Cambridge Golden Ring Abbey Pale Ale

GABF 2007. A hazy golden beer with a thin white head. The aroma is sweet and quite spicy - among others I pick up coriander. The flavor is sweet with notes of coriander, leading to a dry spicy and slightly wheaty finish.

Date: 02/11/2007
Mode: Draft
Source: Brewpub

clear dark gold, wispy beige head, streaks of lace, light spicy aroma, nice hop flavor on a dry malt base with some spicy esters adding complexity rather than balance, a touch of candy sweetness comes and goes, the spices give way to robust hop flavor and a long bitter finish, called an abbey IPA it alternates between the two rather than marries them,

Aroma: 5/10; Appearance: 6/10; Flavor: 6/10; Palate: 6/10; Overall: 11/20
Rating: 2.8/5.0
Drinkability: 6/10
Score: **/4

Draught@Redbones. Very nice. yeasty, but soft, with some lovely citrus rind and wild flower aromas. Palate shows some bitterness and a very soft refreshing acidity. Citric, slightly estery. A very pleasant Belgian pale ale.

Dark dulled gold to amber bodied, producing an eternal white film. Immediately charming nose where the funky yeast shines a wild fruitiness ranging from passion fruit to juicy bananas and vinous grapes or kiwis. At the same time, the typical honeyed Belgian malts procure biscuity undertones that befit the limey, leafy hops. Not so expressive in yeastiness in mouth, but it compensates through a woodiness I had not seen coming. Well controlled sweetness, light-medium bodied, oily texture, tanninc mouthfeel. An absolutely delicious offering, thanks to a stupendous wild yeast nose.

Lightly funky, herbal hop nose. Clear golden body is topped by a low white head that recedes to ring. Somewhat funky brett character with herbal, earthy, grassy hop character and pleasant cereal malt flavours. Light body with refreshing strong carbonation. Sampled at GABF 2005.