Invocation - Wild Heaven Craft Beers

AlexFields

Tennessee

3.71/5  rDev -7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Pours a clear golden amber color, head on the thin side but looks pretty decent.

Smell is mostly bright sweet yeast, lots of banana, some nuts, maybe apple or pear, mild spice and floral notes.

Lots of sweet flowers, roses maybe, good amount of spice, not much of the yeasty banana I got from the nose. I like this! Really tastes like it has flowers.

Mouthfeel nice, good carbonation that complements the spicy kick well.

7.5/10

Serving type: bottle

03-09-2013 02:58:56 | More by AlexFields

BeerDocT

Georgia

4.2/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance 3.5: Came out of the growler a deep golden color with very little head. Swirls of foamy goodness appeared after the pour.

-Smell 4.0: Very interesting bouquet on this beer. "Hop forward" which is unusual for a Belgian style ale. I can almost place those hops...Northern Brewer? Also picking up warm sugars and that telltale Belgian yeast.

-Taste 4.5: Wow! Front is slightly sweet, with a very light sourness. Middle is a kick to the palate with BIG malt flavors and mid-level alkaline hoppiness. Finish is light and balanced and features that Belgian spiciness from the yeast and the hops. Delicious brew.

-Mouthfeel 4.0: Very smooth and balanced mouthfeel. Remarkable given that this is from a growler and is obviously a CO2 conditioned ale.

-Overall 4.0: Slightly short of a 4.5, but nonetheless, an excellent beer. Wonderfully smooth and balanced with no trace of the 8.5% ABV punch. Lots of big flavors, but these are expertly nuanced so that this brew is not sloppy and out of focus: it is a Belgian ale, but is an unusual Belgian Ale. Recommended.

Serving type: growler

12-24-2012 04:05:46 | More by BeerDocT

heybrewtiful

5/5  rDev +25.3%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Have you ever tasted a raw carrot? No. Really. Have you? A little dirty, a little spicy, a little sweet. The condensed flavor of desiccated leaves and earthworm castings, rain clouds and the warm must of decomposed tree bark, a bit of late afternoon sunlight on the finish?

Like the aggregated flavor your memory holds of Christmas mornings, when you're the one staying up in the wee hours of dawn wrapping presents with a whiskey on the table. Someone else downstairs making pancakes and breakfast sausage, a hint of syrup rising through the hazelnuts.

Like an unexpected deer in the front yard, steam rising from her warm, open mouth. The golden blond and amber tones of morning searing the crisp surface of packed snow, a bitterness in the air that reaches all the way up to your brain and unlocks the feeling of lying underneath the black limbs of a leafless tree, breathing in the melting snow angel and sweaty hair underneath the hood of your snowsuit.

Presenting, Wild Heaven's Invocation:
It's a beautiful honey and amber colored Belgian IPA, with mild tangy notes of ginger and raw, slightly unwashed carrot (from the crisper drawer, of course). Best when had on draft and poured in a big glass (yes, I'm reluctantly admitting that sometimes beer does actually taste better in a bigger glass).

A tasty, tasty locally brewed craft beer, my friends. Get a growler. Take it home. Make a big pot of salted stove top popcorn (the old school way, kernels salted and covered in oil at the bottom of a heavy pan), or a roasted turkey, or a rosemary rack of lamb. You get the picture.

Serving type: growler

11-13-2012 15:23:16 | More by heybrewtiful

Jadjunk

Georgia

3.75/5  rDev -6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

One of Wild Heaven's two launch beers, Invocation is brewed in the Belgian Strong Golden Ale Style. According to the label, "Inspired by the great golden ales of Belgium, Invocation is fermented with a Trappist yeast for an earthy spiciness, made more complex by Noble and West Coast hops. We brew Invocation all-grain with no adjunct sugars, creating huge flavor without excess alcohol." This beer is currently contract brewed by Thomas Creek in South Carolina. There is no date on the bottle, however this beer is estimated to be at least 6 months, from a purchase I made quite a while back.

Poured from a 12 oz. bottle to a pint glass. Served in the mid 40'sº Fahrenheit.

(Appearance) An abundant golden cream tone head of a sudsy texture covers an orange copper body with medium haze and abundant, busy carbonation. Head retention is of very good quality. There's lots of substance here. Great appearance overall. 4.5

(Smell) A nice balance of spices and tart sourness on a belgian bready profile. Potency is medium-high. Some slight murkiness roughs up the palate and a tiny bit of booze is evident. The aroma is quite nice. 4

(Taste) Mildly tart bready yeast front with a sharp lasting spiced alcohol finish. Flavors are nice although not quite as pleasingly blended as in the aroma. The alcohol and spice creates a striking dryness on the finish. Balance is nice- I expected a slightly more prevalent malt body for those spices but overall its not a disappointing drink. There's a lot of character in here to make it a memorable Belgian-Style ale. 3.5

(Mouthfeel) Creamy, crisp with a cracker dryness associated with the spice, yeast and alcohol. Body is medium amongst Belgian Strong Pale Ales and medium amongst all beers. Alcohol presence is medium. A decent pairing. 3.5

(Overall) Quite a tasty beverage. Wild Heaven's Invocation shows the Georgia Crowd that we shouldn't be afraid to make- and drink- highly suitable Belgian Strong Ales. Alcohol is a bit sharp on this one and some mild tartness is to be expected but if the complexity is in your favor, consider enjoying a bottle of this! 4

Wild Heaven Craft Beer's
Invocation Belgian-Style Golden Ale
/5.00

Serving type: bottle

10-01-2012 22:25:55 | More by Jadjunk

NODAK

Tennessee

4.13/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Has quite a sweet smell to it, with banana and sweet fruit just jumping out...bordering on bubblegum really. Clove spices are also evident....a little yeast. Very Belgian, very good.

Pours a cloudy golden in my snifter with a very impressive, fluffy head that lasts quite a while.

Starts out fairly sweet, with the aforementioned juicy fruit and banana coming forward mixed with a healthy dose of cloves that are also present. Then comes a pretty healthy yeast component which helps bridge the way to the finish, where I get some citrus present giving a slight tartness on the end. There's also a small but noticeable hop bitterness at the end, giving it a somewhat dry finish.

Good balanced Belgian style beer here. Pretty impressed by it.

Serving type: bottle

08-20-2012 03:15:05 | More by NODAK

TheSevenDuffs

Ontario (Canada)

3.88/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

On tap in Atlanta. Served in snifter.

A - Cloudy golden orange with half a finger of white head. Great lacing.

S - Belgian yeast, spice, cloves, bready malts.

T - Belgian yeast, cloves, a noticeable alcohol presence, bread, spice.

M - Medium body. Moderate carbonation.

Serving type: on-tap

08-16-2012 15:30:17 | More by TheSevenDuffs

Meerkey

Virginia

3.9/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Absurdly enormous head. Off-white, bubbly, and foamy. Color is dark, cloudy honey with bubbles.

S: Bright, citrusy, and wheaty.

T: Wheat, citrus again, and something kind of earthy and spicy that I can't identify. I like it.

M: Carbonated, clean.

O: Good beer. Very enjoyable and refreshing.

Serving type: bottle

07-06-2012 00:46:02 | More by Meerkey

bonkers

New Jersey

4/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I got this in BA secret santa, it pours a hazy orange with a rock hard, long lasting white head. The aroma has notes of spice, sweet fruit. Hoppier than expected, spicy, hay, lingering spicey finish, some pine. The body is medium, good carbonation. Enjoyable beer, hoppier than expected, worth seeking out.

Serving type: bottle

04-09-2012 01:03:56 | More by bonkers

doopydoogle

Tennessee

4.1/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Slightly cloudy with an almost reddish golden hue. A gentle, vibrant lace clings to the side of the glass and the head cascades down the glass, leaving a sticky foam.

S - Slightly funky, almost acidic, with spice, dark fruit, and banana backing it up. Somewhere between fresh fruit and funky feet. Almost a wild yeast aroma.

T - Bright zesty spice gives way to a cloying bitter combined with a whack of high ABV. Citrus and chocolate are present together along with a buried grain profile that begs to be recognized but falls away in the clutter. Hearty, earthy, yet slightly funky yeast lingers.

M- Somewhat acidic, with a strong mouthfeel that contains a good vibrant carbonation.

O - An interesting brew! I would probably put this in the American Wild Ale style before BSPA, but a great try!

Serving type: bottle

04-08-2012 11:39:25 | More by doopydoogle

comfortablynumb1

California

4.05/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Big thanks to Andrew for the hookup on this one...

12oz bottle into a H24 snifter...

A - Pours a hazy orange with a three finger off white frothy head. Head retention is excellent, and there is lots of lace that clings to the glass...

S - Spice, sweet malts, yeast, and some light fruit notes...

T - Pear, peach, lots of sweet malt, and some spice and yeast on the end. Abv is very well hidden...

M - Really smooth. Medium bodied with a perfect amount of carbonation...

O - Enjoyed this one. Really drinkable. Kind of wishing I had another as it goes down so smooth. Looking foward to trying more from Wild Heaven..

Cheers...

Serving type: bottle

04-07-2012 04:29:40 | More by comfortablynumb1

tbern007

Colorado

3.88/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Had this at Marlowe's in NE Atlanta.
Pours a hazy golden/honey/amber with a little less head than I like to see. Lacing was decent.
Scent had the yeast, spice of a Belgian and a bit more sweetness than usual.
The taste was more complex than what I was expecting: malty, sweet like cane sugar and a little banana, clove and cinnamon spice, nutmeg, yet some hops as well.
Medium body, alchohol well hidden from taste but warmth was apparent.
Very nice overall. I would get this again if I found it.

Serving type: bottle

04-02-2012 02:22:09 | More by tbern007

TrappistJohnMD

Mississippi

3.93/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours amber color with a white head.

Has a tangarine smell to it. Some bubblegum and pineapple come to mind as well.

Taste is bready with some ripe fruit notes (plums and a little banana). Moderately bitter finish.

Medium bodied with average carbonation.

Overall this was good.

Serving type: bottle

04-01-2012 11:28:31 | More by TrappistJohnMD

KajII

North Carolina

3.8/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

[Best served in a Trappist glass]

The pour was a hazy burnt orange with an average sized (1-2 finger) white creamy head that hung on for a little while reducing to a few small puddles and a small ring of residue thus creating some excellent sticky streaks of lace.

The aroma was of a toasted biscuit malt, floral hops and a sweet moldy yeast with notes of citrus, pears, coriander, honey and a mild alcohol scent.

The taste was a fruity malty sweet with notes of citrus and honey from start to finish with notes of pears, green apple, a mild spiciness and a light alcohol tinge towards the end. The flavor lasted an average duration after the swallow with the sweet fruity alcohol taste lingering on well after everything else faded.

Mouthfeel was right in the middle of light and medium in body with a creamy dry texture and a mild carbonation.

Overall a well rounded brew that had a ton of flavor and a mild fruity alcohol presence. Simply put YUM…

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2012 20:19:00 | More by KajII

gkatsoris

Pennsylvania

4.03/5  rDev +1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Holy head; where's the beer hahah? This literaly poured thee entire glass as the head; exciting LOL. Ocean foam!! THICK GIANT WHITE head. Golden honey in color, and a little hazy.

S: Banana's! Banana bread. White bread. Little lemon. Peach Cobbler! Green Melon. Canteloupe. Fruit jam.

T: After 10 mins for the head to fall; Melon. Peach. Fruit tarte. Raw dough. Lemon, lemon rind. Bitter on the very vey end.

M: Thick, but not chewy. Leaves a very nice coat on the tongue! Zesty and tingly.

O: I def do not like Belgians, but this is a very nice Belgian for sure. Never the less, due to my dislike of this type of brew, one and done.

Big thanks to brentk56 for the extra!!!

Serving type: bottle

02-18-2012 02:00:55 | More by gkatsoris

Goblinmunkey7

Massachusetts

3.05/5  rDev -23.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Appearance: Slightly hazed gold. Head is off-white, rocky, creamy, and thick, Head lingers at a high volume for a very long time. Sheets of lacing stick to the glass. Carbonation is on the high side.

Smell: Belgian yeast. Slightly sweet with notes of clove and a touch of pepper and copious banana. Some apple. Reminds me of cinnamon applesauce. Big yeasty character. Peach and mealy fruit. Pears maybe?

Taste: So much yeast. Clove and pear. Apple comes through the back. Coriander and banana. Belgian yeast runs rampant. Any hops are hidden in the back and float citrus, barely. Lots of flavor, but it all hits up front. Relatively clean finish.

Mouthfeel: Highish carbonation over a creamy moderate body. Easy to drink with little to no linger.

Overall: It's very yeast heavy. If you're in to that type of thing, it does it well, especially for an American brewery. Yeast is mellow and adds a nice group of flavors.

Serving type: bottle

02-17-2012 19:38:56 | More by Goblinmunkey7

0tt0

Georgia

4.05/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Pours slightly darker-than-staw, with a small cap of head. Micro-sized bubbles cling to the side of the glass.

The nose is of peach and apricot, and sweet. Inviting.

Wild Heaven calls this a Belgian Golden, which seems correct enough, though I wouldn't object to it being called a Belgian IPA, either. The taste suggests the nose, though the Belgian yeast adds a funky (but pleasant) zip to it. There's an almost tea-like quality in the (very long) finish that fights against the citrus-y notes. It might sound out-of-whack, but it works, honestly. A hint of alcohol booziness towards the end as well.

Mouthfeel is thin, but with a resinous quality and prickly, prickly carbonation. Could stand just a bit more body, though.

I've had this a handful of times before and liked it better then. I'm not sure how much of that is the difference in serving type (bottle then, growler now) or situation (group then, alone now) or perhaps brewing inconsistency. Nevertheless, it's a solid beer from a brewery who's vibe I like considerably. Well worth checking out.

Serving type: growler

02-05-2012 19:28:12 | More by 0tt0

Jayli

Massachusetts

3.73/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Had at The Village Tavern in Alpharetta, GA on 1/29
Served in a pint glass

A: This beer pours a hazy honey color with a two finger of white head (waitress gave me my second one for free because she screwed up the pour!). Head retains nicely leaving a decent amount of sticky spider webbed lacing.

S: Nose is sweet caramel malt, spices - clove predominantly, and a hint of pear and apple.

T: Taste starts with a good deal of belgian spices. More coriander than clove which is the opposite of the nose. Caramel malts come in as an undertone, with a touch of yeast. Finish is apple, pear, and banana with a touch more of coriander spicing.

M: Lighter side of medium body, medium carbonation, light, prickly, with a touch of a slick finish.

O: Goes down ok, tasty, not too filling, well hidden kick, ok representation of style. First pour, I didn't think that I would get another. The bartender poured me another before I could switch... found after the second one that I liked it far better...

Serving type: bottle

02-05-2012 05:11:49 | More by Jayli

Nuke77

Tennessee

3.78/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

When poured from the bottle this develops a mountainous thick head that leaves an incredible amount of lacing on the side of the glass. It's color is a cloudy amber orange. The fine stream of tiny bubbles emanating from the bottle of the glass is very similar to the fine bubbles at the bottom of a glass of good champagne. The aroma is of spice and banana and a hint of nutmeg. This is heavily carbonated and to me this detracts from the overall taste of the beer Given its appearance and aroma I would have expected more flavor rather than the rather thin banana and spice flavor that I experienced. Overall it is a pretty good beer but I think there are several out there that better represent this style.

Serving type: bottle

02-03-2012 18:12:51 | More by Nuke77

SuperSpy

Georgia

4.2/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Cloudy and golden with a huge rocky head. There is so much lively activity that you can here the head crackle as the microscopic bubbles pop. The lace is so thick that you cannot see through the glass.

Earthy and spicy yeast esters with just the slightest hint of white pepper.

Medium bodied with plenty of carbonation. The flavor is immediately spicy and slightly bitter. It quickly transitions to sweet flavors of banana, vanilla, and cherries. Toward the end there is more banana, boozy alcohol and peppery spices. It finishes with sweet banana but the aftertaste is earthy, dry and bitter. The flavor is all over the place with mixes of peppery spice, sweet fruit, bitter earthy hops and warm boozy alcohol. It's a great tasting beer that is a bit sweeter than the usual showings in this style, but it has plenty of flavors that keep me coming back for more!

Serving type: bottle

02-01-2012 00:05:38 | More by SuperSpy

chinchill

South Carolina

3.01/5  rDev -24.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Pours with a very fine creamy head that has great durability and leaves plenty of lacing.

Funk, yeast and fruit on the nose. Very Belgian but otherwise not really appealing.

Taste partly parallels the nose, but with a good bit of tartness that, unfortunately IMO, is accompanied by a mild bitterness. Too much funky/yeasty flavor. Oddly, the aftertaste is rather nice however.

M: excellent feel, with a medium body and very good carbonation.

O: Too much wild yeast and funk for my taste.

Serving type: on-tap

01-28-2012 22:17:53 | More by chinchill

lnashsig

Texas

4.28/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Many thanks to Ahlthe3rd for the chance to taste this one. Another beer from a brewery I have never come across. Poured from bottle into Brooklyn tulip. Pours a terrific hazy golden color, impressive head and retention. Smell- nutmeg, sage, bready aroma. Exciting, smells delicious. taste- nutmeg and a nice hop bitterness blast the back of my throat. A really nice malt sweetness finishes on the end. For the abv, this is incredibly smooth. This is a real winner, I really enjoyed it.

Serving type: bottle

01-14-2012 20:58:51 | More by lnashsig

iadler

Minnesota

3.3/5  rDev -17.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Bottle to tulip.

A- Pours a hazy light amber with a huge fluffy head that takes minutes to dissipate, eventually into a nice cap. Rapid tiny bubbles rising.

S- Candi sugar, light green apple, pear, underipe banana, white pepper, barnyard funk and floral hops.

T- At first there is some citrus bitterness followed by Banana, clove and vanilla then a big amount of sweetness with  wheat candi sugar and white pepper. Strange as every sip is sometimes sweet, bitter or really boozy

M- Medium carbonation and light to medium body. Finishes dry with a hint of booze. Bitterness lingers on.

O- This wasn't the easiest thing to drink. Not because it was really boozy, but the mix of strange bitterness and overly sweet flavors really hurt the drinkability. 

Serving type: bottle

12-13-2011 04:35:39 | More by iadler

AgentMunky

Alabama

4.33/5  rDev +8.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 12 ounce bottle into a Rochefort chalice. No date. Brewed at Thomas Creek Brewery.

A: Delicate white head foams over the surface of the beer, groups bubbles slowly popping. The beer is an unassuming clover honey colour, cloudy and opaque, taking on a slight glow in direct backlight.

S: Belgian yeast, soft fruits, sticky candy. Apricot and just a dash of white pepper. Mostly sweet; nice/typical BSPA.

T: Really nice! An odd, dry, excellent spiciness is present throughout the maintaste...possibly hops? That aside, I taste what I expect -- a lightly fruity, sweet beer characterised by the presence of Belgian yeast and heavy graininess. The grain is not unpleasant or out of place primiarily because it's not entirely sweet. Instead of producing that cloying grain flavour that I loathe, the aftertaste is dry and pleasant, almost toasty, with a bit of spice that makes me wonder if there is any rye in malt bill.

M: A good balance of sweet and dry, with just enough carbonation to keep things crisp and interesting. This is one drinkable beer! I may have to pour myself a second...

O: A fantastic production from a new brewery. The Ode to Mercy is also a favourite of mine; I am gladdened that this BSPA is excellent as well. The 'no adjunct sugar' philosophy seems to be working for Wild Heaven...I'm keen to try their Quad. Highly recommended; will definitely be drinking more.

Serving type: bottle

12-13-2011 01:26:30 | More by AgentMunky

jlindros

Massachusetts

3.58/5  rDev -10.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to kkipple for this one.

Pours a nice fluffy 1+ finger head that fades semi slowly with sticky lacing, over very hazy orange honey colored.

Nose has lots of Belgian golden malts, even more Belgian yeast fruits, light apple, pear, light sweet malts, touch of fruity esters as well, bit of phenols though.

Taste is semi sweet, lots of fruit with apple and pear again, bit of esters, and some phenols with a bit of plastic and glue. Then a bit of earthy slight herbal spicy hops which are similar to the imperial brown but doesn't work at all here. Bitterness comes on strong, esp on the finish, a bit dry as well and sticky.

Mouth is med bodied, bit of booze, decent carb.

Overall pretty meh, lots of off flavors and ones that don't belong.

Serving type: bottle

11-03-2011 13:41:47 | More by jlindros

Huhzubendah

District of Columbia

3.55/5  rDev -11%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

The beer is clear and orange with nearly an inch of white head that leaves ample lacing on the glass. The aroma offers spices, light yeast, and a touch of alcohol. Cinnamon, misc. spices and yeast are present throughout, with a light sweetness. Medium bodied. An OK beer, but I wouldn't want a lot of this. Not on par with the authentic Belgian representations of the style. Fun to try once.

Serving type: bottle

10-29-2011 17:17:04 | More by Huhzubendah