Crosspath
Allagash Brewing Company

Clear, golden color. A medium-sized head that quickly dissipates. Floral aroma with notes of Belgian yeasts and spices. Moderately sweet and extremely drinkable.

This is advertised as an Organic Golden Ale Belgian style. It’s smooth and enjoyable, light on the banana and clove.

16 oz can, 02-05-20; purchased single off shelf two days ago... poured/decanted into a fat tulip)

L: pale, honey-gold colored liquid; mostly good clarity, but a low-volume dusting of fine, speckled sediment chunklets floating about... broken collar remained; mottled lace artifacts ringing round the mouth of the glass

S: soapy-floral, spiced sugar cookie; relatively inviting... getting an abbey single / Duvel character... keep stuffing my nose back into the glass, yum!

T: lightly-nutty yeasty overtone to a brioche/croissant malt foundation; subtly blanc vermouth-y, herbal aftertaste; rather Westmalle tripel-like esters/phenols... is that a grassy, citrus-oily hop biting in the middle there?... like a spicy Helles?

F: light-medium bodied, lifting, smooth, velvety-soft texture, with a finish that drops off nearly disappearing-dry; I do believe the oats lend a mild oily residue... can't rightfully lay blame, but the yeast may still be creating magic in the pipes

O: wasn't going to review this upon noticing the date, but it smelled fine once poured, so what the hell... a shame I passed this by when it was fresh, but really not, because it's actually damn delightful right now, could easily romp through a 4-pack, but some warmer weather may be a more suitable clime within which to sip this (1739)

 

Poured from a can into a Teku, this was a real surprise. Bought this out of curiosity, because it‘s certified organic, aside from barley also buckwheat and oats. It has that very subtle acidic yeast note which is often associated with belgian style witbeer. A very pleasing golden color and a phenominal foam with good retention. Portions of the sale of this beer goes to support for farmer who transition to organic farming.

Add some extra spice and this is a saison.
With or without more hops, this is an excellent table beer. I am glad to accept Crosspath as a pale.
I think Crosspath's medley of grains and malts gives it a saison-like body/taste that complements foods. The bubbly cleans the palate for more and different foods.

I just bought a 4 pack, so I will edit and do a more normal review next time.
I am a getting to be a Big Fan of Allagash. I think their multi-grain, organic line is worth pursuing.

7/30/20 Had the 2nd of the 4-pack. Again an excellent table ale, this time with Greek ratatouille (briami) and spinach pie; both leftovers, but both good to start with and both made better by Crosspath. I'm happy with this edited review and I will finish the count over at UnTappd. Cheers !

Pours with lovely head, Belgian yeasty nose, smooth, very full body comparatively to other golden/ blonde ales, but in a good way. Very refreshing yet substantial.

Pours with a big foam-up in the tall Peroni Lager glass. Sticky lacing on the slightly hazy pale yellow brew. Odd and off-putting perfumey smell. The first sip is full of the sweet cereal taste followed by candy. Massive clove aroma takes over the nose. If there is buckwheat it's overwhelmed by the cloying honey taste.

Drying finish with a chalky aftertaste. Somehow this doesn't seem like the right flavoring to go with the rather strong Belgian yeast taste. Then there is the unpleasant bitterness that comes out of nowhere. Others may find some pleasure in it but I call it undrinkable after a few mouthfuls. From the 16 oz can.

An all organic golden ale. Looks pleasing enough in the glass. There’s quite a pronounced estery aroma, full of a yeasty floral character. The sip is not as pronounced. Clearly engaging, and more than a typical golden ale.

 

 

 

Can. Golden with slight haze lasting head and lace. Floral fruity aroma with a little spice. Sweet and fruity but not cloying with mild spicy finish light soft body. Excellent. I could drink it all day if I could afford it.

Aroma is buckwheat honey,bread/grain, floral, a little spice and bubblegum
Taste has a bit of bitterness that the aroma didnt hint at and dominates a bit. There's bread,buckwheat honey, grain/cereal
Overall an interesting brew with a lot going on

 

 

 

 

 

Pint can - dated 2/16/20 - poured into a 2020 Coolship glass at 42°F.

Pours a fairly clear deep golden-brassy hue, topped with two largw fingers of loose, webby, pure white head with excellent retention, slow, albeit visible effervescence. Wispy lacing is left behind as the head slowly recedes.

Nose: Soft cereal grain aromas with round malted barley and a bit of rustic frankness set the foundation that could easily be one of their other golden ales or even a saison. I'm guessing that real grainy note is from the buckwheat. It's hearty and raw, but there's plenty of malty nuttiness to round it out. There's a huge burst of Belgian yeast esters, and the first thing that really sticks out is pink bubblegum. Sometimes it's all clove, sometimes it's all green banana, here, it's bubblegum. With a swirl, a little bit of nutmeg peeks through along with some ripe stone fruit notes, maybe some pear and green apple too. There's a slight peppery note behind a huge wall of floral aromas, but the pink bubblegum note remains throughout.

Palate: It greets the palate with malted barley, that grainy buckwheat, and a surprising amount of granola, which lends a sweetness to it, and an oaty softness. The Belgian yeast just explodes with classic esters lending bubblegum, unripe banana, and a whole melange of fruitiness, as well as tons of spicy phenols with nutmeg, clove, pepper, and allspice. Very Belgian. Lightly hoppy with some spicy, floral, and grassy European-style hops which help cut into those heavy esters, as well as contribute a subtle drying bitterness in the finish. Ultimately, the bubblegum ester note wins, and lingers on fairly long after the finish.

Mouthfeel/Body: Crosspath drinks squarely within medium-light territory. It's snappy, crisp, and refreshing, but there's still some malty body and weight to it. In fact, it drinks heavier than expected for 5.5% ABV. Could easily pass for 8%. There is no stickiness though, and it dries out nicely. Very lively, active effervescence.

Overall: It's certainly a Belgian-style golden ale. The flavour packed into 5.5% ABV is very impressive. Something about the granola/buckwheat combo makes for a nice hearty fullness, with absolutely zero stickiness or residual weight. The Belgian yeast is a little overwhelming with its potent ester/phenol notes - particularly pink bubblegum, but so is the way it often goes. If you like Belgian golden ale, and you want a ton of flavour in a small, organic package, this will do just fine.