Country of Origin: Belgium
Price comparison: About 1½ times the cost of a national domestic.
Alcohol percentage by volume: 6.6%
Cute bottle/label? Twelve ounce standard-shaped. Glass is lighter brown than usual. Gold foil wrap and parchment-painted label. Separate shoulder label proclaims it an abbey ale "anno 1240".
Appearance: Light gold with a foamy head and slight lace. Looks like pilsner.
Scent: Apples and bananas; not much yeast, a bit of malt.
Flavor: A hint of malt and mint. Slight peppery alcohol finish with a smidge of hops. Very delicate and nicely balanced.
Impressions: The lightest, least complex Belgian I've ever encountered. If you're used to lagers or pilsners and want to work your way into the pale ales, this is a great place to start.
Will I buy this beer again? They recommend you drink this stuff out of its own specially-designed chalice (sold separately, of course), but I had it in a wine goblet and the beer police haven't arrested me yet. It's not the best Belgian I've ever had; nothing extraordinary, but it's tasty, reasonably priced considering its heritage, and the subtle flavoring renders it really versatile. I'll probably buy this one again and it'll be the one I hand out when I say to someone, "Want something to drink?" and they're foolish enough to say, "Uh, do you have any beer?" (Pfft. Do I have any beer.)
Rating:
3½ out of 5 cute beer glasses
Reviewed: December 7, 2003
