The Bruery Black Orchard

Brewed by The Bruery
Style: Belgian Ale
Placentia, California USA

My Bottom Line:
Chocolate bread and bountiful spices form most of this Dark Witbier’s flavor profile, making this a complex, drinkable but loud brew.

Further Personal Perceptions:
-A sheet of foam tops the blackened brown.
-The lean body and its big bubbles help drinkability.
-I would have preferred the spices to be more subdued; as is, the chamomile, and orange peel are very expressive, lacking subtlety.
-Light roastiness accompanies the chocolate flavors.
-I’m not sure the chocolate flavors are completely harmonious with the spice mélange, to my palate.

Bottle.

Sampled on 12/29/2008. This “Black Wit” pours a deep black color from a 750ml bottle. Again upon opening this one was a gusher. It did allow me to pour the beer into several style glasses for an aroma and taste comparison, so it wasn’t a total loss. Large sized white/beige foamy head. The aroma is roasted malts, some coriander and some orange and citrus. A medium bodied Belgian Ale. The malts are caramel and dark fruits. The hops are earthy and floral. Nice balance. Caramel and fruity up front followed by some spices and orange and the finish. Definitely has that wit feel to it, yet also has the dark malt and fruit thing going. Very drinkable. Mouthfeel is full and round. Finish is clean and smooth. Aftertaste is slightly sweet,

Bouteille de 750 ml obtenue via Importations Privées Bièropholie. Arôme: Odeur de céréales avec une pointe fruitée. Apparence: La couleur est noire avec une faible densité de bulle. Présence d’un large col beige mousseux et d’une fine dentelle sur le verre. Saveur: Goût de céréales avec une pointe d’épices et de fruité. Durée moyenne de l’arrière goût. Palette: Le corps est moyen avec une texture légèrement minérale. Moyenne effervescence en bouche. Légère présence d’épices en arrière goût. (Rating #2688)

Poured a lightly hazy mahogany color with a medium sized, light tan head that left light lacing on the glass. Aroma of roast, cocoa, chamomile, lavender, citrus, spruce, and sweeter caramel. Taste of dark fruits, light spices, smoke, cocoa, wood, banana, and toast, with a nicely carbonated mouthfeel that smooths out after some time in the glass.

750ml bottle and enjoyed with tj. I was really looking forward to this brew since I sort of dig the "blackened" version of classic styles. Well these bottled conditioned releases seem over carbonated as the beer gushed out the top before I could start the pour... of course there was a big fiizy off-white head associated with the beer, nice sheets of lace upon the glassware. The aroma has notes of raosted malts, dates, pepper, corriander, wheat, earthy and dirty yeast esters, a tad too weak all things considered. The flavor was better, twangy and fruity with a slight smoky and toasty background. Light handed spiced finish with a wheat note throughout. The mouth feel is very sprite and over-carbonated, warming finish which was surprising with only 5.7% ABV. A touch dry and ashy upon the finish as well. Different for sure, tastes better than it smells. I would like to see more orange peel character.

2009-11-27. Black body with giant foamy beige head. 4+ Interesting aroma, light funk and roast, toasty wheat. 7+ Dry flavour, roasty notes, dry toasty wheat undertones. Overall impression is dry, light bitterness. 6+ Average to light palate. Okay. Bottle shared by GregClow.

Black body with off-brown enormous head. Mlaty and oatmeal aroma. Fluffy mouthfeel, but also aggressive carbonation. Taste is cerial and some spice, and mollasses. Only so drinkable, needs to be shared. This BTW was a gusher.

750 ml bottle from BevMo (E. Tucson) - Pours a hazy brown color with a large light tan head. Light lacing. Aroma is sharp esters and spice. Flavor is dark esters, lightly sweetened roasted malt, and spice. Medium body. A nice beer.