Baladin Nora - Birrificio Le Baladin

elNopalero

Texas

4.38/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Brought this back from a trip to Rome. I like the design of their bottles and even the fonts in their labels. Waxed bottle, cork held in place without the aid of a cap or cage. That’s a first for me.

Poured this into my Baladin teku. Seemed appropriate enough!

This has a pleasing pumpkin-amber orange tinged glow to it with tight bubbling on the foam. I could wax poetic but the point is it looks fantastic.

I’m struggling to place the aroma. It’s akin to a Belgian-style triple, with a light, floral, fruity ester characteristic. There’s a slight must to it, reminding me of white grapes, with just the faintest whisper of lavender and orange blossom on the margins. Wow. Fantastic, layered and complex.
Each sip lit an explosion of flavor on my palate. I get the same floral-fruity complexity, with a great combination of orange blossom, clover honey, and a touch of ginger spice. There’s an almost-champagne effervescence to it, keeping it light and delicate.

Opens with amber honey, orange sweetness, floral essence, light, delicate and inviting.

Yes, it’s that good!

I am glad I saved this for a special occasion as it deserved my full attention. This review is a little bittersweet, as this is the last of the brews I brought back from my Italy trip. Alas, now all I have left are my memories.

Serving type: bottle

06-02-2013 06:18:18 | More by elNopalero

CrazyDavros

Australia

3.74/5  rDev -8.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Pours amber with a fading white head.
Delicate aroma of doughy wheat, spicy clove notes, spices, soft sweet malt and herbal notes.
Refreshing, easy-drinking flavours. Light malt with doughy notes, sweetbread and ginger.
High carbonation works well.

Serving type: bottle

05-29-2013 05:01:21 | More by CrazyDavros

sommersb

Tennessee

4.11/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Tasted On: 04-26-2013
Freshness: Not indicated
Packaging: 750ml dark green bottle, pry-cap
Glassware: Teku
Purchased: Received in a trade

Pours a semi-clear, light orange colored beer with a warm glow look to it. The small white head fades fast and leaves a still beer with pretty much no head retention or lace. In some ways the looks are a letdown, but then again it gives it a look akin to a wine which matches some of the other aspects.

Aromas have both a fruity and spicy character, with grapes and orange in the fruit category and then ginger and other unknown spices. Also has some musty overtones

The taste has fruitiness to it with a slight sweetness. It reminds me somewhat of a semi-sweet wine. There's also a pretty strong ginger spice profile, plus other spices I can't identify.

The mouthfeel seems under-carbonated, which was also evident in the appearance. Medium-bodied, it finishes fruity and slightly sweet with a lingering spiciness.

Overall I thought this was a pleasant and very easy-drinking beer that featured some unique flavors. Would be a good beer to have with a meal more than one to drink by itself.

Thanks to Cameron (TheBishopco) for this brew!

Serving type: bottle

04-27-2013 03:04:18 | More by sommersb

dbrauneis

New Jersey

4.03/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

A:Pours a cloudy dark peach/apricot to copper in color with moderate amounts of small black yeast particles in suspension along with light amounts of visible carbonation and some dark orange highlights. The beer has a finger tall off-white head that quickly reduces to a large patch of extremely thin film and a thin ring at the edges of the glass. Light to moderate amounts of lacing are observed.

S: Light to moderate aromas of citrus/orange rind, ginger, and myrrh. Additionally, there are slightly stronger aromas of spicy black pepper and lighter notes of honey. Just a touch of yeast.

T: Upfront there is a light amount of pale malts and Belgian yeast (similar to a Belgian Pale Ale) which is then followed by the interesting herbal/spicy notes. First there is a strong flavor of spicy black pepper and some honey sweetness. That is followed by ginger, citrus/orange rind, and myrrh.

M: Just heavier than light bodied with moderate to heavy amounts of carbonation. Slightly dry in the finish.

O: This is pretty interesting as the beer initially has a smell like a Belgian pale ale that then the spicy notes really come out and take over. The taste is similar to the smell and there is quite a bit of complexity to both. Enjoyable but not sure that I could have more than one of these in a session.

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2013 00:08:52 | More by dbrauneis

Carl3Fj

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

Had a bottle, wish it was a full 12 oz.

A...Cloudy amber yellow golden orange with a soft glow when the light hits it. Not much of a head with a delicate pour into the glass. Only a thin ring of bubbles holds to the inside of the glass where the carbonation breaks the surface, as some other sporatic bubbles spring to the center surface.

S...I smell fruit followed by Spices. The fruit smell reminds of homemade apple cake. There are a few spice smells at the end of the waft, the only spice I can put a finger on is clove, which is the last thing I smell.

T...A delicious combination of flavors. The smell seems to match the taste. It starts with a lightly sour, but a straight forward apple. This citrus apple subsides to a strongly spiced peppery clove finish. It seems there might be some other spices in there but I taste clove the most, which reminds of the holidays.

M...Smooth light carbonation feel

O...Overall a stand out beer, and a surprise since I've never heard of it. Great melding of flavors with fruit and spice. A great beer to have anytime, but I would especially like on a cold holiday night around a fire with family and friends.

Serving type: bottle

02-19-2013 04:36:22 | More by Carl3Fj

Dope

Massachusetts

3.98/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

BA decided to go down for maintenance while I was writing my review so I will have to make this new one brief.

A: A cloudy amber pour. Medium sized fizzy white head. Fades prety quickly with little head retention. Only slight smudges of lacing remain.

S: Orange marmalade and ginger primarily. Floral.

T: Again, orange marmalade up front with applesauce and ginger. Maybe even a spiced apple cider too? Get honey and a slight crackery malt in the middle. Finishes sweet with a sticky marmalade again and a touch of grass. Lots of spices throughout that I can't identify (what the hell is myrrh?) but it is quite delicious.

M: Medium bodied, sticky sweet.

O: What a unique brew. I can't identify half of the flavors in this one (no idea what myrrh or kamut is) but I can tell you that is has quite a complex variety of well-balanced flavors. And they are all pretty damn good. This is an excellent beer for the style, albeit quite unusual and unique. Not in a bad way either. Not sure I'd pay $20 for this beer on a regular basis but it stands alone in its category. Never had anything even remotely similar to this one.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2012 18:25:03 | More by Dope

JRed

New Jersey

3.9/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

2006 Edition: Bright sparkly golden in body with white bubbly head that stays. Smells of tart cider, apple pie but without the crust, little citrus. Tastes cider-like: apple pie mush, tart, sour notes, light cinnamon pear. Light in body with prickly carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

12-26-2012 00:13:57 | More by JRed

BEERMILER12

Maine

4.25/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: Pours a hazy golden copper color with half a fingers worth of head

S: Nice and spicy, fairly sweet with a few sour tinges here and there. Spices are complex and theres not really much I can specifically pick out. Smells wonderful though

T: Subtle yet complex spicy notes accent the sweetness of the malt base. Fairly tart to begin with, but that quickly fades into the malts. Again, hard to really pick out what spices I'm getting, but they are very nice and work well together

M: Light-medium bodied with moderate-high carbonation that quickly removes any aftertaste. The carbonation level removes the overall taste almost too quickly to realize what the spices really do as well. I wish it was a little softer or not so carb'd

O: A very interesting and complex spiced beer that keeps you coming back for more. I wish I had more than the 8.45 oz. bottle, but that's all they had in stock. Definitely recommended

Serving type: bottle

11-14-2012 02:49:40 | More by BEERMILER12

shleepy

California

3.63/5  rDev -11%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Served from bottle into snifter glasses.

A: Hazy yellow, small head.

S: Honey, bubblegum, a little floral, maybe coriander or some other standard spice.

T: Bubblegum and the other flavors mentioned above shine through. Candy sugar. It's like a mix between Fantome and Orval, but with a little sugar left over.

M: Less dry than I would like. Carbonation is low; body is light-medium.

O: A bit too sweet for my liking, but complex and interesting.

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2012 03:37:01 | More by shleepy

jdense

Oregon

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

Shared with The Usual Suspects 4.21.11.

Golden orange clear body, a finger of quick dissipation head, some visible carbonation. Cedar dominates the nose, significant myrrh backbone with orange pith not peel citrus notes, floral hops. The ginger is prominent taste-wise though the cedar and especially the myrrh adds complexity, not very hoppy, more botanical than spicy IMO. Mouthfeel is medium, decent effervescence. A nice end to a epic day of beer tasting, pairs well with Italian cookies :)

Serving type: bottle

04-26-2012 04:11:07 | More by jdense

Gary779

South Africa

3.88/5  rDev -4.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Beer is bright yellow. Pours with suspended particles and a big head that doesn't stay at all or leaves lace. Beer looks like orange jell-o with a white head.

S: Elements include turkish delight, peaches, orange rind, stale urine and underripe apricot. Some aromatic herbs make themselves present at the back of the nose.

T: Slight taste of stale urine, underripe fruit (apricots and green grapes), pomegranate and strawberries. Utterly complex taste.

M: Very smooth. Full mouthfeel with soft carbonation.

O: An odd beer. Nice to taste but immensely difficult to analyse.

Serving type: bottle

02-28-2012 18:11:58 | More by Gary779

Thehuntmaster

South Africa

4.1/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750ml bottle 6,8% Abv
Served chilled in an over sized wine glass.
BBE: March 2012

I hope that this beer is still good, since it is so close to its expiry date!

Appearance: Bright golden-orange body filled with a ton of medium to large sized particles in perfect suspension. A large white head forms after a rough pour, but sadly it doesn't stick around for long and leaves very little lace as it recedes.

Smell: Sadly, I don't know exactly what myrrh smells like, so it would be hard for me to definitively say whether or not Nora actually smells like myrrh! What I can say though, is that it smells like a delicious and very complex beer! The initial nose is dominated by a perfumed note, reminiscent of rose water flavoured Turkish delights (could this be the myrrh?). Citrus peel, light fruits (pears, peaches and apricots), black pepper, coriander, cloves, an earthy note and some honey sweetness are also noted.

Taste: As with the nose, the flavour is initially dominated by a distinct perfumed note (it reminds me of incense; hence I would presume it to result from the myrrh). The remainder of the flavour seems quite BPA like with notes of golden fruit, citrus peel, black pepper, cloves and honey sweetness.

Mouthfeel: Medium-light body with a medium-high level of carbonation.

Overall: I really enjoyed Nora; the perfumed notes (which I will presume to be the myrrh) added an extra dimension to an already solid Belgian pale ale. If it weren't so expensive I would be happy to buy this again.

Serving type: bottle

02-16-2012 11:22:07 | More by Thehuntmaster

Vylo

New Jersey

4.97/5  rDev +21.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Opened this bottle with low expectations. I've been burned before with beers from italy, so I wasn't sure about this one.

Color was golden. Light head, but still looked healthy.

Smell was citrus, apples and oranges came to mind.

Taste was... a blast. Very smooth, complex and pleasant. I was expecting something totally different.

Mouthfeel was very well balanced. Good carbonation, went down easy.

Overall this has suddenly jumped into my top 5 beers. Highly recommended to have with bread/crackers. Absolutely delicious.

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2012 12:01:15 | More by Vylo

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

4.1/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This poured out with a hazy golden color and a decent sized white fizzy head on top. The lacing is nowhere to be seen and the retention is gone within minutes also. The smell of the beer is sweet, a little boozy with some nice soft wheat like aromas. The taste of this beer is spicy, it has elements of pepper, and it also has some hints of apple and orange in there. The spices really set this off. The mouthfeel has a bit of a sting to it. The tastebuds are left tingling and dry after each sip. Overall I found this brew to be really interesting. If the price tsg was a little lower I could see myself buyin this one again in a heartbeat.

Serving type: bottle

01-10-2012 23:50:08 | More by Knapp85

wspscott

Kentucky

4.35/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

22oz bottle in Duvel tulip
date looks to be 02/10 in my fridge since last December from wife's xmas present (2010).

A: Pours with a thin white head, crystal clear, dark gold color.
S: Very fruity with a little bit of malt sweetness.
T: Lots of fruits (pears and apples), sweet but dry at the same time, no hint of hops. The bottle says 6.8% alcohol which seems surprising, this could be a 4% beer without any problem. I don't get any hint of spices, the flavors seem to be mostly yeast driven with a little bit of malt character. I would guess that this is pils malt a small bit of hops for bittering and a very interesting yeast, plus some spices .
M: Lots of carbonation and a slightly creamy feel makes this a very easy beer to drink.
O: A very interesting beer, very different from anything I have had before, it is very easy to drink, but has a lot going on. I probably would not buy this often because of the price, but I wish I could afford to have this all the time. Highly recommended.

Serving type: bottle

10-25-2011 23:57:50 | More by wspscott

laituegonflable

Australia

3.73/5  rDev -8.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a dirty straw colour, plenty of cloud and hints of floaties. Head is nice: dense but large bubbles and retaining a modest crown. Lace is a bit disappointing, but otherwise nice.

Smell is fruity and fairly fresh. Plenty of packham pear, apple and a hint of banana, with a mild phenolic spice at the back, almost aniseedy actually. Needn't be there really, but the rest of the aroma is nice enough.

Taste is also pretty fruity most of the way through. Lots of pear juice, sundowner apple and a hint of banana. Slight vanilla sweetness late and a dry, mildly spicy finish with a touch of green peppercorn and a big pull from that continental yeast. Maybe some clove on there late and some nutmeg; golden syrup as well? But yeah, pleasant wheaty beer characters, nothing too special though.

The drying is all the way through the palate. The yeast just cuts through from page 1.

A pleasant, quite sweet beer, lots of wheat beer notes here. Most of the flavours here are really lifted from page one of "how to brew a wheat beer".

Serving type: bottle

10-04-2011 06:23:13 | More by laituegonflable

lacqueredmouse

Australia

4.3/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Shared with @LaitueGonflable and @tobeerornottobe.

Pours a lovely bright yellow colour, but hazed with some disturbed yeast sediment. Head is fine and bubbly, and the whole thing has a very refined, champagne-like look to it. Very fine carbonation, and a lovely depth to the body, that sits with the light colour, again giving it that sophisticated character. Nice.

Nose is bright and peppery, with spicy fresh characters and a sharpness like cedar barrels. It's clean and fresh and very, very excitingly fragrant. It doesn't have a huge amount of complexity, but it's really hard not to like it for what it is.

Taste is a lot more subdued, but here it comes back to the crisp dryness and the sophistication that it looks like. Very little of that cedar character, but here the citrus peel comes through really pleasantly, and it zings off the crispness on the back palate. Very smooth and clean.

Exceptionally fresh and drinkable, and very, very refined. It reminds me in some ways of a Bière de Champagne. Certainly the dry finish and sophistication give it this character. The spices are so beautifully done. They complement the style and the flavour of the beer, and never seem like a gimmick. In fact, this beer almost makes you feel like this *is* how beer should be made.

Serving type: bottle

10-01-2011 07:35:36 | More by lacqueredmouse

weeare138

Pennsylvania

4.18/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Appears a hazy light gold with a small head of white fluff that slowly fades into a mod cap and collar. Spotty bits of lacing are left around the glass.
Smell is of nectarines, dried apricots, golden raisins, and mild spices. A nice blast of yeast and perhaps touches of Taft wheat.
Taste is of the aromas with a bready flavor and a more evident gentle spicing that melds with the malt profile. Subtle citrus notes come through.
Mouthfeel is wonderful. Chewy, sweet up front, sugary, filling out the palate, with a viscous wheat body, and mild tart notes with smoothness running down the tongue with a semi dry finish.

Serving type: bottle

06-25-2011 01:47:11 | More by weeare138

tetu

Louisiana

4.35/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours hazy tinted golden color with all kinds of stuff floating around in there. Aroma is spicy and yeasty at first but the more I smell the more I get a sweet citrus fruit (tangerine). Spicy with ginger taste. It is hard to describe it perfectly. It has some sourness to it which I wasn't expecting, but it is balanced with sweet citrus. Strange aftertaste, kinda metalic, maybe the myrrh? Medium body with the perfect amount of carbonation imo. Very clean tasting. Very good drink. Easily the best beer I've had from Italy.

Serving type: bottle

06-24-2011 22:38:47 | More by tetu

sublimesipping

Pennsylvania

4.85/5  rDev +18.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Poured into a standard italian table wine glass and drunk from the apartment terrace in Spolleto, May 2011. Have been seeking to further my Baladin education and this one is the best for me so far. The complexities begin with the nose, honeyed sour sweet, excellent head on the pour, great glass lacing, the belgian yeast makes for a candied carbonation. the first sip discerns a taste profile that reminds me of Duvel, only deeper richer. The color and the glass lacing are the same but a more complex flavor profile; wasn't sure of the spice notes, thought ginger and per BA I guess I am right othe spices I cannot identify but find this beer extremely, extremely drinkable and balanced. Great finish makes me more than ready for the next sip. No discernable alchohol burn, the beer is so smooth. Would pair with a fish or chicken couscous, would be so yummy. A great eye-opening beer from a game-changing and ever-evolving brewery.

Serving type: bottle

06-02-2011 01:48:55 | More by sublimesipping

Glory

Quebec (Canada)

3.6/5  rDev -11.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

The Baladin series are available in Montreal at BU wine Bar on St-Laurent !
The Nora is Orange and very cloudy in appearance. Not to much carbonation or head retention. Looks like a Hefe to me !

Smell is a bit metalic, like rusty nails or the change pot a have on the kitchen counter. Its fruity as well, lots of orange peals, dried apricots toped with cloves and coriander.

The taste isin't very overwhelming, I thought it was a bit watered down. Very little carbonation. Hints of Bananas and again oranges/dried apricots. Finishes with a sweet Malt taste...very sweet finish.
Not bad but I think it lacked in taste.

Cheers lads

WS

Serving type: bottle

04-12-2011 15:06:52 | More by Glory

dogfishandi

New York

3/5  rDev -26.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

big 25oz(?) bottle split amongst many friends at a party poured into a plastic cup. purchased at consumers on sale for 12$. i was unsure exactly what this was at time of tasting, never heard of it and had no idea what style it was.

from what i could tell it poured out a cloudy, hazy golden color, nice foamy white head with good retention.

acidic vinious aroma. very grapey and wine like.

no real funky flavors in the taste, but it has quite a bit of acidity and some sourness, similar to a wild or a belgian. again with grapey, vinious wine notes at the forefront. apricoty, pukey finish and aftertaste.

medium body. slightly tart. not very drinkable, the half pint sample i had was enough.

overall: IMO, not that great, my friends thought so as well. someone mentioned it reminded them of sam adams cranberry lambic which i agreed with. definatly not worth the 12$ price tag (and that was on sale!). one of the most wine like beers ive ever had.

Serving type: bottle

04-11-2011 00:44:15 | More by dogfishandi

BeerImmediately

Pennsylvania

3.78/5  rDev -7.4%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

25oz bottle into Orval chalice at cellar temp.

Pours with hardly any head over a fairly clear, dirty-blond body. Fair amount of yeast at the bottom of bottle.

Aromas are pleasant and inviting. White pepper, cardamom, flowers, and light citrusy fruits.

Quite light on the palate, with smooth flavors of orange, lemon, and faint spices. This would pair really well with fish or lemon-pepper chicken dish.

Mouthfeel was light, with a below-average carbonation level, and slight tang in the finish.

Overall, a really well put-together and easy drinking spiced beer that won't offend anyone.

Serving type: bottle

04-02-2011 19:14:02 | More by BeerImmediately

Stinkypuss

Pennsylvania

4.1/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

Nora

Appearance: Light gold, clear in color and nice effervescence as tiny bubbles rise and pop on the surface.

Smell: Ginger, light spice, sweetness (honey), perfume like elements giving off a nice scent but certainly an original one.

Taste: Mellow flavors of honey, curaco orange peel, sweetness is kept in check by some of the interesting grains used. Hard to categorize, this ale has all the makings of a Belgian style pale ale, minus the yeasty twang and the hops. Does that even make sense? Im not so sure, but the beer is tasty.

Mouthfeel: A luxurious feel, soft with a high level of carbonation. Semi dry and certainly sophisticated. Consider my palate educated.

Overall: This Italian product of Egyptian influence certainly exceeded my expectations, which were moderately high. The Egyptians must have had it pretty good if their beer was anything like this.

Serving type: bottle

03-27-2011 22:17:35 | More by Stinkypuss

brystmar

Texas

4.33/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: pours a hazy golden orange; plenty of white head, average retention and lace. A plethora of sediment breaks up the effervescent body, making it difficult to distinguish the yeast from the bubbles.

S: spicy, malty, earthy, and yeasty with some citrus too.

T: similar to the nose at first with ample amounts of spice and fruit taking shots at my taste buds. Cloves and citrus give it an interesting twist. Even a touch sour! It's interesting how the different parts of this beer all pull it towards different styles: hefeweizen/wit, Belgian pale ale, saison.

M: medium-bodied; fizzy carbonation perfectly compliments this brew's flavor profile.

D: some may claim the somewhat-low ABV (6.8%) makes it easy to drink, but I beg to differ. One sip of this beer lets you know it was exceptionally well-crafted -- on par with the many Dogfish brews -- and the guys at this elite level of brewing simply know how to make beer easy to drink, regardless of style or gravity.

This is a prime example of excellence in beer, ladies and gents. Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

02-20-2011 02:08:03 | More by brystmar