Squatters Hell's Keep - Utah Brewers Cooperative

cokes

Wisconsin

3.78/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Misty, mustard straw colored with a medium-sized white head which retains and laces well.
The nose brings pears dusted in powdered sugar and cloves, candied lemon peel, and basil-like leafiness.
It brings a sugary, rock-candy sweetness upon touching the teeth. Backings of melon and pear. A touch of caramel, then it dries a bit with wheat toast. Yeast adds clove, banana, and pepper, and just a touch of oxidized, brown-bag deadness. Not a flaw or distraction on it own, but perhaps a suggestion that it not likely to age well. Lemon peel later on, with touches of herbs, as it ends and lingers with sugary white grape vinousness.
Uppity carbonation upfront, giving lift to the moderately full body making it seem much lighter. The bubbles slow over time, but never fade entirely, giving it a bit more girth, but it never feels fat. It's drinkable beyond it's ABV, but it's sip-worthy too.
It may lack a bit in total depth, but it hits mostly all the right notes. If it were priced differently ($16/750mL bottle at the brewpub, $10 in stores), I'd absolutely return. There's a good deal of likeability as well as versitility here.

Serving type: bottle

09-03-2011 04:43:09 | More by cokes

mhaugo

California

4.25/5  rDev +13.3%

05-29-2013 16:36:27 | More by mhaugo

rmtaggart

North Dakota

4.25/5  rDev +13.3%

05-22-2013 16:57:27 | More by rmtaggart

projektyle

New Hampshire

3/5  rDev -20%

04-16-2013 03:07:34 | More by projektyle

ChiefHopHead

Texas

3.5/5  rDev -6.7%

04-14-2013 04:13:38 | More by ChiefHopHead

t0rin0

California

3.75/5  rDev 0%

03-30-2013 22:05:23 | More by t0rin0

garymuchow

Minnesota

3.74/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Bottle bought and shared by T. Thanks
Cloudy golden with loud pop but smallish head for style.
Mix of soft yeast character and pale malt with a bready/doughy character.
Malt flavor matched the aroma. Again with modest yeast characteristics. A couple shots of hop flavor with bittering to cut sweetness. Long reasonable dry finish.
A little bigger than moderate feel and some fullness from carbonation.
A solid drinking ale. Worth a taste and can assist in meeting a belgian fix.

Serving type: bottle

03-06-2013 01:03:21 | More by garymuchow

Irish12

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev -6.7%

02-24-2013 13:47:27 | More by Irish12

markmcconv

Illinois

3.75/5  rDev 0%

02-13-2013 18:36:10 | More by markmcconv

abex44

Texas

3.75/5  rDev 0%

02-11-2013 00:29:58 | More by abex44

brandon911

Texas

3.75/5  rDev 0%

02-11-2013 00:29:51 | More by brandon911

unclekeith

Alaska

4/5  rDev +6.7%

01-29-2013 21:40:12 | More by unclekeith

GRG1313

California

3.25/5  rDev -13.3%

01-26-2013 05:57:34 | More by GRG1313

BentLegBrewer

Texas

3.5/5  rDev -6.7%

01-24-2013 22:12:20 | More by BentLegBrewer

mactrail

California

3.3/5  rDev -12%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a hazy amber in the tall tulip with whipped-cream foam. Quite spritzy on the tongue. A medium body and less fullsome than a lot of these strong Belgian-inspired beers. Some aroma of fruit.

Not much hop flavor, but this has a moderate amount of the Belgian yeasty flavor with a bready taste. Initial sweetness dries out gradually. Some fruitiness that didn't jump out as a particular flavor. This seems a little simple and less interesting than some, but if you're in Utah it's well worth seeking out. I would have to say it's average but quite sippable.

From the 22 oz bottle bought at the Utah Liquor Store in Sugar House. I also saw it at the Utah Beer Cooperative on 3rd West.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2012 06:34:15 | More by mactrail

kagent777

Utah

3.68/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

750 ml bottle purchased proudly from the Co-op's Beer Store and poured into a perfect pint. Bottle clearly says born on 10/11/12.

Appearance: OK, this one is the biggest head I have seen on a non-homebrew. I did take it out of the fridge to warm a bit before opening, and did pour rigorously. A slight haze on this yellow beer with a rocky white massive head. Hard to tell if this one truly left any lacing due to the huge head.

Smell: Like a bakery, yeasty with a bready maltiness. Fruit from the Belgian yeast phenolics. Some clove spice.

Taste: Pretty much follows the scent. I really like the spicy character presented in this beer. It is present but subtle and not too much in your face. I like when a beer's ABV is around 7%, and this one is a touch over, but it is hidden well.

Mouthfeel: Maybe because I had poured this one with a lot of head, but the actual carbonation seemed soft and velvety. The body is medium.

Overall: A solid BSPA. I have no complaint stylistically with this beer. I wish this was not a 10 dollar beer. I had some a this a few years ago, when just getting into craft and I have wanted to revisit it. I am a value minded beer consumer, and this is lower on the bang for the buck scale.

Serving type: bottle

12-11-2012 03:51:56 | More by kagent777

superspak

Michigan

4.1/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

750 ml bottle into tulip glass, no bottle dating. Pours very hazy golden amber color with nice 2-3 finger pillowing white head with fantastic retention, that reduces to a nice cap that lasts. Nice foamy lacing clings to the glass. Aromas of pear, apple, banana, herbal, floral, pepper, clove, lemon, bubblegum, and yeast spiciness. Very nice aromas with good balance and complexity. Taste of lemon, pear, banana, bubblegum, pepper, clove, herbal, floral, earth, biscuit, and yeast spices. Lingering notes of lemon, pear, banana, pepper, clove, biscuit, earth, and yeast spices on the finish for a good bit. Nice balance and complexity of flavors; no cloying flavors at all. Medium-high carbonation and medium bodied; with a fairly creamy and prickly mouthfeel that is very nice. Alcohol is very well hidden with only a slight warming noticed after the finish. Overall this is an excellent Belgian strong golden ale. Great complexity and balance of flavors; very smooth and crisp to sip on. Really enjoyed this one.

Serving type: bottle

09-18-2012 03:32:38 | More by superspak

womencantsail

California

3.68/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Clear golden straw color with a white head. Sweet sugar and bread. Some banana, light citrus, and a nice spice note. There is a little bit of yeast, some straw, and fruit esters. Sweet bread, biscuit, cereal, and a bit of sugar. There are some fruit esters, a mild spice, and a hint of yeast. Some pear and apple flavors on the finish.

Serving type: bottle

08-23-2012 16:21:13 | More by womencantsail

sparx1100

Minnesota

3.5/5  rDev -6.7%

08-23-2012 01:54:43 | More by sparx1100

XicanoBeerRun

Texas

3.28/5  rDev -12.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A: light yellow, slightly hazy.
S: sweet like cheap beer, white wine, slight booze, slight cotton candy.
T: sugary finish, metallic, boozy, dark fruit, nutty, bready aftertaste once you get past the metal.

I enjoyed the dry finish and intense carbonation. Overall, I think there are better strong pales on the market. However, it is nice to try something different.

Serving type: bottle

08-21-2012 19:50:34 | More by XicanoBeerRun

DovaliHops

California

4/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a very hazy golden orange color. Large white head that takes some time to go down. Scent is buttery at first... A lot of butter and diacetyl. Belgian yeast and pears with green apples and more butter. Taste is initially buttery with some lovely Belgian yeast flavors. Buttery popcorn flavor with fresh pears and some melon. Light clove. Mouthfeel is medium bodied and creamy. Drinkability is high. Overall, first beer I've had from this brewery, and it's definitely tasty.

Serving type: bottle

08-02-2012 06:42:40 | More by DovaliHops

RandyKemka

Connecticut

2.75/5  rDev -26.7%

05-31-2012 02:48:25 | More by RandyKemka

bobv

Vermont

3.75/5  rDev 0%

05-29-2012 01:49:49 | More by bobv

coloradocut

3.58/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Appearance - Pours with medium head that disappeared fairly quickly and left a bit of lacing. Color is golden like hard cider.
Smell - Familiar to the style, but a little light on the nose.
Taste - Once again, familiar to the style, but lacking the complexity and sweetness. Light and well carbonated. A little bitter at the finish. 7.75 ABV is well hidden.
Mouth - a little thin with maybe a little too much bubble.
Overall, I enjoyed the beer and was pleasantly surprised, to say the least, to see it at an airport bar in Salt Lake City. It's not quite a Duvel or Affligem, but it's really close.

Serving type: bottle

05-24-2012 00:03:17 | More by coloradocut

atone315

Wisconsin

4.25/5  rDev +13.3%

05-23-2012 11:39:57 | More by atone315