Barbãr (Belgian Honey Ale) - Brasserie Lefèbvre SA

FeDUBBELFIST

Pennsylvania

4.22/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

growler to pint glass.

A: Big foamy, creamy white head that erupts from the body and eventually subsides in to a lingering film on top that lasts till the end. Unbelievable lacing. Golden yellow-ish orange body that is very clear all the way through.

S: Very unique aroma. Average level of maltiness, mostly toffee, sugar cookies and a little bready. Very light, doughy yeast notes. Resiny hops with fruity esters. I like Barbar so far.

T: Grape, apple, butterscotch notes in addition to the aromas that came through. Now I love Barbar.

M: Very light and delicate mouthfeel. Lighter body than I prefer, but it does not bother me whatsoever, all things considered. Very slick, almost oily mouthfeel. After the performance that was the pour, I would have guessed more carbonation would be present. It is almost flat but trust me, in an acceptable way.

D: This is one drinkable beer. Hopefully the sweet flavor doesn't change my mind. It is very palatable and would be sessionable if it were lower in ABV.

Serving type: growler

11-09-2009 01:33:13 | More by FeDUBBELFIST

UCLABrewN84

California

3.98/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Best before 5/29/14.

Pours a hazy orange with a foamy beige head that settles to a partial film on top of the beer. Small streaks of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Small jelly-like clumps of sediment are seen floating around in the glass after the pour. Smell is of malt, grain, honey, fruit, and slight spice aromas. Taste is much the same with honey and grape-like fruit flavors on the finish. There is a very mild amount of spice bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a good level of carbonation with a crisp and prickly mouthfeel. Overall, this is a good beer that is tasty and easy to drink.

Serving type: bottle

05-12-2013 02:33:44 | More by UCLABrewN84

keithmurray

Louisiana

3.88/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Bottle with a Best Before date of 7.11.2013

Appearance - cloudy honey colored beverage with white head

Smell - honey is most striking feature in the nose, ginger

Taste - honey is the main feature with yeast also present as well as ginger and coriander

Mouthfeel - lighter end of medium bodied, medium level of carbonation, slight sweetness at the beginning and the flavors linger on the palate nicely

Overall - nice beer that beer enthusiasts should try if they see it. Recommended

Price Point - $4.59/11.2 oz bottle

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2013 19:49:14 | More by keithmurray

Brabander

Netherlands

3.48/5  rDev -10.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Drank this beer with my buddy Andy. Our wifes are off to a party abd we are drinking a few beers. This was the second beer of the evening.

Poured in a small Struise chalice the beers looks quit nice, yellow colour fluid with a nice white head. Nice lacing. This beer has some very light sour notes in it. Smell like a saison. Not a bad beer.

Serving type: bottle

04-27-2013 21:08:50 | More by Brabander

janubio

Spain

4.13/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

330 ml. bottle. Hazy golden colour, two fingers head with bubbles, not lasting much, lace around the borders. Smell of honay, of course, but also coriander, oranges and spices. Medium body, crispy and normal carnation. Taste of honey, chocolate, orange and spices, alcohol, like a brandy but sweet. Fantastic beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2013 14:35:40 | More by janubio

Douberd

Netherlands

4.33/5  rDev +11%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Swing top bottle of 330 ml, at home, poured into a trappist glass. The moment I popped the bottle open, strong sweet smell of honey came out.
A carefoul pour gave me a light copper-like colour beer, with two fingers of head that quickly became a thin line, covering mostly the center of the beer's surface and lingering lazy around the glass. Lots of bubbles coming to the top. The second pour of what it was left, was into a tulip glass, where the foam had significally longer duration.
The aroma is very sweet, with indeed honey aromas, reminded me also of homemade wine.
Taste is fantastic, very complex and difficult to describe. Sweet of course, with the honey flavour not so obvious as on the aroma, grapes and slighty taste of the 8% ABV. I taste some white mulberries too, something I haven't tasted since I was a child.
On the body is thin to medium with an average to high carbonation.
Overall a great beer, it brought some memories back too with its fantastic taste. Highly recommended.

Serving type: bottle

01-14-2013 18:20:41 | More by Douberd

rhoadsrage

Illinois

3.58/5  rDev -8.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

20110910 stamped on bottle
(Served in a tulip glass)

A- This beer has a slightly hazy deep copper body with a spongy light beige head that last.

S- The flinty wheat dough aroma is soft with some orange blossoms and coriander finish. There is a slight mustard seed aroma in the finish as the beer opens.

T- The bright juicy orange peel has a dry spice bitterness that is softer in the finish. There is a soft sweetness in the finish. As the beer opens there is a cough syrup medicinal quality to the orange zest and coriander flavors.

M- This beer has a medium mouthfeel with a tight fizz and no alcohol heat noticed.

O- The big intense orange flavor is a bit to intense and it hides some of the malt and yeast flavors. It takes on a slight jolly rancher intensity with the coriander also dominating aswell. They are some nice flavors just need to turn them down a bit, or bring up some malt flavors to balance them.

Serving type: bottle

01-03-2013 22:32:41 | More by rhoadsrage

Marc_V

4.33/5  rDev +11%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle from Belgianbeershop.com. Served in the original Barbar glass. Thick white head that lasts very well. The beer is amber brown. Aroma: clear honey presence but also yeast and fruits are detected. Complex and sweet aroma. The taste is very well balanced and not too sweet as one might expect from a honey ale. Long finish. Barbar is one of the best, if not the best honey ale you can get.

Serving type: bottle

12-11-2012 13:40:12 | More by Marc_V

sfprint

Germany

4.35/5  rDev +11.5%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: a dull honey, with barely any rising carbonation with a half finger of head
S: sweet and beautifully fruity.
T: Not like other honey beers, the honey isn't so apparent. Not nearly as intense as other Belgian strong ales but it has a weaker version of the light strong ale flavor. But it's sweeter and fruityier. It's really excellent.
M: Perfect medium sting, light to medium body
O: A very special, unique beer. Unusual but quite appealing fruitiness.

Serving type: bottle

11-29-2012 23:48:19 | More by sfprint

Filosoof

Netherlands

4.53/5  rDev +16.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Some years ago I drank this beer, and it didn't impresse me much.

Last year I took it again and found out what I missed. Ofcourse this beer is sweet, but the herbs, honey and flowers and nice soft hops make it a beer to stay.

L: just great; golden looks;
S: mjummy, could this last forever, herbs, flowers, soft hops, creamy notes;
T: the tast is round, someone could say it lacks bitterishness, okay because of that it stays a 4,5;
M: very, very drinkable, nice carbo;
O: really my style, blond not too heavy, an underestimated star....can I have another one?

Serving type: bottle

11-16-2012 19:46:05 | More by Filosoof

Chrispy

3.98/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: Golden with some small spices floating.
Smell: Sweet yeast, typical belgian smell, with some orange
Taste: sweet malt, yeast, orange with a honey taste left in your mouth.
Mouthfeel: Nice carbonation but feels light on the tongue as the beer finishes.
Overall: Very good belgian, very smooth for 8%, dont detect any alcohol.
Serving type: bottle

Serving type: bottle

11-01-2012 06:48:07 | More by Chrispy

Josiah2729

Tennessee

4.23/5  rDev +8.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle poured into tulip.

Appearance: Hazy gold color with white head. Excellent lacing.

Smell: Some honey, sweet malt, Belgian yeast, sweet fruit.

Taste: Honey with some belgian yeast, some alcohol taste.

Mouthfeel: Medium body with moderate carbonation, some alcohol burn.

Overall: Nice belgian beer. Honey was not overpowering.

Serving type: bottle

08-30-2012 03:38:29 | More by Josiah2729

StonedTrippin

Colorado

4.03/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

never in a million years could one guess this was 8% abv by smelling or tasting it. it pours a very light sandy yellow color with a tall belgian style white head and a mild haze. smells like fresh floral clover honey and belgian yeast. this is a very bright beer, light in flavor but complex. honey flavor but not sweetness, pollen, wheat malt, and a gentle peppery quality are all present here in the flavor. mouthfeel is prime, light and crisp, infinitely drinkable, with fine carbonation and a miraculously satisfying finish. this is a great bottle of beer, and one i very much look forward to trying again. the honey is as well balanced yet prominent in this beer as in any beer ive tasted. bravo!

Serving type: bottle

08-05-2012 13:13:40 | More by StonedTrippin

LiquidAmber

Washington

3.98/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Review from 8/2010 notes. Poured into a Gulden Draak tulip. Pours a medium orange amber with a moderate off white head with lacing, nice looking. Belgian spice aroma. Nice medium body with pale malts, fruit, Belgian spices and distinct honey. Honey and slight hop finish. A bit sweet and has a brief acerbic flavor, but overall quite nice and interesting ale. Similar to a triple, but heavier bodied and with a nice honey backbone. I will try this again.

Serving type: bottle

08-02-2012 18:15:56 | More by LiquidAmber

flagmantho

Washington

3.6/5  rDev -7.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured from 330mL bottle into a tulip.

Appearance: medium golden hue with a huge effervescence and the tiniest hint of haze. Head is three fingers of creamy ivory foam with excellent tenacity and leaving an attractive chunky lace on the glass as I drink. Excellent.

Smell: sweet malt with a fair amount of graininess and a hint of orange and a touch of coriander -- an admirably gentle hand at the spicing. However, the raw-grain aroma I don't particularly like in this style; it just doesn't seem to fit with the rest of the picture.

Taste: super sweet flavor; the honey really stands out here. There's also a very floral quality to the beer, probably a result of the spicing. Not bad, but too sweet for my palate.

Mouthfeel: medium-light body with a good carbonation and a good creaminess. Frankly the mouthfeel doesn't live up to the beauty of the effervescence and majestic head, but it's still pretty good.

Overall: this beer has a wonderful look and decent feel, but it is simply way too sweet for me. That said, the flavors are otherwise decent.

Serving type: bottle

07-28-2012 21:28:17 | More by flagmantho

WankelEngine

Illinois

3.6/5  rDev -7.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 11.2oz bottle into a snifter

A: Pours an orange/amber color. There is a small white head which dissipates to a cap of foam. Sparse, spotty lacing.

S: The first thing I notice is Belgian yeast followed by some strange flavors. Honey provides a sweetness that oddly complements the Belgian traits. There is an herbal smell I have trouble placing exactly but must be due to the coriander. Some malts give a bit of toffee and fig.

T: Again the first thing I pick up is Belgian yeast, but now followed closely by some sweet malty flavors. Toffee, caramel, and fig blend with honey and light citrus notes. Honey is still very prominent and adds a pervasive, weird sweetness.

M: Moderately light body with light carbonation.

O: I've used similar words a few times in this review, but the best way to describe this beer is strange. The honey character is big and adds some notes you don't find in most beers. Don't know if I would by again for myself, but interesting nonetheless.

Serving type: bottle

04-15-2012 01:30:24 | More by WankelEngine

twiggamortis420

Texas

3.48/5  rDev -10.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

11.2 oz bottle pours a lightly hazed, pale gold color with a surprisingly small cap of white head. Doesnt stick around too long either.

Honey is quite evident on the nose, along with a bold presence of coriander and to a lesser degree, orange. Nice smelling beer that is fresh and sweet.

Maybe a bit too much honey? Orange flip-flops with the coriander on the flavor and makes a bigger impression. Quite sweet and the coriander accentuates that a bit without much to offset the sweet flavors...maybe a kiss of drying alcohol. Not bad, especially if you think of it more as an imperial wit than BSPA, I think it has more in common with the former.

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2012 01:18:45 | More by twiggamortis420

Everydayoff

Thailand

3.78/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

330ml bottle poured into a tulip by freshness date.

A:
Clear golden color with generous white foamy head with good retention, it leaves thin enduring layer and fine sticky lacings, very high fizzy carbonation generates vast amount of bubbles rising fast.

S:
Big honey in a nose mingles with floral, sweet malt, citrus, lemon rind and coriander spiciness.

T:
Prominent sweet honey note along with sugar, citrus zest, lemon peel and coriander spice, bitter orange yields some bitterness to balance. Some residual sweetness and spice left as an aftertaste.

M:
The body is medium, refined smooth with well suit carbonation.

O:
Pretty good brew, alcohol is very well hidden so it’s good quaffable.

Serving type: bottle

02-04-2012 18:41:47 | More by Everydayoff

Pegasus

Texas

4.38/5  rDev +12.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Deep brown body with substantial haze and sediment, crowned by a modest off white head. Thick lacing coats the glass walls, there is quite a bit of slow-rising carbonation.

Aroma: Deep and sweet notes of fermented honey, lesser orange rind, and coriander. The aroma is similar to that of mead. There is also a strong, spicy alcohol note.

Taste: Opens with strong notes of honey, this dominates the taste from start to finish. The honey is rather earthy, and there are leafy hops as well. Coriander and orange rind are also prominent, and meld well with the honey. Finishes with a mild medicinal note and a lingering mild sweetness.

Mouth feel: Smooth, soft, and very full.

Drinkability/notes: As BuckeyeNation sagely noted, this is more like an Imperial Wit than a Belgian Strong Pale ale. Very well done. I would certainly try it again.

Presentation: Packaged in an 11.2 ounce brown glass long neck bottle with a pry-off crown, served in a standard Pilsener glass.

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2012 01:53:09 | More by Pegasus

schoolboy

Ohio

4.78/5  rDev +22.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

It is hard to fault this ale. OK, it's too good. It has a lovely light fragrance (not an aroma, a fragrance). The head is a little weak, but the color is sublime.

The taste is something I don't think I could ever get enough of. It is a good thing this is pretty expensive or I would drink it all day instead of going to work. I hope the perfect aftertaste lasts until tomorrow.

Serving type: bottle

01-07-2012 00:52:54 | More by schoolboy

eduardolinhalis

Switzerland

4/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

330ml bottle served in a mug glass.

A: Pours a deep yellow gold color. Clear. Forms a big and aired white head. Medium retention and many beautiful lacings

S: Honey bomb! :). Sweet, caramel malts, yeasts and hints of alcohol in the end

T: Strong on honey and sweet malts. Belgian yeasts. Grassy hops. Moderate sweet upfront and mild bitter hoppy end

M: Creamy molasses body. Good carbonation. Sweet upfront and mild bitter aftertaste

O: Delicious beer. Best honey beer I've ever had

Serving type: bottle

01-02-2012 13:52:56 | More by eduardolinhalis

IPA35

Netherlands

4.22/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Gold, slighly dark. White head.

Interesting smell, quite hoppy, some honey sweetness, floral, raisin, citrus, and prehaps some resin/mango.

A sweet, refreshing beer.
It reminds me a little bit of Fraoch actually. Very sweet with fruity, flowery flavours to it (hench the Fraoch), some subdued light malts in the back, some hops but not very much and some spicyness. You can definitly taste the honey, bitter orange peel and the coriander. Nice and interesting. Not overly sweet.

Medium bodied, smooth and with good carbonation. Easy to drink.

Nice beer, but I can't decide whether it is summery or wintery.

Serving type: bottle

12-12-2011 20:52:41 | More by IPA35

RodneyFarva

Spain

4.22/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

served on-tap into a snifter

pours a light straw color, two fingers of white head which stays for a very long time.

aroma of peppery spices, some alcohol, bready malts, and light fruits

taste of the same peppery spices, honey, some bready malts, apples, perhaps even an amaretto characteristic.

not too overly sweet, mouthfeel very nice, and overall, a nicely balanced strong pale ale. the honey perhaps didn't add as much as i was expecting, but still quite enjoyable.

Serving type: on-tap

11-20-2011 12:25:56 | More by RodneyFarva

corby112

Pennsylvania

3.33/5  rDev -14.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Pours a clear gold color with a one finger white head that slowly fades into a lasting ring. Spotty lacing left behind.

Spicy, slightly earthy aroma with subtle honey and lots of estery light fruit notes. Lots of peppery, zesty spice ecpecially coriander and lemon peel countered by sweeter notes.

Medium bodied with a blast of zesty spice up front that lingers over the sweeter notes into a dry finish. Huge peppery, coriander flavor along with some citrus rind. This is complimented by a spicy hop bite that has hints of dry, grassy pine.  The honey flavor is there but subtle and not artificially sweet. There's also sweet light fruit notes especially apple and pear along with some banana. A bit heavy on the spices at first but it's fairly light and easy to drink.

Serving type: bottle

11-14-2011 03:47:20 | More by corby112

Sunnanek

Sweden

3.63/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: Pours deep golden with a large white sizzeling, almost aggressivly head. Decent lacings.

S: Grassy, grainy, almost Pilsener-like malt. Bitter hops, yeast and faint spices. The honey is in the back.

T: Sweet, complex candylike malt. Fruits and spices. Honey is obvious... Grain.

M: Aftertaste lingers with a honey sweetness. Body is medium while carbonation rich.

O: Reading some of the other reviews; I don't see what the fuzz is all about. A decent (a bit above average) Belgian Strong Pale Ale. The honey makes it interesting, but in this style the grade is can't be higher...

Serving type: bottle

11-04-2011 21:02:56 | More by Sunnanek