Signature Ale

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

Bottle. Pours a beautiful slightly hazy golden with lively carbonation and a nice long alsting pure white head- great lace. Aroma is a really nice balance of tons of fresh hops- american hops dont overpower, stays spicy and earthy, and then balanced with the nice doughy fresh pils malts, and just a modest amount of brett earthy funk. Light sweetness still in the flavor from some doughy malts, which may give way to more brett in the future- this bottle is still young but has nice fresh hop character, fresh dough, and good farmhouse brett- light on the palate yet full flavored. Very refreshing and easy to drink despite its high abv. This will age nicely and gain more funk and acidity.

Corked bottle and served in big ole snifter: Pours a clean initial golden hue with a fading frothy head and spotty lace. The aroma has notes of light brett and cheesy yeast funk, herbal and aromatic hops, hint of bready and pils malt, touch of honey and apple esters and some wood.

The taste starts with equal amounts of sweet malt and wild yeast characteristics backed by lovely acidic fruit and some sublime leafy hops. What I like is the sudden rush of pepper, clove, and lime leaf towards the finish. The mouth feel is sprite and lively dancing across the palate and oh so refreshing with just a hint of alcohol noted. Could stand to be a bit dryer but I think that will come with time.

Seems a bit of a hybrid to me, part Biere de Garde, part Saison and part Tripel. Think a slightly young and funked up Duvel...Whatever it truly is, I like it and need to get more. Sorry Vinnie, Ron, Phil, and Steve but Tomme is still the best American brewer I know (you guys are still pretty good in my book).

Bottle. Didn’t notice any brett, but what I did notice was this this is by far my favorite highly hopped, Belgian-style beer. Very nice and drinkable. Smooth w/ a hearty hop finish.

Courtesy of miver. Poured a hazy amber/golden color body with a really nice foamy white head. The aroma was barnyard funk, hay, citrus and floral hops. Flavors with some sweet citrus and mild tropical fruits, funky yeast with a little tartness, and some grassy barnyard notes.

My bottle (750ml) shared with HogTownHarry, GregClow, tupalev & mds -- courtesy of toncatcher. Pours a cloudy dirty yellow with an average size diminishing foamy white head. Aroma: Wow, that smells great! Fruity, yeasty and floral along with spices and hops. Dry, yeasty, bready flavour with a good amount of spices and citrus along with some sweet malt, light hops and a bit of alcohol in the finish. Medium bodied, nice amount of carbonation. This exceeded my expectations, it’s simply fantastic!

750mL Bottle. At least 1 year old. Heavy brett nose in cotton, almonds, apple skins, and sweet florals. Inviting, heavy on the Brett and delightful. A bit of minerals glide in with passionfruit. Delightful. Pours a brilliant deeper gold, with a rim of white. Flavor develops a blend of savory and sweet in Brett delight. Tart, bright, fresh and backed with a nice run of malty bread sugars in the middle for balance and composure. Excellent. A gummy bit of hops round out the backside, through a fog of mysterious cobwebs and dust from the Brett. A stunning use of Brett to finish a beer.

Bottle (750ml). Shared with blankboy, GregClow, mds and tupalev - blankboy’s bottle. Cloudy, amber-gold with a large frothy/creamy white lasting head, nice sticky lacing. Lush, fresh aroma - near 10 for me - spice, crushed mint, light tree fruit, sweet malt, and tons and tons of sweet floral Belgian yeast. The taste had a surprising bret tartness to it, also crushed mint again, alcohol, fruity malt, but all evolving into a dry, sharp spicy finish. Dry, crisp mouthfeel, quite astringent, very complex with background funky yeast ... stunning; sophisticated; shows what brewing with the real-deal yeasts can do!

Sample provided by kmweaver. Clear golden body with a large fluffy white head. The nose is very hoppy (herbal, floral) with pineapple, apricot and cotton candy. The flavor is lightly sweet, moderately bitter with cotton candy, tangerine, pineapple, lavender and spicy herbal hops. Medium body is soft with moderate, gentle carbonation. This was a fantastic beer.