New Belgium Abbey

Best thing I’ve had from New Belgium yet. Tasted like a mix of Fat Tire and Chimay Red. Not over-the-top phenols like you get in real Belgian beers, but on the way there. Most of New Belgium’s "Belgian" styles don’t taste Belgian at all to me, but this one does. Great value.

This is one of my favorite widely available (at least in my area) beers. Pours a dark amber with perfect half inch head that perpetuates until the glass is empty. Head adds a creamy taste to the already rich, sweet flavor. A hint of hops, but mostly malt and yeast, which makes the beer very easy to drink (and filling). When I want bold flavor, I head for this beer.

Wow! Another breed altogether...Fruity, floral, and sweet to the extreme. Definitely nowhere near the bitterness I’m accustomed to - quite interesting and tasty nonetheless. Absolutely beautiful, pour, head, activity, and lacing. Medium body and nice balance; but once again, altogether to sweet for my admittedly relatively non-sophisticated taste. This one should have a warning on it; the alcohol presence is quite unobtrusive and I could easily imagine where several of these might sneak up on you in a very bad way. All in all, still the best New Belgium I’ve tried, in spite of what I’ve rated Fat Tire previously. Nice Belgian Double, but drink responsibly or pay the consequences.

While I’m a big fan of NBB’s beers, I’ve never been able to warm up to abbey. For some reason the banana esthers seem to make the whole flavor come crashing down. It just seems....odd to me.

Even the most chiseled erudite can sit down for an episode of the Simpsons. Fine, Italian opera librettos are sophisticated, but Homer’s vernacular humor appeals to everybody, not just the upper crust of educated muckity-mucks. My mother once told me that a truly admirable man of intellect can speak to anybody, whether it be Walter Russel Meade or the janitor. New Belgium’s Abbey is much the same way. It may not be as “advanced” as some of its Strong Belgian Ale cousins found in the higher price refrigerator, but it has the same basic taste and it appeals to a broader audience. It’s not quite a “working man’s beer”, but the Abbey has a dusky, lowdown feel while keeping a high brow aura. It pours a dark auburn, with a fantastic off-white head. The foam is thick and looks welcoming to an eager lip. The beer feels very muscular as well and “full” on the first sip before fully developing its flavor. As per the tradition of Belgian ales there is a lot of fruit to be found, but mostly apple. The Abbey also seemed sweeter than other Belgian ales I’ve had. Most importantly, the beer provides that “fruits of the earth” taste, and seems to be appropriate for drinking in a low lit room. Not necessarily a tavern mind you, but a settled and cozy room. I do like this beer. It is, so far, my favorite from New Belgium.

Classic dubbel appearance. Yeasty aroma. Banana and bubblegum. Flavor is caramel, banana, fruit, bubblegum. Very tasty and sweet. Lots of flavor. Nice dubbel, and it’s fairly readily available at a good price. Cheaper doesn’t mean a lower quality brew in this case. I would honestly rather have this dubbel as any others that I’ve had. Including Chimay.

Pours amber brown with no head. Pleasant aroma of banana and raisin. Taste is similar, a bit of yeast, mild and fruity. Mouthfeel is good - not thick, not thin, and tiny bubbles tickle the tongue. Certainly worth picking up a 6-pack of this and giving it a try if you’re a fan of the Belgian styles. Thumbs up.

This brown ale poured with a large fluffy off-white head. There was a strong presence of roasted malt in both the aroma and the flavor, with noticeable banana esters and a slighty alcoholic finish. Overall, a very satisfying beer.