Inferno Ale - The Lost Abbey

UCLABrewN84

California

4.01/5  rDev -1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottled 5/29/12.

Pours a murky light orange with a foamy off-white head that settles to a chunky cap on top of the beer. Small dots of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Smell is of malt, grain, yeast, spices, and some peppery aromas. Taste is much the same with yeast and spice flavors on the finish. There is a mild amount of spice bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a good level of carbonation with a crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a good beer with some solid aromas and flavors that make it easy to drink.

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2013 03:39:01 | More by UCLABrewN84

Chizoad

California

4.24/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Half head, half beer in a goblet. Duvel-like in that respect. Yellow to light orange color with slight haziness.

Smells strongly of Belgian yeast, really unmistakable. Banana and bubblegum but mostly bready dryness.

First sip was a little sweet but once those taste buds were saturated the dryness of the beer really showed through. Some surprising bitter flavors on the back end or if you take a very small sip, plus a hint of skunk. In a good way.

Crisp clean good medium+ carbonation. Perfect for the style.

Highly enjoyable Belgian strong pale. Easy to find here in SD too and a good price.

Serving type: bottle

02-26-2013 22:59:26 | More by Chizoad

spicelab

Australia

2.56/5  rDev -36.8%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.25

12 oz bottle from Beermasons.

No pop when removing the cork. Murky golden straw with a minimal white head that drops summarily to nix.

Hot ethanol off the bat, behind which lurks lots of citrus pith, tart green apple and honey. Bit of a dry grainy backdrop. Bit brutish and lacking in differentiation, a common outcome of poorly done Belgian ales.

Flavours are much sweeter, but pretty one-dimensional and uninspired. Powerful stewed pear, apple strudel and boozey honey

Very syrupy with nowhere near enough carbonation to offer relief from the booze heat.

Hmmm, could be the condition of this bottle, but this is far from Lost Abbey's finest. Comes across blunt and amateurish.

Serving type: bottle

02-24-2013 08:28:46 | More by spicelab

dsuedbeck

Minnesota

4.43/5  rDev +9.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

750ml corked bottle aged a little over a year.

Appearance: A cloudy yellowish color, big two finger white head. Lots of carbonation.

Smell: Smells more of saison style, really interesting. Some grassy funky smells, along with some lemon. The Belgian yeast definitely comes through.

Taste: Great taste, you got a lot of your typical Belgian yeast flavors, there are some citrus notes, a little lemon and orange. High carbonation which helps high the high ABV. There isn't a huge hop presence.

Mouthfeel: Light and crisp.

Overall: Very tasty, could be an everyday kind of beer if I didn't have so many others to try first.

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2013 01:12:10 | More by dsuedbeck

merc7186

New York

4.03/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Bomber into snifter glass.

A: Hazy Orange Hue, Passes Some Light, White Head Ring, Some Lacing

S: Sweet Malts, Bready, Crackers

T: Sweet Malts, Crackers, Bread, Mild Toffee

M: Average Carbonation, Medium Bodied, Semi Sweet

Overall, a decent belgian strong but nothing that is blow you away.

Serving type: bottle

02-07-2013 04:28:24 | More by merc7186

tilopud_rye

4.78/5  rDev +18%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

This January 2013 I review a bottle of Inferno bottled October 2011. This pours with the same thick head, but it dissipates faster and sticks around the sides of the glass above the beer. There are no bubbles rising in the orange liquid. the smell actually reminds me of wine- lots of fruit but a lot more alcohol in the smell than what I recall a young Inferno to have. I raised smell up to 5 after it warmed and the alcohol in the nose went down bring more of the raisin and pear and peach like smells out. Before the taste I will describe te mouthfeel as it is unique for how little bubble action we see: as soon as it's in my mouth it starts to lightly bubble and fizz. As if it was just waiting for me to taste it for it to come alive. First you get the fizz on your tongue - then you get the flavor. As the carbonation dies down in your mouth the different flavors of bread, fruits, and a metallic alcohol presence (that I associate with wine) come about. It isn't that it tasted different with each sip- it is well balanced between the bread and jam-like flavors with the alcohol resting underneath, but the way the flavor opens up in your mouth with the strong carbonation apparently starting to bubble in your mouth- then instantly ceasing to reveal a marvelously mixed flavor is something I don't recall at all from a young bottle, and it's quite an entertaining drinking experience. And it maintains that fizz-in-your-mouth quality to the end of the bottle. I would have liked to review alongside a fresh bottle but these are big bottles. Off my memory of a young bottle: main differences as far as flavor: the young bottle I remember had a somewhat sharp presence of yeast. It really stood out and brought a somewhat bitter funk flavor. Here that flavor is still present but is more entwined with the overallflavor rather than tasting like an element that stands out. You taste more of the fruity malt influence and a slightly dry metallic aftertaste. I didn't know what to expect- this is a first aged beer but damn it shows that it's worth the time.

Serving type: bottle

01-08-2013 01:28:04 | More by tilopud_rye

CHADMC3

Connecticut

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

Pours a straw colored yellow body with pale hues beneath the rocky white head that quickly dissipates to leave a consistent ring of lacing around the glass.

Aromas of Belgian yeast and sour apples float from the glass with straw and grass hops. There may even be some floral hints odd as it may seem, but back to the fruit and yeast.

More sour fruit in the flavor like apple or pear with more hints of straw and grass as well as yeast. There is also a pepper or coriander spice presence before the tart finish.

Mouthfeel is medium in body with moderate carbonation and a sour drying finish.

An all around tasty Belgian Pale with great flavors and aromas traditional of the style.

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2013 02:26:03 | More by CHADMC3

PeterIngemi

Massachusetts

4.1/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 750ml into a duvel glass

A: pours a hazy straw golden with a touch of orange... A fat finger of white head after a gentle pour... Nice retention and some spots of lacing.

S: pungent apple and pear, along with a slight touch of sweetness, pleanty of Belgian yeastyness, light breadyness.... And a very slight lemon tartness towards the end .

T: pear with a touch of clove, going into apple, with a touch of sweetness, some hay and light barnyard... With a touch of citrus rind and funk on the finish... Complex and delicious.

M: heavy and creamy, lush with crisp and creamy medium carbonation.

O: this is a tasty strong Belgian pale ale, the alcohol is well hidden and all the flavors here are very well rounded... Deffiantly a good beer for the style...
Another very enjoyable Belgian from the lost abbey.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2012 01:56:50 | More by PeterIngemi

51mmz0rz

New Jersey

4.38/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 375mL bottle into a 0.5L Duvel tulip. No bottle date.

A: Medium clarity, deep gold body. Fairly large white head, dense bubbles, reasonable retention and lacing.

S: Incredibly yeasty, bready aroma, with a certain fruitiness I can't put my finger on. Maybe overripe strawberries?

T: High carbonation hits your first, followed by a flood of yeast flavors. Modest bitterness at the end barely balances the sweetness. No sense of the alcohol.

M: Big carbonation, fairly dry, refreshing. Fits the style nicely.

O: Overall this beer is more interesting than many others in this style. Powerful yeast driven flavor make this one a standout.

Serving type: bottle

12-20-2012 07:05:50 | More by 51mmz0rz

flayedandskinned

California

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

Bottled on 10-26-12

Poured into a standard tulip glass.

Appearance: Pours a cloudy straw yellow. A thick, meringue like, 3 finger tall billowy white head spews forth from the bottom of the glass immediately. Great head retention and curtains of lace cling for life to the tulip as you imbibe. Gorgeous.

Aroma: Scents of lemon and fresh cut grass burst forth from the glass. Plenty of Belgian yeast character here; Pear, hay, faint banana, light pepper and some farmhouse funk for good measure. Makes me think they might have used a saison yeast for this brew. An interesting acidic tone surfaces as the beer warms in it's glass.

Taste: Huge, snappy citrus right out front with some saison-esque, peppery funk right behind it. Notes of pear surface as the chewy malts start to coat your tongue for a brief moment in time before the lively carbonation lifts them off of your palate. The 9% alcohol is very well masked. The beer finishes bone dry with a somewhat tart, lingering hop bitterness to balance the sweetness of this high ABV brew.

Mouthfeel: Juicy and chewy, yet really crisp and refreshing with the high carbonation of this ale.

Overall: Definitely the best American brewed Strong Golden Ale I've had. Slightly Maltier than the original SGA, Duvel. Well balanced, and begs to be paired with some freshly grilled salmon and a green salad with a light champagne vinaigrette drizzled on top.

Serving type: bottle

12-07-2012 02:08:29 | More by flayedandskinned

beerthulhu

New Jersey

4.05/5  rDev 0%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Healthy loud aubile pop upon uncorking. A straw pour exit sits a bit more with an orange tint in the vessel. A glass consuming display of dirty white foam dominantes the vessel to near capacity taking its leisure to retreat, a sure sign of a wild yeast strain. Sloppy bubble bath smudges of lace adhore the glass wit a strong sense of micro-effervesce within.

S: Aroma of fresh greenery is light, small touch of peppery dry pear and dry straw.

T: Flavor of straw, bright tart oranges and sweet malt. Musky nature, fresh green hops with a hint of pepppery caramel on the trail end. A light mention of grapefruit, bready yeastiness and a dryn finish rounds things out.

M: Malty mouthful, good depth and feel as well resistance on the tongue. A nice carbonation presence.

O: Overall inferno? this is heavenly with a sweetly well balanced flavor that flows together oh so smoothly from start to finish. A lot of subtle notes bring out the complexity with a well toned nature.

Serving type: bottle

11-08-2012 02:12:04 | More by beerthulhu

flagmantho

Washington

4.1/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from 750mL corked & caged bottle into a tulip.

Appearance: pour resulted in about one finger of beer and four fingers of thick, pillowy white foam. Quite inconvenient, although somewhat attractive. Beer is a light golden hue with a tiny touch of haze and a highly active effervescence.

Smell: sweet malty backbone with a fair helping of funkiness. I don't know if this is a Brettanomyces beer, but I'm going to go ahead and assume that based on the aroma. That assumed, this beer is nicely balanced with a sweet, funky and lightly tart character.

Taste: horse blanket funk with a hint of tartness work well with the sweet, sticky malt. Sticky, perhaps, but not overwhelmingly so; this beer is certainly not under-attenuated. I like it.

Mouthfeel: medium-light body with a big fluffy creaminess. I was expecting more, based on the mammoth head and big apparent effervescence, but the texture is rather evanescent. Disappointing, perhaps, but still objectively pretty good.

Overall: as I said, objectively this is a good beer. But it has a je ne sais quoi that really appeals to me: the light funk, perhaps, or the annoying head. In any case, I like this beer a lot and would gladly have it again.

Serving type: bottle

09-23-2012 18:53:33 | More by flagmantho

4thelvofbeer

Virginia

2.35/5  rDev -42%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Yuck....I had to force this beer down. Seriously, tastes like a mouthful of grass, hay and straw. I traded some good beer for this brew and unfortunately it was not good at all. Have had some of the same experience with lost abbey brews...they are hit or a big miss...some are great...some are the pits...and this one is the bottom of the pits of the lost abbey beers I have tried to date.

A: straw hay yellow with lots of foam and suds...drank a large bottle at about 48 degrees

S: more hay and straw, grass, some citrus notes, mostly bland and dull

T: like I said, a mouthful of grass...

M: dry and harsh

O: had to force this beer down....would have happily dumped it down the drain but did not want to waste the trade...yuck...I could be done with lost abbey beers...this was the pits!

Serving type: bottle

09-12-2012 00:12:50 | More by 4thelvofbeer

StonedTrippin

Colorado

4.05/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

a nice bottle for about 10 bucks. pours a fuzzy pale straw color with some suspended yeast and a growing white head that seems to stay a few inches tall the whole time. it smells fresh like cut grass and meadow flowers. theres some fruity pep from the yeast, and a waft of alcohol indicating the strength of this one. it tastes similar to the nose, more springtime than fall, with some floral notes as well as that grassy hop complexion. it finishes very quickly and is bone dry. its not bitter, but there is a strong hop presence in the finish as well. the mouthfeel is great, excited carbonation from the belgian yeast, a deep medium body, and a moderate alcohol sting. i love the dry finish too, perfect for this type of brew. while this certainly isnt my favorite lost abbey selection, its one im glad i purchased. its different than many other beers in this genre, and it was the perfect (if ironic) choice of beer for making my annual hot sauce for canning. just right.

Serving type: bottle

09-10-2012 18:59:39 | More by StonedTrippin

siege06nd

Virginia

4.35/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Special thanks to a fantastic co-worker for picking this guy up for me in San Diego.

A. Pours a pale, cloudy, golden straw color. About a five finger eggshell white head explodes from the brew. Lacing is thick, coating, and uniform. Head quickly settles to a finger and lingers nicely throughout the session. Quite excellent.

S. Smell is of apple, banana, clove, yeast, light hops, mild phenols. MMMMmmm....

T. Banana, clove, loads of Belgian yeast, grape skin, some mild hop bitterness. Good amount of residual sugar and a faint corny flavor. Quite pleasing.

M. Light-moderate bodied with some medium carbonation and light fruitiness, just enough to keep it mildly refreshing. Flavors are balanced and well-integrated.

O. A fantastic BPA. One of the best I have had. This should be a go-to for fans of the style. Spectacular achievement, very much enjoyed.

Serving type: bottle

08-19-2012 19:31:54 | More by siege06nd

DoubleJ

California

4.4/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

....and I thought only a few of the Lost Abbey beers were bottled in 375 ml bottles. This bottle of Inferno is also a 375, bottled on 10/6/11. Let's give hell a taste. On to the beer:

Some Belgian blondes are a beautiful sight. Inferno is no different from that. With a fluffy bone white head, great retention, and a hazy goldenrod color, it looks almost like a Duvel (is it a coincidence that this is also being served in my Duvel tulip?). The nose offers dry aromas. Wild flowers. Soft yeasty background, bread dough. Gettin' thirsty now...

It's dry, and it's very appetizing. The taste is soft all around and well balanced. Just a little sweet pineapple runs through, cidery too. Floral. Slight pepper. Vague citrus. It also seems to have some funk as well. Not to be overshadowed is the texture, which is an airy full-bodied beer with a creamy feel, and a dry, bittersweet aftertaste.

We have yet another winner from the Lost Abbey line of beers. Now I'm a little upset at myself for purchasing the smaller bottle and not the larger 750.

Serving type: bottle

08-15-2012 05:00:36 | More by DoubleJ

BeerManDan

California

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

The color when poured into a pint glass was a hazy yellow with a reddish hue, with a load of white foam and a load of lace on the side of the glass from top to bottom. The smell of carbonated yeasty bread and spices was evident in to aroma. The flavor had a very carbonated yeasty, spicy and fruity finish. Well balanced and a very pleasant aftertaste.

Serving type: bottle

08-12-2012 23:30:28 | More by BeerManDan

raynmoon

California

3.95/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

I got the 375ml bottle! They are so cute, I had to get it. These bottles will make any beer seem good, besides Mo Betta Bretta though...meh. Let's soo how the format affects the taste.

It's highly carbonated, which I like. It's a cloudy golden yellow/ orange color.

It smells really nice, some spices from the yeast and a nice amount of tartness; like granny smith apples and green grapes.

It tastes mostly yeasty and bready, with a hint a alcohol. It is not too complex, but as it warms, the alcohol starts to compliment the spice of the yeast.

Not bad, I kind of like it!

Serving type: bottle

08-12-2012 08:14:37 | More by raynmoon

Suds

Pennsylvania

4.38/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

From a corked 750, this beer is a straw yellow with bright clarity on the first pour (with some subsequent yeast haze). The head is tall, firm, and white. It's aroma very spicy...Belgian...phenolic and grassy. Some malt, but it takes a backseat to the complex yeastiness and pepper. The flavor is very bitter, with some alcohol warmth. No real sweetness...dry and firm. Full and enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

08-11-2012 01:18:55 | More by Suds

womencantsail

California

3.9/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

On-tap at Lost Abbey

Pours a lightly hazed golden orange color with a white head. Very nice citrus note on the nose, yeast, and some spiciness to it as well. A touch of alcohol, some floral hops, just a light malt sweetness. The citrus really comes through on the nose. A bit citric, some yest, some spices, and a touch of booze. Lightly floral, quite dry, and a light sweetness in the middle.

Serving type: on-tap

08-07-2012 04:38:10 | More by womencantsail

OtherShoe2

Massachusetts

4.05/5  rDev 0%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a hazy gold with a gigantic head. As the foam head breaks down, it never really collapses, just chunks of bubbles break, leaving a big cavernous swiss-cheese structure that eventually turns to lace. Great retention, good lace, and furious carbonation. Beautiful beer.

Nice aroma of grain and some sweet fruit. You get the chemical alcohol no question.

Some fruit up front, with pear and some tropical notes. But this just moves aside to alcohol and some grainy bitterness. Never really out of balance, this one remains burly and aggressive in flavors, with sweet, bitter, and alcoholic all battling it out. Finishes drier than expected, and some stone fruit-pit bitterness as well.

Fuller bodied and very carbonated.

Wonderful version of the style. Less fruity than many others, including those from Belgium. Who cares. This one is a winner.

Serving type: bottle

07-28-2012 03:57:08 | More by OtherShoe2

WillCarrera

Illinois

4.08/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

375 ml bottle, bottled on 10/6/11, poured into a tulip glass.

A- Pours a hazy golden blond color, produces an inch of creamy white head that leaves lots of delicate lacing on the glass.

S- Light aroma of bready funk, pear, some pepper and boozy phenols and fruity esters, alcohol is nicely restrained for 9%.

T- Bold flavors of dry, crispy pear, light grain, and warm, fruity alcohol. Finish is dry and a bit spicy with clove. Very nice overall.

M- Medium-bodied, smooth, crisp feel, moderate to high carbonation, dry, spicy finish.

O- A very nice spicy, Belgian-style beer, it's damn drinkable for 9%, I basically pounded this bottle pretty quickly, tasty stuff.

Serving type: bottle

07-27-2012 10:08:52 | More by WillCarrera

Teleweizen2

New Jersey

3.65/5  rDev -9.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - pours a cloudy marigold color. Very foamy. Needs time to settle. Thick moose like white foam eventually settles and slowly declines leaving thick give of lacing on the glass.

S - nose is very bready/yeasty. Lots of fruit too. Notes of apples, pears and banana peel. Some notes of peppery spice and hints of clove round out the nose.

T - soft bready dough flavors up front with a bit of sweetness. Sublet apple and pear fruit character along with a zippy lemony acidity in the middle. Spicy pepper and clove are bright on the back palate. Finishes quick and dry.

M - high carbonation with lots of tight bubbles. Body is medium with a texture somewhere inbetween watery and creamy.

O - good beer. Nice interpretation of the style. For a beer called inferno I find it quite refreshing.

Serving type: bottle

07-25-2012 04:39:53 | More by Teleweizen2

jera1350

Minnesota

4.23/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

2009/2010 vintage (didn't mark the bottle)

A slight gush upon opening, but not bad. Tons of carbonation and foam upon pouring. Clear pale gold with a massive cap of fluffy white foam. Excellent retention and some fair lacing.

A very fruity and floral nose with lots of pear and apple coming out.

Much like the nose, the taste lends lots of pear and apple with white pepper and coriander. Light spice and warmth from the alcohol. Moderate sweetness with a mild hop bitterness going on. Very tasty and refreshing at the same time.

Very dry and medium bodied. The carbonation is more subdued in the body than what sits on top.

A very well crafted brew that is so nice to drink. Solid belgian here.

Serving type: bottle

07-19-2012 02:56:05 | More by jera1350

chodinheaven

Maryland

4.23/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Chill hazed pale straw color beer with tons of bubbles making their way to the top to feed the mammoth head. Even the slightest pour possible produced a huge fluffy four finger head, white in color and dissapating very slowly. The cool label and paragraph on the back should be mentioned as well. The head releases nice yeasty notes that mingle well with a bright spiciness and finally a lightly toasted malt way in the background. The fruity notes are pleasant with hints of banana and clove as well as fresh green apples mixed with orange peel and a modest earthy hop character. Just a hint of booze to round out the aroma. Great nose on this one, could sniff on it all day.

At once its both complex and drinkable, while still delivering a big punch. The fresh fruits come out and work nicely with the light biscuit malt. I still taste a mild tartness of green apples, as well as some orange zest that moves this beer into a quick bone dry finish. Lively and light while still being boozy, losing a bit in the body but not too much. Definitely has that belgian yeasty character throughout, mixing with the booze to create a big, spicy, and flavorful ale. The spiciness is clove like in nature and a welcome addition to the depth of this character-filled beer.

Very good ale here. I really enjoyed it for the complexity of the several flavors working together. I would put this up there with other big names of the style for sure.

Serving type: bottle

07-07-2012 04:34:25 | More by chodinheaven