Viszolay Belgian
Santa Fe Brewing Company

 

 

 

Sampled at 1702; April 2009
The beer arrives from the tap a clear, dark amber color, it has a touch of brown to it and shows a brilliantly clear, amber hue to it when held up to the light. The beer is pretty light colored overall for something that the brewery describes as a Dubbel. The aroma has a light herbal hop note to it up front, but sweet fruit aromatics quickly sweep that away; notes of plum, red-grapes and a tart-sweet fruit character are easily noticed. There is a touch of malt character towards the finish that provides aromas of biscuit-malt and brown sugar crusted bread. There is a ton of fruit aromatics here, but it comes off as smelling almost more tart than sweet, which is nice.

The flavor has a fruitiness to it up front but the finish has a spicy, yeast-driven finish that isn't the same level as the fruit. The fruit flavors are actually found throughout the flavor profile, even into a lingering note in the finish. There are lots of sweet-tart plum notes, a pretty big berry flavors, some grape like flavors, and even some sweet-tart wine notes. The spicy notes provide flavors of earthy almost coriander, woody pepper and lots of clove notes (that accentuates the sweetness), and perhaps even a touch of allspice. Some toasted grain flavors seem to meld in pretty well with the spiciness here.

This is a nicely done beer. It definitely has grown upon me as I work my way through it. I like that it has a light vinous quality to it, but it is definitely fruit dominated, but it does have enough complexity to it to keep interesting.

Thanks to Tomthompson89. A funky aroma to this one, an unusual yeast play but not spoiled. The alcohol comes through also on the arma and taste. A bit of laste. A thin mouthfeel and low carbonation. Not really hitting the style, but a kind of Belgian.

It poured a bright amber, no chill haze, nice and clear with a creamy off-white head.

Aroma was of honey and belgian candi sugar.

Flavor was quite a letdown, no belgian yeast chartacter at all. it was sweet with just a hint of a dry hop finish.

Lightly carbonated, medium body.

Overall just a bit too sweet for my liking and absolutely no belgian yeast character that i prefer in my dubbels.

OK, it pains me to give this beer a bad review. I like Santa Fe Brewing and have visited many times. I’m quite fond of the Chicken Killer Barley Wine, and the Porter is solid, as well. They have moved to a larger location and increased the number of beers available on tap. Should be a good thing, no? Not in the case of this beer. The Viszolay is one of the blandest craft brews I have had in any style. The brewery refers to this as a Dubbel, but there is nothing remotely Belgian about it. No taste affects from the yeast. No fruitiness, no spiciness. No candy sugar taste. Only the slightest hint of malt. No hops happening. Thin mouthfeel. And nothing to suggest that there really is 7.5% ABV. A big disappointment. I truly hope this is just growing pains and they will hit the mark next time with this beer. A few swallows was all we could manage before we walked away leaving our pints unfinished.