De Proefbrouwerij Signature Ale

Brewed by De Proefbrouwerij
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
Lochristi - Hijfte, Belgium

Serve in Trappist glass, Tulip, Tumbler

Batch 1. Thanks to Mikal at Whole Foods Chandler for pulling one of the original batch out of hiding for me. Pours a hazy brownish gold color with a nice foamy head. Aroma of yeast, citrus, spices, fruit and funk. Flavor is fruity, banana, spicy, bretty funk, yeast, spices, herbs and hops. Very tasty.

Crushed mostly with Honkeybra with Jakebra in the background. A hoppy saison classified as a belgian strong ale? Aight. Pretty cool.

Purchased bottle at Holiday Wine Cellar. The last bottle they had so I considered myself lucky to be able to grab one for a taste. The pour is a clean clear golden elixir with a rigorous thick heading. In the nose, I found a mild aroma of Belgian yeast and spice with a light citrus background of possible orange. It has very subdued flavors that are chewy and spicy paired well with the soft delicate palate and its rich creamy finish. I’m really amazed how smooth this ale turned out but hey when you got pizza port working on it and some masters from Belgium how could it go wrong?

(750 ml bottle from 1828 Vintage House, cellared for 10 mos. after purchase) Pours bright but hazy goldish burnt amber with a finger and a half of slightly lumpy off-white head that is well-retained. Aroma of yeast/cheese, caramel, citrus-lemon tang. Mouthfeel smooth, surpisingly a bit thin, lightly sticky on back end. Very nice well-defined and persistent rings and sheets of lacing. Nice-looking. Flavor is sweet with lots of yeast and pepper. Lip-smacking caramel builds toward finish. Notes of citrus/lemon/apricot and other light fruits. As it warms there is a fairly big hoppy bitter bite in the finish. This one is also a bit hot which detracts a bit from the drinkability. The hops are kind of a neat surprise.

UPDATED: MAR 31, 2008 750ml bottle. Very floral on the nose with just a small hint of bretty funk. Clean and soapy. Citrus oil. Candle wax. Cut flowers. Pours bright copper with a big white head leaving excellent sticky lacing. Very soapy on the tongue. Hints of flowers, just a touch of funky yeast, powdered sugar, pear, wax. Interesting with a lighter bready malt base. Excellent carbonation on top of an oddly waxy textured beer. Extra points for for the collaborative effort. Thanks Mike!

750 mL bottle, corked and caged...aged sample, perhaps 2 years? pours copper, fairly clear until the dregs are poured in, with a modest off tan cream. Doughy aroma that is pleasant, but not as fruity and bright as I remember the fresh sample. Bretty flavours that have clearly dulled with the age, but offer some wonderful oaky sourness and subdued and relaxed barnyard flavours that are only possible with this kind of age (not to mention down right hard to accomplish any time. Though I would rate this slightly higher fresh, I have to give this beer loads of credit for surviving and thriving in my cellar for quite some time.

Amber pour and a big, fluffy head. Surprising amount of delicate floral scent. Fairly sweet and full-flavored - nutty, with an unexpected warmth and a medium level of hops. I also tasted malted wheat and possibly rye, and a good dash of orange/citrus. Interesting brew - doesn’t seem that much like a Belgian release or something from Port Brewing. Not really worth $8 a bottle, but a very good brew.

(750ml bottle). Pours hazy orange with off-white head. Aroma is of brett and lemon. Taste is sweet with some hops and sour. Medium bodied with a smooth finish. This beer left me wanting more sour, but it’s still a good beer (if not over-priced).