Lunacy
Heavyweight Brewing Co.

LunacyLunacy
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From:
Heavyweight Brewing Co.
 
New Jersey, United States
Style:
Belgian Pale Strong Ale
ABV:
7.7%
Score:
86
Avg:
3.83 | pDev: 11.49%
Reviews:
165
Ratings:
170
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Jun 04, 2022
Added:
Mar 04, 2002
Wants:
  0
Gots:
  0
No description / notes.
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Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
 
Rated: 3.94 by Shiredave from New York

Jun 04, 2022
 
Rated: 3.75 by stereosforgeeks from Virginia

Dec 17, 2012
 
Rated: 3.5 by pavpav12 from Pennsylvania

Feb 07, 2012
 
Rated: 4 by Beertracker from Oklahoma

Jan 27, 2012
 
Rated: 2 by rab53 from Washington

Dec 01, 2011
Photo of kmo1030
Reviewed by kmo1030 from Massachusetts

4/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
hazed gold with a titanic white head that is squishing out the top of my snifter.
the nose contains light fruits mostly candied pineapple. it's also got a little bit of bubblegum, corriander, bready yeast,sulfur, and some powdery herbal hops. a very distinct lemon rind aroma comes out when it gets warmer.
the flavor is more of the same, fruity with a lot of pineapple sweetness, but has a good balancing component middle to back. it is pretty dry which does a lot for this beer, because as a sugar bomb this would be gross.
medium bodied with tingly carbonation.
good drinkability, and very solid american version of the style.
Aug 15, 2006
Photo of DrJay
Reviewed by DrJay from Texas

4/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
This poured a hazed golden colour with a creamy eggshell head. Nice lacing and good retention after the head fell to thinly cover the top of the beer. Phenolic, spicy aromas with a bready, yeasty backbone and mild citrus. These characters carry over into the flavour, but the spiciness is a little more pronounced in the finish, giving it a little bit of a peppery bite. There's candy sweetness and a hint of bubblegum as well as some pineapple fruitiness. Solid. Medium bodied and a bit dry in the finish, with carbonation that's just a little lively. As it warms, there's some alcohol warmth too. This beer hits all the right notes for me and I quite enjoyed it.
Aug 11, 2006
Photo of weeare138
Reviewed by weeare138 from Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Review # 900...hard to believe that I've never reviewed this for as many times I've had it over the years.
Appears a hazy deep gold with a fluffy, velvet foamy white that slowly fades out. Lovely scattered lacing left all around the glass.
Smell is of citrusy candy, Belgian yeast, bubble gum, phenolic esters, spices highlighted by coriander. Slightly reminescent of Duvel perhaps with a more yeasty profile., which is a good thing by American standards.
Taste is of the same aromas with a sugary yeasty blend.
Mouthfeel is medium bodied, slightly sweet up front, slick, and rousing along the palate.
I'll miss this one.
Jul 28, 2006
Photo of 51mmz0rz
Reviewed by 51mmz0rz from New Jersey

4.43/5  rDev +15.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
A: Small but dense foamy white head, which quickly fades to lace that sits on top. Beautiful opaque golden color with specs of yeast that catch the light.

S: Citrus and yeast spiciness with slight malt sweetness.

T: Big bold complex sweet flavors and some sourness up front. Not expecting this from the smell. Residual sweetness followed by slight bitterness. Great malt aftertaste and bitterness on the back of the tongue.

M: Full with good carbonation, warming alcohol in the back of the throat. A little dry.

D: The dryness and the abv might prevent me from having too many of these, but it is really delicious.
Jul 26, 2006
Photo of ism
Reviewed by ism from New Jersey

3.98/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
I am downing this with sadness, knowing it is some of the last through commercial distribution, but comforted that it will probably be available at the brewpub. It's changed over time and always in a good way. This particular bottle housed a hazy gold-orange body topped with a bright, dense, white, 2-finger head. Good retention for the ABV, with lush lacing. Sweet pale malt with spice, fruits, and a healthy dose of yeast in the nose, mellow and inviting. Mild carbonation and a medium-thin body carry a nice mix of fruits -- berries, pears -- along with the pale malt and yeast base, with coriander and orange peel and a bit of citrus hop freshness. Finishes dry with a good yeastiness in the aftertaste that lingers just long enough to the next sip. Hides the alcohol well. Manages to balance complexity with refreshingness.
Jul 07, 2006
Photo of Phatz
Reviewed by Phatz from Pennsylvania

3.82/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Appearance: Pours a cloudy golden orange color with a frothy white cap and heavy sheets of lacing.

Smell: Big flavors in the nose. Sharply sweet malt aroma with a healthy serving of yeast and lots of fruit and spices.

Taste: Spicy yeast flavor with plenty of orange and coriander. Pleasant, but the phenolic character doesn’t excite me a lot. The alcohol shows through a bit and the sweetness is a bit sharp.

Mouthfeel: Very tiny bubbles of carbonation give this beer a light fluffy feel in the mouth but the aftertaste clings with a very bold bitterness lingering on the palate.

Drinkability: This is not my favorite Belgian but a decent one representation of the style from Heavyweight. A suitable sipping beer.

Hope this is helpful.
Cheers!
Jul 05, 2006
Photo of hero27
Reviewed by hero27 from Minnesota

3.97/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
12 oz bottle.
7.7% abv.

Labeled as a "Belgian-Style Golden Ale"

Hazy peach color...modest white head. Nice flavors blend orange peel, Belgian yeast, lemon, & honey with a solid pale malt foundation..even some spices tagged onto the end. Another darn fine American interpretation of a Belgian ale that hits the mark pretty well.

Bottle acquired from ski271 via trade. Thanks again!
Jun 26, 2006
Photo of Phyl21ca
Reviewed by Phyl21ca from Canada (QC)

3.5/5  rDev -8.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Bottle: Poured a slightly hazy dirty yellow ale with a medium foamy head with average retention. Aroma of floral malt is quite powerful and very enjoyable. Taste is very refreshing with a nice dose of floral malt, Belgian yeast and a medium hoppy finish. Definitely not a great beer but a good golden Belgian ale that can be served as a refreshing drink during hot summer days.
Jun 12, 2006
Photo of joeskirkie
Reviewed by joeskirkie from New Jersey

3.93/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Murky gold body topped with a nice looking white head.

Aromas are not hard to pick up, yeasts, pale malts, a fruitiness, maybe berries.

There is a sweetness that lingers throughout the palet, accompanied by some spiciness that balances everything out pretty well.

It has a pleasing carbonation and a light-bodied feel. One or two of these on a summer afternoon would no doubt hit the spot.
Jun 12, 2006
Photo of beertravel
Reviewed by beertravel from New Jersey

4.28/5  rDev +11.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5
Tom has changed this beer many times over the years, though many would never know it. He has also made it the base beer for a lot of other things. But, basically, Lunacy has been the best-selling HW beer and allowed him to brew a lot of other things.

It is a golden, spicy Belgian ale that is very refreshing despite its 7.7% abv. Its color has wavered from very light to almost amber at times but the flavor has been fairly constant even with yeastb changes. The head is always a large white froth that wafts the coriander spice into the olfactory senses and leaves a beautiful lace curtain on the glass.

His final batch should be out very soon. Buy some to enjoy this summer.
Jun 03, 2006
Photo of edskirk3
Reviewed by edskirk3 from Pennsylvania

4.13/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Pours gold/orange with a sizeable white head, which does not last long in the goblet. The smell is fruity with medicinal notes. I can't really place the fruit. Banana? Citrus?

Once I taste it, I'm reminded more of very light honey (it's sticky like honey, too). Also there's the taste of pepper and the mild bitterness of hops. There could also be some bitterness from orange peel or coriander but it's not strong enough to stand out on its own. And despite the 7.7% abv, there is no detectable warming.

Great for summertime, great for a nightcap. A good ale all around. It's really a shame that the Heavyweight Brewery is closing down, or so I've heard.
Jun 02, 2006
Photo of sponberg
Reviewed by sponberg from New York

4.23/5  rDev +10.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Poured it 20 minutes ago and the head's still there. Aroma of Belgian estery yeastiness with coriander and faint earty, spicy hops.

The brew just seems to bloom one you drink it - starts with faint coriander and honeyish malt, then the hop bitterness wraps the tongue while aromatic, fruity (bananas, apples, pears) goodness takes care of the rest. The alcohol arrives near the end, lending a pleasant warmth to the finish, which is dryish, slightly bitter, and quickly replaced by the next sip.

Nice tingle on the tongue from this one - the body says "drink more" but there's only so much to go around so I'm savoring every last drop. Hope this one shows up as a one-timer when the BP gets off the ground.
May 24, 2006
Photo of ski271
Reviewed by ski271 from Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Hazy medium amber with a small, white, foamy, quickly diminishing head. Smell is crisp and biscuit-like with citrus, grape & pungent yeast. Very nice Belgian yeast in the taste & excellent balance between the yeast, citric hops and sweet candy-like malt. It has a medium body, lightly dry texture and low carbonation. Very interesting beer. Nothing fantastic, but one I definitely look forward to having again.
May 15, 2006
Photo of sinistrsam
Reviewed by sinistrsam from Maryland

3.94/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
This was picked up at Fathead's in Pittsburgh. It poured a mild amber/gold with a sad-looking thin white head. Nothing to write home about. Mediocre lacing. The aroma knocked me back at once. Is that a Hefeweizen? No, it can't be. But you definitely have some wheat and citrus in there, balanced rather well I might add. Maybe some clove.
Taste was much of the same, but more sweet fruits come through. Bananas, citrus, wheat and sweet malts(mild), maybe some vanilla. The mouthfeel was interesting, less acidic than I expected. I was thinknig it was going to be highly carbonated and acrid but instead it was rather smooth, creamy and light.
Overall it was pretty damn drinkable and a good suprise.
May 13, 2006
Photo of nickg902
Reviewed by nickg902 from Pennsylvania

3.48/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3
Poured from bottle

A: Pours hazy orange/amer color with a large, foamy head. Leaves a nice lacing on the glass

S: Very recognizable belgian strong pale ale smell. Hints of bananas, some citrus, and some light spices (pepper?)

T: Taste is creamy and a little sweet, yet quite balanced. Taste of bananas, mild hops and some spices, not very pronounced though. Possibly a little sweet side for my taste

M: Smooth and a little creamy, low carbonation

D: Moderately drinkable

I tried this because I was a big fan of Heavyweight's Perkuno's Hammer. I found this beer not too bad and worth the purchase. However, if you want a Belgian Strong Pale Ale, I would definitely pick one of the Unibroue's (La Fin Du Monde, Don De Dieu, etc) ahead of this. Not too bad though....give it a try
May 08, 2006
Lunacy from Heavyweight Brewing Co.
Beer rating: 86 out of 100 with 170 ratings