Pisgah Baptista - Pisgah Brewing Co.

marvin213

North Carolina

2.6/5  rDev -35%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

A little on the light side, it's easy to see thru the light brown liquid. The base is a caramel-coated green apple, and that's pretty cool! I suppose one big hit here involves the insufficient Belgian yeast. As others have noted, it's a little on the sweet side. The bready maltiness is subtle at best. It is indeed overboard on the sweet side. I don't wholly grasp all the chemistry involved, but what if more (better?) Belgian yeast were to eat up on this caramel candy even more? Would we have a higher ABV, spicier BSDA...or might we end up with more of an English barleywine? Pisgah can absolutely offer up some dope ass beers--and this one's okay--but it's a relative miss from them.

Serving type: bottle

12-27-2012 21:52:40 | More by marvin213

SFLpunk

Vermont

4/5  rDev 0%

04-02-2013 01:26:37 | More by SFLpunk

jsteele

North Carolina

3.25/5  rDev -18.8%

03-25-2013 12:11:32 | More by jsteele

Sparky44

Illinois

4/5  rDev 0%

03-25-2013 00:12:28 | More by Sparky44

jorrx003

Florida

4/5  rDev 0%

01-13-2013 22:10:05 | More by jorrx003

akorsak

Pennsylvania

3.25/5  rDev -18.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Happy Earth Day. A bottle that is at least two, if not three, years old. In a goblet.

A: The pale ale is appropriately named, a lighter golden color that sparkles in its transparency. Wispy bands of head are all that remain from the initial pour.

S: Sweet caramel, overpoweringly so; I fear that this beer didn't last until 2019 as promised on the label. Residual sweetness, thank you Belgian yeast, adds some diversity to the nose.

T: Not entirely gone, although that caramelly flavor is building in intensity. Light fruits, think white grapes and apples, come from the yeast. The ale is still well carbonated, the zesty heat of the bubbles coming through in each sip. The ale loses all sweetness by the finish, a dry landscape left behind. I can taste the tripel-like spice and strength combination; it peeps through the caramel flavors sporadically.

M: Just a little long in the tooth here, too much caramel for its own good. I'll be visiting Pisgah in less than four weeks; I'll be looking for a re-try.

Serving type: bottle

04-22-2012 20:46:45 | More by akorsak

greencovesteve

North Carolina

4/5  rDev 0%

02-20-2012 07:45:07 | More by greencovesteve

jophish17

Georgia

2.5/5  rDev -37.5%

12-24-2011 07:27:30 | More by jophish17

nmann08

Maryland

4/5  rDev 0%

11-18-2011 17:52:04 | More by nmann08

thebouch01

Pennsylvania

3/5  rDev -25%

11-15-2011 20:28:07 | More by thebouch01

richbrew

New Jersey

4/5  rDev 0%

11-15-2011 17:50:41 | More by richbrew

mothman

Saskatchewan (Canada)

2.28/5  rDev -43%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 1.5

Pours about a finger of white head. Color is a hazed golden yellow.

Aroma: A fairly sweet nose coming from this one. Some orange peel spice and other fruits. Maybe pears and dried red apples. Some yeasty flavors showing.

Taste: The taste is incredibly sweet, too sweet. It is so sugary. Has some of the flavors from the nose, but it's hard to pick them out over the sweetness.

Mouthfeel: Syrupy stickiness. Medium bodied with a medium amount of carbonation. Ends with more sweetness.

Overall, I didn't really like this beer because of how overly sweet it was. It just wasn't enjoyable. Not for me.

Serving type: bottle

06-10-2011 13:46:35 | More by mothman

kbutler1

Minnesota

2.83/5  rDev -29.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.5

Bottle. I have had this one cellared for a while and it was time to bring it out for a tasting! Poured a clear copper yellow color, somewhat like applejuice, with a fluffy whitehead. Ok, so far so good as the look is nice. Sweet aroma of white fruit (apple and pear) with very minimal hop notes. Medium mouthfeel with carbonation. Wow, this is a very sweet beer. Minimal belgian flavors but very syrupy sweet apple, pear, and white grape. Overall, a let down as the sweetness of this was almost too much to keep drinking.

Serving type: bottle

06-09-2011 12:09:27 | More by kbutler1

TheManiacalOne

Rhode Island

3.75/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Winter 2007 release acquired from mikesgroove, courtesy of the Little Guy 2 BIF so a big "Thank You" goes out to him. Poured from a 750ml bottle into a tulip glass.

A: The beer is a bright golden brown color, with a thin off-white head that fades quickly and leaves a thin lace on the glass.

S: The aroma contains apple, Belgian yeast, light caramelized malts, honey, some spice, some spices and a touch of hops.

T: The taste starts out sweet with flavors of caramel, spices and apples. Then some breadiness comes in from Belgian yeast and a hearty malt character. A significant alcohol sting comes in. The hops presence is mild but complementary and brings some balance. The after-taste is slightly sweet.

M: Crisp and a little smooth, medium body, medium carbonation, finish is slightly sticky.

D: Tasty, goes down ok, not too filling, very strong kick, good representation of style, there are some better beers in the style, but this is a solid beer with sipping on for a while.

Serving type: bottle

04-12-2011 03:42:21 | More by TheManiacalOne

uturn

Florida

4.03/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

750 ml caged & corked bottle poured into a vintage Westmalle Trappistebier chalice.

This bottle is dated Dec 2009.

A: As the cork was pulled out of the bottle a load "pop" was heard. The beer poured a hazy golden color with a one finger head which dissipated very quickly leaving a very minimal lacing on the glass.

S: The nose was sweet, with hints of bubble gum and cloves as well as orange peel.

T: The taste starts off sweet with bubble gum and candi sugar, and then I got some spices and pepper along with dried dark fruits and it finished more on the dry side.

M: This had a medium to thick mouthfeel with a pleasant carbonation level and a very enjoyable warmth from the alcohol.

This beer was definitely a sipper. As it warmed up, the alcohol become more apparent in a very good way, which made me slow down to enjoy this beauty. I only hope they make this one again.

Serving type: bottle

04-07-2011 19:17:35 | More by uturn

route66pubs

California

4.2/5  rDev +5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Drank awhile ago and just adding past notes.

A - Small white head with very tiny little bubbles. Pours a deep orange and clears up when held to the light. Some of the little bubbles remain, but not much.

S - Orange zest, coriander, and nutmeg abound.

T - Apricot and orange, with a Christmas spice. Great sweetness, too. Very wonderful and amazing overall from front to back.

M - Orange zest creates a zip, and the sweetness creates a syrupy feeling. This one goes down like candy!

D - very nice and extremely enjoyable. VERY enjoyable! But it feels like alcohol and that syrupy sweetness is somewhat distracting over the long haul.

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2011 00:38:54 | More by route66pubs

corby112

Pennsylvania

4.55/5  rDev +13.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

750 received in a past trade with GatorBeerNerd. Thanks a lot Donnie!

Pours a slightly hazy golden apricot orange color with golden yellowish hues when held to a light source and a 1.5 finger frothy white head. Excellent retention, only slowly fading over the course of the glass into a lasting cap that leaves sporadic chunks of lacing in it's wake.

Slightly funky, tart aroma. Earthy with lots of interesting spice, bready yeast and estery crisp fruit notes. I'm picking up some peppermint, clove and cinnamon as well as some cherry, strawberry, raisin, grape and other berries. Thankfully there is no unpleasant medicinal cough syrup notes that are often associated with this style. Hopefully this holds up in the flavor.

Creamy medium body that's on the fuller end. Well balanced with zesty spice up front followed by a lactic creamy presence and bready yeast presence mid-palate. I'm picking up peppermint, cinnamon, coriander and pepper along with cherry, strawberry and pear. Sweet dry finish. Very well balanced and the alcohol is excellently masked. I can't believe that this beer is 11.5%. I would have guessed closer to 7 or 8%. This is one of the best examples of this style that I've had and I highly recommend it.

Serving type: bottle

01-09-2011 22:18:58 | More by corby112

brewandbbq

New Hampshire

3.2/5  rDev -20%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

750ml bottle from 2007.

Pours hazy gold with zero head. A whisp on the surface was all that got kicked up and a placid surface with zero lacing for the duration.

Aromatics lead off with raw sugar, honey, cloves, and booze-soaked apricot. Bubblegum, biscuit malt, and cotton candy follow through.

Medium bodied with a syrupy mouthfeel. Tacky and slick.

Sugar-dusted apricots, boozy fusels, and crushed cloves start the palate. Quite sweet with plenty of fruit and honey. A decent bitterness tries to balance but fails.

Finishes with lingering sugar syrup, spicy yeast, booze, and a hint of menthol.

Yikes, really not warming up to this one. Kind of a sweet, fruity tonic.

Serving type: bottle

12-05-2010 00:55:32 | More by brewandbbq

PittBeerGirl

Pennsylvania

4.1/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

This is a beer I have been waiting to try for a long time! 22 oz bottle poured into my snifter! Bottled 12/09

A- Body is a hazy dark golden yellow hue. Cloudiness is thick and dynamic. Pours with a 1-2 finger thick foamy white head. Head eventually fades to a thin collar and traces of lacing are left behind in the glass.

S-Nose is interesting and complex. A hint of alcohol astringency, soft floral hops, lemon, peppery spice, a hint of sugar, and an even smaller hint of organic malt.

T-Flavor is light upfront. Peppery spice is the dominant presence upfront with a hint of organic pale malt in the background-hints of lemon and sugar come through initially as well. The finish becomes spicier with an accent of soft floral hops, candi sugar, and the slightest bit of alcohol bitterness. Left to linger is a mild sugary sweetness and a big spicy aftertaste in the back of the palate.

M- Very high spritzy carbonation and a light weight-but full body. The amount of carbonation prevents the true consistency of the mouthfeel (i.e. whether it be full of booze or smooth and bready) from showing. Considering the high ABV-this masking is probably a good thing.

D- This is a very good, drinkable, BSPA. The hops seem to have faded over the course of a year-and Im sure the alcohol has too. This ale sticks true to the style (golden in color and not fitting the profile for a trippel). The alcohol is kept in check-it drinks like a 7.5-8.0% ABV brew. I am more impressed with this than my review reflects.

Serving type: bottle

11-09-2010 02:32:05 | More by PittBeerGirl

wedge

North Carolina

3.25/5  rDev -18.8%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Winter 2007

Pours a bright and clear orange color with a disappointingly small, fizzling head for something named after the Flemish chemist who first distinguished gases like CO2 from air. Aromas of apple and white wine...sweet candied fruit esters and a bit of yeast. The much welcomed presence of pale malt enters the picture with the first sip. Spiced apple, honey, and candied fruit make up the majority of flavors, finishing with a touch of sweet breadiness. The honeyed quality builds as it warms in both smell and taste. There is definitely more balance in the flavor overall. Medium-plus body, slick, with fine carbonation.

I feel like I've been harsh on this one, but it just doesn't measure up to the deliciousness of other examples of the style. This strikes me as raw and one-dimensional...which admittedly lessens as it approaches room temperature. I got a little buzz going at least...

Serving type: bottle

07-31-2010 23:39:23 | More by wedge

mdfb79

New York

3.93/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

From 7/9/10 notes. Had at a local DC tasting. 2008 bottle.

a - Pours a golden murky color with 1 inch of white head.

s - Smells of sour fruit, sugar, and fruity malts.

t - Tastes of citrus fruits, tropical fruits, malts, and sugar again.

m - Medium body and low carbonation. Very easy too drink.

d - A pretty nice beer. Some nice sour and citrus fruits in the smell and taste. Would try again.

Serving type: bottle

07-10-2010 23:02:11 | More by mdfb79

BeerAdvocate

Massachusetts

3.13/5  rDev -21.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Beer review from BA Mag Sep 2007.

Everyone should have a chance to try a creation like Baptista--plus, it's organic, so what have you got to lose?

Dark golden-amber color displays perfect clarity as scores of bubbles rush to the top. Full crowning of head with a fine beaded lacing from its high level of carbonation. Aromas of raw sugarcane, ripe peach, apricot and a kiss of black pepper. Smooth and creamy, with a thick body where the carbonation slowly rolls off the palate. Malt flavors range from bready to almost cake-like; a little on the sweet side to start but with enough hops to balance. A little phenolic, but more herbal/medicinal than bubble gum. Alcohol is noticeable and warming, with faint rum, vanilla and peachy notes. Finishes with a lingering alcohol and a drying maltiness.

This is a sipper for sure, and certainly a beer that will become more interesting if cellared. For a pairing, try ripe figs with a creamy bleu cheese.

Serving type: bottle

07-07-2010 00:12:09 | More by BeerAdvocate

johnmichaelsen

Oregon

4.22/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at the brewery the other day. I assume this is what I had, though it was listed as the Baptista Noel at the brewery (abv. was the same).

The beer pours a honey gold color with good head retention and lacing. The nose is sweet and spicey, with some holly and juniper as well. The beer is quite rich and sweet on the palate, though it was never hot or tiring. Along with a complex array of spice, there was vanilla, cherry syrup and light honey. The combination was very attractive, and I could see how this would be very popular during the winter months. Mouthfeel is full and long, but as already noted, it was not at all tiring or heavy on the palate. While certainly not something I'd want to drink by the pint, I still thought this flavorful was pretty drinkable, especially considering the sweetness and abv.

Another good one from Pisgah.

Serving type: on-tap

06-01-2010 15:41:38 | More by johnmichaelsen

nickd717

California

4.18/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Bomber thanks to bring. I had been wanting to tick this one off. Thanks, Barry.

Pours hazy orange-copper with a small fading off-white head.

Aroma is pretty nice with caramel, candi sugar, Belgian yeast, vanilla, and some fruitiness.

Flavor is nice, a little bitter and boozy. Caramel malt, candi sugar, spices, and some fruity notes, maybe apple and pear.

Decent palate, medium-full bodied with a good carbonation level.

Pretty solid stuff overall. Amazingly drinkable for the ABV.

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2010 06:21:21 | More by nickd717

farrago

New Jersey

4/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Two fingers of bone white, super-delicate foam, as active as a beehive, causing it to disintegrate swiftly, a few fluffy streaks of lacing left behind. Translucent, semi-hazy liquid, mostly a copper orange which fades to a metallic yellow at the rims, few visible bubbles. Fruit-driven nose of concentrated, dried fruit in style apricot, pear, peach, nectarine, banana fruit with sweet cinnamon and clove spice, orange marmalade, honey and cane sugar, pastry dough, wisely eschews weight for lift in your nostrils. Medium-bodied yet with great traction across the palate, never heavy but has an insistent medium-firm grip. Broad fruit spectrum of pineapple, papaya, banana, nectarine, melon, apricot, pear, all with a caramelized brown sugar, honey and cotton candy coating. The cinnamon, nutmeg spice as well as spiced orange keep the overall feel light and bouncy. Even with its admirable grip, the carbonation whipped up sufficiently to create a musk, if not perfume, in the mouth. There's a kind of sugary innocence about the brew, however, the sweetness does begin to tire you out after some time. (December 2009 bottling)

Serving type: bottle

04-27-2010 01:41:03 | More by farrago