Great Dane Belgium Special Pale Ale

Brewed by Great Dane Pub & Brewery
Style: Belgian Ale
Madison, Wisconsin USA

Serve in Trappist glass, Tulip, Tumbler

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At the brew pub. Decent ale with bit of the typical spices you’d expect from a "Belgian" style: coriander and banana. Not bad.

Pour is a cloudy gold with a average white head. Aroms is fruity with some yeast and spice. Flavor is again kinda fruit to start out then comes some yeast and hops. The new thing in brewing must be a Belgian IPA or pale ale. There is not much variance from one brewer to the next. All are tasty and fruity but this only takes away from the hops.

Hazy, glowing golden orange with a large white head, leaves a sticky lacing at least for a while. Aroma has good travel, lots of yeasty must and citrus zest. Flavor similar, yeasty, plenty of orange peel and cinnamon. Flawed by a bit of cardboard, especially in my initial impression. This faded. Palate is dry and very lively with carbonation

draft at great dane. pours a hazy yellow with a small cream head. spicy, dough, pear yeast aromas. flavor has a slight grassy hop bitterness, drinkable, but not overly impressive.

On tap at the downtown brewpub. Consumed on 8-7-09. Pint pour. Listed as "Great Dane Belgian Pale Ale." Considering that it was on tap in the summer, it should not be listed as a winter seasonal. Subtle, surprisingly hoppy-dry aroma features apricot scent. Pours a hazy, pale orange. Good, solid, drinkable brew. Not over the top, but quite pleasant. Apricot flavor. Hops are surprisingly noticeable, especially in the finish. Very drinkable. Lively in the palate. I like it! It’s basically a good American Pale Ale with a light Belgian twist.

On tap at the downtown Dane. I kick myself everytime I go here. I know someday i will stop visiting the super pretentious, unfriendly downtown location. Pours a dull hazed over amber colour with a huge-ass head. Wicked soft hops, barely detectable on the nose, more orange then anything. Taste was really creamy with a mild hop finish. Such a difference between the American and Belgian Pale Ales. Not sure I liked it that much.

On draught at the Great Dane Hillsdale location. Pours a semi-hazy golden colored brew with a thin off-white head that has some nice retention and spotty lacing. Aroma of golden grain malt, some Belgian yeast, orange zest, cloves and field straw. Taste is medium bodied, with flavors of golden grain malt, some citrus zest, lemon and a touch of clove. Finish is slightly overly carbonated, metallic and a dry herbal aftertaste.

UPDATED: SEP 14, 2009 (Draught 8/8/08) Pours a hazy yellow body with an average off-white head. Aroma of floral, citrus, spoiled veggies, and grass. Flavor of hops (citrus, grass), pepper, biscuit, spoiled, and Belgian yeast with a somewhat grainy mouthfeel and dry finish. 5/3/5/2/9

(Draught 8/7/09) Pours a cloudy golden body with a small white head. Aroma of citrus, yeast, and grass. Flavor of orange, Belgian yeast, grass, banana, and pepper. 7/3/7/4/14

On tap at the brewpub downtown. Pours a clear yellow gold with a thin white head. Medium to strong notes of yeast, citrus, spice, and lemon in the nose. Light malt lemon flavors with a touch of grain. Highly carbonated with a herbal finish. Slightly watery and not too enjoyable.

Draft at Great Dane (downtown). Poured a hazy light orange color with a white head. Some lace was left behind on the glass at the end. There were whiffs of orange marmalade, clove, and hay, and while pleasant, the aroma was subdued overall. I really had to get my nose in the glass. Light bodied, dry, and a little tart. Pale malt and lemon dominated the flavor with an odd papery note emerging at the end.

Name: Belgian Ale
Date: 08/10/2008
Mode: Draft
Source: Brewpub, Hilldale

Appearance: cloudy pale yellow, fine white head, lots of lace,
Aroma: sweet malt aroma with spicy hops combined with some spicy phenolics,
Flavor: lightly sweet malt flavor, well balanced with a perfect blend of spicy hops and spicy phenolics, light lingering bitter finish,

Aroma: 6/10; Appearance: 7/10; Flavor: 6/10; Palate: 6/10; Overall: 12/20
Rating: 3.1/5.0
Drinkability: 7/10
Score: *4