Penrose Private Reserve No. 1302
Pikes Peak Brewing Company

 

 

 

 

 

An intriguing but friendly kaleidoscope of flavors. I'd call it psychedelic Belgian. Big out of control foam with endless lacing. Too much of a good thing. Fermenting pineapple nose.

Sharp, full of winey slashing flavors. An intriguing sourish hint but full of the warm malty sweetness. Dry finish and a yeasty bitter tang. Flavors of pear skins, apricot, green raisins, straw, and bitter herbs for the finish. But the fruity craziness is like the most excellent Tripel with a wild hair.

A whacky and off-balance strong ale. Quite sippable but an explosive mouthful of suds. The 750 ml bottle was purchased at Grapevine Liquor in Denver.

 

Beer pours a pale gold with a strong and rocky white head. The appearance is just outstanding. Little bubbles continue to rise to the top of the beer and you drink it and even the slightest swirl brings to head right back to life. Lacing is also just great around the glass as you drink it.

The aroma is complex. I can pick up a little fruity white wine aroma. There is also some barnyard funk in the background. Not a lot, just the slightest amount to add some complexity. I can also pick up some fruity esters.

The beer is crisp, a slight bitterness in the finish. It is also a little sour at the end. Acetic acid, wine, warming from the alcohol.

Mouthfeel is full and silky.

This really is a great beer. I so often get a bottle of beer and the outside of the bottom is so much better than what is inside. Not the case here. This beer is complex and unique and just a wonderful treat.

maybe the best pikes beer ive had, a special bottle for sure, aged in red wine barrels from what i understand. bright blonde beer with a tough to pour white head with excellent retention. amazing how light this looks for being in red wine, no pink tint, no dark edges, just beautiful golden beer with lovely clarity. it smells fruity from the yeast and the wine alike, white grape rather than red, pear, and some acid. the yeast is great, and the light malt base lets it really shine. there is an almost wild character to it, almost bretty, but i dont think there is brett in this. juicy and a little sweet, but well balanced with a clever hopping. it drinks awfully light for how strong it is, and a big bottle of this is not problem for me in one sitting. gorgeous carbonation, i love the way it pops on the tongue, but the acidity of the wine is a little distracting from the refreshment factor for me. mild oak sweetness in the finish too plays well with the yeast. a very well made beer here, unique in the denver beer market, and a sign of good things to come from pikes peak.

Bottle #1110. Brewed: 01/2013. 8.6% ABV confirmed. 750ml brown glass bottle with black unbranded pry-off pressure cap and generally appealing label acquired at a local CO bottle shop and served into a wine glass in me friend's gaff in high altitude Castle Rock, Colorado. Reviewed live. Expectations are average; this is me first beer from the brewery. Reviewed as a Belgian golden ale since the label identifies it clearly as such.

Served cold - straight from the fridge. Side-poured with standard vigor as no carbonation issues are anticipated.

A: No bubble show forms as it's poured.

Pours a 1.5 finger wide head of white colour. Subpar creaminess and okay thickness. Head retention is pretty good - about 2-3 minutes. No real lacing clings to the sides of the glass as the head recedes.

Body colour is a translucent semitransparent pale yellow-copper of above average vibrance. Clean. No floating yeast particles/sediment is visible.

Overall, it's a generally appealing appearance for a Belgian golden ale.

Sm: Honey, Belgian golden malts, malty sweetness, clove, and some floral hop character.

No alcohol is detectable.

A pleasant aroma of mild strength.

T: Belgian golden malts, Belgian pale malts, honey, clove, clean barley, and ample sweetness. It's painfully simple, but decently balanced. Lacks complexity, subtlety, intricacy, and nuance. It's hard to say much about it; there isn't much going on. Not gestalt. Average depth, duration, and intensity of flavour. The simplicity really brings it down. I do like the white wine notes.

Mf: Smooth and wet. Decently soft. Okay presence on the palate. Medium-bodied. A bit too thick. Decently carbonated. Could be softer.

Not oily, astringent, gushed, hot, boozy, or harsh.

Overall, it suits the flavour profile generally well, but doesn't feel custom-tailored to it.

Dr: Quite drinkable, but ultimately rather underwhelming. I wouldn't get it again, especially at its unreasonable price point. Not a great Belgian golden ale. If we're comparing, it's a far cry from Damnation. Hides its ABV well.

High C+

 

Belgian style golden ale aged in wine barrels. Bottle #827, brewed 01/2013.

Pours a hazy, light gold body topped with a chunky, creamy white head. Citrus, wheat-like, with a funky ester-y character. Tart, astringent flavors with loads of bitterness; peppery. Soft feeling and light bodied; very dry.

A very potent, flavorful Belgian ale. Very crisp and dry finish. A very nice discovery from another Front Range brewery. You can pickup on some sort of wine barrel notes (a sherry?), but the beer speaks for itself as far as overall character. Definitely worth checking out if Belgian light ales are your thing...