Gulden Fraug Belgian Style Ale
Appearance: Pours with very little head, which quickly dissipates to little more than a thin ring around the sides of the glass and some small bubbles suspended at the surface in the middle of the glass. Very few bubbles rise from the bottom of the glass, and what ones are there are small. Color is a pretty coppery-orange, and crystal clear. Not much going on with such little (and short-lived) head and so few bubbles rising, but the color almost makes up for it. At 10.5% ABV, I can't complain really... with such a high level of alcohol, the head is bound to be small and short-lived. Smell: Very sweet and fruity. Strangely, I can also smell pumpkin. I first thought this would make a good Halloween beer when I smelled it. It smells awkward to me, and not quite like the other Belgian beers I had, but there's something I just like about it... Taste: Alcohol showed up in my first sip, as well as lots of fruity sweetness hinted at by the smell. From then on, the alcohol has moved back some as the fruity flavors kicked in. Very complex and strong flavors. Has a somewhat-strong bite to it. The flavors really come out as it warms up. Mouthfeel: I would say it's about medium. It's not like water, but then it's not quite like some porters, stouts and weizens I've had either. Drinkability: Surprisingly high considering the amount of alcohol. However, I would drink this one as a sipping beer; it's strong. Very strong. As I drink more, the drinkability goes down, making it hard to finish this entire bottle. Meanwhile, I can already feel the effects. Overall, not too bad, but nothing amazing either. I wouldn't mind getting this one again, although I would like to see a six-pack option. As it is currently, it's about 8 bucks for a single, 22oz bottle. That alone makes this a beer to seek out only on occasion, and especially when someone else is around to drink the other half of it. Unfortunately, the Hoppin' Frog beers I want to try the most (Wild Frog Wheat, B.O.R.I.S. The Crusher, and Silk Porter) are not at the local store I go to, but this beer is not a bad first try from this brewery as far as I can tell. I look forward to trying some of their others.