"Inspired pretty much by Duvel and other strong golden ales of Belgium. It is medium-bodied, has a fruity/banana bouquet, and a dry, spicy finish."- Russian River Brewing Company
Brewery: Russian River Brewing Company
Beer name: Damnation
Beer Style: Strong Golden Ale
ABV: 7.0 %
I am a hop head. Which is to say that I love hoppy beers. In fact I delight in most beer styles; Stouts, Porters, IPA's, double IPA's, Browns, Sours, Pale Ales and Reds. But I say most beer styles because there is one style that still intimidates my palate. Belgians. It is the great divide between craft beer drinkers or so it has been in my experience. My craft beer friends are either hop heads, who love beers that reek of pine and citrus and finish with a refreshing bitterness, or they prefer the spicy or sweet caramel taste with hints of bananas or lemons of Belgian style beers.
That's not to say I won't drink Belgians, my palate just doesn't crave their taste. But I knew I had to delve deep into Belgians in order to expand my craft brew repertoire. There are a ton of great craft breweries out there and there are some that elevate the status-quo and every beer in their line up is top notch. Russian River is one of those breweries, I have yet to have a mediocre beer from them, so I decided to play it safe and try their Belgian.
The beer looks great. Gleaming white head mounts the crisp golden body, giving it a sleek look. The aroma is sprinkled with lemon and bananas with a light malt scent. My nose found hints of vanilla also but that could be due to my lack of experience in Belgians. The initial flavor was sweet with a light bitterness and ended with a smooth and fruity yet slightly bitter taste. To my surprise the beer was great! If most other Belgian Blondes taste like this, Damnation could be my gateway beer to Belgians. This beer comes highly recommended from this hophead.
Aroma: 7
Appearance: 5
Flavor: 8
Palate: 4
Style Rating: 9/10
Style Rating: 9/10
No comments:
Post a Comment