Karma - Avery Brewing Company

charliesteffy

Ohio

5/5  rDev +46.2%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

This will be my beer for the summer. Great drinkability and great flavor. Very smooth, yet still has a hoppiness to it. I would consider it closer to an amber rather than a pale. Delicious scent as well. The color is a light amber. It is definitely on the sweet side and is not for everyone, but I loved it.

Serving type: bottle

05-05-2005 22:47:53 | More by charliesteffy

Cyberkedi

Georgia

4.63/5  rDev +35.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On tap, this comes out a lovely honey-golden color with a nice head. Aroma has fruity hints. Excellent flavor provides undertones of fruitiness, and is hoppy but not bitter though it has a bit of a nip. This ale is very smooth and a pleasure to drink.

Serving type: on-tap

04-01-2007 00:29:25 | More by Cyberkedi

jgasparine

Maryland

4.53/5  rDev +32.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

I just sampled this beer for the first time at Avery's tasting room in Boulder, CO. The gentleman that poured it for me indicated that this particular batch was a significant improvement over previous batches.

I suppose I am glad to have experienced a superior batch the first time around.

A: Cloudy orange-honey color that seemed to glow when held to a light source. The head poured thin and dissipated within 10 minutes.

S: Honey, slightly yeasty, with hints of dried fruit and a VERY slight hint of horseblanket. No detectable hop aroma.

T: Candy sugar and dried apricot, backed by belgian yeast and an ever-so-slight slight hint of brett and stale hops.

M: I would say medium-bodied. Certainly more substantial than you would expect from a 5.2%ABV beer, but certainly not oily or syrupy. Just a nice medium body.

D: I have read many less positive reviews on this site. Assuming that the quality is maintained in this brew since my first sampling here, then I can say that this can easily become my new favorite session beer (understanding that I am stretching the limits of the word "session")!

Serving type: on-tap

04-23-2009 15:00:05 | More by jgasparine

unclejimbay

Florida

4.5/5  rDev +31.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Copper/orange in color with fluffy 2 finger head and nice retention.
Aromas of noble hops, spicy fruits, and a dash of pseudo Belgian yeast.
Taste reminds me of a mild English IPA, noble hop flavor with very mellow bitterness -unique! Nice orange candy sweetness on finish/aftertaste.
Excellent mouthfeel, medium light creamy body and carbonation, nice candy finish.
Very unique BPA, I would pursue this one, most enjoyable noble hop flavor IPA I have enjoyed to date.

Thanks to kstrickler, a great trader for this one!

Serving type: bottle

03-12-2010 03:22:19 | More by unclejimbay

ZAP

Minnesota

4.47/5  rDev +30.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Great session beer. pours a deep gold...malty nose with some Belgian yeastiness....nice caramel impression on the taste...also some doughy notes..a slightly dry finish makes this extremely drinkable.

This is not a beer to sit and savor and study and muse about....instead this is a tasty session style brew...I could easily bang down six of these in a few hours in a variety of settings...I did not expect to like this one this much but it is very drinkable and tasty..

Serving type: bottle

05-23-2006 04:04:12 | More by ZAP

mentor

Colorado

4.45/5  rDev +30.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Bottle obtained from the brewery and consumed a couple days later. Pours a finger and a half light tan fluffy clingy head over a nearly clear light rust-orange liquid. Smells caramel, chocolate, hop floral. Hops are floral like First Gold, but also have a gentle grapefruity pith and orange oil. Taste is caramel, apricot, mildly hop citrus flavor and bitter (grapefruit pith). Goodness, this is a light and refreshing summer beer that's totally drinkable. It tastes like a candy I've had...dippin' sticks? Plus some oily orange hop mixing with fruity esters. Esters are apricot (I mentioned this before), blackberry, strawberry, a touch of dried hay, and honey. Belgian funk is at a minimum and there is a hint of toasted grains. Light body, but the sugars flow thicker than the beer weighs. Md carbonation, which works well with the flavors. This was a really tasty beer, bordering on complex. Well done.

Serving type: bottle

08-16-2005 07:01:42 | More by mentor

pweis909

Wisconsin

4.35/5  rDev +27.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Consumed 6 of these over the course of several days w/ thanksgiving leftovers.

These beers were consistently light amber in color. Each pour tended to have about a 1 inch head made of rather large bubbles that dissipated fairly quickly. The beers were transparent, although a very small bit of sediment was at the bottom of the bottle and could be seen against the contrast of the white foam. There was little to modest lacing of the glasses I drained.

Aroma was restrained, with some maltiness and fruitiness that were more aparent upon tasting. Refrigeration temperatures were too cold for this beer, as its aromas and flavors really only opened up when I opened a bottle that was cellar temperature (so 50-55 instead of 40-45). Warming brought out bolder biscuity flavors and a more prominent fruitiness.

A crisp, dry finish was common to all pours, which added to the drinkability of the beer.

Serving temperature is important for this beer. Served cold, it would be a lesser brew than I have scored it, still drinkable, but less impressive.

As a side note, the beer held up well to the different flavors of Thanksgiving, including turkey and sweet potatoes, but also left-over turkey served as a Thai style curry.

Serving type: bottle

12-01-2009 21:03:38 | More by pweis909

Portertime

Florida

4.33/5  rDev +26.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Avery brings us an ale with good karma as well as taste. Enjoyed it in a small bubble glass. Pours a hazey orange with a little head. Smell wheaty with some fruitiness. Tastes of fine wheat esters with some tree fruits in the mix. Smooth on the palate, very quaffable.

Serving type: bottle

04-18-2008 19:17:14 | More by Portertime

JEdmund

Kansas

4.33/5  rDev +26.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Appearance
Surprising amber/orange color (was expecting a light yellow); small white head but good amount of carbonation visible

Smell
Belgian yeast and mixed berries

Taste & Mouthfeel
Nicely balanced and refreshing; I really enjoy how the Belgian yeast flavors are not going overboard on this beer like they do on many others; good fruitiness throughout mixed with a subtle herbal hop spiciness; drinkability is high on this one thanks to the balance of flavors; carbonation level is good and the body is light

Overall
Karma surprised me by how good and drinkable it is. The overall balance of flavors is so well done that it keeps the ale very satisfying and leaves me wanting more.

Serving type: bottle

07-06-2009 20:54:49 | More by JEdmund

SkeeterHawk

Texas

4.28/5  rDev +25.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Appearance: Very clear true Amber color with a thick head of tight bubbles at first pour. This head fell over a few minutes to a persistent ring around the edge of the beer

Aroma: The aroma is wonderfully complex with this beer. There are oranges and pears notable at first. There are some really mild spicy notes in here also that remind me of Ginger and Pepper. As it warms, these complimentary flavors just get a bit more assertive.

Taste: I really like the flavor of this beer. It is a good bit different than the other beers that are commercial examples of this style, but it stands on it's own within this style as it is. The overall balance is mildly toward the malt. It has a mild/passive flavor profile that ends really refreshing. The mouthfeel is a tad heavy for this style, but the flavor is unique, so one can't "ding" it too much for that.

Opinion: I really like this beer. It is not the usual Hop-accentuated beers that we all love from Avery brewing, but this one is flavorful on it's own merit. It represents the spirit of the style well, in that it is a Belgian session beer. This is one you can drink all night long. I highly recommend this beer...especially if you are turned off by the typical estery Belgian beers.

Serving type: bottle

07-27-2005 02:02:56 | More by SkeeterHawk

wingman14

Ohio

4.28/5  rDev +25.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

This one pours a somewhat hazy orangish yellow with a small white head that fades quickly. Smell is sweet, fruity, and yeasty, very inviting and powerful. The taste is very powerful upfront with a sweet yeasty flavor and other small notes. There is very little aftertaste, the flavors just fade away quickly leaving you wanting another sip. The mouthfeel is great, smooth, balance, nice medium light body. This one is any easy drinker, great for any occasion. A beer definitely worth checking out.

Serving type: bottle

04-25-2008 22:54:29 | More by wingman14

ccrida

Oregon

4.22/5  rDev +23.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

12 oz bottle poured into my large Gulden Draak tulip, Karma is a pale orange brown with a very large, off-white head, fluffy and long lasting, very rocky as it slooowly settled, leaving big hunks of foam. Authentic, rustic farmhouse for sure, down to the suspended particles.

Smell is all fruity esters, tangerine and lime, some spiciness as well.

Taste is estery as well, but it really brings out the malt, caramel and bread, a bit of a hoppy bite that flirts with metal but I think is just the yeast for which this beer is a showcase. Really pretty nice, I can see how it wouldn't be for everyone, the fruity tang is pleasantly familar, and one of the reasons I really enjoy this style of farmhouse, a darker saison on the beire de garde.

Mouthfeel is on the thinner side, attenuated by the dry finish.

Drinkability is pretty high, although I only had the one bottle, this would be a great choice for BBQs, thirst quenching, enough flavor to stand up to grilled food, and what it's Belgian brethren lack, value packaged. If I hadn't been drinking my homebrewed saison all summer, I would have probably leaned on this. I really dig such full flavor and reasonable ABV.

Serving type: bottle

10-21-2008 02:41:05 | More by ccrida

lewzer99

Georgia

4.2/5  rDev +22.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A- pours a clear, honey colored orange, with a one finger thick off-white head that recedes rapidly leaving a thin film of foam.
S- balanced smell of sweet malts and citrusy and floral hops.
T- tasty. Slight citrus bite, that gives way to a malty sweetness, and finishes with a flavor I can only describe as somewhere between bubblegum and bananas. The finish is a big surprise, and Ilike it a lot.
M- light carbonation. thicker feeling, but still drinkable.
O- like it also more than I expected. Definitely would get it again.

Serving type: on-tap

10-04-2012 19:40:47 | More by lewzer99

wiseguy142

New York

4.18/5  rDev +22.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Mmmm. Belgian Pale Ale. I'm not a huge Belgian person but I wanted to give this a try.

Super carbonation is already evident from the loud pop the cap makes when i take it off. Pours into my Duvel tulip a little too agressively... damn that carbonation. Was worried the head would spill over but I'm left with a very nice, acceptably large head on top of a squash colored mixture of liquid and jet powered bubbles ofrcing their way up to the top.

Aroma is very alluring. Like blow-pops right out of their wrappers. Very candy like and floral with just a hint of Belgian yeast muskiness. Very delicate still assertively present. Faint hints of metal, but not enough to distract you.

Taste is very palateable for a Belgian pale.. really almost more like an exotic APA than anything. FLoral sweetness overrides most of the Belgian yeast flavors. Some lingering tartness in the back of the mouth. A brett like bitterness too for just that final 10%.. like spoiled crystal malt (but only the finest spoiled crystal malt).

Very medium bodied. That sounds weird but it's extrordinarily neutral. A slight grainy texture to it and you don't particularly feel the big carbontion until you start burping. Nothing's excessively strong here so the drinkability is fantastic.

If this was labeled as an "American Belgian Pale Ale" I think I'd be up to 4.5's for a lot of these. I can see why people don't think as well of this but, for Belgian beginners such as myself, this is a nice intermediate that won't taste like I'm trying to gulp down shoe polish.

Serving type: bottle

02-04-2009 08:05:15 | More by wiseguy142

cnjohn19

North Carolina

4.18/5  rDev +22.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

"Here's to being good"...i'll cheers to that...first experience with karma was at Maido in Louisville, KY...shoutout to Jim for the suggestion...

pours with a fluffy white head...great lacing throughout...a honey, tea-like color...excellent

smells of slight lemon zest, strong plum, and a tad or caramel...nothing too exciting

everyone is knocking this beer on here for its (lack of) taste...i think this beer is very enjoyable...very mild taste, but slightly fruity and full of tannins...

this beer excels with its crispness, light carbonation, and overall lite feel...this is probably the first time i disagree with the masses on here...

"Remember, good things DO happen to good people"...

Serving type: bottle

11-08-2009 01:59:56 | More by cnjohn19

rousee

Massachusetts

4.13/5  rDev +20.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Murky brown orange color. Nice 1/2 inch thick head of some fresh looking foam. Lvs a nice amount of lace on the sides of the glass.
Smell is floral and honeylike--also malty and sugarry.
Taste is similar to the smell --I pick up apples or pears also upon tasting. Very slightly vinous too. Another brewery I really like. This is fairly low in alchol for Avery but it is nice on a warm late Summer day. Highy recommended.

Serving type: bottle

08-26-2006 20:24:22 | More by rousee

mgdeth

Montana

4.1/5  rDev +19.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Appearance - Light amber in color, and it has a fluffy off-white head. Clear. No yeast in the bottom of the bottle. Some beer lace.

Smell - Scents of tropical fruit reach the nose before anything else. Pineapple. I'd swear that I also picked up coconut in there.

Taste - Slightly phenolic spicy flavors play against ample fruity esters. This tastes like it is done up in the Belgian style for sure. The beer has a sweet backdrop. Hop bitterness is not a large feature of this beer.

Mouthfeel - Thick, yet smooth. The spiciness adds a little traction. Medium carbonation.

Drinkability - This is a great beer to offer to craft beer newbies. It is very tasty, and is a very friendly drink.

Comments - When you feel like backing off from Avery's big beers, give this one a try. Recommended.

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2005 01:35:44 | More by mgdeth

kbub6f

New York

4.1/5  rDev +19.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The head is small and slightly cream-colored. Coarsish. Very clear, copper-reddish-amber beer. Rich, nutty aroma. Nutty, buttery front with some apple. Thick, buttery, malty middle: not-sweet-apple. Bitter, tangy, spicy, yeasty finish with more not-sweet-fruit. I really like it: buttery, spicy, bitter. Very good.

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2005 19:42:12 | More by kbub6f

NeroFiddled

Pennsylvania

4.1/5  rDev +19.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Avery's Karma pours a hazy, deep-orange/copper body beneath a creamy head of ivory colored foam that holds well, no boubt buoyed by the effervescent bubbles rising from beneath, and leaves short walls of thin but solid lace about the glass.
The nose is mainly malty, a touch wheaty, fruity, and just a touch candyish, with some grassy hops as well.
In the mouth it's medium bodied with a gently zest on the tongue before warming to become quite smooth.
The flavor is exactly as the nose suggests, with its grainy/wheaty maltiness upfront, followed by a bit of spiciness (I though it was all from the yeast, but there seems to be a pinch of coriander in there as well) and some fruitiness (berries, lemon, orange). The bitterness is well-heeled, with just enough to balance; and the spiciness returns in the finish and helps it to dry.
Avery has delivered a very nice, somewhat complex, and enjoyable Belgian-style ale in this one! Worth trying.

Serving type: bottle

07-16-2005 14:51:10 | More by NeroFiddled

dfried

Minnesota

4.1/5  rDev +19.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Deep amber orange, but still see through. Nice sticky tan head bubbles to a film, but the ring leaves good lacing. The aroma is bready, and fruity like apple and pear, with noticeable hops. This beer had an interesting malt flavor, an amber/reddish malt, deeper than say an American amber, but not caramel or brown like. Quite fruity, apple and pear but also a subdued tart-fruity flavor like apricot, and some lemon zest. Almost a little spicy in flavor like a saison, but not quite there. Not dominating, but very noticeable hops, mainly kind of perfume-like floral taste, but a bit citrus and pine/resinous as well. The mouthfeel is tangy, but mellowed well from the malt. I found this beer very drinkable.

I feel like this beer is suffering from it's classification, people try one expecting something more Belgian, as is even states on the label, and it gets a bum rap on this site. I think Karma transcends and American-izes styles quite well. This is more like a malty, sort of spicy, mellow IPA. Yum.

Serving type: bottle

07-12-2006 14:59:01 | More by dfried

williamherbert

New York

4.1/5  rDev +19.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

The look is cloudy and hazy, but also bright. Lava lamp orange with tons of carbonation. Big head is puffy dishsoap; unstable. Leaves a film and a minor lacing.

Very nice dry malt smell. Biscuty with a cookie sweetness. Sweetness is like a pastry, not fruit. Quite nice. Fruit comes out as it warms.

Nice slightly pale flavor. Very mild and dry. A mild tartness, hints of lemon and grape. Some honey and just a smidge of spice. Really layered and balanced.

Feels creamy and thick. Slightly bubbly, but smooth overall. It's highly drinkable, mild and dry. A nice sweet ale. Honey and red grape are the signature flavors.

Serving type: bottle

04-11-2008 23:28:22 | More by williamherbert

coldmeat23

Oklahoma

4.1/5  rDev +19.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

GLASS: Pint Glass
TEMP: Chilled to approx. 45 degrees

Nice clear golden brown color. Two finger off-white head that leaves some nice lacing.

Spicy citrus notes are all but overpowered by bubblegum scents. A tiny bit of malt pokes through.

A small bit of spice notes right up front give way to the bubblegum/citrus flavor combo and are then followed by a light hoppy bite at the end.

Nice and creamy with a great carbonation level.

Could be a good session beer. I would have a problem with the hoppy bite it has, but could probably get around it, as it is minimal.

Serving type: bottle

08-18-2008 19:56:45 | More by coldmeat23

soulfly1492

Pennsylvania

4.1/5  rDev +19.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Aroma: Lots of fruity esters, apricot and peaches. Some peppery yeast. Mild clove. Some clean Munich malt, lots of sugars. Some barley and wheat. Little to no hop character. Very bold, nearly as strong as a mild barleywine.

Appearance: Very light copper. Lots of haze. Head is off-white with orange highlights, medium height. Mild retention and little lacing.

Flavor: Wow, lots of peach and orange citrus. Lightly astringent tannins. Black pepper phenols and yeast. Lightly bitter Munich malt. Mild clove, not as much as I picked up in the aroma. Very little to no hop flavor, what's there is floral (the website says they used American Sterling hops). Grainy, lightly toasty.

Mouthfeel: Medium body. Slick and oily. Finishes just barely dry. Low carbonation that you feel at the back of your throat on the way down. Mildly warming.

Overall: Beautiful savory fruit flavors here. Very full flavor, yet easily drinkable. No bold and/or bitter aftertaste. I will be getting this again.

Notes: Consumed on 5/7/2012.

Serving type: bottle

05-08-2012 02:30:44 | More by soulfly1492

SurlyDuff

Oregon

4.08/5  rDev +19.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A hazy orange and copper nectar flows into my glass. Some sediment/yeasties down at the bottom found their way into my glass too. No objections.

A fine creamy head hugs the side of the glass for a few minutes, but has dissapeared into lacing in the middle.

Wheat, malty aroma. Biscuit, cornbread maybe? A swirl reveals the smallest metallic twang and more sweet bread.

Crisp and thoroughly carbonated. Flavor is mild bread and wheat, with a sweet honey characteristic. Caramel/butterscotch in the finish.

Very tasty and good drinkability. Certainly not true to what I think of a Belgian PA, but a good Americanized take on it.

Serving type: bottle

02-24-2008 02:59:33 | More by SurlyDuff

gbontrag

Colorado

4.05/5  rDev +18.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

This has a delicious sweet and sour aroma. Fresh-cut pineapple comes to mind, and very faintly soap suds. It has beautiful small bubbles, and 11/2 fingers of froth that collapses to a mat of burnished ivory floating above a coppery, clear beer. Good lacing.

Tastes of clarified pineapple juice. It's like biting into a wonderfully crisp apple. There's grapefruit juice in the aftertaste, and some of that white pith left on the orange when you're done peeling it. A touch of caramel, a hint of chocolate mint and pineapple sage. Quite chewy; leaves raw whole grain flour on the palate. I found it really enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

04-09-2005 21:09:52 | More by gbontrag