Study Abroad
Left Hand Brewing Company
- From:
- Left Hand Brewing Company
- Colorado, United States
- Style:
- Belgian Pale Ale
- ABV:
- 4.5%
- Score:
- 83
- Avg:
- 3.58 | pDev: 9.22%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 12
- Status:
- Retired
- Rated:
- Oct 28, 2025
- Added:
- Aug 19, 2017
- Wants:
- 1
- Gots:
- 4
SCORE
83
Good
83
Good
Belgian yeast gives this light-bodied ale a distinct spiciness with mild fruit esters.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Commandophile:
Rated by Commandophile from Illinois
3.38/5 rDev -5.6%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
Oct 16, 2017
3.38/5 rDev -5.6%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
Oct 16, 2017
More User Ratings:
Rated by ttoadee from Texas
3.6/5 rDev +0.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.6/5 rDev +0.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
RB transfer
Oct 28, 2025
Reviewed by chinchill from South Carolina
2.84/5 rDev -20.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 2.75
2.84/5 rDev -20.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 2.75
12 oz can with a 17 Nov. 2017 canning date.
Foam gushed out upon cracking the seal on the tab, and a huge foamy head rose quickly as I poured some into a pint glass. The head has moderate retention. Bad batch? .... well, it smells that way and probably is bad, but the somewhat funky flavor is partially consistent with the style. The flavor is lightly spicy, modestly bready, and moderately funky and yeasty with faint hints of soft ripe fruits.
Jun 14, 2018Foam gushed out upon cracking the seal on the tab, and a huge foamy head rose quickly as I poured some into a pint glass. The head has moderate retention. Bad batch? .... well, it smells that way and probably is bad, but the somewhat funky flavor is partially consistent with the style. The flavor is lightly spicy, modestly bready, and moderately funky and yeasty with faint hints of soft ripe fruits.
Reviewed by donspublic from Texas
3.65/5 rDev +2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.65/5 rDev +2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Poured from can into tulip, 1 finger cream colored head, good retention and lacing. Bright golden in the glass, slight chill haze. Smells of belgian esters, juicy fruit, belgian candi sugar and slight citrus/lemon. Grainy malt on the front, little to no esters coming thru on the taste. Slight lemon in the middle with a dry spicy finish. Not much here, looked good in the glass and had a good nose, but didn't come thru on the taste. Glad I grabbed a single.
Apr 10, 2018
Reviewed by jjamadorphd from Florida
3.11/5 rDev -13.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
3.11/5 rDev -13.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
Quite possibly the most uninspiring beer I have ever tasted...
I like Left Hand Brewing - there's plenty of their offerings I have enjoyed time-and-time again, but this thing was simply unremarkable. Though the look was nice enough - hazy orange colored brew with thick, white foam and mentionable lacing, the rest of it was just plain vanilla. The beer wasn't bad, to be explicitly clear, it was was okay. At only 4.5% ABV it is definitely sessionable and could be a gateway beer for those used to the bigger, macro dispensaries. But as a seasoned drinker of craft - this was about as plain as you could get. The whole experience reminded me of drinking a a Corona or Pacifico, but with slightly better flavor.
I will say this, on a night when I just want to enjoy the act of drinking a decent beer without the lingering effects of alcohol, this will now be my go-to brew.
Mar 30, 2018I like Left Hand Brewing - there's plenty of their offerings I have enjoyed time-and-time again, but this thing was simply unremarkable. Though the look was nice enough - hazy orange colored brew with thick, white foam and mentionable lacing, the rest of it was just plain vanilla. The beer wasn't bad, to be explicitly clear, it was was okay. At only 4.5% ABV it is definitely sessionable and could be a gateway beer for those used to the bigger, macro dispensaries. But as a seasoned drinker of craft - this was about as plain as you could get. The whole experience reminded me of drinking a a Corona or Pacifico, but with slightly better flavor.
I will say this, on a night when I just want to enjoy the act of drinking a decent beer without the lingering effects of alcohol, this will now be my go-to brew.
Reviewed by Tone from Missouri
3.88/5 rDev +8.4%
look: 2.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 3.75
3.88/5 rDev +8.4%
look: 2.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 3.75
Pours a clear maize color. 1/3 inch head of an off-white color. Decent retention and slight lacing. Smells of earthiness, grass, sweet malt, slight alcohol, hint of spice, and slight fruit. Fits the style of a Belgian Pale Ale. Mouth feel is smooth and clean, with a low carbonation level. Tastes of slight sweet malt, slight fruit, hint of hop, hint of alcohol, slight earthiness, and a hint of grass. Overall, devoid of hops, but otherwise a good blend, aroma, and body.
Nov 29, 2017
Reviewed by metter98 from New York
3.73/5 rDev +4.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
3.73/5 rDev +4.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
A: The beer is slightly hazy dark golden yellow in color and has a moderate amount of visible carbonation. It poured with a quarter finger high white head that died down, leaving a thin head covering the surface and lots of lacing down the sides of the glass.
S: Moderate aromas of spicy and fruity Belgian yeast are present in the nose.
T: The taste follows the smell and has a good mix of fruitiness (apples seem to stand out in particular) and subtle spiciness from the yeast. Only faint amounts of bitterness are perceptible.
M: It feels medium-bodied on the palate and has a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: This beer is very easy to drink and has some complexities in the smell and taste.
Serving type: can
Nov 18, 2017S: Moderate aromas of spicy and fruity Belgian yeast are present in the nose.
T: The taste follows the smell and has a good mix of fruitiness (apples seem to stand out in particular) and subtle spiciness from the yeast. Only faint amounts of bitterness are perceptible.
M: It feels medium-bodied on the palate and has a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: This beer is very easy to drink and has some complexities in the smell and taste.
Serving type: can
Reviewed by puboflyons from New Hampshire
3.38/5 rDev -5.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25
3.38/5 rDev -5.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25
From the 12 fl. oz. can with an expiration date of 11/21/2017. Sampled on October 19, 2017.
The pour is a slightly cloudy orange-amber with a modest, lasting off-white head.
There is a notable coriander, clove, and All Spice character on the nose with a mild sweet bready character beneath that.
Medium body.
The taste has a definite spicy character with a slight fruity aspect in the mix. Finishes bitter.
Oct 19, 2017The pour is a slightly cloudy orange-amber with a modest, lasting off-white head.
There is a notable coriander, clove, and All Spice character on the nose with a mild sweet bready character beneath that.
Medium body.
The taste has a definite spicy character with a slight fruity aspect in the mix. Finishes bitter.
Reviewed by ChainGangGuy from Georgia
2.72/5 rDev -24%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 2.5
2.72/5 rDev -24%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 2.5
12 ounce can - $2.79 at Total Wine & More in Kennesaw, Georgia.
Appearance: Pours an effervescent, lightly hazed, light copper-hued body with an inch of near white froth.
Smell: Lightly toasty, lightly grainy barley with touches of pils. Spicy yeasty quality suggesting of black pepper soaked in clear spirits. Smells harsh, unclean.
Taste: Starts with a moderate degree of sweetness atop the toasty malts, the coarse graininess. Sharply spicy, slightly acidic that, and, when it adjoins to the bitterness and ABV (though, those are told to be perportedly low) make for a rough, recoiling taste. The distastefulness is durable through and well beyond the finish.
Mouthfeel: Medium-light body. Medium-plus carbonation.
Overall: Unpleasant.
Oct 11, 2017Appearance: Pours an effervescent, lightly hazed, light copper-hued body with an inch of near white froth.
Smell: Lightly toasty, lightly grainy barley with touches of pils. Spicy yeasty quality suggesting of black pepper soaked in clear spirits. Smells harsh, unclean.
Taste: Starts with a moderate degree of sweetness atop the toasty malts, the coarse graininess. Sharply spicy, slightly acidic that, and, when it adjoins to the bitterness and ABV (though, those are told to be perportedly low) make for a rough, recoiling taste. The distastefulness is durable through and well beyond the finish.
Mouthfeel: Medium-light body. Medium-plus carbonation.
Overall: Unpleasant.
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