Petrus Aged Pale - Brouwerij Bavik

barleywinefiend

Washington

3.05/5  rDev -24.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured a clear golden color with thin white head that dissolves quickly. Nose has a funky aroma of sour, tart light fruit, sugar, oak and champagne. Taste has sour earthy oak taste with hints of light crisp fruit. Very carbonated with nice dry finish. It was ok but not something I would seek out again for sure.

Serving type: bottle

05-15-2009 02:17:32 | More by barleywinefiend

smcolw

Massachusetts

3.88/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Gold color and nearly clear. Mild head that leaves nearly no spots on the glass. Steady stream of minute bubbles continuously work upward.

Highly soured, smells very similar to a hard cider. Light alcohol in the background.

Mild start to the beer, but the swallow is explosive with a lot of sour apple and lemon flavors. The aftertaste is surprisingly short. The flavor is solidly like a soured apple cider. Good body and carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

07-08-2012 21:54:46 | More by smcolw

Wasatch

Utah

3.5/5  rDev -13.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a slightly cloudy golden yellow color, very nice carbonation, small head quickly disapates, some lacing afterwards. Scents of yeast, grapefruit, citrus, and spices. The taste is tangy and slightly bitter, very citrusy, and slightly spicy, the finish is pretty dry. Medium body, very carbonated mouth feel. Alcohol hidden very well. Drinkable, not a bad brew, but most likely will not buy again.

Serving type: bottle

11-08-2006 00:55:51 | More by Wasatch

jdhilt

New Hampshire

3.05/5  rDev -24.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Pours a three finger white head that fades to a ring leaving a good lace. Pale, cloudy amber color. Light-medium carbonation and light-medium bodied. Sour apple nose. Flavor is sour apples from start to finish, hops and malts stay hidden. True to Flemish sour ale style, drinkable but not my favorite. $4.90 for a 330ml bottle from Liquid Solutions Tigard, Or.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2006 23:24:44 | More by jdhilt

rhoadsrage

Illinois

3.83/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

(Served in a Chalice)
A-pale golden body with decent clarity and a strong carbonation of tiny bubbles. No head except for the thin ring of off-white bubble around the rim.

S- sour fruitiness with some earthiness and a faint hint of horsiness.

T- relatively soft tartness with some fruitiness possibly lemons. Just a hint of hop spiciness. It finishes with a dry tartness.

M- medium light body with no fizziness and a slight astringency

D- Very interesting pale ale. It has some sour notes and hints of lemon but its not a bad lemon, very crisp and clean.

Serving type: bottle

04-22-2005 01:46:21 | More by rhoadsrage

Jason

Massachusetts

4.4/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

11.2 oz brown bottle with the year 2003 on the back label.

Appearance: Medium foaming off of a hard pour, wonderful rimming of Brussels Lace over the slightly weathered golden hue.

Smell: A bit tart with suggestions of cherries and a bit vinous as well. Faint oaky woodiness mingles with the grain, very aromatic in a mildly pungent way.

Taste & Mouthfeel: Lip smacking tartness upfront subsides as soon as the palate becomes accustom to the level of acidity. Oak flavours draw the mouth towards dry yet there is just enough sweetness from the grain to meld with the tartness for a sweet-tart juicy middle. Hints of earthiness show a complex yeast. Faint sherry character as the warmth of the alcohol becomes more apparent with its slightly ester profile. Finishes with more wood on a dry note.

Notes: A beautiful beer, as the beer caresses the mouth the tartness awakens the taste buds. Very refreshing and a perfect pair to a simple goat cheese. This beer is not for quaffing, sip and savour every drop.

Serving type: bottle

12-07-2003 03:48:19 | More by Jason

mdfb79

New York

4.1/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Had on tap tonight at Rustico in Ballston, VA.

a - Pours a nice golden color with one inch of white head and moderate carbonation evident.

s - Smells of sour apples, sour fruits, oak, very tart fruit. Also some grass/hay earthy tones. Very enjoyable.

t - Tastes of oak, sour apples, sour and tart fruit, fruity malts, hay/earthy malts.

m - Light body and low to moderate carbonation, tart and dry at the end.

d - A very enjoyable sour. Lots of tart apples in the nose and taste. Would like to have again.

Serving type: on-tap

12-31-2010 03:47:17 | More by mdfb79

weeare138

Pennsylvania

4.33/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appears a hazy, pale gold with a lush, 2 finger, fluffy white head. Lots of scattered streaks of lacing are left around the glass.
Smell is sugary, oaky, tart apples, aged with lactobacillus, brett, sweet tarts, mild cherries, cakey yeast, aged funk, and perhaps some over-ripened banana peel.
Taste is of the aromas...sweet tart, funky, bacteria laden, infected oak aged, Belgian brew. I think you'll either love it, or not. Personally, I really enjoyed it.
Mouthfeel is sweet up front, tart along the tongue, light bodied, mildly acidic, spritzy, and dry.
A nice experience of a tart, Oak barrel brew.

Serving type: bottle

10-26-2006 02:27:03 | More by weeare138

Zorro

California

2.7/5  rDev -33.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

A clear apricot colored ale with a notable amount of chill haze. A medium sized white head forms and then disappears.

The smell is sweet and sour with a little boozy edge much like a diluted Jack Daniel’s whiskey. There is the clear and sharp scent of acetic acid to this and this makes it a little Lambic like. I should mention that in general I am not a fan of sour beers. Once past the vinegar smell there is vanilla, oak, and a little cinnamon in the scent.

The taste starts as sweet and sour and fairly similar to a sweeter and less harsh version of a lambic ale. The sourness however isn't nausea inducing and I do not get the sensation of drinking a glass of vinegar like many Lambics do. This is a definite bug beer for those who like the funk. Not harshly sour this is like a Berliner Weiss without syrup. In the end all I can taste is sweet and sour and oak.

The mouthfeel is OK.

If you do not like sour beers then you will not like this. If I had known that this was a sour beer I would not have bought it so buyer beware. This is basically a training lambic for those that wish to develop a taste for them. I will not be buying this beer again I did not like it.

Serving type: bottle

07-17-2007 04:56:48 | More by Zorro

Bighuge

Minnesota

4.1/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

"2003"

Slightly hazed dark golden. Small beaded carbonation rises at a moderate pace to the thin ivory white coating on top. The bubbly collar leaves sporadic patches of lace. Strong nose of rich, sweet cherries, oaky tannins, lactic sourness and brown sugar. Boy this baby is bone dry. Don't know if it's from the aging or what, but it reminds me of a lambic that way. It's refreshing in a way. There's just a little "lambic-like" sourness, but not a lot. Slight bits of sweet malt. A little tart cherry aspect. But the lip smacking dryness dominates. Light bodied and an effervescent feel in the mouth. And enjoyable and unique beverage.

A review long overdue, right Darren ;>) Thanks for the brew.

Serving type: bottle

12-01-2006 20:50:21 | More by Bighuge

corby112

Pennsylvania

3.73/5  rDev -7.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Serving type: bottle.

Pours a clear golden color with thin white head that dissolves quickly, leaving little if no lacing. Funky aroma of sour/ tart light fruit, sugar, oak and champagne. Tart earthy oak taste with hints of light crisp fruit. Very carbonated with nice dry finish.

Serving type: bottle

11-28-2008 08:52:09 | More by corby112

johnmichaelsen

Oregon

3.55/5  rDev -12.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

On the label this beer is described as a golden blond ale. It doesn't taste like any golden blond ale I've ever had, and quite frankly tastes as if it's been blended with a considerable amount of lambic/gueuze.

The beer pours a hazy honey orange color, looking almost peach like in coloring. The beer has fairly nice head retention and adequate lacing. On the nose.... sigh.... I get A LOT of tartness. There is a considerable amount of lemon and grapefruit, but also some flower perfume and white pepper. Interesting, complex nose, though I can't say I'm overjoyed by the tartness. Not surprisingly, this beer is quite tart on the palate, way too much so for my lambic/gueuze hating palate. However, there are a medly of other flavors in this beer, including some berries and a bit of butterscotch (from the oak I would assume). The beer actually has a very refreshing mouthfeel, and if it weren't so damn tart, might be quite drinkable. Certainly the abv. is very well disguised in this beer. In the end there is a touch of sweetness as well, but not nearly enough to overcome the overpowering tartness.

Interesting beer; just not my cup of tea I'm afraid.

Serving type: bottle

07-24-2007 17:52:26 | More by johnmichaelsen

Rifugium

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev -13.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

First had: on tap at Monk's, Philly, PA

Pours a slightly hazy, golden yellow with a small bubbly white head. Some phenols in the aroma, along with sour apple and citrus. Light toasted malts in the taste, quickly overcome by sour apple, lemonade, orange zest and sour cherries. Finishes with a bitter, funky dryness. Medium mouthfeel, and pretty drinkable, unless you don't like sour ales.

Serving type: on-tap

05-27-2011 18:42:19 | More by Rifugium

lacqueredmouse

Australia

4.22/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Purchased from Platinum Liquor in Bellevue Hill, after mistakenly purchasing the apparently inferior Oud Bruin on my last jaunt.

Pours quite a pale golden colour, but with some depth to it. Body is heavy, and forms a tight if filmy head of white. Lacing is sudsy and sporadic. Carbonation is quite consistent. Looks decent enough.

Nose is redolent with oak and Belgian wildness. Big acidic characters and rank organic funk, give it a vinous complexity along with an unsophisticated, unapologetic rawness. The balance is wonderfully done, giving meaty, organic barnyard characters to a refined and delicate note. Phew, what a nose!

Taste is lighter, but also nicely done. The funk disappears here, leaving the vinous acidity as the only sign of the wildness. But even this is very delicately handled. We don't get the long drawn out splice of sourness throughout, merely a dollop on the front, which is cleansed and leavened by a dry and clean finish. When the acidity drops, we get some more complex esters of green hay, light and slightly smooth sulphur characters and a peppery Belgian spice.

Feel is very light, aided by the acidity, and helps to tame what is genuinely a big beer.

Amazingly drinkable for its size and heft, and really nicely balanced. This showcases some of the magnificent things that the Belgians do, and that the rest of the world only dabbles with.

Serving type: bottle

04-02-2011 07:03:08 | More by lacqueredmouse

DoubleJ

California

4/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The price seemed too good for the style, $2.99 for a 330 ml bottle at a local store. But I see "2003" engraved on the back of the label. I hope this isn't too old, so time to find out. On to the beer:

Poured into a snifter, this beer is a hazy goldenrod color, maybe a bit darker than that. Classic sour aroma escapes from the beer...vinegar, tart fruit, fermenting grapes. This is something to get excited about. The taste is very tame. Burnt toffee touch in the finish. Very light on the palate and you don't taste anything upon impact. The flavor seems to be "floating on air", it seems like its own distinct layer of texture. Tart and sour for sure, some white grapes. Light maltiness creeps in now and then, but the distinct yeast of this style continues to dominate.

Well, this bottle held up well. A distinct treat for sure, and the most affordable sour I have come across.

Serving type: bottle

11-10-2008 05:29:28 | More by DoubleJ

glid02

Georgia

4.33/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On-tap at the Brick Store.

Pours a crystal-clear golden color with a half-finger white head. The head recedes into a thin layer on top leaving solid lacing.

Smells of pale malts with large amounts of funk and lighter amounts of tart pears.

Tastes very similar to how it smells. Smooth light malt flavors kick things off and are joined quickly by not-quite-ripe pear flavors. The pear flavors quickly turn tart and are joined by funky flavors midway through the sip. The tart fruit and funk carry through to a crisp ending.

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

Drinkability is also good. I finished my glass quickly and could have another.

Overall this was just as good as I remembered. A solid beer that doesn't fit well into any category but is well worth a shot.

Serving type: on-tap

09-20-2010 01:02:12 | More by glid02

Gusler

Arizona

4.2/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

The pour is a lightly foggy gold or straw color, the head is massive, and the lace in firm sheets that clings to the glass till the very end. both a brilliant white, but alas they do desiccates to quickly for my liking. Nose is has an unmistakable tartness that borders on being astringent, also there is malt, citrus, and Oak undertones, an interesting nose to be sure. Front is malt, but the massive sourness hits you immediately, the top skimpy, the finish is devastatingly acidic, pertinently hopped, dry as a bone aftertaste. One damn fine beer, I've not sampled a great number of "Red/Sour" beers, but I do like this beer.

Serving type: bottle

11-07-2002 15:15:02 | More by Gusler

wl0307

United Kingdom (England)

3.78/5  rDev -6.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Purchased at the BSF bar, GBBF 06. BB 19/04/08, served lightly chilled in a large Burgundy bulb wine glass.

A: dark golden hue with great clarity, coming with a slowly-growing white foamy head that settles to a thin cap; very gentle carbonation.
S: a very intense, sour note of oak barrels and white wine vinegar prevails upfront, underlining a mild flow of dryish lemon peels, savoury-tart star fruits and prunes, semi-funky farmhouse yeasts and a pretty soft and subtly sweet malty bed... sort of reminiscent of Flemish Red Ale and even Lambiek but rid of the wild yeasty edge... if not knowing this is an oak-aged Begian beer the vinegary nose might be slightly intrusive to the nostrils and taking one by big surprise!!
T: bitter-zesty and sharply sour lemon juice and dry cider dominates the palate, but dissipates rather too fast and gives way to a neutral palate of residual doughy malts, bits of salt, dryish-sweet cinnamon+woodchips, and zesty-tang undertone like oxidised lemon rind... feeling pretty rusty b/w the teeth as well, plus short finish.
M&D: the whole structure falls a bit thin for the overall short palate, but the mouthfeel retains a refreshing state, albeit slightly sharp at first--definitely having room for improvement as this old beer is still pretty young in the bottle~~ The well hidden alc. plus a dryish finish ensure pretty good "quaffability", though. All in all, an interesting beer in need of time to bring more depth and complexity--is it possible for a filtered bottled beer like this?

Serving type: bottle

09-05-2006 02:22:01 | More by wl0307

beerthulhu

New Jersey

4/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Poured a hazy golden orange with a frothy 2 finger white head that left a spotchy trail lacing down the sides of the glass.

S: really spicy, fruity, and tart with some oranges, apples and sour dough.

T: The initial flavor had a nice, subtle tartness, with sour fruit (apples, pears) with a slight yeastiness and sour dough notes. There was a noticeable lemony citrus hopping with some sour oranges and a peppery finish.

M: tingly and lively from the abundant carbonation and was slightly acidic.

D: A nice crisp, dry tart drinking aged pale that was unique with just enough to keep it interesting and one you could easily drink in multiples due to is smooth and eloquent sourness.

Serving type: bottle

04-09-2008 22:57:07 | More by beerthulhu

woodychandler

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I kind of blew it this past winter - The Fridge was selling Petrus gift packs that included five different beers and I dragged my feet until it was too late. Since then, I have managed to find four different ones, of which this will be my fourth.

From the bottle: "The Key to Heaven"; "Petrus Aged Pale is a golden blonde ale brewed using the purest spring water, selected malt varieties and the finest hops. The unique aroma and taste is created by maturing in oak barrels for over 20 months. Serve cool, between 8 to 12 C (45 and 54 F)."

Having learned my lesson with their Blonde, I used a VERY gentle pour so as not to disturb any lees that may have settled to the bottom. As a result, I got no head, but I ended up with a very clear, deep-golden beer, much like filtered apple juice. The nose had a tartness like sour cherries and my mouth puckered and my tongue began to water. I am not a fan of sour beers, but I can appreciate them and this seemed like it was going to be good. My first sip gave off a vinegar tartness initially, then kicked in with green apples, wood and finally sour cherries. Wow! Mouthfeel was medium-to-full with a good bit of effervescence present. I can promise you that I would not enjoy a steady diet of this, but as an occasional foray into something other than AIPAs, this was nice. Finish was gaspingly dry, vinous, really. My my my.

Serving type: bottle

03-13-2012 22:45:15 | More by woodychandler

biegaman

Ontario (Canada)

4/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On-tap at La Trappe, in San Francisco.

Advertising the stuff as "undiluted old beer" probably isn't going to do much to turn people onto it, but its icy golden body and shimmering highlights probably will; this very unconventional beer actually has a fairly conventional look. Its thin, fizzy head also speaks to quality: while it doesn't tack on a ton of lace, it impressively endures the length of the tasting.

The aroma is definitely funky - not quite 'George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic' funky, but more like 'neon-coloured toe-socks' funky. It has a lot of bacterial sourness and faint fruity esters, the combination loosely resembling a sweet-and-sour candy. Rest assured, however, there's nothing tacky or synthetic about it; it smells like a high-quality vinaigrette.

Vinaigrette? you ask. Yes, sir. It has a woody mustiness, notes of fermented fruits and an acidic quality that is found elsewhere only in vinegars. I liken it to a vinaigrette - not vinegar - because the acidity loosely ties into the profile rather than knots the whole thing up and it's balanced with sweet, sugary notes of apple and a splash of lemon juice.

Ample carbonation, plenty of drying oak-y residuals and a touch of earthy hop bitterness all do well to hide this beer's (formidable) alcohol strength. Indeed, with its spritzy bubbles and fizzy tartness, this is a highly sociable and agreeable ale. I finished mine in a matter of minutes. The 24-30 months left in wood has rounded it out nicely, it was time well spent.

Apparently this is what "pale" ales tasted like centuries ago. While I can only speculate on the validity of that claim I can assure you that's is what more beers made in this century *should* be tasting like. The combination of tart and sweet is delightful and, while others have likened it a Zinfandel or similar, I say it's definitively beer. And really good beer at that.

Serving type: on-tap

07-18-2011 16:32:27 | More by biegaman

Brad007

Vermont

4.1/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a medium golden color with a one-finger head into my Piraat tulip.

Aroma is full of apple, grape and cherry. A bit sour too. That's about all I can detect.

Taste is sour at first with apple and grape most prominent in the middle. Not too funky. The oak is nearly non-existent in the flavor.

Mouthfeel is full of lingering sourness and mainly apple and grape. Easy to drink. Definitely not something to drink in a hurry.

A decent sour beer here. You should give it a shot.

Serving type: bottle

06-14-2009 04:54:14 | More by Brad007

stakem

Pennsylvania

3.8/5  rDev -6.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Review from notes taken on 6/13/10.

On tap at Monk's Cafe, i've seen this in bottles before but not on tap so figured why not give it a try.

Served in a sort of stubby champagne glass, it appears a clear golden orange color with less than a finger of creamy head. Lace clings all about the glass. The aroma of this brew has all the indications of this being a funky brew. Slight fruity tones with an indication of sourness. The flavor of this brew has a tartness upfront with fruity hints and vinegar character. Quite a bit of puckering power with it's sourness level. Light bodied with a modest level of carbonation that is prickly on the tongue. Lingering flavor of funk and an oaky woodsiness left in the mouth that exaggerates the dryness of this beer along with an ever increasing amount of alcohol. As it warms there is a mild amount of orange rind flavor.

Serving type: on-tap

08-03-2010 18:12:12 | More by stakem

mothman

Saskatchewan (Canada)

3.98/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours 1/2 finger of white head. Decent retention leaving some splattered lace. Color is a pale golden yellow.

Aroma: Sour cherries, a lot of grapes, oak, spice, sourness, grape candy. I like it.

Taste: A lot of sour grapes and cherries. Oak, spices, a decent sourness to it, some lemon and acidity, and green apples.

Mouthfeel: Sour and clean. Medium bodied with a medium amount of carbonation. Ends clean as well.

Overall, I was impressed with this one, especially at the cost. Really easy to drink and quite tasty. Definitely worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2011 15:57:23 | More by mothman

Dogbrick

Ohio

3.58/5  rDev -11.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

This brew puurs a clear dark golden color with a medium and fizzy white head that burns away steadily. Spotty lacing on the glass. Aroma of sour fruit and Brut champagne. Medium-bodied and dry with a tart fruit character that is mouth-puckering on the first drink. Flavors of sour apple, grapefruit and light yeast in the background. The finish is fruity and leaves a long tart apple aftertaste with a hint of earthy malt. Pretty good overall.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2008 14:58:20 | More by Dogbrick