Piraat 10.5%

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

Serve in Trappist glass, Tulip, Tumbler

Had one of these before my property class at the Plymouth Rooftop bar off jackson. The aroma is fruity, bready, and rich. The flavor has a massive malt profile, coupled with a great bitter hop complement. Mouthfeel is nice and full, good carbonation. Alcohol was not detectable. Great beer.

Poured a clear but not brilliant gold body color with cumulus white head of tiny bubbles, like what you’d see atop a Duvel (sticky and lasts forever). Aroma is of champagne, bread yeast, and candied fruit. Flavor is sweet and fruity, again champagne-like, but I felt it lacked structure or backbone...it’s all melody and no harmony if you will. I felt like it needed more malt to balance out the other flavors that are present. Mouthfeel is light like cotton candy. Hides its 10.5% scarily well in both flavor and mouthfeel. I liked it, but it hardly blew my socks off.

FIRST TRIAL: hazy yellow with a stereotypical, pillowy, Belgian head; aroma is very sweet (almost candied sugar-like) and fruity (almost grape-like); taste is sweet and warm from the noticeably high alcohol, with a moderately malty middle and a slightly bitter finish and of course the characteristic Belgian bubbly mouthfeel. This beer always stares at me at my local liquor store saying, "Why haven’t you bought me... You’ve bought almost everything else here... Pick me this time," and I inevitably go for something else. I just always had the feeling that this beer just wasn’t going to be for me, and although it has some really interesting characteristics, my instincts were right. I won’t be racing to have this again.

Pours golden light amber yellow. Aroma is sweet, bready, sharp, tart and sugary. Flavor is sweet bitter, citrus, banana and bread.Body is on the lighter side. Finish is woody and lghtly tart. Its a very refreshing beer for the end of summer plasteredness.

pale yellow, white, quickly dissipating head, slightest bit of suds left behind. aroma of sweet malt, banana, bready yeast (a bit too heavy on the banana). spicy, perhaps apple flavor. not much alcohol influence. i didn’t catch any of the hops hinted in the aroma. perhaps a touch of hops in a slightly bitter finish. well-hidden alcohol. not a style that i generally warm to. interesting, though.

11.2oz bottle from By the Bottle in Vancouver, WA--Poured a hazy golden hue with a large fluffy white three-finger head. Sticky, metallic, spicy, cardboard nose. I believe this beer was a little past its prime if possible. Big alcohol finish with some dry and sweet bready teeth. Decent beer I would like to revisit.

Bottled. Poured clear, bright orangey-golden with lots of rising carbonation and a sticky cap of white head. The aroma picked up lots of candied paler sugars paired with white peppery yeast.. some orange and increasing floral notes with warmth.. strong and inviting. The flavor had pale malts, honey, and a faint hint of corn at the core supporting zesty oranges, floral notes, and a yeasty spice array.. strong on the finish showcasing the yeast spicage and warm fruity booze esters.. long finish left a satisfying warmth in the belly. Heavier-bodied on the palate, warm, and sweet, but it held together well.. touch grainy at the finish.. good stuff!

I first tried this Belgian after a friend gave me a gift pack and it clearly established itself as the best of the variety. The notable head was a pleasantry with a slightly fruity and doughy nose. Hints of spices are also present. Piraat left the palate with a fairly medium body and a quickly identified bitter taste. As for flavor the hops dominated the malty taste but overall it was a very enjoyable experience.