Karma - Avery Brewing Company

AlexJ

North Carolina

2.98/5  rDev -12.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Amber orange in color with a beautifully creamy off-white head that retains well and laces nicely.

The aromas are more in tune with an American pale ale than a belgian one, featuring fruity malts and floral hops in the nose.

The flavor is very pale aleish too, offering sweet malts, subtle fruit, and a very faint notion of spicey Belgian yeast. A far hoppier finish than is needed, masking any subtelties that it may have.

Medium bodied with a smooth and slick mouthfeel. Really nothing special going on here.

Serving type: bottle

06-19-2005 17:15:51 | More by AlexJ

Gavage

New Jersey

3.78/5  rDev +10.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Crystal clear burnt orange in color. Thick 3" head. Some light lacing forms on the glass. Carbonation level seemed a bit low. The aroma is of floral hops and caramel. The flavor is of sweet malts, caramel, toffee, apple, light citrus, and light alcohol. Strong bitterness compared to other belgian pales.

Mouthfeel is smooth and lightly syrupy. Malty and bitter finish. I found one bottle to be enough in the session, so drinkability was marked below good, but definitely above average. This is not one of my top picks with Avery.

Serving type: bottle

06-15-2005 12:36:10 | More by Gavage

Ego

New Jersey

3.73/5  rDev +9.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

eyes:
golden with amber tones, kept a thin layer of white foam for a good 10 minutes now (clingy as well), being fed by the carbonation in the glass, looks pretty bubbly (with small bubbles) - inviting

nose:
bready hops, citric ESB ? some underlying sweetness of malt at the end, I also detect a little isopropanol smell when I really concentrate on the odors, it is masked by the citrus mostly which causes the taste buds (well at least mine) to get active, very nice nose here

taste etc:
lighter body than I expected but only slightly detrimental imo. has a nice crisp carbonation signature, a hair under a soda fizz and it sort of lingers on the toungue for a little while, the tart notes in the nose are not apparent until the late aftertaste which is a blend of the aforementioned citrus and some hop bitter (not strong). later on in the glass you get more of that funky belgian yeast thing happening in your throat, enjoyable.

verdict?
using belgian material doesnt make you belgian. none the less this is tasty if not very american tasting aside from the yeast profile. this is light enough to drink anytime. the belgian funk almost comes out in the nose and taste but it doesnt seem brought to the fore. regardless, this is a tasty beer worth picking up if you see it, probably not worth your while walking the earth for it though, grasshopper...

Serving type: bottle

06-12-2005 04:07:49 | More by Ego

ElGordo

Oregon

3.15/5  rDev -7.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

Pours a golden-copper hue with a flourish of a half-inch, creamy white head that doesn't last very long. Aroma of crisp, clean ale yeast, mellow sweet malt, a touch of spicy hops, a hint of maple syrup, and some astringency. Interesting palate of light sweet malt, slightly spicy, floral hops, and a whole lot of astringency. Body is altogether too thin and watery for the depth of flavor here; a real letdown, actually. That aside, a pretty refreshing ale for the summer months.

Serving type: bottle

06-11-2005 03:12:06 | More by ElGordo

budsboy

Ohio

3.73/5  rDev +9.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours clear, orangish, with a foamy white head and streams of bubbles rising from below.

Fairly potent scent, ripe fruit and carmel. Has a spicy character as well.

Nice and mellow. Little bits of flavor come through. Banana, carmel, raisen. Nothing overpowers.

Smooth, but a touch on the fizzy side. Light. Quenching.

Very drinkable. A good introduction into the style, nothing here to overwhelm but enough to talk about. I like it. Avery does it again. Try some.

Serving type: bottle

06-08-2005 04:34:01 | More by budsboy

TheLongBeachBum

California

3.45/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Presentation: 12 ounce straight sided bottle with a fancy black & gold colored crown cap. The main label has the words Karma Ale on it. No listed strength or freshness date.

Appearance: Dark copper body with reddish hues. High levels of carbonation on the pour creates a soft frothy off-white light tan head that sits with a uniform thickness and a well aerated surface. Laces well and looks good in the glass.

Nose: Sweetish malts and light fruity odors permeate the nose, some caramel, peeled apples and bready doughs linger also. The strength is low key yet with a “middle-of-the-road” feel.

Taste: Light caramel, soft Belgian yeast feel and a delicate biscuit tingle with a smidgeon of grain in the back end. Nice carbonation holds the flavors in place and adds to the wavering bitterness in the short finish. Basic yet tasty.

Mouthfeel: Lacking here, and perhaps the only nagging aspect of this brew is the thin feel throughout, a little watery.

Drinkability: Clean and easy to drink, I picked up a 6-pack of these, something I rarely do with new untried beers. It won’t be a problem getting rid of the other 5 bottles. Not bad.

Overall: Nice enough, a good Sunday afternoon beer.

Serving type: bottle

06-06-2005 02:21:23 | More by TheLongBeachBum

Bierguy5

Ohio

3.83/5  rDev +12%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a slightly hazy bronze color. Off white foamy head disappeares rather quickly/ No lace on the sides of the glass. Fruits and spices in the nose. Belgian-like spices, ripe apples. Nice sweetness, again some fruit flavors, slightly esthery. Not much in the way of bitterness. Medium body, moderate to high carbonation. Overall, a pretty tasty beer. Maybe a bit tame, but still rather tasty.

Serving type: bottle

06-05-2005 02:49:33 | More by Bierguy5

Gueuzedude

Arizona

3.58/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

This beer pours a full copper color and is topped by a frothy, pale, tan head that starts out at a thickness of two fingers. This beer is lightly carbonated, yet the head does have some staying power. The aroma is mildly spicy with notes of lemon, basil, and orange. The citrusy orange notes definitely are the strongest note in the aroma. The taste is lightly sweet, and again the orange/ citrus note carries through to the taste as well. This beer is light, both in body and on the palate. I was hoping for a bit more yeasty complexity here, but this is certainly an easily quaffable beer that is appropriate for the warmer months of the year.

Serving type: bottle

06-05-2005 01:39:35 | More by Gueuzedude

kosmoraios

Washington

3.73/5  rDev +9.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

I enjoy most of Avery's brews. This ale pours deep gold, with a two-finger head that has excellent retention. It doesn't hit the mark of it's purported style as a Belgian Pale, but it's still decent. The aroma is quite fruity (plums, dates, hint of peach) with some pleasant nutty yeast overtones. This ale was served to me at about 50 degrees F, and warmed quickly, enhancing the aroma and taste. Taste is a bit nutty with some belgian malt flavorings, and more dark fruit and caramel, with a hint of baking french bread. Mouthfeel is phenolically oily and smooth, with a hint of hoppy bitterness at the end. Drinkability is good. A decent ale, but definitely not a belgian pale, or even a american version of one. Belgian Pale to me is Duvel, Chimay White, or La Fin Du Monde.

Serving type: bottle

06-04-2005 22:11:53 | More by kosmoraios

clvand0

Kentucky

3.68/5  rDev +7.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a light amber color with a tall head and great retention and leaves a little lacing on the glass. The aroma is sweet and has a little spicing in it. The flavor is much the same. Slightly sweet and grainy. There's nothing too interesting here. Good brew, but nothing to write home about.

Serving type: bottle

06-03-2005 17:10:01 | More by clvand0

kmpitz2

Tennessee

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

The beer pours a rich golden color with a 3 finger head that falls to a finger over top. The nose is interesting. I get some bubblegum or cotton candy, candied sugar and some spicyness. The flavor is slightly caramel and candy sweet, with a slight grainey background. I'm not the biggest fan of this. The feel is moderate, with a moderate carbonation. I'm really not taken by this beer. The flavor just isn't something that will keep me coming back for more.

Serving type: bottle

05-31-2005 00:50:01 | More by kmpitz2

maek228

Pennsylvania

3.48/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Appearance: Light amber. Small head when poured but it stuck around in the form of a bleach white ring atop the beer.

Smell: Like sugary raspeberry and strawberry. Fruity with malt undertones.

Taste: Crisp grainy malt sweetness with heavy fruit undertones...I'm getting sour apple, strawberry, and nectarine. Hop finish is mild.

Mouthfeel: Crisp and refreshing

Drinkability: Average

Serving type: bottle

05-29-2005 06:01:20 | More by maek228

malty

Michigan

3.55/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours a brilliantly clear deep golden orange with a whisp of a bright white head. Nice lacing.

Passion fruit big time in the nose along with pineapple and lemon grass - and it's all very fresh.

Anxiously awaiting a bombardment of flavors to follow...the beer hits my lips and fills my mouth...apricots and sweet pale malts, faint white pepper with a dash of semi dry hops, then it's gone! Another drink...detect a smidgen of sourness to go along with everything I noted above, and it's gone in a second. Interesting.

Mouthfeel is light-medium bodied, silky-slick with a fair amount of soft carbonation.

Drinkability is good. I swear I'd drink 3-4 of these to see if I can track down anymore flavor components.

Overall a fantastic looking and smelling ale. I can't remember a beer with so much to offer in the color and scent, and then practically bottoming-out when it hits your tongue. The flavor is there and gone in an instant, very strange.

Serving type: bottle

05-27-2005 02:35:23 | More by malty

Pegasus

Texas

3.78/5  rDev +10.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: Brilliant orange-gold, with a small off-white head, no carbonation apparent, attractive broken lacing.

Aroma: Notes of apricot and alcohol are most noticable, with lesser hops. The malt character is very sweet.

Taste: Opens with sweet caramel and mild herbal hops that linger on quite pleasantly, understated, but very pleasing. Finishes with light fruit notes and a mild hop character.

Mouth feel: Smooth, rich, quite full in body.

Drinkability/notes: Very appealing and drinkable, well worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

05-26-2005 03:13:46 | More by Pegasus

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

TexIndy

Texas

3.53/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

6/6/10 re-review. Poured from a 12oz bottle into a snifter. No dating info but some sort of code on the neck but can't decipher it. It was a light copper color with loads of carb streams from the etching. It had a good sized white head that settled into a moderate foam cap and good collar. Thick lacing that slowly slides back with a little sticking.

The aroma was bready with peppery spice and fruit. Belgian yeast. Nice solid aroma. Much better than my last one. The taste was also much improved whether better sample or palette change. Bready malt up front with good pepper spice bite and some dark fruit to offset the sweet. Really good for the style and pretty good in general. Mouthfeel was medium with good carb and good aftertaste.

Overall, a really good Belgian IPA that has improved over the years for me. Still not a great style for me so not going to go seek it out that often but a 6 pack during the season would be appropriate. [O;N;summer seasonal]

Original 5-18-2005 review below:
Poured a deep amber color with a small amount of head. Had a small amount of carbonation and overall looked good. The smell was a little weak - had a sweetish smell with a bit of hoppiness. Based on the smell, I was expected an average to good beer and was not disappointed. It's a nice change of pace beer but not something that I'd search for. Another good offering from Avery but not the home run like White Rascal.

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2005 14:24:57 | More by TexIndy

JohnnyDuvel

Florida

3.2/5  rDev -6.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

If this is supposed to mimic a farmhouse ale, they missed it by a long way. I've really been into Saisons lately, and this bears no resemblance. If it were an American amber or pale ale, it would be decent (but still not worth buying, with much better examples readily available). I've enjoyed every Avery beer I've had thus far, and this wasn't bad. It just doesn't come close to what it's meant to be. Skip this and get the Maharaja or Czar.

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2005 03:49:47 | More by JohnnyDuvel

DarthMalt

Virginia

3.9/5  rDev +14%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

DISCLAIMER: I am as about the Belgians as is a waffle at the pancake house.

Okay. The real problem with this brew is that it comes in a micro six-pack, when, in fact, it does present as a fairly good Belgian something-or-other. So, having said that:

CAVEAT 1: Do not pour this into a pint glass.
CAVEAT 2: Do not drink this at 45° Fahrenheit.

Other than that, methinks this puppy shows some major props on the brewing front. Think analogies: Avery Karma is to Belgian Pale Ale as SNPA is to British Pale Ale. Fermentation, hops, maybe major malt profiles take similar shapes to their stylistic namesakes in the initial stages of this baby, but, in the end, it is a massive manifest destiny for the palette of every American micro consumer out there.

Kudos Avery!

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2005 06:47:06 | More by DarthMalt

allengarvin

Texas

4/5  rDev +17%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a clear reddish-amber color, with but a slight head. Aroma is sweet & slightly estery; a faint scent of hoppy spiciness is also there. Moderately bitter on first taste, with a fine grassy hop flavor, balanced by a bready, caramel maltiness. Yeast character is somewhat fruity, though fairly clean by Belgian standards: no phenols in evidence, little yeast-spiciness, etc. Moderate mouthfeel and carbonation.

There's not much particularly "Belgian" about this beer, but it is tasty. Without reading the label to find the style aimed for, I would have guessed it to be a simple but well-done American amber. It's quite drinkable, regardless.

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2005 01:40:55 | More by allengarvin

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

Gusler

Arizona

3.93/5  rDev +14.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

The immigrates from the 12-ounce brown bottle a crystal clear deep copper color with a portly semi-creamy head that is light tan in color. Nose has nice malt sweetness, fruity with hints of caramel and hay, fresh and clean, with the start slightly sweet and the grain profile pleasant, top is middling in feel. Finish is moderately carbonated and the hop delectable in their spiciness, very dry aftertaste that lingers long on the palate, a nice drinking beer and one I could enjoy often.

Serving type: bottle

05-07-2005 22:49:57 | More by Gusler

oberon

North Carolina

3.98/5  rDev +16.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

An interesting find today at Pipe and Pint,poures a nice copper color with a onefinger tight head that leaves a small amount of lace behind,big caramel and biscuit aromas with atouch of fruit seems to be malt dominated at least aroma wise.Big malts dominate in flavor as well up front some caramel and toffee but with a more firm dry biscuit backbone to keep it from being overly sweet,some herbal hop comes thru late alot more as it warms.Not a bad little beer here drink it cool not cold alot more complexities show thru as it warms.

Serving type: bottle

05-07-2005 18:55:36 | More by oberon

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

silver0rlead

North Carolina

3.43/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a pale golden color with a huge white head that leaves nice lacing down the glass, a beautiful beer. The aroma is very subtle with a bready malt smell and a fruity yeast smell (undoubtedly what they were going for in a belgian pale). The taste is somewhat of a letdown, this beer reminds me of sam adams boston ale, and yet they call it a belgian pale. The taste is a biscuity malt with a light floral hops flavor, and a fruity yeast taste thats not really spicy or distinct enough to call it a belgian pale. The mouthfeel is creamy but i do think this is slightly overcarbonated. The drinkability is quite high, but frankly i was expecting more from this beer

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2005 02:47:54 | More by silver0rlead

HardTarget

Texas

3.6/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Thanks to Pegasus for the sample.
Aroma: A very striking combination of hops and fruit. It took me awhile to get the fruit, but I think it is apricot.
Appearance: Deep red copper glass sported a white head that didn’t last and dropped to a thin cover that left traces of lace.
Flavor: Bit of a let down from the smell. The hops come through a bit more in the taste and the sweet malt and fruity aspects show, but don’t shine.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied, a bit overcarbonated but a nice dry finish.
Overall Impression: Very tasty brew. An outstanding nose, and while the taste is very good, it just isn’t as good as it smells. It is a bit heavy for a session, but I’d gladly get another 6’er to have around. I look forward to more samples in the future.
Heh, an easy way to earn Karma.

Serving type: bottle

04-24-2005 07:15:16 | More by HardTarget