La Bestia
Ranger Creek Brewing & Distilling

pours a hazy amber brown body with a bubbly foamed tan head that has minimal retention and leaves spotted lacing as it settles to a thin halo

aroma is rich dark fruit, honey, toffee, and tannins. an odd sourness looms

ripe dark stone fruit mix with sticky honey, roasted toffee malt, and robust red wine-adjacent tannins to make for a clean tasting Belgian dark. it's slightly earthy, nearly leather-like, with a dash of baking spice and Belgian yeast.

mouthfeel is moderate carbonation with medium body. booze prickles pepper an otherwise clean, nearly crisp body that finishes dry and boozy bittersweet.

overall:
this brew had taken a long hiatus before coming back in '16. you can still find it out in the wild if you're in luck, though Ranger Creek's distribution is a little spotty, even here in it's home state. brown sugar and tannins take the lion's share of the flavor profile with this brew, which helps it stand out for better or worse. it definitely claims space as a Belgian tribute, though the primary hallmarks of the style may be muted here. if you want a traditional example of the style by which to measure others, look elsewhere. if you are down for a Belgian tribute band that has snuck in more singer-penned originals than covers, or if you are looking for a new spin on the old, this may fit you nicely.
it does hold up the Belgian insistence on being taken in on the same level as a wine in spades, however.