Singel - Hardywood Park Craft Brewery

ThisWangsChung

Maryland

3.59/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

750ml bottle into a Duvel tulip.

A: Pours a hazy golden color. The head is a two finger white shade. It doesn't have the thick-looking richness or great retention I expect from a BPA; otherwise the general look is fine.

S: About what I expected - apple, pear, grape, bread, and noble hops to balance. No single note here is impressive, but it coalesces together admirably.

T: Initial fruity tones of citrus, apple, and grape eventually build to an earthy hop tone. Additional grape flavors linger on the aftertaste pleasantly. It makes up for its modicum of depth with its rock-solid balance and easy drinking nature.

M: The texture is fairly light - a great combination with the crisp, dry nature of the finish. Only thing to really complain about is that carbonation is a touch too high.

O: This one doesn't impress at first...until you realize that 2/3rds of the bottle was finished in about 10 minutes. The focus on pleasant subtlety over chest-thumping aggressiveness is something I can really appreciate here.

Serving type: bottle

04-01-2013 23:39:33 | More by ThisWangsChung

AlexFields

Tennessee

3.23/5  rDev -14.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

Pours a light and clear color similar to a light lager, but with a pure white frothy head with big streams of bubble rising from the bottom of the glass. Looks really nice.

Smells of dry yeast, slightly spicy malt, slight floral notes, white grapes.

Taste is similar, dry champagne like yeast, white wine grapes, mild spice. Good, basically like a really tame tripel.

Mouthfeel is high on carbonation, actually tastes a little boozy strangely given the low abv.

Solid beer.

6.5/10

Serving type: bottle

03-01-2013 01:58:15 | More by AlexFields

ALBuff

Hawaii

2.46/5  rDev -34.7%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Looks as one would expect: pale hazy yellow, moderate foamy head, effervescent. Smells about as good as it tastes, which in my opinion is not that great. The lemony hops and pungent yeast is an off putting combo, adding a conflicting dichotomy of both sweet and sour, with neither really blending well together.

Serving type: on-tap

02-18-2013 15:52:06 | More by ALBuff

BeerAdvocate

Massachusetts

3.81/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

From BeerAdvocate magazine Issue #63 (Apr 2012):

LOOK: Clear golden yellow, thin wispy white lace

SMELL: Yeast, green banana skin, white pepper, gummy, orchard must

TASTE: Semi-crisp, red apple, mixed fruit-cup juice, herbal hop; medicinal, pithy, chalky, gummy, slightly astringent, peppercorn, cracker-like dry malt, salty, yeasty, oily hop, dry finish

Simple yet intricate, with yeast nuances ... perhaps too much so? That would be our only gripe with this beer. The yeast dominates. In fact, it's a yeast bomb. Some taming would push this beer into the exceptional range. Regardless, a good stab at an Abbey-style Blonde Ale.

Serving type: bottle

02-14-2013 00:35:02 | More by BeerAdvocate

jaasen64

Massachusetts

3.75/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

22oz bottle poured into HF glass. Thanks Brian (Auror) for sharing this. Reviewed from notes taken two days ago.

A- Pours a hazy yellow, decent carbonation,

S- Lemons, yeast, oranges, tangerines. Fairly aromatic but a little bit astringent and not that pleasant in my opinion.

T- Lemons, tangerines, yeast, light malts, slight lemon bitterness with a lingering aftertaste. Nice lemon taste, fairly interesting, much better then aroma.

M- Light, fairly over-carbonated, fairly easy drinking.

O- Decent belgian blonde that was a little bit different then I'm used to having, but fairly enjoyable asides from the aroma. While this wasn't my favorite blonde, I'd definitely try it again but I wouldn't seek it out.

Serving type: bottle

01-13-2013 03:05:19 | More by jaasen64

maximum12

Minnesota

3.63/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A gift from the all-too-generous beerisheaven, who has contributed mightily to my beer education (& my caloric intake) over the years. 750 ML bottle split with my wife on a night when company was over & I just wanted to lay down & read. Grmmp.

Pour is as light, frizzy, & pale as a beer can possibly be - I swear it's actually smiling at me. The nose is all raw pepper & bready yeast; smells like Belgium in the morning, I bet.

Singel is a singular creature that's a credit to the style without breaking out of the pack. Pepper is the most noticeable aspect here, tons of cool, smooth pepper backed with lots of bread, yeasty fruity Esters (didn't that used to be a name?), bit of lemon. Drinkability is the backbone of this show - one could drink this for hours.

Really, a fairly tame beer that's good but not great; but what does one want from a Belgian pale ale? Good beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-11-2013 02:41:31 | More by maximum12

Thorpe429

Illinois

2.4/5  rDev -36.3%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Bottle thanks to Matt. Served in a cervoise. Pours a fairly-clear golden color with a short white head. Nose has loads of pepper and just a touch of background floral hops. Flavor is likewise mostly pepper. Interesting if they didn’t use pepper in this, as they really got some crazy stuff out of the yeast. Medium body. Somewhat crisp and dry. Just okay. One dimensional.

Serving type: bottle

12-15-2012 19:32:04 | More by Thorpe429

out4blood

2.33/5  rDev -38.2%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

I had this at the Hardywood Park Craft Brewery while picking up another growler of their Gingerbread Stout. I am not a fan of pale ales, and this is yet more evidence I should just stick to stouts.

Very pale beer. It almost looks like champagne coming out of the tap. It did not have a pleasing smell to it either, very yeasty.

I drank my taster and then immediately asked for a pint of Gingerbread Stout to get the taste out of my mouth. I won't try this again.

Serving type: on-tap

11-22-2012 01:00:37 | More by out4blood

sommersb

Tennessee

3.9/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Tasted On: 11-19-2012
Freshness: Not indicated
Packaging: 750ml brown bottle, pry-cap
Glassware: Balloon glass
Purchased: Received in a trade

Appearance is bright golden in color and clear, with tons of bubbles streaming from the bottom of the glass. Head is tight and maybe 2 and a half fingers, Both head retention and lacing are very good. The last pour has some haziness from the bottle conditioning.

Aromas have peppery spices, a light malt sweetness, some wood/oak notes, hay, and a touch of lemon/citrus tartness. Reminds me of a saison; very nice

The taste features spicy hops and a fair amount of bitterness. Also has a lightly toasted bread flavor with some graininess. Mouthfeel is crisp with a high level of carbonation. Medium bodied with a dry, citrus aftertaste. Mellows nicely as it warms

Overall a good tasting beer, similar to a pilsner but less harsh.

Thanks to Steve for this one!

Serving type: bottle

11-20-2012 03:16:47 | More by sommersb

nickfl

Florida

3.6/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A - Pours with one finger of white foam on top of a hazy, golden body. The foam settles at a moderate pace and leaves little lace.

S - A spicy aroma of coriander, clove, and some vegetal garden herb notes.

T - Light, bready malt up front with some herbal hop notes. Thin, grainy malt in the middle and a finish with light bitterness and more herbal hops.

M - Medium-thick body, moderate carbonation, and a dry finish.

D - not bad, there is an odd note in the aroma, but the flavor comes together pretty well. I don't love it, but it is drinkable and a reasonably credible example of an obscure style.

Serving type: bottle

10-05-2012 01:08:02 | More by nickfl

kylehay2004

Florida

3.83/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: thin head rapidly dissipates on a hazy golden with slight orange hue body.

S: clove, mustard seed, pale malts, belgian yeast with very mild banana notes.

T: this one is very tart and sour but not so much that its mouth curdling. Lots of belgian yeast, clove and other herbs, musty hops and malts.

M: this one is pretty dry. light to medium body and high carbonation.

Overall: I really liked how Belgian this one is

Serving type: bottle

10-05-2012 01:07:41 | More by kylehay2004

drabmuh

Maryland

3.53/5  rDev -6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Someone should tell them they misspelled the word "Single" on the label, pretty obvious if you ask me...this beer was meh...at best.

Beer is yellow with a white head, moderate retention, some lacing, moderate carbonation.

Aroma is grainy, yeasty, bready, sweet.

Beer is medium in body and sweet on the finish, the overall beer is fine but bland, grainy finish, mildly astringent. Not a repeat.

Serving type: bottle

08-03-2012 15:46:52 | More by drabmuh

rfbenavi80

Missouri

3.35/5  rDev -11.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Received in a trade.
Bottle poured into a tulip.

A- Pours a light cloudy medium straw color with 1 finger of rocky, large bubble white head that don't lace very well.

S- Lots of bready yeast. Mild hints of sourness. Little bit of fruitiness.

T- Little bit of sour apple and grape skin. Lots of bready Belgian yeast. No flavors are overpowering. Slightly dry finish.

M- It has a moderate amount of carbonation that makes this beer crisp, and refreshing, with a little dryness.

O- My first offering from Hardywood is not disappointing, but then again, I'm not blown out of the water. This beer is enjoyable, just nothing over the top good.

Serving type: bottle

07-25-2012 08:01:30 | More by rfbenavi80

WMEugene

Virginia

4.05/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

My first brew from the hot new brewery in my hometown...

A - Pours a nice, hazy golden color with an ok head and great lacing. A bit bubbly as well.

S - Definitely fruity Belgian notes. A little bit of that yeast funk, lemon, a little bit of spice and pepper.

T - Much like the nose, Belgian funkiness mixes fruity notes. A slight bit of spice/pepper is ever-present. A very good example of the style, but nothing truly unique.

M - Medium bodied, well carbonated, and very chewy. Great finish...almost like a wine at the end.

O - Hardywood Park's Singel is a very good example of the Belgian Pale Ale style and is an interesting and unique flagship for the young brewery. It's not quite world-class, but a great start. I look forward to checking out their other brews.

Serving type: bottle

07-25-2012 00:03:04 | More by WMEugene

Rhettroactive

Virginia

3.9/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

From 22oz bomber to Bruges hybrid glass on 7/7/12
*From notes

A: Clean mango-lemon in hue. Bone white half finger head on a hard pour. Lackluster retention. Lackluster lacing and collar.

S: The nose is freshly prepped bisquick, lemon rind and spice.

T: Lots of Belgian yeast, plenty of acidity, fruity citrus and medium toast.

M: Crisp, clean and easy to drink. Medium to light in body.

O: As far as flagship beers go, this is a good one. I'm not typically a BPA fan, yet this is flavorful, complex and quaffable. I look forward to returning to this one in the not-too-distant-future.

Serving type: bottle

07-08-2012 06:43:09 | More by Rhettroactive

beer2day

North Carolina

4.08/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a stunningly clear light gold with 3 fingers of dense white head. Nice retention and lace.

Bready, yeasty nose with decent representation of light lemon. Moderate to light hop presence. Light spices without overpowering. Smells just like what a Belgian pale should.

Flavor comes from light lemons, moderate spice, Belgian yeast, bread malt, and a crisp finish. There is a little too much sugary sweetness that really coats the tongue.

Feel is a little on the heavy side. Too heavy for the flavors.

Overall, except for the heavy feel this is a pretty decent representation.

Serving type: bottle

06-29-2012 01:35:29 | More by beer2day

starrdogg

District of Columbia

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

Pours a hazy yellow-gold with a moderate white head. Aroma is very nice, Belgian yeasts dominate and with a little bit of banana and a bit of a fruity aroma as well. Flavor follows the nose, with the Belgian yeasts and banana really coming forward at first. It's got a light, crisp fruitiness and then a bit of a hop bite at the finish. Very refreshing and drinkable. Mouthfeel is thin-medium bodied and just right for the style. Overall, this is a very tasty Belgian pale ale and a great flagship beer for an up-and-coming brewery. It's not incredible, but I would certainly have this one again.

Serving type: bottle

06-01-2012 23:25:36 | More by starrdogg

Jimmys

Pennsylvania

3.9/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

bomber split with my lady.

A: very blond, very hazy, opaque looking body. head is tightly bubbles and bright white. retention is good as is the lacing.

S: ginger. an earthy, spicy, hop character. perhaps some freshly cracked black pepper.

T: chalky, earthy, bitter undertones. fruits include melon, grapefruit, and pear. bubblegum. essentially no aftertaste. very dry. perhaps a slight bitter linger, but just for a moment.

M: a lively carbonation on a medium body. well-done.

D: my only complaint, of few, would be to play around with a belgian yeast that didnt dry this out so much. wouldnt hate for a more lasting bitter linger. otherwise, totally crushable and well-made.

Serving type: bottle

05-17-2012 01:33:29 | More by Jimmys

siege06nd

Virginia

3.8/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into a nonic pint...

A: Pours a hazy, pale straw gold color. Huge two finger crisp white head that sifts down to a half finger with great retention. Lacing is excellent.

S: Apples, grapes, pear skin. A little bit of brown sugar. Hints of hay, freshly baked bread, and cherry.

T: Bread crust, apple juice, grape skin, a little bit of earthy hop bite in the finish.

M: Light bodied and refreshing, carbonation is spot on. Finish has a little to thin of a bitterness to it, but other flavors are balanced nicely.

O: A solid Belgian pale here. Could be a little bit more malt balanced, as the sweetness from the yeast and the thin bitterness from the hops produces a finish that leaves a little bit to be desired. However, this is light, refreshing, and enjoyable. A solid effort from a burgeoning brewery.

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2012 18:38:28 | More by siege06nd

BeerMeDatBeer

Virginia

4.18/5  rDev +10.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

a - Color is what you'd expect from a "blonde" ale. Inch of white head.

s - Smell has a balanced fruitiness to it; not overpowering. I think they did a good job here.

t - Really easy to drink; you can taste the fruit and spices, but again, not overpowering.

m - Light mouthfeel with a little hoppy kick to it, but overall, great!

o - I really like the beer as something in between a "sippin' beer" and a "drinkin beer" because its tasty but light.

I also met the owners today, and they were really cool. Brewery tries to be as green as possible and form bonds with the community in which it lives (Richmond). That's good news for Richmonders! Seems like they're always open to suggestions and ideas about beers to produce or ways to run the business.

Serving type: on-tap

01-21-2012 23:28:24 | More by BeerMeDatBeer

sethstout

Virginia

4/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I did had Hardywood SINGEL last night. Bought from the Wal-Mart off of broad (west end). F.Y.I. Richmonders great beer selection all things considered. Sorry to digress.

I used a stem glass (chimay glass to be exact).

Upon pouring I noticed a slight head that dissipated soon there-after. The first glass contained a golden yellow pale ale color and the second glass poured a more amber color, as if an amber ale.

The smell from the bottle was not as prominent as the aroma from the glass. The glass led to a crisp, citrus smell. Personally, I prefer the smell of stouts and porters.

When drinking you first notice the citrus yeast overtones. This is then left to give you a smokey after taste; I am guessing on account of the malts.

The mouthfeel is something of a lightly carbonated soda. Enough carbonation to lighten the beer, but not so much it feels like you stuck an air-pump up to your stomach.

Over all I would say this is a great flagship beer for both Hardywook Park Craft Brewery and those wanting to learn more about beer, but not sure where to start.

Serving type: bottle

01-19-2012 16:22:56 | More by sethstout

Beejay

Virginia

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

A: Slightly Dusty in the glass, and an apricot gold color. A large silky white head is on top. Looks lovely.

S: Bananas, raisins, and cloves. There is a sweet caramel or marshmallow scent in there.. It almost smells like bananas cooked with brown sugar, or a caramel glaze. Nice.

T: The hops are certainly a little more present that in a lot of Belgian beers labeled as singel. There is a flavor that I usually associate with English hops. It's not a bad thing, just a little different and interesting. The banana and clove come through behind the hops, as does a bit of the caramel. The bittering comes out again in the finish with a slightly earthy softness. The homebrewer in me tastes something similar to the Chimay yeast strain.

M: Medium in body, the carbonation is pleasant and keeps it fairly light.

O: Overall a very nice beer. As you continue to drink it the bitterness softens a bit and the clove and banana become more pronounced. Overall I really like it.

Serving type: growler

01-19-2012 00:53:02 | More by Beejay

Darkale

Virginia

3.35/5  rDev -11.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

I have gotten out of the habit of reviewing beers here, but as this is from a new Richmond brewery (and I really ought to support the home teams more often), I thought I should add my opinion.

Not sure what to make of this as an example of a Belgian Pale Ale, though of course Belgian Pale Ale is such a broad category that while I'm not sure it fits here, neither am I sure that it does not.

They certainly got the carbonation right, and I love the full, flowing Belgian head (which lingers nicely). Aroma is flowery with a little dusky pepper; not bad. I detect an aftertaste, though, that I am not fond of - sort of a cousin to what one gets from a bad lager, a bit sour, a bit off. Mouthfeel is also average - despite the carbonation, it becomes thin and watery too soon.

Overall, though, not a bad start.

Serving type: bottle

01-07-2012 21:01:42 | More by Darkale

HopHeadVA

Virginia

4.05/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Had a sample of this at Capital Ale in Downtown Richmond a while ago and then just the other night at their Illumination party. It's a fairly standard Belgian ale that's very drinkable. I'm more of an IPA and stout kind of person, but would enjoy this in the summertime. Comparable to an Ommegang or Allagash quality beer. Keep it up Hardywood! Glad to see VA get some more breweries.

Serving type: on-tap

12-12-2011 15:51:59 | More by HopHeadVA

TechTriumph

Virginia

4.15/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

From notes on 11/20/11:
No freshness date; Poured in a snifter.

A - Very cloudy, golden/straw colored; 1-1/2" white bubbly head that quickly diminishes to a thin layer; Some lacing around the glass

S - Nice bouquet of aromas going on here; Notes of cloves, lemons, apples, pears, and grains; Subtle spices and tropical fruits as well

T - Taste is much like the aroma; Cloves, bananas, grains, lemons, apples, and pears come through with subtle flavors of tropical fruits and spices; Overall flavor is lightly acidic as well

M - Lots of carbonation; Between light and medium bodied; Very crisp, clean, and slightly dry finish

O - This is a unique choice for Hardywood Park's flagship beer, but they have done a nice job to make this an easy drinking and refreshing Belgian Blonde. Though it is 6.2% ABV, the lighter body and tasty flavor allow this to be a sessionable type beer. I look forward to having more of this beer, especially in the warmer months of the year.

Serving type: bottle

12-04-2011 20:09:47 | More by TechTriumph