Melange A Trois - Reserve Series Aged In French Oak Chardonnay Barrels - Nebraska Brewing Company

JustinMatthew

Pennsylvania

4.98/5  rDev +19.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Poured from the 750ml bottle to an Ommegang tulip glass. Hazy yellow in color with about two fingers worth of white head. Smells of Belgian yeast, white grapes, light oak and an obvious tart presence. Taste is perfect. You get a little of everything from sip to sip.. Belgian yeast spice, Floral notes, orange peel, some vanilla and oak subtleties. Slightly acidic and tart. Well carbonated, dosent detract from the complexities at all. This is pretty much everything I want from a beer. Price tag is steep so it's not something I'll be drinking as much as I'd like.

Serving type: bottle

02-16-2012 00:21:54 | More by JustinMatthew

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

4.78/5  rDev +14.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Pours out a crystal clear, yellow-hued body with a foaming, tall, white head.

Smell: The chardonnay wine barrel treatment is simply bulging in the aroma, ahead of the lightly sweet-scented golden barley and hint of finely fragrant herbs and flowers giving a quality of hand-crafted artisan soaps, the kind people keep in an ornate bowl in the bathroom, are in small shapes, and you're not allowed to use.

Taste: A wonderful blend of sweet, soft as cream barley and a great chardonnay with a gentle oakiness. Floral accents, a hint of citric lemon vanilla creme, and some perfumy touches. A little, bright 'pop' of acidity. Light spiciness and some more oak showing on the wine spritzed finish.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied. Highly carbonated, very easy and breezy along the tongue.

Overall: The chardonnay character is pairing perfectly with the strong golden ale with just the right amount of carbonation. Hardly any showing of the supposed 10% alcohol. It's outstanding all around. I know it's early still, but can I go ahead and declare my favorite new beer of the year?

Serving type: bottle

01-11-2012 17:34:08 | More by ChainGangGuy

Patrickbrusil

Massachusetts

4.75/5  rDev +13.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

This is a world class beer. The barrel aging is top notch. Truly wonderful vanilla, honey, oaky smells and flavors shin in the nose and the taste. Beautiful mouthfeel, beautiful appearance. Incredible taste.

It is always amazing to be stopped in your shoes by a beer that makes one sit back and realize the beauty of great craft beer.

Get this at all costs.

Serving type: bottle

09-14-2011 23:43:27 | More by Patrickbrusil

RedBrewer83

Oregon

4.72/5  rDev +13.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured into Chimay goblet....

A: Pours a golden yellow cloudy hue with a nice three finger frothy white head that lingers throughout the entire beer. Only knock is that its a little hazy, but everything else looks amazing.

S: Reminds me immediately of Duvel with the bright fruit esters of apple and peach and the yeast comes through along with some nice pale malt and floral hop on the finish. The Chardonnay really transferred beautifully to the nose as well, can definitely pick it up and seems to marry well with the beer.

T: This stuff is incredible! Seriously this might be a one up on Duvel, like drinking the already nearly perfect Duvel but with some nice oak and chardonnay notes layered in there as well.

M: Smooth and nicely carbonated, head retention adds to creaminess of the feel. Can't find the 10%.

D: Too drinkable, this stuff goes down in the blink of an eye, but oh so smooth and well balanced! Forget about RR Temptation, this is the best pale aged in oak imo!

Serving type: bottle

10-02-2010 13:11:25 | More by RedBrewer83

BuckeyeNation

Iowa

4.63/5  rDev +11%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

2010 release. Golden Delicious apple yellow with Champagnesque carbonation and a massive crown of pearl colored foam that is as Belgianesque as any America-brewed ale has a right to be. Outstanding and extensive lace puts the finishing touches on an appearance that is eye candy in the extreme.

The aroma is remarkable too. One sniff was all it took to identify each major part of this chardonnay barrel-aged BSPA. On second thought, the oak isn't very prominent, but the others work together like hand-in-glove. Very little appreciable alcohol is an excellent sign.

Who the bloody hell are these guys!?! Melange A Trois (the first salvo in the Barrel Aged Reserve Series) is the second gobsmacker of an ale that I've had from Nebraska Brewing Company. Assuming all of their offerings are this delicious, NBC can give America's best brewers of Belgian-style ales (see Allagash and Russian River) a serious run for their money. True story.

There is unquestionable quality in each and every mouthful. This now 9-month old brew has held up incredibly well and tastes and feels like it will be damn good for some time to come. Supreme job of bottle-conditioning... but we're not ready to talk about mouthfeel yet.

The base beer is an extraordinarily well-crafted Belgian strong pale that features perfect balance between golden orchard fruit (pears, apples) and clove spice. The Chardonnay grape vinousness, while not as prominent as it was in Hop God, is still an indispensible member of the flavor profile. Oak is in the background, but isn't really missed.

Subsequent pours recreate the impressive and imposing crown, while blanketing the sides of the glass with even more sticky lace. The mouthfeel makes drinking this amazing elixir a summer breeze. It's light-medium for the ABV and has the expansive creaminess and lightly sparkly bubbles that Belgian ales are known for. Brewed in Papillion, NE? Mind-boggling.

On the strength of two out-of-this-world ales, I'm ready to crown Nebraska Brewing Company the single best 'unknown to most BAs' brewery in the country. Melange A Trois is at least the equal of Hop God, and might even be better. Both are superlative drinkers and make me glad to live in a neighboring state. Now, about distribution one state to the east...

Serving type: bottle

03-13-2011 13:39:56 | More by BuckeyeNation

randylangford

Pennsylvania

4.63/5  rDev +11%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

This a grat beer to kick off my New Years celebration.

A: Beautiful golden straw colour with a full slowly desecending froth.
S: The smell is heavy with chardonnay.
T: The chardonnay comes through in the exact amount that I wanted so that it compliments without overpowering.
M: Light and fizzy on the tongue reminding me of wine.
O: I'm really glad that I tried this beer because it reminds me just how versatile beer is to great creativity combined with quality craftmanship.

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2012 00:24:12 | More by randylangford

biegaman

Ontario (Canada)

4.6/5  rDev +10.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Melange A Trois has a big, frothy capping characteristic of the style, the kind that to even attempt at sipping basically necessitates a snorkel. If you fell in you'd float. Despite retaining some glow, the beer looks as though it spent months in a barrel; the gold colour has lost entirely all its transparency and is no more clear than a rock.

A distinctive, complex yeast is the ballast for any Belgian-inspired strong golden ale, but this offering has so much more to it than that: the prevailing tartness of wild critters (whether a strain of wild yeast or bacteria from the barrel or both); the buttery, vanilla-cream sweetness and oak-wood must of Chardonnay barrels; the combination thereof the two which is as flattering as it is distinctive. Simply alluring.

The brewery doesn't specify a source for their Chardonnay barrels, but easy money says it's a California winery. This mouthfeel has enough butter that it could be spread over baguette. Think Napa or Paso Robles, and all the creamy (literally), big, oak-y, buttery (almost cream-soda) flavours you'd expect to find in those regions' flagship Chardonnays.

The flavour and aroma both are buffed up with steroidal oak and pure-fat butter. The more typical flavours of dried herbs, warmed white bread crust, vine-ripe hops still serve here as understudies, but the tastes of fleshy pineapple and stone fruit (white peach, nectarine) are in the spotlight. Spicy phenols hardly factor in given the musty, vanillin oak.

With robust flavours of apple and citrus, I'm sure this would make an ideal partner for seafood pasta, roasted chicken and all the cliche meal partners to consider, but I think it is best enjoyed on its own. Food would only take away from an already complex, layered ale. (Food afterwords, mind you, isn't such a bad plan given it's a 10%, 750ml bottle!)

I'd expect something like this from a Bay Area brewer - not because their proximity to the wineries, but because they have to struggle just to stay in the same place. Why a brewery in Nebraska of all places would challenge themselves with such an adventurous undertaking I'm not sure. What business they have in pulling it off so fantastically I've truly no idea.

I’m past the days where barrel-aged beers impress me simply because they’re barrel-aged. Sure, it's neat but so what? Doesn't mean it's good! Melange A Trois, however, is a truly memorable, ingenious, and exemplary offering that makes the case that barrel-aging beer can be an art form. The "melange", if you ask me, is a combination of innovation, complexity, and plain and simple carefree enjoyment. A shame to only do it once...

Serving type: bottle

08-11-2012 21:16:03 | More by biegaman

sholland119

Pennsylvania

4.58/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Very excited to see this beer come to PA after enjoying a Hop God in NYC last month.

A-Pours a slightly hazy gold, with fine carbonation, a fluffy white head and great sticky lacing.

S-Sweet fruits, mainly white chradonnay grapes but also some pear. Good helping of oak barrel as well. Some Belgian yeastiness.

T-Belgian yeast and nice oak barrel bite but this is dominated by sweet chardonnay grapes and a little bit of white pepper. Deliciously flavorful and complex. Alcohol is not really even detectable.

M-Light bodied with medium amounts of fine carbonation.

D-Absolutely delicious, insanely drinkable.

HV

Serving type: bottle

07-30-2010 15:56:31 | More by sholland119

Brewmeist

Pennsylvania

4.55/5  rDev +9.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Quite an interesting little treasure i stumbled upon. 25oz into snifter, what else is new?

Melange is Golden/yellow, slightly cloudy, micro bubbly. Had a good head and lacing...impressive for an aged beer. Smells of sweet, and sour. The barrel aging is evident immediately. A boozy champagne/belgian strong. This is a sipper, had a tart sourness about it backed up by a light sweet and dry champagne finish...really beautiful. Overall this is a must purchase. It's really a unique styling of beer, that i can say is the first of this genre (other than the matured sake cask beer, this is waay better). For 30 bucks, if you have the means, i suggest giving it a try. Preferably with a pretty gal you've had your eyes on for a while.

Serving type: bottle

09-29-2011 22:47:12 | More by Brewmeist

draheim

Washington

4.53/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

750mL bottle (2010) into a tulip.

Pours a clear lemony golden color with a thick, sudsy white head that leaves behind beautiful, sparkling lacing. Bright, effervescent carbonation rises from the bottom of the glass. This is a damn gorgeous beer, spot-on for the style.

Aroma is spicy Belgian yeast, fresh lemon zest, and banana peel. As it warms the wine starts coming through.

Taste brings forth the vinous, slightly tart/sour Chardonnay barrel aging. Wow. Green apples and white wine blend wonderfully with the pale malt and Belgian yeast. Carbonation brings a sharp dry bite and a clean finish.

Overall just a delicious, special beer I'm glad I had a chance to try.

Serving type: bottle

03-01-2012 04:53:03 | More by draheim

yamar68

Minnesota

4.53/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a pale honey gold with a milky, dense few fingers of head... perfect retention and healthy abundant beading.

The nose is pretty imposing - ripe figs, white grapes, soft woods, faint cherry, lilac, boozy honey, delicious.

Translates quite nicely onto the tongue. Big white grape notes, some vinegar-y booze that doesn't dominate, light fruits, floral bits. I can't even begin to dissect the flavors without considering the PERFECT mouthfeel. I can't stress this enough. All these flavors occupy the best consistency I've ever encountered in the style. It makes for such a lovely beer to drink.

Extremely well done.

Serving type: bottle

06-13-2012 00:28:53 | More by yamar68

GbVDave

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev +7.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 750ml bottle into a Boulevard tulip.

2010

A: Pours a clear and tawny gold color. Immediately, three full fingers of white meringue camped out on top and stuck around for the whole glass. Carbonation was quite active with lots of "trails" rising from the bottom of the glass. Lace was plentiful with delicate webbing, bands, and ropes. The third (yeast swirled) pour netted me a beer that looked like cloudy peach nectar. Tendrils of suspended sediment.

S: Killer nose! Green apple, oak, lemon, peach, apricot, earthy yeast, and some fresh cut grass. Tart Chardonnay grapes toy at the end with more citrus and a hint of alcohol.

T: Loads of tart citrus, orchard fruit (pear, peach, and apple), sweet yeastiness, golden raisins, and a fickle toasty malt flavor that comes on so briefly during the finish. Loses 1/2 a point for a slightly intrusive flavor of alcohol that comes out as the bottle warms. The third pour with the swirled in yeast, gained a definite spicy/white peppery edge that was so welcome. Regains 1/2 a point!

M: Suprisingly slick and smooth given the obvious level of carbonation. I would classify this as "oily" and that works perfectly for this beer. Awesome lingering vinous/citric tang in the finish.

D: Hell yeah! Exceedingly drinkable for a beer dipping its' toes in double digit abv%. I felt like the alcohol, while not intrusive in the least, became apparent as it came up to temp. Cheeks were feelin' the heat by the end of this!

Serving type: bottle

01-15-2011 23:56:55 | More by GbVDave

hardy008

Minnesota

4.5/5  rDev +7.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Cloudy straw color with a 4 finger bright white head with very good retention and lacing. The aroma has green apple, lemon, yeast, pepper, apricot, clove, and chardonnay.

The taste also has green apple, lemon, yeast, pepper, apricot, clove, and chardonnay. Somewhat sweet, tart, and dry at the same time. Vinous for sure.

Medium bodied, creamy. well carbonated, and the alcohol is well hidden for 10.00 % abv. I am glad I had a chance to pick this up in Hudson, and will look for more Nebraska beers when I go back.

Serving type: bottle

05-05-2011 01:09:20 | More by hardy008

Huhzubendah

District of Columbia

4.48/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Bottle shared by Darrell. Hooray beer!

The beer appearsa hazy golden yellow hue with a quarter inch of white head. The aroma offers citrus, wine barrels, white grapes, floral notes. The flavor brings grapes and white wine. The oak character is there, but light. Alcohol content is disguised very well. hard to believe this is 10% abv, other than just the slightest warming sensation in the finish. Overall, a really solid beer.

Serving type: bottle

08-17-2012 22:56:24 | More by Huhzubendah

johnmichaelsen

Oregon

4.48/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On tap at TJ's, the day before their anniversary event.

The beer pours a bright, fairly dark gold color with good head retention and lacing. The nose is quite complex in this beer, as I pick up considerable citrus, light clove, honey, peach and of course, lots of vanilla and chardonnay. There's a light hint of sour as well, which I associate with the wine barrel aging. The flavor profile replicates the nose in this impressive beer, though it's nice that there's sufficient bitterness on the finish to buoy the tropical fruit and modest sweetness. The light sour wine flavor blends well with the bitterness, and completely dries this beer out on the finish. Mouthfeel is medium bodied to full, with a long, lightly bitter, spicy finish. Alcohol is well integrated into the flavor profile... there's really no sense of the 10% abv. on the palate.

An impressive beer, no doubt... I just wish it wasn't so expensive (as all Nebraska brewing beers seem to be... a tulip glass of this was $12 at TJ's!). In any event, I'm glad I had a chance to try this. (though I was more than a bit annoyed when I saw bombers of this beer at my local MofC, priced at a much more reasonable $13.99 a pop.)

Serving type: on-tap

12-08-2012 13:40:49 | More by johnmichaelsen

Hoser77

Nebraska

4.47/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

22oz. Bomber

A-Pours a hazy, yellow gold with slight orange hues. Thick, creamy, mousy head. Belgian lace persists and clings tightly to my New Belgium glass. Effervescent carbonation bubbles to the top.

S-Definitely a Belgian yeast! Faint notes of chardonay and oak. Very tropical and fruity. Hints of pepper, pineapple, pear, and vanilla. Very fragrant. Slight scent of sweetness from alcohol and malt. Definite alcohol fusels, but not offensive. No hop aroma.

T-Slightly tannic from the oak, but complements the overall beer very well. Don't detect any chardonnay. Slightly sweet-could be the malt or the alcohol? Very fruity-pineapple, pear, mangos. Do I detect a hint of Brett? Moderate spicy, pepper notes. No noticeable hop flavor

M-Despite the high alcohol(10%)and tannins from the oak it is very lush and chewy, yet finnishes dry and crisp. Warming from the alcohol. No astringency.

D-I have heard a great deal about this beer and it lives up to its reputation. Despite the high alcohol, it is very complex and drinkable. Kudos to Paul and Tyson at NBC! I look forward to trying more of there reserve series in the near distant future....

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2011 03:40:27 | More by Hoser77

dogfishandi

New York

4.47/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

750ml bottle poured into a darkness snifter shared with fellow BA's at our last tasting.

pours out a hazy pale golden color with a nice white head. good retention with some lace left behind.

very vinious and wine like, lots of that chardonnay barrel coming through. some phenoly belgian yeast and a bit of sweet candied malt.

lots of white wine, grapey flavors, fruity, phenoly belgian yeast, very similar to the aroma. slightly tart. a bit of sweet candied malt.

medium bodied, a bit dry and tart finish.

a very nice belgian, so much of that chardonnay barrel coming through. very much like the other nebraska beers ive tried.

Serving type: bottle

12-12-2011 04:38:40 | More by dogfishandi

drpimento

Wisconsin

4.47/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

This is compliments of Paulo from the Archives, gracias. Poured with a nice, off white, fine, foamy, thick, frothy, off white head that lasts and plenty of lace. Color is a slightly hazy, burnished yellow amber. Aroma is a fragrant mix of yeast, fruit, hop, malt, bread dough. Flavor is much like nose with carbonic tang; yeast and carbonic tang standing out. Body is just as it should be, ditto carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

12-23-2011 01:55:32 | More by drpimento

OWSLEY069

Pennsylvania

4.47/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a hazy yellow to orange-ish color with an off white head. In the aroma, nice Belgian candy sugar, but over ridden by chardonnay. In the taste, a small dry fruitiness, which is muted by chardonnay flavors and a subtle alcohol presence. A smooth and medium to bigger bodied mouthfeel, with a small dry chardonnay and small alcohol presence in the aftertaste. Like drinking a chardonnay, but a but boozier and more body.

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2012 15:02:06 | More by OWSLEY069

mikesgroove

South Carolina

4.43/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

opened this one last night while watching harry potter with dylan. a bit much to finish on my own, but it was worth it as by the time it hit room temp it was divine.

deep hazy golden yellow color that was very evident right of the bat. Nice carbonation was easily apparent as champagne like bubbles reached skyward, constantly refreshing a large pillow of white on top. Very slow receded here left behind tons of thick and sticky side glass lace that really just coated the entire inside of the glass.

The aroma was light, airy and nice and hoppy with a great presence to it. Nice light pepper like notes that really punched through as it warmed, allowing that nice, light hoppy bite to really take hold. Some light bread like notes lying underneath o that. The flavor was very well done. Light, with most all of the alcohol very well hidden. It started with a nice lemon zest like hop bite that quickly melded into a spicy and peppery mix of yeast and spices. Some nice touches of light fruit and a really nice and mellow finish, left a clean, dry flavor in it.

Serving type: bottle

07-16-2011 15:19:30 | More by mikesgroove

merc7186

New York

4.43/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I had this beer from a bomber bottle poured into a frosted chalice glass.

The beers pours great with a nice hazy golden straw color, a great white frauthy head and outstanding lacing on the glass (all the way through me drinking it). The beer smell outstanding with a great blend of citrus hops, banana, clove, and a somewhat buttery scent as typical with chardonnay. The taste is outstanding as you instantly get the great blend of the cirtus, hops, banana, and oakey flavors. It follows into a nice banana, clove aftertaste that just hangs around forever. The mouthfeel is very well carbonated, somewhat bitter from the chardonnay and hoppy flavors. Overall, WOW. I dont think any beer is a perfect 5 but this beer has come about as close as any that I have ever had. Now I got to get me some more. Outstanding.

Serving type: bottle

08-23-2011 01:36:58 | More by merc7186

patm1986

New Jersey

4.4/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Oh, here we go.

This baby is bright. deep, deep golden orange. thick, inch and half head, which settles very nicely into a rolling, swirling form of residue that sticks to the glass for what will seem like the entirety of the glass. this is a glorious looking golden ale.

i mean, i'd call this elegant, but i'd definitely call this complex. wow, man. coriander, a little nutmeg, candied sugar, white grapes, grass, lemon, orange, maple/oak barrel/bourbon sweetness, FUNK. whoooaaa.

oak sweetness, maple syrup, acidic-acidy-acid, lemon, candied lemon, white grape--huge chardonnay character--that belgian funk creeps into the fold at the tail end. big burn.

big time. this is the biggest pale ale, golden ale, or belgian strong i've had. huge mouth. huge burn. so complex. with warmth, this baby does mellow, but she thickens up to a creamy, rich state so quickly, it's really incredible.

really excellent. i didn't know what to expect besides the token comparison to temptation. this is not temptation. this is big, bold, and complex in terms of the varied characteristics.
this is goood.
cheers

Serving type: bottle

11-28-2011 02:28:26 | More by patm1986

katan

Colorado

4.4/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

750 ml into a goblet

A - Pours bright golden, effervescent. Lots of head, pearly white. Frothy, well retained.

S - Spicy at first, and then some citrus and fruity notes come in the background. Perhaps some apple must sneaking its way in.

T - Starts off smooth and sweet, light belgian malts. Mid-stream brings in the fruitiness, somewhat apple like. The grape from chardonay starts to appear, adding some more sweetness. Finishes lightly sweet, more of those fruity notes. THe aftertaste is more complex, some hints of those belgian yeast phenols and spices.

M - Full bodied, lighter on the carbonation end. Alcohol warmth is very present. Sticky in the finish.

O/D - A very well done beer. The chardonnay comes through just enough to add complexity. Its a big beer, very full flavored and full of alcohol.

Serving type: bottle

04-27-2013 20:22:32 | More by katan

clarkm04

Nebraska

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

Appearance- Very clear yellow color with pretty of carbonation. A nice 2 to 3 finger white head retention is evident

Smell- Has a very Belgium yeast smell profile. A mixture of flowers and fruit with slight hints of alcohol and oak.

Taste - Very complex Belgium golden/blonde ale. Very sweet and balanced with a nice floral taste throughout. The alcohol is completely masked by the taste that this beer packs. I feel a slight alcohol heat on the aftertaste but it's impressive that this beer packs 10% ABV but it doesn't taste it.

Mouthfeel- The carbonation hits the front part of the palate. A nice sweet viscosity makes up the remainder of the mouthfeel

Drinkability- Very high for a 10% ABV beer. I'll be able to drink the whole wine bottle myself with little effort.

Overall - Very outstanding! The bottle I drank is their 2010 bottle from much earlier in the year. On New Year's Eve, I had the latest batch and their was a strong astringent aftertaste that is completely absent from this bottle. The bottle I drank is a masterpiece of complexity and balance. I'm curious if my additional cellaring allowed the beer to mellow and mature than the fresh sample I consumed 12/31/10.

Serving type: bottle

01-11-2011 03:29:22 | More by clarkm04

adman08

Wisconsin

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

A-Pale straw color with a very thick white head that leaves outstanding lacing on the glass.
S-Complex aromas of banana, grapes, vanilla.
T-Flavors of spice typical of the Belgian pales along with very obvious tart grape flavor with a hint of oak. Also a touch of banana.
M-Tart, lots of bubbles, not at all heavy.
Overall, amazing. My initial reaction to this beer was "holy s---!", it's very very good. Not perfect, for a Belgian style pale ale it could have a bit more spice flavor but the chardonnay flavor really makes this beer interesting in a very good way. Pricey but something I'd love to buy again to share with friends who I know would never think to pick up this amazing beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-22-2011 02:18:36 | More by adman08