Mentor
Braxton Brewing Company - Braxton Covington

 

From the 22 oz bottle in a snifter via Braxton Labs at The Party Source.
This FINE Belgo American tripel pours a nice lightly chill hazed peach tinged
golden color with a fantastic head of white foam that settles to a thick ring,
thick layer, and showcases some very nice sudsy sticky lacing. Nose of Belgian
candy sugars, lightly astringent booze, yeasty esters of banana bread, white
pepper, and light stone fruit notes of peaches. Flavors hit the mark and are
full frontal excellence with rich candy sugars and light peach notes with a
white pepper and subtle banana note. Nice flavors of bread and crackers
join mid palate with subtle orange zest and grassy hops that present themselves
on the rear of the taste bringing in a nice balance that may be closer to a BIPA
than a tripel. That said it is still nicely balanced. Excellent mouth feel; medium
carbonation is lively and effervescent with the yeast notes with a medium body
and a sweet yet lightly bitter hop touched finish.

Overall, a SOLID ale from a company that is more and more earning my respect.

Cheers

As the skills of the brewhouse are passed down from master to student, two unique parti-gyle beer flavors emerge. Tripel and table beer complete the second year saga that Braxton starts with a Belgian-styled stronger, golden ale and finishes with a lighter paler ale.

Mentor pours a bold and bright golden color and with a faint haze. Crowning with a creamy white cap, the scent soon follows with orchard fruit, vinous spice and a sweet honey scent. Its taste starts succulent with malt, coating the tongue with honey, poundcake and caramel.

As the fruit and spice flavors rise, the sweetness relaxes but remains persistent, supporting the ester and spice balance firmly throughout the session. Peach, pear, apple and orange start the fruit forward flavors while a quick follow up on clove, vanilla and anise take an edge off of the lingering sweetness and stewed sweetness for a drinkable and rewarding finish. The slightness of white wine and a hint of grassy, peppery hops follow as a taste of marmalade create lasting palate impressions.

Full bodied but presenting a lighter taste, the ale appears somewhat lighter than actual. Restrained carbonation causes the residual sugars to rest weightily on the tongue as fatigue comes quickly. Shy on hop bitterness, the sweetness and fruitiness stand out and is sure to satisfy the sweet tooth. Sharing a balance that's more in line with Belgian strong golden ale rather than tripel puts the flavors in a secular, Belgo-Americanized world.