Flat Earth Belgian-Style Pale Ale - Flat Earth Brewing Company

ChopperSmith

Minnesota

3.2/5  rDev -14.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Poured from a large 22 oz. bottle into a standard pint glass.

Appearance: Deep amber color, clear and carbonated. Nice one to two finger foamy head that didn't last long and left a slight lacing as it receded.

Smell: Toasty malts and slightly sweet and tangy. Not the usual fruitiness or hoppiness of typical Belgian Pale Ale's.

Taste: Like it smelled, malty and slightly sweet and dry. Not much hop presence or strong flavor profiles here, very light and slightly bland.

Mouth feel: Thin light-to-medium body, decent carbonation. Not much happening on the tongue.

Drinkability: Eh, it was OK, but there are far better Belgian Pale Ale's out there. Probably wouldn't seek this one out again.

Serving type: bottle

08-03-2009 03:27:31 | More by ChopperSmith

jera1350

Minnesota

2.93/5  rDev -22.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

Light golden orange color with big fluffy white head that shrinks down pretty fast. No lacing.

Big yeasty wheat smell.

Roasted malt, big wheat and yeast flavor. Some hops. Tastes like there's some adjuncts in it. Very oddly melded flavors. They are just not working together. Taste reminds me of mixing a pale ale and a belgian in the same glass at home.

Lighter bodied, overly carbonated. When I take a sip, it starts foaming up in my mouth. It's as if I had a mentos in my mouth at the same time.

I hope I have a bad bottle here, but I can't say I will reach for this one again. This might be a drain pour yet.

Serving type: bottle

07-01-2009 01:49:59 | More by jera1350

mikesgroove

South Carolina

4/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Grabbed this one as a really cool extra recently. I have had a lot of thing from Flat Earth, and I swear what I haven't had just came in the last week! Served chilled and poured into a pint glass, this one was consumed on 06/23/2009.
 
The pour was very nice. Light amber in color, moderate haze with a nice two inches of white foam on top. Settled down into a soft pillow that just barely stayed afloat throughout the day. Light aroma of grain, light grasses and hints of bready touches as well. Some light peach, pears, light fig like notes as it warms with a touch of a peppery spice. As I take the first sip, it is remarkably smooth and very easy drinking. Light prickly carbonation is apparent now with a light bready flavor that coats the tongue, leaving a very nice, and very light fruit flavor to cap off the finish. Lightly dry and very session able, good one to enjoy on a warm summer day.
 
Overall very solid, and very nice for the style. Not as hoppy as some of the other examples, but very mellow and smooth. I would do this one again.

Serving type: bottle

06-24-2009 19:56:19 | More by mikesgroove

BDLbrewster

Minnesota

3.33/5  rDev -11.4%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a rich orange hued amber color with a bright, snow white one finger head that fleeted quickly leaving almost no lacing.

Smells of sweet belgian yeast and biscuit, accompanied by a moderate amount of sugary sweetness. Some light toasty malt in the nose as well. Very pleasant.

Biscuit and a nice chunk of sugary sweetness right away. There is some wheaty character to it as well, mildly spicy hops and a definite wheat taste in the finish. Very light but comes off as somewhat rich.

Thinner in the mouth than I expect for the style. I have had serious carbonation issues with this brew in the past, but this batch hit its mark.

Light bodied, cheap and very nice tasting, session this brew whenever I see it on tap

Serving type: bottle

06-18-2009 00:43:00 | More by BDLbrewster

spointon

Illinois

4.08/5  rDev +8.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I poured this one from a 22oz brown bomber bottle into a stemmed tulip glass.

A= This ale poured a bright and clear copper color with a 2.5" white foam head. The head dropped modestly and left a bit of lace behind. It was a decent looking ale, but didn't really look like a Belgian pale ale.

S= Lots of malty sweetness and nuttiness up front, with a big toasty note in there too. Only a mild estery yeast presence.

T= Taste followed the smell. Big toasted biscuit and nutty malt flavor dominated the front end of this beer. Some mild Belgin yeast phenolics in the middle. The finish was dry and nutty and very refreshing.

MF= Medium bodied, with a moderate carbonation level and decent crispness.

D= I enjoyed this on a hot day after working in the yard. It was very refreshing and I could easily have sessioned a few of these.

Serving type: bottle

05-31-2009 00:52:30 | More by spointon

roadhouse

Florida

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

22 oz. bomber into a Duvel glass

Pours a clear copper color with a two inch off-white head that falls down to a skim. It has trouble holding a head despite being in the Duvel glass. No lacing is left behind.

Aroma is yeasty with a bit of sweet sugar, toasty malt, and some clovey phenols. A mild fruit character of peach and apple.

Taste is very toasty with mild fruit again, a slight sweetness but it is offset by the clovey phenols that come in towards the end and linger on.

Mouthfeel is pretty light, comes across watery sort of. Nice carbonation though makes it rather soft.

This was a pretty decent beer but nothing amazing. Considering it was $4 for a bomber though, it was a pretty good deal.

Serving type: bottle

05-23-2009 02:45:09 | More by roadhouse

cadenwhitaker

Minnesota

3.75/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

I pulled this out of my cellar, after having it in there for about four months. Popping the top resulted in a quick, but not explosive, gusher, only a little run over the side.

Poured a deep, clear amber with a bubbily fizzy head that quickly dissipated down to almost soda-pop like effect.

Taste is muted, tastes like a belgian, nothing spectacular there. Though it was terribly fizzy... and that's not something I really go for in belgians.

Overall impression. I wish the head retention was better, this beer would be better served with a sticky-fluffy-white-head instead of a soda-pop fizzbomb. Aside from that, the taste was there. I will get this again, but I think it needs a bit of work.

--- older review

It took a few drinks, then I realized I must have been drinking this beer way to cold because I wasn't getting any of the flavors.

The pour is a clear golden amber, and the taste is very muted at first but the flavor comes out in the end. Very sessionble.

Serving type: bottle

05-22-2009 20:44:45 | More by cadenwhitaker

Mistofminn

Minnesota

3.4/5  rDev -9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

22 oz bomber into pint glass. The bottle art isn't the same as in the picture, must have changed recently. It has a dog with a waffle in it's mouth.

Pours a amber or copper-red like color. Much darker than the Belgian Pale Ale's I'm used to seeing, but I'm open to new things. Produces a large slightly off white head, that dissipates quickly.

The nose isn't very Belgian to me. I mean, at least not the Belgian that I'm used too. This is incredibly malty and toasty, it feels like I'm sniffing toast with maple syrup on it, literally. A slight bit of hop bitterness is also noticeable.

I really want to like this beer, but I'm just not a fan. It's way to toasty for my liking, and I like my Belgians to be fruity and spicey, this is sort of the opposite for me. It's not that it's bad, because it's not, it's just it's not playing to my taste.

Mouthfeel is pretty good. Malty and sweet, pretty dang smooth. Drinkability is high, but it gets a knock from my dislike of the taste.

Overall, not my favorite beer, an average one at best. I'm a little disappointed, because I would really love to support my local brewery more. I guess I'll just have to try another offering.

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2009 04:50:09 | More by Mistofminn

djeucalyptus

Oregon

3.83/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

pours a beautiful golden apricot hue, crystal clear, with a vigorous three-finger head fueled by never ending carbonation. The head, however, fades fairly quickly, and lacing is only a wish. A thin collar of fizz follows down the glass.

aroma of wet straw, apricot, seville oranges, almonds, champagne grapes, biscuits, clover honey, a bit more belgian mustiness. Aroma is beautiful and earthy in a unique yet undeniably belgian way.

taste echoes the belgian qualities in the aroma fairly nicely. a bit grassy, a bit barnyardy, a little musty, and a healthy bit of fruit. apricots, white grapes, bosc pears and a hint of lemon. A fair bit of spice comes through, almost saison-esque, with some white pepper, cloves and cardamom, and a bit of bitter hopping. complex and well rounded, although a bit muddled at times. a doughy malt backbone holds everything together well.

mouthfeel is a bit of a letdown... the carbonation is just a touch rough and the body thin yet still a touch slick and sticky. Not bad by any means, but a bit more vibrant and smooth carbonation and this would be beautiful.

Enjoyable and fairly drinkable. the harshness amplifies the spiciness, which is delicious yet almost overwhelmingly harsh at times. Just a touch of reworking of the carbonation would improve everything. Still really enjoyable and definitely worth trying.

Serving type: bottle

03-18-2009 02:32:14 | More by djeucalyptus

mdwalsh

Iowa

4/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from 22 oz bomber into 22 oz heffe glass

A: Pours a big 3+ finger head with lots of action but it goes away quick. Tons of active carbonation that lasts the whole time. Zero Lacing. Pretty much a crystal clear, copper/golden/amber coloring, going red at the very top under the head.

S: Flowery, but also a little floury. Complex, and full of things I can't really pick out, but not terribly strong.

T: Bears some resemblance to a wheat beer, but maltier. Not terribly complex, but still very good. Like the smell, not overwhelming but pleasant

M: Smooth, light on the tongue. Leaves a slightly fizzy afterfeeling. Doesn't feel really there on much of the tongue, but more so around the mouth

D: Good, as long as the carbonation doesn't get you. Would probably be good for BMC drinkers.

Serving type: bottle

03-08-2009 21:12:17 | More by mdwalsh

BuckeyeNation

Iowa

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

Polished pumpkin with carbonation that is almost Champagnesque. It would be great if the ecru colored crown was also Belgianesque, but it doesn't have that much character. The foam is soft, airy, barely rocky and unsticky. What lace makes it to the glass doesn't last very long... and I haven't even taken a sip yet.

It's hard to go wrong with quality ingredients that include Belgian yeast. The nose smells like musky fruit skins, wildflowers and ground clove. Good call on the Saaz and Hallertau hops. I love citrus fruity American hops, but they have no place in a beer like this.

Belgian-Style Pale Ale tastes authentic. More importantly, it tastes good. Using a primo yeast strain isn't enough to create delicious, Belgian-style ale; something that quite a few American brewers have proven time and time again. Thankfully, it looks like the brewers at Flat Earth have the chops to deliver the goods.

The malt side of the equation is a little too toasted and earthy for my tastes, but it's far from a deal-breaker. Top notes include the floral and herbal qualities of the hops, as well as the impressive spiciness of the yeast. Clove is dominant (and a little phenolic), followed by a not-so-subtle push of cardamom and white pepper.

There aren't many Belgian pales that contain this much bitter hoppiess. It looks like the brewers are showing some of their American colors after all. Although warming doesn't change much, it does tie the various flavors together more completely.

Apparently, previous bottles (the label seen above) were notorious for being gushers. The more recent bombers, like this one, that have the German Shepherd chewing on a Belgian waffle label, are more properly carbonated... but still not ideal. The bubbles are too harsh and creaminess is lacking as a result.

Belgian-Style Pale Ale is yet another good one from Flat Earth. With higher quality bubbles, the first and fourth scores would probably earn an increase... and the fifth might too. I'm more than willing to give this one another go the next time I visit the Twin Cities.

Serving type: bottle

03-01-2009 16:05:24 | More by BuckeyeNation

GilGarp

Colorado

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

Mild gusher upon opening, pour into a glass which quickly fills with foam and then the bottle foams over as well.

Pours with huge head everywhere but it sticks around well and leaves evidence behind. Hazy orange in color.

Aroma is very Belgian in character with spice and yeast.

Flavor is full bodied best described as somewhere between a Belgian pale ale and a saison. Lots of spice and fruity esters floating around.

Mouthfeel is decent but the carbonation is on the high side and it feels high in alcohol than it is. The spice and burn is considerable.

Drinkability is okay but would be higher if not for the Belgian influence. The high carbonation makes it feel more alive but the gas gets to me before the first half is down.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2008 05:45:14 | More by GilGarp

jjanega08

Minnesota

3.85/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A= copper color with a huge head that lasts for an eternity leaving great lacing along the glass
S= yeasty and some toasted malt. Very very small hop notes
T= carmel maltyness but mostly a doughy yeast. I don't usually like belgians much because of the yeast but this is well balanced with the malt
M= high carbonation with a crisp finish
D= decent. Like I said I don't care for the belgians much but this one was pretty nice for the style

Serving type: bottle

12-22-2008 18:28:16 | More by jjanega08

cvstrickland

North Carolina

3.98/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A 22-ounce bomber bottle poured into a large goblet yields a pale copper-tinted amber body with an enormous 4-finger cap of pearl-white foam. The towering wallop of fine bubbles deflates without any sense of urgency, lollygagging around, resting at a creamy free-floating hunk that leaves dense webby lacing all over the inside of the glass.

The smell of the drink is sweet and fruity, with notes of juicy green apples, lime zest, tart kiwi fruit and snipped evergreen needles mashed with fresh grated pineapple husks. A fine, mellow malty syrup note underpins the aroma profile, lending a savory heft to the fruit-fest.

The taste is crisp and fruity with a mild pale malt backbone and a smattering of yeasty, lightly musty funk. Softly diluted, mildly-sweet notes of apple and nectarine dominate, and a slippery malty note lightly coats the palate. A mild metallic note and a bit of bitterness languish in the juicy finish.

The drink is light in body with vivid carbonation that fits the drink well. A really fine refreshing brew with great drinkability. Thanks to Dr. Brad for the bottle.

Serving type: bottle

12-08-2008 22:42:52 | More by cvstrickland

HomebrewPgh

Pennsylvania

3.73/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A nice Belgian pale. Aroma was so so. Pale malt with a little staleness to it. Pour was a beautiful burnt gold with a nice pillowy near tan head with tons of little bubbles rising and sticking to the bottom of the glass. Taste was a little one dimensional and weak. Pale malt with just a hint of light fruits. The big thing here is the carbonation. This carbonation bites the top of the mouth like a tiger biting into it's prey. That great mouthfeel makes this average beer slightly above average.

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2008 03:09:40 | More by HomebrewPgh

cokes

Wisconsin

3.9/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

This one is excited to get out of the bottle, and gushes several ounces out onto the countertop. Once it settles down a bit (and just a bit), it pours to a smoky copper color stacked with a 4 inch column of ecru. The retention is amazing (for better and worse) and the lacing is filthy.
It smells of flaky pastries, sourdough, peppercorns, lemon, spruce, and iron.
Doughy and crusty at its onset into the mouth, then moving further toward the latter. Sourdough heels and croissants and plain toast. It sweetens a tad in the middle with caramel apples and lime. Yeast adds flickers of lemonpepper and wet rocks. Hops build on the aforementioned citric qualities, and bring some bittering herbal and mint notions, as it lingers with lime peels.
Light bodied with a have amount of CO2. Once it settles down (and be prepared to wait a while), it's taut with a tickling bead.
Once one fights past the gigantic, never-retreating head, it's hugely drinkable.
A little less carbonation and this probably enters "special" territory.

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2008 01:45:36 | More by cokes

Buebie

Minnesota

2.65/5  rDev -29.5%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

This is the new bottle with different lable design then the one on the page currently.

Poured from a 22oz brown bomber into a snifter. Great color and clarity off this, although I'd hope for an unfiltered true blegian beer with a tremens style haze. Its crystal clear in transparency. Orangish copper in color. 1 inch white cola fizzy head that quickly receeds. Leaving a ring around the outer edges of the glass in retention. No lace, it all slips back very quickly into the beer.

Aromas are very traditional in the beglian characteristic. Fruity aroma of pinnaple, banana, carmelised candy sugars, some peppery spice, and a touch of warm alcahol fumes. A touch of smokey malt aroma.

Thin watery mouthfeel with big carbonation zing on the tounge. Similar to a coke in that carbonation sting. Mild grassy hop flavor after the swallow. Sour peppery flavors with hints of acidic citrus.

Not really feeling this, its pretty boring.

Serving type: bottle

11-29-2008 23:22:59 | More by Buebie

CHSLBrew

Minnesota

3.93/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 5

Bomber poured into an imperial pint glass.

A-Off-white to tan head on top of a pristinely clear amber beer. Moderate head retention, eventually reduces down to thin, inconsistent bubble layer.

S-Clovey and maltish. Some hints of German hops.

T-Nutty and slightly spicy, with Belgian-characteristic cloviness. Some balancing bitterness, but no noticeable hop flavors.

M-Clean finish, extremely clean! Light-medium body. Medium-high carbonation, lively within my mouth.

D-Very nice beer overall, with good flavors and a clean, crisp finish, making it very drinkable. I could drink this beer any day, any weather, and temperature, any length of session, and enjoy it every time.

Serving type: bottle

11-21-2008 03:04:13 | More by CHSLBrew

Oxymoron

Colorado

3.2/5  rDev -14.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

The pour is a murky orange color with some lighter tan hues. A rustic white head with limited retention and lacing.

The nose has some hints of Belgian characteristics but very soft for style. Some light sweeter grainy notes with more of a basic malt flavor. Some honey and hints of biscuit and even a slight flour aroma. Some noticeable grassy and floral hops, a bit much for style. Some lighter spice notes, white pepper and a little medicinal as well. Would have liked more esters and spice notes.

The taste is similar. The malt comes out more though. A more biscuit note with noticeable honey notes. A light bready taste with a sweet finish. The yeast is detectable but really is missing that Belgian characteristic. Some hints of citrus and orange with some minor pepper on the back end. The medicinal comes out more in the taste and is more distracting as it warms.

The body is moderate, would have like it to finish a bit drier. Boarder line under attenuated. Some minor carbonic bite.

Serving type: bottle

11-07-2008 23:04:30 | More by Oxymoron

Bitterbill

Wyoming

4.1/5  rDev +9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I got this bottle in a trade with Lofgrep. Thanks Peter!

This pours....omg! I just lost about 2/3rds of the beer when I popped the cap. It exploded out of the bottle like nothing I've ever had before.

Anywho...it has a nice honey gold colour with a small head of foam and there's some lacing.

The smell is yeasty and grainy and peppery and fruity. Interesting and pleasing smells.

The taste has good peppery and spicy notes up front with a good strong yeasty flavour and some earthy malt tones. There's a bitterish hop flavour right before and through the finish. This is nice.

Good medium mouthfeel and after the initial "explosion", I find the carbonation on the light side. Quite tasty and quite drinkable; too bad I lost so much of it. :^(

Serving type: bottle

10-25-2008 17:54:37 | More by Bitterbill

kenito799

New York

3.8/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

22oz bomber poured into a pint glass.

Hazy yellow-amber, nice large rocky head,recedes slowly, looks nice.

The aroma has a nice apple-lemon sharpness that gives a definite Belgian twist to this brew. Malty. Nice fruitiness up front, while cold the midpalate had a sour graininess that is not so great; warming, this effect mellows but the lemony tangy grain flavor really contributes to the Belgian feel of this well-made ale.

Serving type: bottle

10-07-2008 02:27:10 | More by kenito799

Monkeyknife

Missouri

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

Wow, this beer was a gusher. The bottle foamed at the top even with half of it's contents poured into a glass.

Anyway...poured into a glass a slightly hazy tea color with a frothy beige head.

Aroma of sweet malts, Belgian yeast, flowers, spices, and something slightly medicinal.

The taste has a bitter hoppiness upfront followed by dark ripe fruit, caramel, toasted malts and yeast. Finish lingers with a cocoa tinge.

Medium bodied, dry and chewy, and considerably carbonated.

A pretty good Belgian Pale from Flat Earth. Not one of my favorites but enjoyed and worthy of the experience.

Serving type: bottle

10-06-2008 23:08:55 | More by Monkeyknife

russpowell

Oklahoma

3.95/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Got this one from FeloniousMonk, cheers Al!

Poured a little foamy, but no beer was wasted!Pours an effervescent orange/caramel with 2+ fingers of cream colored head. A bot of floaties, at the bottom of the bottle, good head retention & lacing

S: Orchard fruits, a bit of phenolic must

T: Grapefruitty hops hit the roof of the mouth along with apple peels & along with cloves, & white pepper up front. Pears, a touch of lemony hops, dryness as this warms. finishes crisp, with apple peels, a touch of grapefruit & fairly dry

MF: Medium bodied, crisp, great balance, nice fruittyness

Drinks pretty darn easy, a nice low end of the ABV spectrum Belgian PA

Serving type: bottle

09-19-2008 23:48:06 | More by russpowell

brewdlyhooked13

Ohio

2.68/5  rDev -28.7%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.5

Appearance - pours similar to the previously sampled 115 but without as much foam. A light orange amber color, the head is a light beige and laces spotty trails around the glass.

Aroma - a light fruitiness but again, there is a sour acridness to go with. Not as strong as the 115.

Taste - lightly floral and fruity, turning rapidly bitter with grapefruit rind. A sharp and severe flavor at the back, I'm not convinced that is the intent. Almost undrinkable at the outset here. Definitely a beer with promise but I'm thinking this may be slightly off as well.

Mouthfeel - explodes in the mouth with carbonation, yet maintaining a noteworthy smoothness afterwards. The body is sturdy but not overly big.

Drinkability - I ended up getting through this and even partially enjoying it despite the defects. Thanks again to Ben for the bottle. I haven't kept up with the QA situation at Flat Earth other than knowing there were issues. Hopefully I'll get a chance to try this again.

Serving type: bottle

09-18-2008 21:22:00 | More by brewdlyhooked13

OWSLEY069

Pennsylvania

4.08/5  rDev +8.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a hazy copper/ orange-ish color with a light tan head. In the aroma, big fruitiness, cherry and raisons. In the taste, cherry, dark fruit, primarily raison, and a toasty malt. A smooth and medium mouthfeel, with a dry, dark fruit, cherry aftertaste. Big fruit presence, nice session ale. I liked it alot.

Serving type: bottle

08-30-2008 14:11:05 | More by OWSLEY069