Petrus Aged Pale - Brouwerij Bavik

sapper1252

4.68/5  rDev +15.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Champagne mouthfeel everyone keeps mentioning is VERY evident. Lacked a real malt character though. Quite sour, but in a pleasant way. Lots of sour fruit: apples, cherries, bananas. Some clove also evident. Great Brett/pedio nose. Can't beat the price either. If you're just starting out with sour beers, this is a great one to check out.

Serving type: bottle

11-16-2012 01:10:44 | More by sapper1252

beersabound

Alaska

4.65/5  rDev +14.8%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This one is not for a newbie! Also, I fully agree that this is a sour ale and should be labeled as such. However, it is a Belgian and it is strong. Also, I found this beer to be very tasty. The appearance was clear, gold with high carbonation and a nice but short lived head. The aroma and flavor are very acidic and sour from the lactobacillus (I think) with low malt sweetness and some citrus flavors. The hops are subdued. The mouthfeel is light and crisp and finishes very dry. After some thinking, my wife and I think this would go nicely with a lemon cheesecake or something like that. The sourness and acidity would cut through the fat of the dessert but not overpower the sugary goodness. I want 57 more. If you like sour ales, run, I tell ya, run to get some of this.

Serving type: bottle

08-28-2006 23:14:59 | More by beersabound

Spineypanda

Texas

4.65/5  rDev +14.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a golden color with a nice large head that laces like no other beer I have seen before.
Smells WiLd and zAnY! Strong strong green apple esters. Potent and overwhelming almost in smell.
Tastes strongly of green apple, with a little bit of tanginess. This is one of the more extreme tasting beers I have ever had. The oak cask aging imparts so much that I would not have expected and am very happy to have tasted.

Edit: Lots of sour yeast.

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2010 02:02:36 | More by Spineypanda

WhatsNewinBooze

Colorado

4.65/5  rDev +14.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

I had this down at the Falling Rock Taphouse in Downtown Denver last weekend and I have been wanting more ever since. Served in a wine glass, this beer poured a light golden color with a small fizzy white head. Aromas of wheat, sweet malts, light citrus and subtrle hops. Taste wise this might be one of the best sours I have had. NOt overly sour but definitely noticable, and not as sweet and fruity as most. Instead I found it very well balanced between the sour and the bitterness of the hops.

Serving type: on-tap

10-22-2010 16:05:50 | More by WhatsNewinBooze

fastsrt

New York

4.65/5  rDev +14.8%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

poured 11.2 ounce bottle in a wine glass

A: clear, golden with a stiff white head

S: tart, grapes,

T: tart, crisp refreshing fruity,

M: leaves you wanting to take another sip.

D: love it one bottle and done type of beer, but have had this more than once, and is a go to sour ale. that I enjoy.

Serving type: bottle

03-05-2011 07:40:07 | More by fastsrt

Hopdaemon39

Massachusetts

4.65/5  rDev +14.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from an 11.2 oz bottle into an oversized wine glass. Pours a bright and pretty clear copper color- almost no head, and what little there is dissipates quickly. (I think I should have used a tulip)

Smells wonderful. Of course it's a strong smell because of the wild yeast- a little vinegary, a hint of green apple. Not overpowering.

The taste is very strong. It's pretty tart right up front and the tartness stays with you throughout the sip and a while after. I get the green apple up front, followed by earthy yeast. Finishes mildly tart.

Mouthfeel is good- medium light body and moderately carbonated. Because of the complexity of the smell and flavor, and the tartness, this is a beer to drink slowly for sure. I might buy one to see how it ages...

Serving type: bottle

02-25-2012 02:27:33 | More by Hopdaemon39

Jables

Illinois

4.6/5  rDev +13.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Ok. I'll admit this beer is way over my head as far as my experience with a with a wide range of beers. I had never had anything quite like this. the yeast yields a near cider fruit flavor. the mouthfeel is still full and the finish is fruity and light with a citric aftertaste. The whole flavor is absolutely out of this world and the drinkability is second to none.

Serving type: bottle

08-22-2003 01:29:44 | More by Jables

applestash

California

4.6/5  rDev +13.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours butterscotch with a lasting tight white head. Great sticky lacing.

The aroma is so compelling! Funky and bright, with a honeyed-oak sweetness. I'm giddy just smelling this stuff.

Taste fulfills the promise of the aroma, opening with cheek-puckering acid, green apple skin that pauses at chardonnay before coasting out semi-dry with great clarity and a raw honey background. It's a great experience of the brighter complexities of a gueze, not the deep, cheesy note, but apples, grapes, tart cherries. Just a touch of vanilla rounds this out.

Mouthfeel is more lively than a geuze, some carb to keep the brew refreshing without sinking into your tongue.

This is one my favorite underrated beers out there. It satisfies my craving for a complex, funky beer without being prohibitively expensive.

Serving type: bottle

08-15-2011 01:33:02 | More by applestash

henrysunset

Washington

4.6/5  rDev +13.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

This I'd an excellent beer. It drinks like a sour cider.

appearance is very well filtered, a golden clean color.

smell Is pear, apple, tart and inviting.

taste is great, sweet, then tart, with a smooth lingering tart and oaky flavor.

mouthfeel is smooth and full, drinkabilitybis very high. A truly great beer.

Serving type: on-tap

01-13-2013 02:46:22 | More by henrysunset

NittanyBeerFan

Pennsylvania

4.58/5  rDev +13.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Poured into a tulip glass...

Truly golden in color, highlighted by even brighter gold hues. Pours a 1-cm head that moves to wispy bubbles very quickly. A slight delicate lace emerges. Much lighter than I expected for an old brown ale.

This is a very complex beer. There is a slight funk on top of caramel. And the more you smell, the funkier it is. I can't really pinpoint the rest of the aromas, but there are sweet and sour characteristics that trade off, as well as a medley of great aromas. On the palate, I find out that the nose of Petrus Aged Pale deceives its true nature. There is a big acetic sourness in front of a a nice funky Belgian yeast. There are some light fruity esters, and vinous Chardonnay notes.

Really smooth, with a perfectly carbonated light to medium textured body, yielding a great texture. I will definitely be heading back for more bottles of this. This is a great sour, and to be able to buy it at $4/bottle is a great treat.

Serving type: bottle

08-08-2010 17:44:58 | More by NittanyBeerFan

AleWatcher

Illinois

4.58/5  rDev +13.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Served on tap at FFF brewpub

Nice golden color. Very bright and clear. Fluffy white head of 2 fingers.
Smells of sour lemons, light oak, little vinegar?-- very nice.
Taste has awesome tartness and sour citrus notes. This tastes fantastic.

The body is light, almost like a white wine. Low carbonation. Very nice.

Overall-- this IS the poor man's Beatification. Is it as good? No. Is it similar enough to satisfy my craving without killing myself trading for Beatification? Yeah, absolutely. Dry and sour, mostly citrus notes. The only thing missing is the funk and oak-- but, as stated, this is merely an acceptable substitute.

I'm a bit surprised this beer only gets a B+.
it is delicious... And cheap. That's win/win!

Serving type: on-tap

05-10-2011 18:17:56 | More by AleWatcher

kaips1

Kentucky

4.58/5  rDev +13.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

A 750ml bottle with no visible dating. Poured into a brandy snifter.

Popped this lively corked and caged bottle with a bit of an expectation, that was met. On those its all funky, making me think it wouldn't be as sour as it is. The nose did not prepapre for the lock jaw sour from the beginning of the sip to well past the finish. I don't pick up any vanilla or even that much sweetness. This almost perfect the way it is. Its a very light gold in appearance with very minimal head, the clarity on this beer is amazing. The mouthfeel is full of vibrant acidity and carbonantion, it has a very dry finish and strong pucker. Overall this is a very well done beer and a very affordable price( $9 for 750ml). I can see this becoming a regular beer in my lineup.

Serving type: bottle

01-04-2012 03:15:59 | More by kaips1

bennetj17

Arizona

4.58/5  rDev +13.1%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pale gold, light haze. Decent thick white foam, but not much retention. I guess this one doesn't look dark as the style would suggest. The smell is awesome, a woody, vinegary-sour explosion with tangy fruit notes. Some floral sweetness rounds things out, but mostly this smells like it's going to be a nice, tart treat.

The taste attempts to delicately balance a hint of candy sweetness against the tart fruit, but in the end this is a full on sour experience. It's a bit lemony up front but finishes with a touch of dry grains to round things out nicely. The acetic acid really shines through after a few sips, it's not quite puckering, but close. The alcohol is not discernable, and seems much lower than it actually is. Light to medium body, with a fine, prickly carbonation.

I can't believe I've not tried this beer before, I either didn't notice it, or it just wasn't available for a long period. This is a fine Flanders style ale, with a clean, focused sourness, and drinkablility through the roof. I would have to say it looks to be quite underrated.

Serving type: bottle

06-30-2012 06:02:34 | More by bennetj17

cnally

Indiana

4.55/5  rDev +12.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

You know when you ahve that relationship with your local liquor store? You know the one where you say, "Man I would love more sours here?" And a week later there are three sours like --BOOM-- right away? I love Stoney's. All ya'll reppin' the Eastside--10th and Emerson iz da spot.

Sorry about that. The beer pours a fantastic golden orange--an agressive fizzy white head remains a little longer than you'd expect.

Aroma is slightly lacking in the fact it's really subtle with the acidic sour notes. It's like a little white wine vinegar. Very grapey aroma and very sweet like honey.

The flavor is fantastic. Again, with the grape/apple flavors. It's the acidic yeasts taking a backseat to the orchard flavors here. Finishes really dry and astringent, in the best possible way.

Dry, fizzy mouthfeel, like a fine champagne. A little sticky and sweet--but very dry.

I really like it. It's dry and unrelenting, but balanced and somehow subtle in the flavor and aroma. Not a single thing bad with this one. Will be buying again, and soon.

Serving type: bottle

11-14-2011 01:06:34 | More by cnally

rastaman

United Kingdom (England)

4.53/5  rDev +11.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Bottled, thanks to mat. This was so good, just amazingly sour and tart, really wild oaky character, so well balanced, juicy and refreshing, lemony and some funky earthy barnyard stuff going on, i justed wanted to drink more and more and more. great beer. yum.

Serving type: bottle

09-19-2004 11:12:50 | More by rastaman

rtratzlaff

North Carolina

4.53/5  rDev +11.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a tall oversized wine glass this beer looks amazing. A pillowy frothy white head holds solid to the glass. Effervescent bubbles rise emitting sour, tart, and oak notes. This reminds of Leelanau Golden Ale in the aroma. Slightly fruity in the nose as well.
Now for the sip. I have never tasted a beer quite like this. Tart, sour, with a huge sharply tart finish. The mouthfeel is akin to something in the 7.5% range. Very smooth and delicate. Pineapple twang is the best way to describe the finish.
This is a wonderful thing.

Petrus Golden Ale claims to be the key to heaven. Jesus did give the keys of heaven to Peter, so perhaps this ale represents salvationI am in liquid form.

Serving type: bottle

01-03-2010 18:43:57 | More by rtratzlaff

jfvarela

California

4.51/5  rDev +11.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

1 Pint - 9.4 oz bottle

Appearance: It is a golden straw yellow with great clarity and bubbles coming up through the glass. Nice lacing on the glass as the beer was drank.

Smell: sour, funky, sweet pale malts, chardonnay grapes, apples, vinegery

Taste: Tart, sour, bitter. pucker of a beer. Some oak and chardonnay grapes in there too.

Mouthfeel: A little smooth, pucker, a bit dry, low to medium carbonation, and light to medium bodied.

Overall: Its a pretty good beer... Luckily i got the last 2

Serving type: bottle

Serving type: bottle

03-28-2013 18:41:46 | More by jfvarela

ADR

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +11.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured in a LaTrappe chalice...head is decent but spreads out to a skim in the wide bowl. Dots are the primary laces. Hazy orange, greenish toward the surface. Aroma -- that's the ticket, sour and compost musty. Plenty of carbonation, great sense of white wine that's backed up by a butt load of ginger and red hot cinnamon. Almost a Gueuze-like sourness, an aftertaste that gives and gives and creates a memory. One tick up on the sweetness scale and this beer would be among my all time favorites -- as it is, a great and challenging beer. The biggest Flanders Red I've encountered so far.

Source: Liquid Solutions

Serving type: bottle

11-13-2003 16:29:47 | More by ADR

BuckeyeNation

Iowa

4.5/5  rDev +11.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Shimmering gold with waxed lemon trim. The prodigious crown of rich ivory displays legions of delicate, gently popping bubbles on its surface. As the foam continues its slow descent, the glass is covered with a fantastic display of Belgian lace. The beer itself is no slouch, but the head-lace combination is truly wonderful.

My first thought upon catching a whiff of the nose was bubblegum. It's much less apparent now, but was an interesting initial impression. The aroma falls under the 'funky' umbrella. It's obvious that Belgian yeast is having a heyday in this beer. I can't begin to sort out the various aromas, or even put names to most of them, but I will say that I like this funkiness much more than I did the first few times I smelled and tasted it.

Wow. I don't know that I've had a more complex beer in a good, long while. A pungent, sour acidity is clearly dominant, but isn't allowed to steamroll everything in its path. Thankfully, it's countered by an underlying sweetness that takes the rough edges off what could have been a borderline unpleasant experience. There's an amazingly colorful cacophony of flavors and flavor sensations (sour, sweet, bitter). I'm stunned that they're all present, much less that they fit into such a seamless whole.

I don't appreciate any spiciness whatsoever, but the sweet and (especially) sour fruitiness doesn't need it. I'm enjoying the woody character imparted by the oak barrels. Comparisons to an especially oaky Chardonnay wouldn't be out of line. The finish is even more spectacular in terms of interdigitating flavors and flavor sensations. I would need at least a half dozen bottles to plumb the depths of Aged Pale's soul. And, after six bottles, my own.

The mouthfeel is pretty close to pale ale perfect. It's medium in heft with a slick, microthin mouthcoating that is a perfect complement to the dry, puckery finish. A fair amount of fine-gauged carbonation keeps the mouthfeel hopping without making a nuisance of itself.

This is an infinitely complex beer that oozes Old World quality and charm. It's obvious that great care has been taken in its creation. So too should great care be taken in its consumption. Petrus Aged Pale is, quite simply, beautiful beer.

Serving type: bottle

09-16-2005 15:14:26 | More by BuckeyeNation

somabeer

California

4.5/5  rDev +11.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

The beer poured out a nice pale gold with a few fingers of foamy head, not a lot going on the nose some fruit, some yeast but the taste is amazing, lots of sour tang. It tastes more like a Basque cider than a belgian beer. There is fruit and citrus. Unlike a lot of the sour red there is no ketchupy or bandaid taste, to distract from the funky sourness. It's a great beer with a light mouth feel. One of the few sours I have had, where i could drink more than one in a night.

Serving type: bottle

08-23-2009 19:49:55 | More by somabeer

hagbergl

Massachusetts

4.5/5  rDev +11.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Picked up a 330 mL bottle of Petrus Aged Pale from Craft Beer Cellar. Enjoyed this bottle in my Dogfish Head snifter, the perfect glass for such an aromatic sour ale. This is my first Oud Bruin, so I'm excited to see how it compares to other sour styles I've tasted, like Berliner Weiss and Flanders Sour Red Ale.

Appearance (4.5/5): The beer pours an off-white head of about one and a half inches. It has a slightly cloudy amber color. Lots of bubbles can be seen rising to the surface, which is now covered only by a thin layer of foam.

Smell (4.5/5): Great tart aroma on this beer. The best approximation I can make is sour black cherries and green apple. You can also smell some woody notes in the nose from the barrel-aging. Excellent complexity.

Taste (4.5/5): The taste is of apricots, tart plums, green apples, and cherries with some woody tones and a little grain in the finish. The sourness is not exactly puckering; there's a subdued sweetness that nicely balances up against that sourness. Really exceptional balance and complexity in the flavor, as in the aroma. Has a refreshing quality.

Mouthfeel (4.5/5): Vigorous carbonation combined with the tart flavor gives Petrus Aged Pale a slightly prickly mouthfeel. It's moderate astringence and prickliness makes this a relatively interesting beer to sip on. Drinkability is high, but don't slam this beer! Savor every last nuance.

Overall (4.5/5): Petrus Aged Pale is simply an excellent sour ale. I was not sure how it would distinguish itself from a Flanders Red like Rodenbach Grand Cru. Most notably, Aged Pale has a lot less of the red wine-like character Rodenbach possesses. It separates itself with its evident wood notes and tart fruit flavors, matched with an excellent effervescence. Go out and buy this beer.

Serving type: bottle

06-22-2012 02:56:05 | More by hagbergl

chanokokoro

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev +11.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Fairly aggressively poured from an 11.2 oz. bottle into a tulip glass

Pours a hazy shimmering gold with a one and half finger clean white head. The mildly pungent nose is dominated by oak. Mildly tart and slightly sour throughout, oaky up front, mildly fruity and juicy with a touch of balancing sweetness midpalate, and finishes dry with more oak. This brew is incredibly refreshing and extremely well balanced. A true classic!

Serving type: bottle

07-24-2012 05:12:52 | More by chanokokoro

MadScientist

New York

4.5/5  rDev +11.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: A light golden beer with excellent clarity and enthusiastic effervescent bubble streaming to the surface. The rocky white head fades after a minute leaving a ring of foam on the surface.

S: The Calvados oak barrel, a lactic sourness and a spicy dry hopped aroma blend together making for an inviting bouquet. There is a moderately-light vanilla and a very soft malt aroma in the background along with a mild apricot ester. No alcohol nor diacetyl noticeable.

T: Ummagumma that is tart! Intense sour tartness, crisp and dry. There isn't any hops flavor and little malt flavor to speak of in this beer. For as dry as it is there is still that sweet tart quality even though it's almost all tart. There doesn't seem to be that much hops bitterness either but the acidity make it seem like there is some. So the balance is almost completely sour and tart with a dry finish having a quick juicy somewhat fruity aftertaste. There are a light and bright fruit flavors and a little bit of spicy phenols.

M: A light bodied beer that is highly carbonated giving a bit of that carbonic dryness. No creaminess, no astringency nor warmth.

O: Sour fan Nirvana, this is a clean and intense sour beer with an awesome aroma. I haven't had a more sour beer that this and I'm loving it.

Serving type: bottle

09-21-2012 23:49:43 | More by MadScientist

OBeerMeGreatOne

California

4.48/5  rDev +10.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Have no idea how this is considered an Oud Bruin. Wild Pale Ale more like it.

Pours a very nice hazed gold, 1/2 inch head, no lace.

Cherry, sour pear, oak, pale malts and apple cider vinagar make up this wonderful smell.

Pale malts, oak and sour apple/pear start this off. Slight earthy and grassy hops follow. The finish is a sour grape mellowed by more oak. Moderate body, perfect carbonation!

Nectar of the gods. Amazingly balanced sour beer! Will grab many more for aging and drinking!

Serving type: bottle

03-05-2013 03:09:52 | More by OBeerMeGreatOne

Ego

New Jersey

4.47/5  rDev +10.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

music: mindfunk - dropped

eyes...
hard not to get a huge whiff of this on the pour, but I'll get to that... pale ginger ale color in look and feel, barely any head, there is some stickiness due to the alc content, subdued stream of bubbles rising from the bottom, slight pale orange tone with just a hint of haze

nose...
fermented honey and lemon, sour apples, sour cinnamon apples, almost has a kosher wine smell to it (the kiddush kind), dry sherry, light whiskey...can I smell a touch of oak ? the more I sniff the more I think of something like pinot grigio... or wine in general as this decants a bit

taste etc...
thin and again wine like, subtle carbonation creates a crackling underpinning of sensation on the tongue, the alcohol makes this one practically evaporate on your pallete leaving a wonderfull dry sensation, with a salty cheese this rules, it really brings out the sourness of the beer which is delightful (especially if you love geuze and the like), the aging has made this remarkably drinkable, for me most of the others in this category aren't this easy to sip and tuck. you might be able to get away with serving this as some sort of wine to unsuspecting folks! the ABV is barely noticed save for the warming sensation.

verdict?
I was snacking on some terra chips with this (spiced taro ones) and the saltiness of the chips are amplified about 1000 times beyond by the drying effect of this one. this is an amazing beer just for how different it is from most anything people have on a regular basis. every day? not for me. a go to ? perhaps not. but looking for something interesting to spice up the cheese plate after dinner? or brunch ? you bet. This is nice to have around in the cellar just for those special occassions.

addendum:
this beer is meant for pairing with food imo, in all seriousness I just ran around the homestead tasting this with all sorts of stuff, it really brings out salinity in things.. even no salt added pretzels. I would bet this would kick ass with some chowdah! damn !

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2006 03:32:09 | More by Ego