Epic Brewing Co. - Smoked & Oaked Belgian-Style Ale

We now travel to Salt Lake City, Utah, to the Epic Brewing Company to have their Smoked & Oaked Belgian-Style Ale, purchased at Vintage Estates.

"You are holding something special - one of only 1800 bottles released and numbered." Our bottle says Release #5. "Smoked cherry wood malt brings a smoky sweetness to the caramel malts and a bit of peat flavor with a Belgian-style yeast. The entire batch aging in the whiskey barrels nicely dries out the perceived sweetness of the caramel malt leaving an almost scotch like taste." This is part of Epic's Exponential Series and is 9.9% ABV.

Overall average rating: 8.0/10

This beer is opaque and dirty (lots of sediment floating around). It is a red amber color with an off-white, moderately diminishing head with lacing on the glass. We smell yeast, malt, a touch of citrusy hops, and nutmeg/allspice. We also get stone fruit and a dark, earthy floral - presumably the smoked cherry wood. The taste is rich, Chris compares it to a Belgian dubbel. The taste lingers on the center of the tongue and is very unique. We discussed anisette or fennel mixed with the oak with the yeast adding sweetness.

Shawn- I love how many different flavors you get. It is crisp but not completely clean, in part because it is bottle-conditioned. I enjoyed it, but I expected more smoke in the flavor, 8.25/10.
Angela- This is thick and sweet, and a very good beer for what it is, it's just not my kind of beer, 7.25/10.
Chris- I really like this, though I think it would be better aged. It was made in March and bottled in May, but I think it would be excellent after aging, 8.5/10.

Tommyknocker - Golden Saison Belgian Style Ale

Our next stop is Idaho Springs, Colorado, at the Tommyknocker Brewery to taste their Golden Saison Belgian Style Ale purchased at Vintage Estates.

This is a "bright golden, effervescent brew that is slightly tart with a pleasantly spicy aroma created by a special blend of 4 Belgian style yeasts, and Perle hops." It is brewed in the winter for summer refreshment and comes straight from the brewpub. It is 5% ABV.

Overall average rating: 7.25/10

It pours a cloudy dirty blonde with a slow to diminish, thick white head. The aromas are of wheat, barley, citrus, and banana. There is a front tongue bite with a sweet, robust flavor. We get Belgian yeast, citrus, and wheat.

Shawn- This has a light, beautiful flavor, although it lack depth and complexity, in my opinion, 7/10.

Angela- This is another good, crisp summer beer. The citrusy bite makes me think it would be a good appetizers beer, 7.25/10.

Chris- This is the closest beer I've tasted to an actual Belgian beer from an American brewery, 7.5/10.

Dogfish Head - Faithfull Ale

Every once in a while we drink a random beer to break up the weeks a bit. Today it's Dogfish Head's Faithfull Ale purchased at Vintage Estates.

This is "a celebration of Pearl Jam's 20th anniversary as a band and their seminal album Ten - In recognition of these milestones this Belgian style golden ale is delicately hopped to 20 IBUs and fruit-forward from 10 incremental additions of black currants over the course of the one hour boil." Faithfull Ale is the third beer in the brewery's Music Series, following their Miles Davis-inspired Bitches Brew and their beer tribute to blues man Robert Johnson, Hellhound On My Ale. This is 7% ABV.

Overall average rating: 8.3/10

It pours a translucent Belgian blonde color that is partially unfiltered. We smell Belgian yeast and crystal malt. Chris thinks it smells kind of like a crayon. The taste is very subtle, with wheat, currant, and Belgian yeast (with a slight banana flavor).

Shawn- The flavor develops really well; every sip tastes better than the last, 9/10.

Angela- This is a really good Belgian-style beer. I'm glad Shawn finally decided to share it! 8.5/10.

Chris- This has a punch - it starts out mild, has a strong middle, and finishes mild. I enjoy the development, but it is too strong in one flavor, 7.5/10.

Happy Thanksgiving with The Bruery Trade Winds

Ironically, we celebrate this Thanksgiving with The Bruery Trade Winds, their summer seasonal, purchased at Vintage Estates.

This Belgian-style Ale is brewed with rice and Thai basil. Thie Belgian and Southeast Asian inspired Tripel brings spice from the East and yeast from the West. "Since there is fresh Thai basil in this Tripel, it is best enjoyed fresh. The ideal serving temperature is 45° F, and it will taste best served in a tulip/wine glass." It has 25 IBUs and is 8.1% ABV.

Overall average rating: 7.0/10

It pours a beautiful Belgian color - a cloudy, straw color - with a thick white head and a lot of lacing. We think we smell oats, as well as basil, rice, wheat, and citrusy hops. The taste has a lemony bite and is more hoppy than other Belgian tripels, although it is a fairly good attempt at an American version of this style. There is a slight dryness, most likely the rice, and it is sharp and refreshing.

Shawn- They made the basil flavor relevant and it has a super clean flavor enjoyable any time of the year, 7.5/10.
Angela- I like it, but I think I would personally enjoy it much more with food (Rex suggests a ribeye/steak dinner with sweet onions), 6.5/10.
Chris- I like this because of its delicate flavors, although I think it can use a little less lemon, 7/10.


*You may remember our previous beer from this brewery, and I said I thought it would be better with Thanksgiving dinner. Well, I bought a bottle and drank it with my meal. I think it helped the flavors somewhat, but not as much as I'd hoped. I still think these beers are better with a meal than by themselves. -Angela