Avery Karma Ale

Brewed by Avery Brewing Company
Style: Belgian Ale
Boulder, Colorado USA

Serve in Trappist glass, Tulip, Tumbler

bottle. Pours clear amber gold with thin layer of off white head, nice lacing. Aroma of hay, light belgian yeast, caramel. Medium bodied, smooth, pretty nice body. Creamy caramel and hay flavor, with a slightly fruity kind of belgian finish. Calling it a belgian ale might be somewhat misleading, but whatever it is, it makes for a good, satisfying, tasty session. Reminds me of alaskan or full sail amber really, its more like a good amber. Not amazing, but good.

As of May 2011, RateBeer has this classified as a Belgian ale but, honestly, this seems to be more of a APA w/ just a little bit of a Belgian character--which is just fine if you ask me. To start, the appearance is pretty dreadful; there is no head whatever and the color is just a standard looking amber. OK, dreadful is too strong a word but this is still not very appealing. I rather enjoy the fruitiness the yeast in this imparts along w/ the hops, especially once combined w/ it’s mild sweetness. It’s a bit on the flat side. It works decent enough but the lack of that heavy but creamy carbonation and light mouthfeel is what makes it not really feel like a Belgian. This is a rather nice tasting beer but other elements keep it from achieving its full potential. I will hopefully remember to try this again in the future and see if another batch isn’t better.

12 oz bottle into tulip. Dang, I’ve never seen this low of scores for Avery before on here. I didn’t think they were capable of making bad or even mediocre beer. Pours a clear copper with a quickly collapsing medium white head; leaves a collar of foam. Aroma is caramel, wet dog, clove and perhaps a nip of Brett (?)--all way too subdued; they come out quite a bit more as it warms. Taste is sweet, tangy and spicy with a faint bitter hop character; a little meaty, too. Tastes of apples and maybe a little cheese. Carbonation and body are medium. Not bad but it’s very simple. Could use more depth.

This beer has a very clear copper pour and gave an off-white head that faded quickly, medium carbonation, left some spots and fingers of lacing on the glass, the aromas were faint apple, other fruit I could not place, and some fruit off-ness like vegetables, cooked corn, with faint toasted malt, the flavors were faint fruit – apple, bruised apple and pear with a little fruit and malt sweetness, mouth feel is thin, this beer had faint aroma and flavor, and was not exciting.

Great amber look with carbonation throughout. Not much aroma. Very clean aftertaste. Light fruity taste along with the malts. Not a strong taste but very pleasing none the less. Very bubbly taste like a Belgium.

UPDATED: JUL 9, 2011 On tap @ Avery. Transparent, slight burnt orange appearance with an off white head. Sweet, light caramel, light Belgian yeasty ale nose. Light Belgian, caramel malty, somefruity ale flavor with a hint of agave. Sweet Belgian aftertaste.

12 oz. bottle. Orangish golden pour with barely any head. Aroma of pale malt, Belgian yeast, dried fruit. There are some bread and pepper notes as well. Flavor is doughy, bready. The Belgian yeast strain comes off a bit odd. Not quite dry enough. Mouthfeel is about as average as it gets. Fruity esters in the finish. Overall, pretty disappointing.

Gorgeous amber in colo; very mild nose. Sweetness is balanced by a smooth mouthfeel. Nice method fruity notes of lemon, pineapple. Drinkable.