Fortitude
Brooklyn Brewery

Beer Geek Stats | Print Shelf Talker
From:
Brooklyn Brewery
 
New York, United States
Style:
Belgian Pale Strong Ale
ABV:
9.1%
Score:
92
Avg:
4.2 | pDev: 6.67%
Reviews:
27
Ratings:
28
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Mar 15, 2012
Added:
Feb 14, 2006
Wants:
  1
Gots:
  0
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
 
Rated: 4.25 by Varkias41 from New Jersey

Mar 15, 2012
Photo of hopdog
Reviewed by hopdog from Pennsylvania

3.97/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Sampled courtesy of weeare138 (Mike has it on tap at his house!).

Poured a medium and hazy golden color with an averaged sized white head. Aromas of bananas, fruity, cloves, light wheat and some lemons. Tastes of lighter bananas, stronger lemons, and some wheat. Light alcohol finish. Light lacing left on the glass.

Notes from: 3/24/06
Jan 07, 2009
Photo of stimy
Reviewed by stimy from Maryland

4.15/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5
I drank this at a "The Belgian Beer Diaspora" beer tasting hosted by the late Michael Jackson at the National Geographic. The tasting involved pairing a number of Belgian beer styles with a Belgian and American interpretation of the style.

These are my tasting notes:

This beer had a strong bitter/yeasty taste which lasted a long time on your mouth. You can taste and feel the strong alcohol, spice and hop presence. Interesting and complex.
Jan 24, 2008
Photo of dherling
Reviewed by dherling from New Jersey

4.04/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5
Golden straw color, hazy with a white head that never dies.The nose gives off some decent malt, along with spicyness, yeast, and some fruity esters on the sour apple side. I mostly get malty sweetness in the taste, rounded out by hops that range from fruit to spice to herbascious. Finishes slightly bitter and sour. Mildly carbonated and a dry finish hides the alchol well.
Nov 01, 2006
Photo of PSUDREW
Reviewed by PSUDREW from Pennsylvania

4.42/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
wow, what a tremendous beer. so pleasent, crisp, and refreshing, yet it clocks in at 9.1. All I can say is wow.

Grassy aroma. Very frothy head, and grasy nose. a nice light golden color.

Taste is very citrusy. somewhat matly finish, but the citrus was the flavor that dominated for me.

This is such a pleasnt brew. Easy drinking, refreshing, all the while it is very potent as well. Great brew from brooklyn, they need to get this out here more often
Jun 08, 2006
Photo of RonfromJersey
Reviewed by RonfromJersey from New Jersey

4.38/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Bright strong yellow gold body, pulsating carbonation streams, snow white dense whip cream, and good lacing. Looks damn good.

Delightfully fruity nose, with a strong dash of pepper.

Taste follows nose. Light mixed fruity start, which a strong dash of peppery spicey hops near the end. Tastes clean, though, not "dusty". No alcohol burn. Refreshing actually.

Enticing light mouthfeel, beer just dances across the tongue. And when the carbonation dies down, its positively creamy.

Yes it's a cliche around here, but this qualifies as dangerously drinkable.

I feel very fortunate to have recieved this. Give it a try if you can.
May 19, 2006
Photo of HimerMan
Reviewed by HimerMan from New Jersey

3.38/5  rDev -19.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
16 oz pint glass - which didn't really make sense, at the CloverLeaf in New Jersey.

When it came out, I thought it was a Coors Light - but the head was completely different. Not as "dark" as a pale ale usually is, but the remainder of the body was a very light straw colored light beer.

Taste was better though, with a murky banana/weizenbock flavor. (Reminded me of Voctory Golden Monkey for a few sips)

Pretty easy to drink, especially at 9.1%. This is not meant for a pint glass, but it is meant to be enjoyed.

Smooth going down with a finish that is equal to the start - so overall, definitely worth a shot to try it. Great brewery.

Cheers.
May 19, 2006
Photo of Truh
Reviewed by Truh from New Hampshire

3.75/5  rDev -10.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Shored up the splintering gates with this one on 5/4/2006. 10.5 oz. goblet pour at Redbones.

Huge initial plume of crowned milky head that drops but doesn’t disappear completely and leaves a fair amount of stick. Kind of a wash of candied Granny Smith apples with an echoing scent of balsa wood that carries for a while. Tincture of lemon/lime rickey on first sip followed by a green grape sweetness; medium thickness on mouth that coats, but doesn’t pervade.

Not a home run by any means, but pleasing.
May 19, 2006
Photo of ski271
Reviewed by ski271 from Pennsylvania

4.05/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Pours a lightly hazy medium yellow with a large, white, pillowy head with good retention. The smell is if moderate wheat over pleasant Belgian yeast and mild malt aromas. Banana, coriander, clove, lemon and some light flowers. The fruitiness is light but very nice. Taste-wise, it’s quite similar to the nose, but better. Malts come on a little stronger accompanied by some fruity esters, dry hops, and a little more spiciness. The finish is floral, lightly bitter and slightly astringent. Very nice mouthfeel, light and refreshing despite its complexity. Tasted more like a Saison to me, but nicely done. A real surprise from Brooklyn. Almost good enough to rival the beers of the New York based Belgian masters at Ommegang.
May 15, 2006
Photo of TurdFurgison
Reviewed by TurdFurgison from Ohio

3.83/5  rDev -8.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
I had this on tap at the Berkley Front in Michigan. It was served in a pint glass...

The appearance was dark orange colored with a really thin head. It smelled sweet and a little malty, and tasted kind of like a tripel. Not bad at all, and worth a try if you find it as it's relatively rare.
Apr 28, 2006
Photo of TastyTaste
Reviewed by TastyTaste from Minnesota

4.35/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
On tap at Mugs, also $3 for a 10 oz was a great deal, in my reckoning. The bartender described it "like duvel", and I have yet to find a beer more like Duvel than the actual thing. A dry spicy flavor and mouthfeel carries this. Good carbonation, effervescent. Nice to see a big delicious beer, served so close to the brewery. Very recommendable.
Apr 10, 2006
Photo of ggaughan
Reviewed by ggaughan from Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
I was lucky enough to try this on my visit to Brooklyn at Mug's. I think this was my second or third beer so I was in pretty good shape at the time. The beer came in a 10 oz glass and for $3 that is a deal! The beer was a nice light golden color with a minimal but bubbley white head. The body of this bad boy was pretty hazy. The aroma is very pleasant and reminiscent of a Duvel but not as strong. I got some spices notes, maybe clove, and some nice lemony scents that just rocked my nose. The taste was equally pleasing. There was a nice body of carbonation in each sip I took which I enjoy, similar to a champagne but not as much body. The taste was a mix of pleasing fruit tons and spice and some bit from the high abv but not too high that this beer is not drinkable. If not for the other great beers on tap at Mug's, I could have stuck with this one for a few more while watching opening day in baseball.
Apr 08, 2006
Photo of goodbyeohio
Reviewed by goodbyeohio from Connecticut

4.45/5  rDev +6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4
america.. fuck yeah!

yellow color like glowing straw in the sunlight. completely hazy. extreme sheets of lacing cover every vacant inch of the glass. surface of the beer resembles a wet, coasterless coffee table ring... a perfect wet circle lacking dimensional definition.

fortitude's aroma is a wonderful world of belgian esoterica.. sweet clovey, malty with butter highlights and fresh-squeezed lemon in full effect. slightly sweaty with hints of orange zest. no alcohol or hop tartness here.

crisp carbonation makes a fresh first impression, lending a dry champagne quality to the overall character here. sugary wafer cookie meets sweet florida citrus essence and ends with a beautiful sinus-clearing dull alcohol presence. warming, not abrasive. candied ginger detectable after all else has left and finishes off the experience like a japanese palate cleanser. i like it.

if this beer hits the micro market full force in 750's, it will give la fin du monde and duvel a run for their collective unpatriotic money.
Apr 05, 2006
Photo of oberon
Reviewed by oberon from North Carolina

4.1/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Had this on tap at Cole's in Buffalo,poured a dull slight hazed golden with a fluffy white head that left patchy spots of lace behind as it settled.Spicey phenolic aromas but not over the top a touch of green apple was in there as well.Like the aromas the flavors of this beer are phenolic and yeasty but not to big with underlying overipe peach flavors with a vodka/alcoholic finish.A nice beer not overly phenolic wich I like,I would drink again.
Apr 04, 2006
Photo of Hautacam
Reviewed by Hautacam from Connecticut

4.2/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
On tap at "My Place", Newtown, CT. Served in a chalice.
Clear gold...huge head...drops to a film.
Smells of clove , fruit and alcohol.
Tastes pretty sweet , clove -bubblegum...aromatic hops kick in mid way and last until the finish...this hop flavor seems to set this one apart from a lot of other Belgian -style ales...in a good way.
The hops get more dominant toward the finish, which gets bitter and leaves a nice complex hop-malt aftertaste, which lasts and lasts...perfect ! Gets even better as it warms.
Mouthfeel is medium-heavy..carbonation medium.
This is a good one....I want more.
Apr 01, 2006
Photo of bignick
Reviewed by bignick from Massachusetts

4/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
On tap at The Publick House in Brookline 3/29/06. Served in an Urthel glass.

This is another pretty good Belgian-style offering from Brooklyn Brewery. It is not over the top, but it is definitely quite flavorful. There is the typical Belgian fruitiness that leans towards the peperry side. I liked it, but I am not sure that I would order it again, just because there is nothing all that speical to distinguish it from other Belgian-style beers.
Mar 30, 2006
Photo of tempest
Reviewed by tempest from New York

3.96/5  rDev -5.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Excellent lacing with a little head retention to start this off over a straw yellow body. Smells of a typical belgian pale with spicey fruit and corriander. Taste developes upon the aroma, but falls short. A little citrusy and spicey, it lacks the great depth of other strong belgians. Mouthfeel is good, but the drinkability is surprising for 9.1%.

This beer really toned down when it warmed up, how unfortunate. Otherwise, not great, but still solid.
Mar 28, 2006
Photo of brewandbbq
Reviewed by brewandbbq from New Hampshire

4.5/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
On tap at the Sunset.
Presented hazy, light gold, with a merange, white head.
Exceptional retention, ring-like lacing all the way to the bottom.
Aromatics are lively, zesty, and enticing.
Phenols with spice and fruit.
Coriander, orange peel, cardamon, and some slight cracked pepper accent the triple- type nose.
Some slight tartness is in the background, a shadow behind the bubblegum and spice.
Nose finishes with warming zest and vanilla.
Lightish body, crisp and snappy, with creamy carbonation.
Pallet starts off with some wheat tartness and husky zest.
As the brew warms, it shows itself to closely resemble a double white, with triple-like character.
Well integrated citrus, clove, and lemon zest, work well with a bannana accent.
Finishes warming, crisp, and soft.
Extremely well balanced and drinkable, possibly the best Brooklyn offering I've tried.
Mar 26, 2006
Photo of kbnooshay
Reviewed by kbnooshay from New York

4.5/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
I was really dissapointed that I missed the brooklyn tasting at the old toad the other night, but then a lightbulb went off. Since I work 1 minute away from the place why don't i see if they still have any on tap for lunch? Hell yes they did! And it rocks.

This came to me in an 11oz glass with a small but surprisingly lasting sticky white head. The lacing was pretty cool, sheet-like. The color was a fairly hazy yellow gold. The aroma surprisingly contained no alcohol but was very fruity in the citrus department but also just plain fruity. Mouthfeel is typically brooklyn, moderate almost creamy but pretty sticky to the tounge.

Yum. The taste is sweet, fruity and spicy. Definately some banana in there. Yeasty also. Wow this is so incredibly balanced and pleasant, the alcohol is barely there in the taste. So full of flavor. This kicks golden monkey's ass and I hope this goes into big time production.
Mar 23, 2006
Photo of boulevard2
Reviewed by boulevard2 from New York

4.48/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
On tap at the Old Toad

Pours golden with a cloudy haze and thick white head looking like lemon merange pie.Carbonation runs wild thru my glass.Smells of lite bannana , clove and citrus fruits.Taste is very smooth with little alcohol considering its 9.10% abv.This style of beer is done well by their brewmasters and I'm looking for some lobster tale or crab legs to share with this great beer.

I'm happy to see Brooklyn adding another big beer beer to stand next to the Black Chocolate Stout and will be a regular in my fridge once they bottle this product which should be soon.
Mar 22, 2006
Fortitude from Brooklyn Brewery
Beer rating: 92 out of 100 with 28 ratings