28th Anniversary Belgian Style Golden Strong Ale
Heavy Seas Beer

Reviewed on Episode 21 of the Foam and Lace podcast. Poured a burnt orange color into a tulip glass. Not sure if my can was skunked or not but could definitely tell it was higher abv and did not enjoy. Would be willing to try on tap or a fresher can.

16 ounce can, think it's about a year or so old looking at when it was added on here. Thanks to Brutaltruth for this can! Served in a Teku glass, the beer pours a slightly clear amber color with about an inch off-white head that stayed around a while. There's also a good amount of lacing. Aroma is nice, the brew smells like caramel, raisins, apple, honey, bready malt and some apricot. The taste is similar to the aroma, but there's also the addition of some clove, banana, and candi sugar flavors too. Definitely leans sweeter smelling and tasting. Mouthfeel/body is medium, it's a bit creamy and coating with a moderate amount of carbonation. I thought this was a pretty good brew, glad I got to try this one!

 

This beer was flat-out great!!! As good a take on a strong Belgian beer as many Belgian imports!!! Poured from a 16 oz. can into Chimay goblet, this beer features a slightly hazy apricot color with good carbonation. The delicately bubbly white head fades quickly and the only lacing is a thin film on the glass. Pretty much to be expected with a strong beer. Aroma and taste are classic Belgian: malty backbone, lots of yeast and spices, candi sugar and light fruit. Mouthfeel is rich and complex with some minor alcohol presence. I was really surprised at how good this beer was. Heavy Seas should make this a seasonal offering!!!

 

 

 

 

 

From the pint can, it pours a clear amber color with a modest head that soon dissipates to nothing. The nose gets caramel raisin and alcohol. The mouth follows with alcohol again evident and a modest pleasant light aftertaste.

Poured from the can into a tulip glass.

Copper brown, to hinting red and orange highlighted colors throughout the body. Good clarity, a little bit of rising middle carbonation as well. Fluffy if slightly short lived three finger head, slightly khaki colored but giving to light white and small bubbles. Very nice looking.

Excellent aroma that comes right out of the pour. Soft caramel with real excellent candied sugars, mixing with some light fruit esters of pear and light dark raisin. The fruit angle is uniquely balanced between dark classic raisin plum of much darker ales and lighter pear, apple estery notes of the lighter golden Belgian styles. Touches of white grape sweetness also hit nicely. This is really well done on the nose here.

Palate is decent, but a little less impressive. First mid palate hit, is a bit of caramel but booze like warmth. Lots of spicy clove and stinging phenolic like flavors which take away some of the fruity character. Lighter touches of syrupy raisin and dates, some brandy like heat but with more bready classic tripel tones. Simple but effective malt body, if a little sticky and syrupy.

Pretty good, just wish the palate was as good as the aroma, there's some mild missing parts, but still gets the job done.

Poured into a goblet: color is amber, head is off white and presents one finger thick, head dissipates to nothing, light ring along glass sides, some light spots of lacing.

Smell is sweet bread, light caramel, touch of esters and phenols, booze.

Taste is more emphatic with sweet bread, caramel, candied fruit, spice, herbal note, esters and phenols, light booziness.

Mouthfeel is moderate carbonation, strong sweetness, moderate bitterness and slow drying from strength; not over sweet or burning even at 12%.

Overall a big, slightly boozy triumph of Heavy Seas longevity - easier drinking than the 12% would lead you to believe with moderate belgian character.

Slightly cloudy reddish-gold, white head, little retention (not surprising at 12%), spotty lace.
Banana, pear, white rum, honeyed bread, and slight spice aroma
Damn, tastes near exactly how it smells. Pear and banana come out a bit more as it warms
Kinda heavier than I like the style, also less effervescent, but I don't know how I'd feel about a light-bodied, spritzy 12% beer.
I dig this beer. Going to revisit the other two bottles in a few months

 

From a pint can into a pinot noir stemless glass.
I gravitate to Belgian styles, and particularly higher ABV ones, usually 7% to 10%, but have always struggled with alcohol forward beers. This beer pours beautifully. Clear dark amber with a nice subtle head. The nose is complex and spicy. Pepper, yes. Cold, the alcohol is subdued on the nose, but comes forward as the beer warms in the glass. This is a strong beer and tastes like one. I wasn't ready for the strength and it bothered me. Out of the fridge this beer can be overpowering in regards to the ABV, but it mellows as it warms in the glass. Definitely a beer to sip. I am sure that my review will do a disservice to the style in the eyes of those that enjoy a beer at 12% ABV. I will cellar the other three beers and look in on them in 6 to 12 months.

From the 16 oz can in a snifter. This excellent little Belgian strong
pours a nice deep copper with a decent head of off white foam that settles to
a thick ring, faint clumping layer, and displays light lacing with nice legs. Nose of
white pepper, apricot, light breaded malts, Belgian candy sugars, and clove. Flavors
kiss the sky with this one. Clove and coriander dance about banana, apricot, candy sugar,
light breaded malts, and white pepper against a backdrop of spicy alcohol and light
biscuit. Mouth feel is medium, medium light effervescent prickly carbonation, smooth,
warming, and finishing with a spice forward finish that is moderately sweet and lightly
dry.

Overall, a fantastic Anniversary ale from a great little brewery!

Cheers

Pours a nice dark amber color with a slight head and lacing
Aroma has fruity and spice hints
Taste has a fruity and spice flavor
A medium bodied decently carbonated ale
A good Belgian Golden Strong ale