Belgian-style Special Ale
Richbrau Brewing Company

Richbrau Brewing company, Richmond Virginia: Belgian Style Special Ale. From a 22 oz brown bomber bottle, with a fairly non-descript plain paper label. I don’t think I’ve ever had a poor beer from a bottle with an inexpensive label, and this one does not disappoint. This beer pours a ruddy reddish tan, very clear, surprisingly so for a bottle conditioned ale. The head is very nice, a nice pour leaves a solid quarter inch all the way down the side of the glass, with very nice lacing.

The aroma is fair, not overwhelming, and I can sense the orange that the label notes they added during the brew.

Wonderful taste, nice and extremely smooth. Even had the label not said so, I’d have guessed that this was brewed with the holiday season in mind as the fruit and spice flavors are much more pronounced than in a typical Belgian strong ale. Nice taste with a tiny bit of hops noticeable toward the end. This beer has an interesting metallic note that is not unpleasant, but is a bit noticeable. Extremely long lasting aftertaste, perhaps because the lack of sustained carbonation lends itself to a slick mouthfeel.

Interesting, and more complex than I had anticipated.

Appearance – The body is a very bright, almost florescent, orange with little head, typical for a lot of the Abbey Tripels that you see today.

Smell – The straight orange peel and booze give this a serious Abbey Tripel aroma. I can also pick up some huge candy and a bit of spice (clove and pepper, maybe).

Taste – Ah, this is very refreshing. There’s a small yeasty malt base that grows as the ale warms. Other than that, the candy and orange lead the way here. The spices are peppery and chalky.

Mouthfeel – Medium-bodied with a noticeable alcohol sting; just a bit much for a 7.6 ABV ale. Othwise this one is actually quite refreshing.

Drinkability – This is a real sipping ale and was a pleasure to consume.

Comments – Thanks to OldFroth for turning me on to this brewery. They are three for three in my book.