Devil's Backbone - Real Ale Brewing Company

mikesgroove

South Carolina

3.2/5  rDev -16.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

a nice light golden amber with a small head of white on top. A decent amount of side glass lace and a touch of carbonation floating up toward the top.

The smell was a nice smattering of earthy fields of yeast and a touch of light floral hops. Nice cereal grains in the back as well. The flavor was decent, a little soft for a triple though. A ton of hops for the style with a light earthy feel to it. The overall feel of it was nice thlugh with more then adequate carbonation and a tight little profile. For 9% it was extremely drinkable and really the alcohol was completly undetectable.

Overall it was not bad, alothough I have had much better.

Serving type: bottle

06-14-2011 01:18:42 | More by mikesgroove

womencantsail

California

3.4/5  rDev -11.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A: The beer pours a cloudy, pale golden color with a very small white head.

S: Starts off somewhat sweet and malty, but quickly shifts into a more cidery aroma. Somewhat dry with a bit of apple and pear, maybe just a very subtle banana. There is a touch of yeast and a mild spice character.

T: Sweet and somewhat boozy. Apples, pears, and light notes of banana along with a touch of lemon zest. Somewhat bitter for a Belgian beer. Not much going on, actually.

M: Medium bodied with low to medium carbonation.

O: Could have used a lot more carbonation and significantly more flavor.

Serving type: bottle

09-14-2011 05:28:07 | More by womencantsail

Thorpe429

Illinois

3.3/5  rDev -13.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Reviewed from notes.

Pours a golden color with a nice white head and a bit of lacing as it goes down. The nose brings some slight spice and Belgian yeast as well as a bit of citrus and some light fruits. Taste is a bit of pale spice and light fruit. A good dose of alcohol in there as well. Feel is slightly spicy and boozy with a good body. Drinks fairly well and is better than the blonde I had from them, but perhaps needs a bit of time to mellow.

Serving type: on-tap

10-24-2010 15:58:24 | More by Thorpe429

brentk56

North Carolina

4.05/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Appearance: Pours a fairly hazy honey color with a fluffy head that drizzles lace down the side of the tulip

Smell: Light fruit (pear and banana) drizzled with honey, candi sugar and grassy character

Taste: Pean and banana fruit, up front, with a candi sugar sweetness that is joined by grassy hops by mid-palate; after the swallow, the peppery hop element grows to dominate the flavor profile, though the sweeter elements linger underneath; the fusel alcohol adds a bit of a harsh character to the aftertaste

Mouthfeel: Light to medium body with moderately high carbonation; warmth in the gullet from the alcohol

Drinkability: While not in the top echelon of the style, this is a surprisingly good example of a tripel brewed by a non-Belgian specialist craft brewery

Thanks, FreeVerse, for the opportunity

Serving type: bottle

02-07-2011 01:41:36 | More by brentk56

NeroFiddled

Pennsylvania

3.93/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I had this on-tap during the recent craft brewers conference in Austin at a party thrown by the guys from Real Ale. Nice guys, but they didn't tell me how strong this was!

It was a hazy orange-copper beneath a full head of off-white froth. The head held well, and it left beautiful creamy walls of lace in its wake. The nose was honeyish and spicy with a bit of alcohol and some phenols that left it perfumey. The mouthfeel was bristling with tiny-bubbled effervescence, and it was medium in body. The flavor followed the lead of the aroma, but added in an orange/citrus side that was unexpeceted. The rye was clear, and it's peppery edge cut through nicely. The bitterness was moderate, as it should have been, with the spiciness of the rye and alcohol keeping it dry. It finished honeyish and dry, with lingering notes of black pepper and phenolics. It's a sipper for sure, and a pint of it during a party was not the way to really enjoy this beer. I'd much rather have had it in a quiet setting as a sipping beer. Still, I enjoyed it nonetheless, but I went back for a pale ale instead. Interesting and enjoyable.

Serving type: on-tap

05-28-2007 13:52:29 | More by NeroFiddled

TMoney2591

Illinois

3.78/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served in a St. Bernardus goblet.

Thanks to JJFoodie for this bottle!

Devil's Backbone, eh? Sounds sinister. It pours a clear golden straw topped by a half-finger of white micro-foam. The nose banana, clove, pepper, rye bread, lemon zest, and a touch of citrus hops. The taste is similar, though with a heavier tilt toward those hops. As such, the citrus-y bitterness, not unlike an orange rind, is quite pronounced, driving the yeast-y and spicy notes underground, popping up only when able (or when crime is afoot...Turtle Power!). The body is fairly light, with an active carbonation and a somewhat dry finish. Overall, a solid tripel, a bit heavy on the bitters for me, but not enough to ruin things. Worth a try for sure.

Serving type: bottle

08-02-2010 17:32:03 | More by TMoney2591

Mora2000

Texas

4/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The beer pours a clear medium yellow color with a white head, which quickly disappears. The aroma is very fruity with lemons, oranges, pears and mangoes with alcohol, coriander and candi-sugar. The flavor is lemon, peach, oranges and pears with yeast, candi-sugar and spices. The spices are pepper and coriander. Medium mouthfeel and a medium carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

04-22-2010 21:11:17 | More by Mora2000

MasterSki

Illinois

3.1/5  rDev -19.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Thanks to AgentZero for the share. This was best before July 8th, 2010. Served in a Surly tulip.

A - Pours with a half-finger of foam that settles to a thin ring, leaving a few clusters of bubbles on top and some decent lace. The body is a hazed peach flesh color with some obvious suspended sediment.

S - The first whiff gave me a light acetone note that was vaguely reminiscent of guava - not sure if these are some odd spicy esters or prelude to infection. However, as it warms there is more stone fruit and candi sugar sweetness.

T - Taste is yeasty, with some honey and stone fruits to sweeten things up. Perhaps there's a bit of pear in there as well. Not bad, but not great - thankfully the weird acetone note is gone and the alcohol is well-hidden.

M - Some gritty and slightly harsh carbonation. The body is a grainy, medium-full, with a sticky finish.

D - It took me much longer to work through my 6oz than it did for Mike - I think I ended up pouring out a bit. I wouldn't bother with this one again.

Serving type: bottle

12-09-2010 15:53:57 | More by MasterSki

emerge077

Illinois

3.45/5  rDev -9.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Thanks Chris for this one!
Bottle dated "best by 12.14.12".

Hazy glowing saturated orange, thin cap of creamy finely-textured foam. A thin ring around the edge, otherwise not much retention. Ever present rising trails of carbonation.

Pepper, dried apricot, phenolic Belgian yeast.

Smooth and creamy, somewhat bitter and peppery. Lingering dry aftertaste. Vague fruitiness thats hard to pin down, though orange and apricot come to mind. PLenty yeasty and phenolic in the taste, following the aroma. Seems pretty solid, a textbook tripel.

Serving type: bottle

08-07-2012 01:06:26 | More by emerge077

RblWthACoz

Pennsylvania

3.26/5  rDev -14.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.25

Thanks to Grendle for this one.

Quite the tang on this one. Somehow it works well enough, but it's not really bringing balance or a level of complexity that keeps it interesting. I think I can sum if up by saying that it's pretty one dimensional. And frankly, this is what Belgian styles of yesteryear tasted like when coming out of the U.S.

Serving type: bottle

04-26-2013 04:31:57 | More by RblWthACoz

mdfb79

New York

3.45/5  rDev -9.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

From 6/5/10 notes. Had at SAVOR in DC.

a - Pours a nice golden color with one inch of white head.

s - Smells of yeast, spices, foral hops, banana, and cloves.

t - Taste is again spice and yeast, and faded hops. Also a little bit of booze comes out in the taste.

m - Medium body and low carbonation.

d - A decent tripel. I thought it smelled very good but wasn't as big a fan of the taste. Would give another shot.

Serving type: bottle

06-12-2010 15:05:53 | More by mdfb79

johnmichaelsen

Oregon

3.98/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Many thanks to JosephLondon for the opportunity try this fine beer.

The beer pours a solid gold color with pretty good head retention and lacing. The nose is attractive, showing honey, clove, a hint of vanilla and banana, and a touch of ginger. Flavors replicate the nose pretty closely in this moderately sweet beer, though I appreciate the subtle hoppy bitterness in the finish, which helps to counter and balance the honey sweetness and spice. There's even something of a buttery component to this beer, which works well with the flavor profile. Mouthfeel is medium bodied to full, with a long, spice filled finish. Drinkability is good, with the alcohol pretty well integrated into the flavor profile. You can tell the abv. is up there a bit, but it's not obtrusive or distracting.

Very nice beer from the folks at Real Ale...

Serving type: bottle

08-04-2010 00:06:22 | More by johnmichaelsen

glid02

Georgia

3.9/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle purchased from Central Market in San Antonio, TX.

Pours a clear yellow-orange color with a one-finger white head. The head recedes into a thin layer on top leaving solid lacing.

Smells of light malts with a lot of residual sugar sweetness. Also present are good amounts of pears with lighter amounts of apricots. Very, very light spiciness is also noticeable as the beer warms.

Tastes similar to how it smells. Sweet malt flavors that are bordering on syrupy kick things off. Joining in shortly are good amounts of booze-soaked pear flavors with hints of lighter tropical fruits. The ending is on the sweet side.

Mouthfeel is good. It's got a nice thickness with smooth carbonation.

Drinkability is also good. I finished my glass without a problem and could have another.

Overall I thought this was a nice tripel but would have liked more complexity. Still, it's worth a shot.

Serving type: bottle

04-21-2010 23:49:30 | More by glid02

mactrail

California

3.9/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Golden and sudsy in the glass. A very attractive beer. Pleasantly carbonated and on the creamy side. A very nice nose of yeast and overripe pineapple.

The Belgian flavors are nicely integrated. This is both mellow and malty, and sharp and spicy. The yeasty flavors dry out toward the finish, though the bitterness is not as strong as many others brewed with Belgian yeast. A touch of green apple skins. On the whole it makes for a very drinkable beer. It could use just a little more edge, either with tart or bitter flavors.

Thoroughly pleasant brew that may not be a world class Tripel, but it does credit to the style. From the 12 oz bottle bought at Pinkie's in San Angelo, Texas.

Serving type: bottle

11-17-2012 04:29:39 | More by mactrail

gford217

Georgia

3.75/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Big thanks to stopbarking for this bottle.

Pours a bright, clear gold with a pillowy white head that recedes slowly to a creamy collar and swirl of bubbles in the middle.

The aroma is fruity with bananas dominating on top of a slightly earthy Belgian yeast backbone. A bit of spiciness from cloves. A little disappointing honestly.

To me, the taste is a significant improvement as it take a lot of the muted aromas and really blows out the fruity esters, bananas and light Belgian yeast. Sweet and sugary finish with hints of clove.

The mouthfeel is medium bodied and lower carbonation than I was expecting.

I've only had a couple of beers from Real Ale and I've been pretty impressed with both. The low carbonation takes away from this one but it's not a bad attempt at a tripel.

Serving type: bottle

06-24-2010 03:10:08 | More by gford217

Tone

Missouri

3.93/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a clear, gold color. 1/4 inch head of a white color. Good retention and slight lacing. Smells of hops, alcohol, slight yeast, sweet malt, hint of citrus, and subtle spice. Fits the style of a Tripel. Mouth feel is sharp and crisp, with an average carbonation level. Tastes of alcohol foremost, citrus, sweet malt, slight yeast, spice, and a hint of hops. Overall, good body, blend, and aroma.

Serving type: bottle

08-01-2012 12:52:08 | More by Tone

twiggamortis420

Texas

4.53/5  rDev +18.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a slightly hazy medium golden color with some fast vanishing, small-bubbled white foam.

Nose is pretty classical tripel. Grainy, sugary sweet maltiness with a healthy dose of alcohol. Hints of peanut butter and Caramello candy bar. Light fruits suggesting perhaps some green grapes and unripe apples.

Silky smooth and creamy sweet malts! Lightly caramel with loads of alcohol and a nice crisp bittering finish. The mouthfeel on this beer is exceptional. With maybe 6-12 months, the flavors would meld together perfectly. It is really good now, but the individual components are a bit dramatic. Very good tripel, put this in a bottle please!

Serving type: on-tap

06-10-2009 04:15:27 | More by twiggamortis420

AgentZero

Illinois

3.15/5  rDev -17.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A - A yellowish golden color with not a ton of head on it. Not much lace either, there wasn't really a whole lot going on with this beer, pretty average, as my scoring would indicate.

S - Lots of fruit, bananas mostly, a healthy dose of belgian yeast was there as well. Little bit of phenol and something that is just slightly off, not quite skunked, off.

T - This is a solidy average tripel. Bready, lost of sugar and sweetness bordering on artificial. Yeast makes sure you know this is a belgian style beer, although it kind of beats you over the head. Fruity, mostly banana like on the nose.

M - Lighter side of medium, carbonation was a little lacking but it was an older beer so I just ignored that.

D - Average drinkability and average beer for the style. Interesting name and location, but just good for a one time drink.

Serving type: bottle

12-09-2010 01:56:31 | More by AgentZero

champ103

Texas

4.3/5  rDev +12.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: Pours a beautiful hazy golden/honey color. A dense two finger white head forms with excellent retention. Lots of sticky and spiderweb looking lace is left behind. Looks awesome in my Real Ale tulip.
S: Yeast and fruity esters like a good Triple should have. Though an off putting mineral aroma is present.
T: There it is. Lots of peppery, spicy, phenolic flavors. Yeast with fruity esters of bananas. Some pear as well. Some sweet candied sugar and a light lingering bitterness. Very nice.
M/D: A medium body with the perfect amount of carbonation. Very crisp and dry. Devilishly easy to drink. I have to remind myself this is over 8%.

An excellent Triple. I have always enjoyed this on tap when the season came. I am so happy this is now bottled. I think it is even better out of the bottle (which is the only reason I am doing a second review). Probably the best American version I have had of the style. Again, well done Real Ale.

Serving type: bottle

08-01-2010 02:18:56 | More by champ103

woosterbill

Connecticut

4.1/5  rDev +7%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

12 oz bottle, best by 6/22/10 and courtesy of Phoenix2443, into a Duvel tulip.

A: Clear medium-gold body with just half an inch of coarse white foam (even after a fairly hard pour). Moderate retention and only spotty lacing. Not nearly as bubbly as I'd expect from the style, but not too bad.

S: Yeast is the dominant player here, with cooked banana really standing out. A bit of tart apple and some light spice as well. Pretty pleasant.

T: Interesting. Lots of minerals at first, with the yeast coming through in the middle with more spice and tart lemon than the nose suggested, followed by some earthy Saaz hops and a nice peppery finish. Tastes as much like a saison as a tripel, which isn't necessarily a bad thing.

M: Medium body with a perfectly ample dose of smooth, active carbonation. Just right for the style.

D: Doesn't really show much of its substantial ABV, which is more than I was expecting. This is a pretty darn refreshing, drinkable tripel.

Notes: Thanks, Bryan, for the extra. While not quite in the same league as some of the authentic Belgian examples of the style, this may well be my favorite American tripel to date. I love the slight tartness and spiciness, while the ample hopping helps keep things nicely balanced. Very enjoyable brew.

Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

05-28-2010 00:55:49 | More by woosterbill

maximum12

Minnesota

3.5/5  rDev -8.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Thanks to jtrockchalk for this extra in a long-gone trade, as I continue to work through the red-headed stepchildren forgotten in the nether regions of my fridge. Bottle has a best-by date of 9-17-10. Hmmm.

Pours a light golden, sunshiney, halo of a beer with revving carbonation. Magnifyingly clear, I can see my ham-fingers on the other side of the glass. Smell is lovely, a horn full of light fruitiness, apple, honey. If this is past its prime, I'd like to have had it two years ago.

Devil's Backbone has aged just fine: this the nicest beer I've had from Real Ale to date. Same fruity bouquet as in the smell greets the palate with more apple, honeysuckle, pear, a light spice kick in the back. There is an earthiness to it that ticks this down a notch, a mustiness that I don't dig & detracts from the overall airiness of this tripel. Appropriately light for a tripel, but the tilled dirt brings drinkability downwards, too.

Pretty good beer. Without that earth-tinge, this would be a very good tripel, but that muddiness really does the taste no favors.

Serving type: bottle

08-17-2011 02:36:29 | More by maximum12

DavoleBomb

Ohio

4.05/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a snifter.

3.0 A: Lightly hazed dark yellow/light orange color. Just a half finger of frothy white head that fell quickly and left no lacing.

4.0 S: Lots of clove in this! Some peppery spiciness as well. Light, nonspecific fruitiness. Moderate neutral malty sweetness and just a touch of booze.

4.0 T: Surprisingly clean. Again lots of clove with pepper not far behind. Light fruitiness again with a perfect malty sweetness. Not too complex, but very nice nonetheless. Booze is at a minimum.

4.0 M: Lighter medium body. Good spritzy carbonation. Super smooth.

4.5 D: I liked this a lot because it's the first tripel I've had in a while that is this clean. Love the spiciness as well.

Serving type: bottle

07-01-2011 23:41:36 | More by DavoleBomb

ArrogantB

Colorado

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

12oz bottle sent to me by somebody here but I forgot your name, thanks man. Light golden yellow color with a couple wisps of bubbles atop, looks good. Smells bready and estery, a little banana. The taste is good but subtle, some sweetness, some yeast and esters, very little alcohol in the taste. Overall this was pretty decent and I don't usually like American tripels.

Serving type: bottle

11-14-2011 01:28:37 | More by ArrogantB

Reagan1984

Massachusetts

2.15/5  rDev -43.9%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

Had this while traveling in Texas. Was excited to try a local tripel to see how they interpreted this style. I was a bit disappointed.

Interesting that it was served in a pint glass, but I can't blame the beer or brewer for that. Thin finger of foamy head that faded quickly. Slightly hazy golden/straw in color. Not much lacing to speak of.

Aroma was sweet and of banana & yeast.

Flavor was definitely too sweet. This was more like a cross between Hefe and Tripel leaning much more towards a Hefe. The banana, clove & yeast notes were different than most triples. The hop bitterness was too low and again did not fit the style. Not quite cloying sweet, but just wrong here.

Not really crisp with a bitter finish and the mouth feel had me focus on the sweetness.

Flat out didn't enjoy this.

Serving type: on-tap

06-13-2010 17:33:01 | More by Reagan1984

ktrillionaire

Florida

3.23/5  rDev -15.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Big thanks to htomsirveaux for the Real Ale.

A - Gold with a nice white head, moderate retention, no lace.

S - Big banana and lemon aromas immediately greet me, followed by a pils-grain dryness.

T - The brew has some nice flavors, but I must agree with the reviewer(s) who posit that this brew is somewhere between Tripel and Hefe; there is a prominent banana aroma and flavor that recalls a Hefe, definitely, and it is really too dominant. A quick overview of the flavor: pale-pils astringent grain is nicely balanced and bittered by some leafy hop, with a measure of requisite yeast-imparted esters. There is too much alcohol on the aftertaste. I enjoy this brew, not quite a Tripel nor convincingly Belgian in style, it is nonetheless refreshing and tasty.

M - Light-bodied and sharply carbonated.

D - This is a nice attempt at a Belgian-style brew; not entirely successful, but fairly enjoyable regardless.

Serving type: bottle

06-15-2010 21:42:56 | More by ktrillionaire