Sunday, October 13, 2013

Belgian Pale Ale Project – A Concurrent Analysis

I have just surpassed the halfway point in my Belgian Pale Ale Project, and I thought this would be a good time to stop and reflect on what I’ve learned so far.  Thus far the project has included…

Avery Brewing Company - Karma (#1)
Hangar 24 Craft Brewery - Belgian Summer Ale (#2)
Brouwerij De Koninck - De Koninck (#3)
Blue Moon Brewing Company (Coors) - Rounder (#4)
Monkish Brewing Co. - Galaxy Defender (#5)
Abbey Beverage Company - Monks’ Ale (#6)
Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales - Luciérnaga (The Firefly) (#7) (9/21/13)
Brouwerij de Musketiers’s - Antigoon by Robert Wiedmaier (#8)
Perennial Artisan Ales - Hommel Bier (#9) (9/27/13)
Eagle Rock Brewery - Unionist (#10)
Uinta Brewing - Monkshine (#11)
Brewery Ommegang - BPA (#12)
Mikkeller - Årh Hvad?! (#13)

I intentionally picked this style of beer because it is not one that I am intimately familiar with, but I am starting to feel like this experience gap is being bridged.  Thus far I have learned to expect a strong apple or cider character both in the nose and on the tongue.  I have come to anticipate a Pilsner malt flavor with a controlled Saaz bite on the finish.  I look forward to beers that are mildly sweet, but not cloying.  This latter attribute, along with a low alcohol presence, makes them very drinkable.  It is well described as an “everyday beer”.

Most of the Belgian Pale Ales in the first half of this project have had very simple flavor profiles, and with a couple of them this quality has actually presented itself as a negative.  When everything is in perfect balance and nothing dares to stand out, the beer lacks personality and quickly becomes boring.  This style could be a good gateway beer to craft beer virgins, but when it’s dumbed-down to favor the assumed lowest common denominator, there is really no reason to drink a second one. 

I have also discovered that this beer is a delicate creature and does not age with grace.  Many of my bottles have unfortunately been well past their prime.  Freshness is highly desirable.  More draft options would be nice, but it’s not an excessively popular style and it doesn’t seem to end up on many handles.

What I have come to enjoy about this style is the fresh apple quality that comes from fermentation.  Antigoon and De Koninck are great examples of this.  I also really appreciate breweries that have taken this style and really made it their own.  This category is not known for excessive complexity, but there are a couple of skilled brewers that have wrapped their offerings in a at least a couple of layers.  Årh Hvad?!, Firefly, and Galaxy Defender are all examples of beers that use the style as a foundation, but feature their own unique personality.  BPA also has enough going on to stay interesting from top to bottom. 

There are a few things that I hope to see more of through the balance of this project.  One would be more malt complexity.  The BJCP guidelines note that this style “has an initial soft, malty sweetness with a toasty, biscuity, nutty malt flavor.”  That has not been my experience at all; in fact, malt character has been completely absent among these initial thirteen.  I would also like to find fruit flavors in addition to just apples and pears.  For example Galaxy Defender has an amazing grapefruit character, and BPA has hints of papaya.  The guidelines suggest that Belgian Pale Ales “may have an orange- or pear-like fruitiness”, but I have found precious little citrus in my glasses.  Ultimately I’m not searching for big bold flavors, but some depth in the aroma and taste would be very welcomed. 

 I have greatly enjoyed exploring this style over the past few weeks and expect to more than just drinking over the next two months.  My plans include some cooking, pairing, and homebrewing.  Should be fun.

-Matt

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