Belgian Honey Brown Ale
Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant

On tap @ Iron Hill Lancaster on 1/13/12. Served in a 10 oz goblet. This is their St. James Brown Ale that has been brewed with honey and a Belgian yeast strain.

Pours a deep amber brown color, with a thin yet frothy off- white head that gets a bit tanner looking as you swirl it. This retains with a mostly foamy look around the edges of the glass, leaving back a robust cascade of lace that quickly slides down the sides. The aroma smells quite yeasty and fruity off the bat, with notes of banana and green apple that are guided along by some zippy feeling spice accents. This is buffered a bit in the nose by that Brown Ale character, as light roast, cocoa and a honeyed sweetness sit along the back.

The taste has a sweeter base to it of toffee, honey, and cocoa, while strong notes of ripe banana and green fruit mix in nicely. Some light roasted tones merge in off the sides, while earthy hops and spicy clove is sprinkled throughout the profile and really pulls into the finish, leaving it dry and bitter. The mouthfeel is medium bodied and prickly feeling through but does smooth out some along the back and helps keep this easier feeling despite the strength of that yeast character.

This was an interesting take on the already solid St. James Brown Ale from here that I really enjoy and this did mostly come off feeling like a Dubbel to me. While the honey addition didn’t leave huge impression, I did like the way that that Chimay yeast nicely complimented those base flavors, adding notes of fruit and spice that really stood out.