The Conjurer Belgian Golden Strong
North Pier Brewing Company

Light gold in color with some small sediment within the body. There’s a fingernail of off white around the rim and covering a third of the top. The aroma is of sweet light Belgian malt and lightly fruity Belgian yeast. I’m tasting the lightly tart and fruity yeast with some lightly sweet Belgian malt. The mouth is very dry and crisp.

Poured golden-yellow from a no age statement can into a Wrigley Field glass. A half-finger white head which soon dissipated to a ring of foam. Smell of dried fruits. Tastes of dried fruits, light malts, sweetness in aftertaste. An easy drinker with substantial ABV.

 

 

Another splendid find from a weekend trip to SW Michigan. Very difficult for a young brewer to make a BSPA this well.
Refreshing, then fruity, then malty, then balanced by a medley of spicing and herbs.

Despite North Pier dressing-up The Conjurer kinda pretty on the can, I can't say she has anything better than average Looks (not even halfway to the typically clear BSPA, and not much foam.)
Smells are a fruit bowl of tree-fruit with big seeds and, then, apples. The yeast worked-up the aromas well.
Tastes mimic Smells, but are not as rich and complex as the Belgian masters (work on that yeast.)
The initial refreshment carries though to the balanced finish... and the alcohol is mostly masked (also difficult to do.)

OA: If I had known The Conjurer would be this good, I would have bought more. When I go this way again, I will get to their brewery and taste their wares fresh and, I hope by then, the yeast is closer to the real deal.

16 ounce can into tulip glass, no can dating. Pours fairly hazy/cloudy medium golden yellow color with a 1 finger dense and rocky white head with great retention, that reduces to a small cap that lingers. Nice spotty soapy lacing clings on the glass, with a fair amount of streaming carbonation. Aromas of big peach, pear, apricot, lemon, orange, melon, red apple, white grape, peppercorn, light banana/bubblegum/clove, candi sugar, wheat, cracker, white bread dough, herbal, floral, grass, and yeast earthiness. Damn nice aromas with great balance and complexity of fruity/spicy yeast, candi sugar, pale/wheat malt, and light-moderate earthy hop notes; with great strength. Taste of big peach, pear, apricot, lemon, orange, melon, red apple, white grape, peppercorn, light banana/bubblegum/clove, candi sugar, wheat, cracker, white bread dough, herbal, floral, grass, and yeast earthiness. Light-moderate peppery yeast spiciness and herbal/floral/grassy bitterness on the finish. Lingering notes of peach, pear, apricot, lemon, orange, melon, red apple, white grape, peppercorn, light banana/bubblegum/clove, candi sugar, wheat, cracker, white bread dough, herbal, floral, grass, and yeast earthiness on the finish for a good bit. Great complexity, robustness, and balance of fruity/spicy yeast, candi sugar, pale/wheat malt, and light-moderate earthy hop flavors; with a great malt/bitter/spiciness balance; and no cloying/astringent flavors after the finish. Light-moderate increasing dryness from bitter/spiciness and carbonation. Medium-plus carbonation and body; with a very smooth, moderately bready/grainy, and fairly crisp/sticky balanced mouthfeel that is great. Minimal warming alcohol for 8.7%. Overall this is an excellent Belgian strong pale ale. All around great complexity, robustness, and balance of fruity/spicy yeast, candi sugar, pale/wheat malt, and light-moderate earthy hop flavors; very smooth, fairly crisp, and dangerously easy to drink for the ABV with the mellowly bitter/spicy/drying finish. Awesomely balanced yeast complexity and pale/wheat malts; with minimal residual sweetness. A very enjoyable offering, and spot on classic tasting style example.

Great Belgian for an American Brew. Nice straw color, with a slight funky yeasty aroma. Sweet, full bodied flavor with a mild alcohol punch. Great finish.

 

 

 

 

Taste: Semi sweet malty bread, tangy spice, crisp. Rich Belgian bready malt nose.
Gold, mostly clear, delicate lace in taster glass. Full body but not heavy mouth-feel. Some alcohol kick.