Mad River The Mad Belgian Golden Ale

Brewed by Mad River Brewery
Style: Belgian Ale
Blue Lake, California USA

Serve in Trappist glass, Tulip, Tumbler

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Some turkish apricot, but not much of it. Orange, opaque. Moderate head and moderate carbonation. Flavor is surprisingly dry with a lot of yeast. Dry finish with just a little sugar.

Date: December 11, 2011 Mode: Bottle Source: BVery Description: Dark orangish brown pour with nice amount of head and some lacing, citrus, malt and slight belgian yeast in aroma, taste was similar with some honey and a very slight bitter finish, light bodied and some carbonation.

12 oz bottle poured into a pint glass. Aroma hoppy with a hint of citrus. Appearance is cloudy golden with a very small head. Has the Belgian style beer taste with a very smooth feel on the palate. Good beer which I will surely drink again and again.

12 ounce bottle poured into a tulip glass. Pours a pale amber color with a small tan head. Smells like honey, cornbread, muted esters. Flavor is, again, honeyed cornbread, yeast, grass, minerals, molding peaches, cheap white wine. Mouthfeel is flabby with a discordant watery finish, sticky on the palate yet thin in flavor, with an un-Belgian coarseness to the carbonation. The name is the best part; a Belgian might be rightfully mad to see a brewery produce such an uninspired and bland beer while invoking his country - one with such richness in tradition and quality.

Bottle. Head is initially small, frothy, off-white, mostly lasting. Body is hazy medium amber. Aroma is lightly to moderately malty (toasted grain), lightly hoppy (flowers), lightly yeasty (cobwebs), with notes of gum, lemon zest, pepper. Flavor is moderately sweet, lightly acidic, lightly to moderately bitter. Finish is lightly sweet, lightly acidic, moderately bitter. Medium body, velvety texture, lively carbonation, lightly alcoholic. Interesting and unexpected rendition for an American brewery. It’s yeast-centric, which is just how it ought to be. It is perhaps a bit too restrained, with a rather faint aroma and mild, forgettable personality, but that’s much more preferable to an over-the-top interpretation.

bottle, very nice pour into a tulip, golden amber with nice white head, good lacing. Aroma is fruity, lightly spiced, lightly hopped, with notes of clove, apricot, banana bread. Medium bodied, a pretty light, refreshing feel. Fruity and bready. Lightly hopped finish. Pretty nice, but expected more from a four pack.

UPDATED: SEP 28, 2011 Bottle. A light caramel color with a bit of head that doesn’t last too long. A fruity, almost grape scent. Some hoppiness. Good beer.

Bottle. Orange pour with a thin white head. Grape and plum. A little yeast and carbonation on taste along with some green grapes. Nice.

Bottle 12fl.oz. @ home.

Clear medium to dark orange colour with a average to large, frothy, good lacing, fully lasting, off-white head. Aroma is moderate malty, toasted, caramel, moderate to heavy yeasty, fruity, riped fruit, yeast. Flavour is moderate to heavy sweet and moderate bitter with a average to long duration, candy - fruity sweet, yeasty, riped fruit, apricot fruity. Body is medium, texture is oily, carbonation is soft. [20110624]

Appearance: muddy light brown with a short off-white head; decent lacing but otherwise ugly. Aroma: musty grains, some malt, definite notes of yeast and spices (some clove?), pretty muddled. Taste: malty, hint of caramel and butterscotch; also musty with notes of dirt, sweat, and socks. Finish: musty malts gave way to surprisingly resinous, bitter finish. Notes: Yeah, not good at all. If the commercial description were true, this would be a great beer. There is nothing ’shimmering gold’ about this beer, and the flavors were muddled, dusty, and not very good. Maybe just got a bad bottle?

Bottle served in a tulip. Pours hazy dark orange with a short off-white head. Decent retention, good sticky lacing. Aroma is bready malts mostly, with some essence of belgian yeast. Soft and light flavors, yet near-full bodied mouthfeel. Average carbonation, creamy texture, and a dry, bitter finish. Not sure if this is past its prime or just not very good.