Bootleggers Spring Ale 2011

Brewed by Bootleggers Brewery
Style: Belgian Ale
Fullerton, California USA

Serve in Trappist glass, Tulip, Tumbler

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On tap at the brewery (I don’t know if this is any different than last years, it seemed a bit more spiced, but I did not ask). The description was brewed with honey and herbs. Pours with a clear golden body with a lasting off-white head. Aromas of honey, sage, cinnamon, spices, biscuit, sugar cookie and bread. Flavors are equally spicy with lavender, jasmine, herbs de provence, spiced tea, honey and butter cookies. Really an odd beer but easy to drink. Thin with lively bubbles.

A: The beer pours a slightly hazed amber color with a white head and some slight lacing. S: There’s a big fruit component to this beer, which isn’t totally surprising given the additions of bitter and sweet orange peels. I get a bit of a berry note along with the intense orange aromas (almost marmalade-like). A subtle spice aroma of coriander is present as well. T: Sweet candied oranges come through quite strongly and are contrasted by the bitterness that the orange peels provide. The coriander and spice is significantly more intense than I would have guessed from the nose. There is a decent malty character, but it is definitely in the background. M: The body is medium with a medium carbonation. D: As far as this set of pilot batches goes, this was pretty decent (definitely better than the Spring Saison).