Real Ale Vol. 13

Brewed by Real Ale Brewing Company
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
Blanco, Texas USA

Serve in Trappist glass, Tulip, Tumbler

send corrections   |   shelftag   |   edit barcodes   |   update pic

(From old 2011 notes.) It’s pretty hard to notice anything really special about this beer. It has a glowing orange color and an off-white head. The aroma is sweet and woody (the sweetness seeming to come from the wood, not as much residual sweetness from the malts). If this was a blind taste test, you could tell it’s a barrel-aged Belgian ale. In my opinion, the beer was probably too weak for the style to sustain the two years of aging in the barrel and still retain enough character to make it worth it. The flavor is predominantly of wood, but with a light sweetness, and after drinking this a little more, an additional unique character actually hits the nose. It’s hard to tell what it is. It’s smooth and silky, that’s for sure. The wood and hops really blended well together in this. Not that impressive. I heard someone earlier in the day talk about how great the beer was, but I’m just not on board. There is a bit if a refreshing character to it, though. Otherwise, it just tastes like a typical Belgian strong ale aged in barrels.... respectable. If anything, it’s just cool drinking a 2-year old anniversary brew. Most of the spiciness has definitely worn off over the past 2 years.

Orange / amber with just a little head. Can’t really place the aroma, but the taste is of whiskey and the finish of tannins. Let the finish linger a while and chocolate notes come through.

On tap at the Fort Worth Gingerman. Orange pour with a white head. Aroma is cinnamon spice, fruit, yeast, and light hops. Taste is like that Mexican spiced banana desert, cinnamon, clove, woody, alcohol, and sweet.

Tap at Gman FW. Clear orange color with a white foamy head. Aroma of fruit, wood and lemon. Taste is wood, light alcohol and easy fruit. Finish that is fairly easy-going. Not distasteful with a decent touch of alcohol.

Half pint served at the Plano Gingerman. The beer pours a golden-copper color with a white head. The aroma is orange and other citrus with some biscuit malts, floral hops and oak. The flavor is oak, bready malts, alcohol, candi-sugar, fruits (apples, oranges, pears, tangerines), pepper and vanilla. Very dry. Medium mouthfeel and medium carbonation.

(Draught) Pours a clear copper body with a medium off-white head. Aroma of orange peel, yeast, mustiness, and florals. Flavor of pineapple, apricot, Belgian yeast, pear, and earth with a dry wood, somewhat astringent finish.

On tap (expensive half pint, served in a miniature pint glass). Pours with a large white head over a hazy golden body. Aroma of grass, florals, oak, sweetness, phenols, concorde grape and biscuit. Flavors of oak, biscuit, orange peels, pennies, bread, candi sugar, coriander and aquavit. Medium carbonation with a dry finish.

(draught at Plano Gingerman) clear deep golden, nice off white head on top that lasts. Nose of caramel, light citrus, Belgian yeast and vinous. Taste is quite vinous, white wine, caramel, Belgian yeast, and bready. Medium body that’s perfectly carbonated with a long lasting vinous finish.

on tap. poured amber with a cream head. nose is yeast, dried fruits, faint wood and sugar. nice on the palate, flavors are definitely yeasty, dried fruits (apples and oranges, maybe pears), finish is woody with more dried fruits and light ash.