Allagash Hugh Malone

Having read the commercial description, I was expecting something hoppier, similar to Chouffe’s hopped up tripel. This is pleasant enough, but the bitterness doesn’t jump in until the midpoint, then lingers only briefly. Having a hazy amber body with a spongey, sustained ecru head, this has an aroma of caramel with a bit of pine and a squirt of grapefruit along with an herbal bitterness. The flavor is sweet malt with tropical fruits and a low-keyed PNW hoppiness that comes in late and leaves early. Decent enough, but I expectations were raised higher by the brewer’s description.

<font size=-4><a href=http://www.ratebeer.com/Places/ShowPlace.asp?PlaceID=5861>Murray’s Wine and Spirits, Whitefish Bay, WI<font size=-1>

Poured a amber color with small head which lasted. Aroma was light fruits and yeast. Flavor was citrus yeast and some bitter hops as it warmed, some pine in there very yeasty in the aftertaste. Full Mouthfeel

Pours hazy amber with a small, fizzy, off-white head, diminishing with spare lacing. Aroma is average malt (cookie, meal), average hops (flowers, citrus), average yeast (leaves) with notes of bubble gum, peach, pineapple and solvent. Medium bodied, sticky texture, average carbonation and a bitter finish. Average duration, moderate sweetness and bitterness, light acidity.

It’s like a hoppy Belgian style, and I like it. Pours cloudy copper, with a nice pillowy white head. Piney, floral caramelly aroma. Juicy sweet, with a touch of clove and banana, and a floral hop bite at the end. I didn’t really take very good notes because I was more interested in drinking it.

Caged and corked. Pours with a nice fizziness, orange and bright. The aroma is mildly spicy with an inviting spritz of lemon zest. At first this drinks like a sweet citrusy Belgian ale, but there’s also an added hint of northwestern hops that just kind of purcolates in the background. Innovative and drinkable. (#3061, 8/18/2007)

Bottled. Gusher. Beer is clear, medium brown colored. Head is initially large, off, white, frothy. Mostly and quickly diminishes.<P>The nose is malty with moderate notes of cookie, caramel, light toasted grain; Hoppy with moderate notes of juicy apricot, grapefruit, lighter notes of resin/pine, lemon zest; Light notes of woody alcohol and vanilla, white grape.<P>The flavor is moderately bitter, lightly sweet, lightly/moderately acidic/dry with a long, warm, lightly bitter, trace/lightly sweet finish. Some lingering astringency and stone fruity retros in the finish.<P>The body is medium/full, the texture is watery/velvety and the carbonation is lively.<P>Unique hop presence. Rich flavor. Pretty skippy.

Bottle. Head is initially large, frothy/fizzy, off-white, mostly diminishing. Body is hazy medium amber. Aroma is lightly to moderately malty (cookie, caramel, toasted grain), lightly to moderately hoppy (apricot, grapefruit, resin), with notes of melon, cotton candy, alcohol, dried fruits. Flavor is moderately sweet, lightly acidic, lightly bitter. Finish is lightly to moderately sweet, lightly acidic, lightly to moderately bitter. Medium body, watery texture, lively carbonation, lightly to moderately alcoholic.

7/26/2007: Allagash Hugh Malone pours a murky, golden amber brown color with a dense, foamy, and lasting head that leaves ring-like lacing on the glass. Initially this beer smells a bit like banana bread and then the roma fills with rich candy sugar, yeast, fruity malt, some alcohol, and a little bubblegum. The flavor is malty and fruity with an alcohol bit and slight burn and heat due to the alcohol (much higher than the 8.5% on the label!). This beer finishes quite hoppy which seems somewhat misplaced in this beer. The body of this beer is medium-full and it is smooth with a slightly creamy texture. This is a unique beer. I would guess that the alcohol might soften up over time...

750 mL corked and caged bottle (8.5% Alc. By Vol. / C13 H30 O5) shared by Tmoney99 at the Dilly Deli. Thanks Tom! Rating #83 for this beer...