t Smisje Speciaal

Brewed by Brouwerij De Regenboog
Style: Spice/Herb/Vegetable
Assebroek-Brugge, Belgium

My Bottom Line:
This Belgian-style strong ale develops an ambitious doughy yeast within which expands a well-calculated spicy and citrusy pumpkin seed freshness. Certainly one of the brewery’s most cohesive ales.

Further Personal Perceptions:
-Ample head tops the cloudy beige blond.
-The nose is surprisingly shy for such a strong and spicy brew.
-Alcohol pricks once in a while, but remains distant for most of the sips.
-The portly body seems to be emboldened by the yeasty dominance, but it remains smooth and extremely soothing.
-The frothy carbonation makes it all very drinkable for its size.

Bottle; best before 2011.

Hazy yellow-orangeish hue, with a thick foamy white head, leaving laces, yeasty fruity nose of ripe apples, peaches, hint of pumpkin, with some nutmeg, faint cinnamon and ginger spiciness, sweet pale malt, in the aroma follows through on a medium-bodied palate with a kind of zesty yeastiness character, fruity ripe apples, peaches and maybe pumpkin accents, with a mellow warmth alcoholic mouthfeel, nutmeg and coriander spiciness, flowery hops, sweet pale malt, leading towards a spicy, hops bittering finish.

Bottle. Murky pale orange with huge white head. Malt and coriander in the brilliant aroma. Slightly sweet malt and orange peel in the flavor. Lasting finish with sweet malt and glycerin. Well made beer - a little "wild" though.

Bottle: Poured a bright golden yellow color ale with a huge pure white foamy head with excellent retention and good lacing. Aroma of sweet malt is dominating. Taste is a mix between some sweet malt and some distinctive Belgian yeast with some traces of warming alcohol. Body is about average with some great carbonation and a bit too much of alcohol. I couldn’t detect any pumpkin, which either means that there aren’t really I it to begin with or the amount is so insignificant that it is impossible to taste. Overall, I though this reminded me of Piraat.

Bottled. A hazy dark orange coloured beer with a largish beige head. Spicy notes and big alcohol throughout. Definite coriander but not as full flavoured as expected. Warming with a long finish.

Tap at Spuyten Duyvil. Cloudy amber beer, thin white head. Aroma of sweet toasty malt, some breadiness and earthiness in the nose as well. Some ginger, nutmeg and clove are the most obvious aromas up front. Flavour is quite spicy as well with sweet cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and ginger but also a sweet Belgian pale malt character that really helps accentuate these flavours. Interesting yeast as well, producing some clovey phenolics that works well with the added spices. Light estery fruitiness (peach/apple) as well. The choice of yeast is what really brings this beer together. Lovely seasonal beer.

Bottle. Pours a hazy orange colour with a white head. Sweet malty fruity aroma with some hints of pumpkins and spices. Sweet malty flavor with some hints of alchol, pumpkins and spices. Long warming spicy finish.

bottle. murky gold color. large soft head. pumpkin aroma and taste. bit too alcohollic.