St. Alpha
Manayunk Brewery and Restaurant

 

 

 

 

 

Growler into pint glass.

A - Hazy light amber with a big creamy head.

S - Banana, apples, grapefruit, floral hops, yeast, toasted malt.

T - Citrus and grassy hops, banana, caramel malt, Belgian yeast, peppery spice. Excellent balance.

M - Smooth and extra creamy, medium bodied. Crisp, mild carbonation. Slight warming alcohol.

O - This is a great example of a Belgian IPA done right. Love the aggressive citrusy hops mixed with the sweet malt and Belgian yeast flavors. I would definitely pick this up again if given the chance.

 

 

Had at the Jamison Pourhouse and recieved in a fine stemmed tulip.
A golden amber color with a lushisly thick head on top. It lingered for quite a while through the session leaving some sticky ribbons of lace.
Aroma smelled like a good Beligum IPA with a solid malt base. Yeasty esters impart a sutle clove aroma with the barest of hops.
Drinks pretty dry on the first sip and a little course. Malty with wheat and pale malts. Yeasty esters give up a sutle clove taste. I can taste sutle hints of hops but really not a particular flavor. Ends with some alcohol warming and a dry bitter finish.
Quite a nice beer, easy to drink and look at.

Poured unhurriedly into an Allagash goblet. Growler filled today at Whole Foods Glen Mills.

A - Pours a bubbly golden with perfect clarity. About a finger of pearl white head sticks around for a while, then dies to a halo. Nice tiered, sticky lacing.

S - Smells strongly of cloves, fresh cut grass, and bubblegum. White pepper and grain round out the aromas. Hops are prominent, pairing nicely with the sweeter Belgian yeast aromas.

T - Starts with the familiar Belgian flavors of cloves, banana, and other fruits. Bitter grassy hops offer balance and dryness. On the first sip I get a little bit of alcohol astringency on the back end. After a few more sips, the alcohol is no longer apparent. I am impressed that the Belgian flavors are incorporated nicely, but stay in check compared to the IPA bitterness.

M - The appearance indicated lively effervescence but the carbonation was average in magnitude. There is a crisp, dry finish to this beer. It becomes extremely drinkable by the second pour despite the relatively high ABV.

O - I have had this once before on tap at the brewpub an jumped at the chance to get a growler fill. Belgian IPA is a style I typically enjoy, and you don't see it all that often. This variation had the components that I enjoy, highlighted by the wonderful melding of Belgian flavors and bitter hops. Drinkability is also high for a beer of 8.5% ABV. I recommend this beer for fans of the style.