Gus' 65M Ale
North Brewing Company

There's a fine layer of haze to its honey gold body. Its head is bright white and tightly knit.

The nose is Belgian everything. Lots of pear and banana esters with spicy phenols. A bit chalky too. Dark honey really complements its fruity profile. There's plenty of biscuit an cracker as well. A faint hint of grass clippings is the only sign of hops.

Its spiciness is elevated and its fruitness is lessened. The phenols are a touch medicinal but more sweet than anything. Pear outweighs banana twofold. A concise dryness pushes into the finish where fresh biscuit and bread crust end things off.

This carries lots of weight for its ABV and much of that has to do with the increased level of carbonation and subsequent fluffy/foamy feel. The sensations of sweet and dry are balanced and enjoyable.

A lovely Belgian Blonde that's made that much more attractive by its low ABV. Esters, phenols, and fresh doughy malt come together to make a refined, full flavored, sessionable (by Belgian standards) beer.

Pours orangey blond with frothy head that dissipates leaving a thin ring that continues to lace. Aroma classic belgian yeast - esthers (banana) and pepper. Flavour full almost heffeweisse like.

 

 

 

Poured from 750ml bottle into tulip glass. Aroma of citrus and vanilla. Hazy golden appearance with some white head. Mild bitter taste. Medium body, creamy texture, with soft carbonation. Overall a quite enjoyable brew. Having spoken to the brewer in the past he mentioned that this one was the most difficult to get right. So if you tried it in the past and didn’t like it maybe give it another go.

 

 

Poured from a Moccasin Bend Brewing Company growler into a Founders tulip:

This beer is so named because it is the house brew for Gus' pub, a local bar/casino/burger joint that is 65 meters away from the brewery. Great burger, too, if you're in the mood. Go for the deluxe!

A - Cloudy bright straw with a very slight orange hue. A frothy, creamy head gives way to good lacing that clings to the side of the glass. Very appealing.

S - Big yeast up from with some subtle sour aromas. A sweet, fruity aroma gives way to spice, apples, and caramel. The malt profile is a bit flat, reminding me of some adjunct lagers, but the elements provided by the belgian yeast is what dominates the nose. Some bready, wheaty aromas also emerge with similar qualities to a hefeweizen.

T - Strong yeast flavors that lead into a sweet, bready taste with banana, plum, apricot, and lemon following the initial rush. The finish is malty, pleasant, and mostly dry, with very minimal bitterness. A second sip reveal creamy, almost vanilla tones, as well as the alcohol character to some degree. It almost reminds me of a high gravity lager but in the best of ways. Spices, like clove and cardamom, also arise in the mix. A very enjoyable taste!

M - Creamy, smooth, but with a subtle acidity that gives the beer some kick. The alcohol also definitely lets you know it's there, but not offensively so.

O - Overall a solid beer. It has enough character to keep things interesting but it's not as heavy or complex as Bridge's other offerings so it would be more sessionable, despite its high ABV. Good thing Gus' Pub was bold enough to have a Belgian-style house ale.