The Bruery Two Turtle Doves

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

750 ml bottle poured a clear reddish brown with a lasting tan head. Aromas of peppere, plum, raisin, cocoa, light roastiness and light carmel. Palate was medium bodied and smooth with a warming finish. Flavors of carmel, plum, raisin, pepper and cocoa with a smooth warming lingering fruity cocoa finish. Pretty hot but should do better with a little age.

750ml bottle @Pauls Gathering courtesy of MaxxDaddy-pours a tight retaining light brown head and black color. Aroma is earthy, dark/medium malt-roasty/nutty/cocoa. Taste is earthy/acidic, secondary dark/medium malt-roasty/nutty/cocoa/coffee.

Bomber, shared. Pours a beautiful deep brown with a tan head that reduces in size but never really goes away. Aroma is heavy on the cocoa, though I detected roasted malt, dark fruit, licorice, and nuts as well. Taste is chocolate malt with spice, subtle dark fruit and licorice, and a wonderful nutty finish. I really didn’t taste any booze in this and was floored that it was actually 12% ABV. This is a fantastic beer from the Bruery, and I look forward to another very soon on a chilly evening.

Pours very dark brown with a thick head. The head remains for a little while and even though it mostly diminishes, it never disappears leaving some nice attractive lacing behind on the glass and atop the beer. Chocolate really comes through in the nose followed by some sweet browned sugar, black licorice, a healty dose of nuts, and there’s also a bit of booze that comes through as well. There seems to be a sweet underlying aroma of fruit and some cherries perhaps. The flavor profile really isn’t very noticeable, rather mild on the palate. The chocolate is somewhat noticeable but not as accessible as it should be. Very slight hint of nuts with the alcohol demanding attention throughout. Though this beer is pretty good, I was a bit disappointed that the flavors weren’t a bit brighter and pronounced. This beer is rather smooth and easy to drink. The finish is rather short.

Sampled on 12/6/2009 at the Brewery. This Belgian Strong Ale pours a dark brown color from the cask. Small sized white foamy head. The aroma is chocolate, nutty and sweet. A medium bodied Belgian Strong Ale. The malts are chocolate and nutty. The hops are earthy. Nice balance. Good balance. I like the interplay between the chocolate, dark fruit and the nuts. Hides the alcohol well. Nice carbonation. Mouthfeel is full and round. Finish is clean and smooth. Aftertaste is slightly sweet.

Pours a blackish brown into the glass with an off white head. Aroma has a slight belgian spice to it, but mainly boasts the cocoa that is in the beer. Flavor is an absolutely brilliant blend of spice and chocolate malt. The cocoa really comes through on the finish and makes this beer exceptionally smooth. My first beer from The Bruery and I can see what all the fuss is about!

750ml bottle from the Binny’s in Orland Park, IL: This pours a dark brown body, opaque in the center and clear around the edges, topped by a thick tan head. The aroma is burnt cocoa, alcohol, and lightly roasted malt. The flavor is much better, but I feel its possibilities are buried beneath cocoa nibs. The flavor has an underlying dark fruitiness and a chewy maltiness that blends smoothly with the strong alcohol content. The light touch of pecans is a plus. The nibs detract. "No nibs!" will be a motto of mine from this point forward. Overall a nice drink, but The Bruery fell into the "More is better" trend of so many brewers nowadays.

Bottle. This actually is a pretty good Christmas beer. Pours dark brown with a thin tan head. Aroma of spices, nuts, and Belgian yeast. Nice sweet malt flavor that is heavily spiced. Caramel, chocolate. Well done beer. Enjoyable.