The appearance of this best strong beer is the first plus factor. A lovely amber ale pours from the bottle and falls under a finger of taupe foam of fine nature. The foam settles into a solid, thick sheet of the same. Sandy, spotty lace as I may say. Excellent clarity. Looks both rustic and inviting.
Its aroma is another win factor for this best strong beer. What jumps out at me immediately is how much this smells like a Flanders Red now, oak and cherry hues over an apple cider vinegar intonation. There's a tannic characteristic in the nose as well. There's a slight grassy funk which is woven into the tart and woody characteristics quite well. Although there is much going on here, I find the nose a little too delicate. The aroma of this best strong beer is a favorite on different beer reviews, which I indeed agree.
The taste of this best strong beer end up our conversation on why it is consider one of the best. Tart with cherries so dominant. I am very, very surprised on how pronounced the cherry is here. It is followed through with oak, dry grapes, and interesting canned spinach flavor. I'm noting an umami/leather flavor as well. It is complex and intriguing indeed. There's a bitter undertone that is just bitter enough to impress me to reserve appreciation for the other flavors, but just as I start to get annoyed, it seems fleeting, and I almost seek out the bitterness to help clean the medium of my tongue. The tart aspect of the beer is inhibited by this bitterness in so much as it accentuates the character and marries the other nuances of the beer together. Seriously, this is really, really well blended beer. Impressive indeed! It is no wonder why it is one of the favorites on different beer reviews.
Its mouthfeel was great. Medium bodied and lively foam conspire to a really velvety feel and as this roams my mouth, I think it will dry it out. Upon swallowing and exhaling, my mouth is simply wet and the notes are warmed via alcohol and blossom back through the mouth. Really nice feel here. I'm hard pressed to think of what I would change here, can't think of a thing, a hard earned 100% here.
Overall, I am struggling to think of another beer in this particular style I prefer to this one. I am calling this a Flander's Style, and I am only considering one other in the realm that competes for me: Dissident. And only time will tell if the '11 batch will meet expectations. I really enjoy this beer. And although I'm not likely to go out of my way to find it as much, I would likely grab some next time I see it on the shelves. This beer is recommended for all those beer lovers out there!
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