Bruegel Amber Ale

Brewed by Brouwerij Van Steenberge
Style: Belgian Ale
Ertvelde, Belgium

Serve in Trappist glass, Tulip, Tumbler

Pours light amber with a large white head. Dark malt and dark fruit aroma. Not bad, but not special. The flavor begins sweet, then turns somewhat sour. There is a slight bitterness in the aftertaste. Drinkable--even pleasant--but not re-drinkable.

Pours an unimpressive clear copper with a thin diminishing head. Smells of caramel, almond, and granny smith apples. It’s got an average malty taste with a hint of hops.

Amber colour, off white head. Aroma of caramel and malts. Flavour sweet, caramel, malts. Rather thin. Not the most impressive beer I’ve ever tasted. (Rating of an aging bottle, 33cL, BBefore 29 July 2011)

Poured from the bottle into a trappist glass. A pleasant aroma complete with floral and citrus hops, some caramel malt and a herbal effect too. Clear amber color with a very small, foamy white head with cling on the edges but short retention. A light sweet taste, with some floral effects, and a more sour finish. A wetter, slightly watery feel on the palate, with modest carbonation and somewhat lacking in smoothness. Certainly a solid beer, but nothing spectacular.

Pours with a HUGE off white head which is very long-lasting. Deep, slightly cloudy amber hue. Aroma of just ripe apricot, pear and peach with a perfumy orange blossom background. Initial taste is fruit juice sweet but quickly transforms into an upfront tart sourness which while not unpleasant, the contrast took a little getting used to. Some slight mineral-like dryness in the short finish. Enjoyable, but not that memorable.

Presentation: Poured from a 330ml/11.2oz bottle in to a tulip glass. It has a nice golden amber color with a slight haze. The head was crazy big, white in color and foamy with stiff peaks. It had a very long retention time and left cool lacing on the glass. The aroma is full and has notes of sour apples and pears with earthy/funky Belgian yeast and doughy malts. It has a sour funky favor with some fruity esters as well. The first sip has a puckering affect on the palate. Then there is a dry earthy yeast flavor with some doughy malts and light fruity esters that give it some nice complexity. The body is light to medium with a somewhat thin texture that is alive with carbonation. Overall I really enjoyed this ale. It had a nice refreshing character that would work very well with a light lunch, sea food, mild cheese or fruit.

Drank in a tulip. Nice head, red / brown hazy poor. Aromas of an old basement, oranges, old oak... these aromas reminds me a little of the Duchesse de Brougogne but not as potent. Very floral hoppy aroma with added apples and raspberries. Flavors of wood a little sweet caramel and coriander. Bitter rubarb feel. Missing a little alcohol, creamy finish, well balanced. Very good overall.

Poured a reddish-gold color with virtually no head. Light aromas and flavors of some spicy malts as well as some dried fruit. I wasn’t impressed with this beer; there just wasn’t much here.