La Rullés Estivale (Bière De Gaume)
Honey with a hint of orange marmalade. There aren't the usual number of Belgian ale bubbles, and the crown isn't as gargantuan as is typical, but the beer looks spectacular nevertheless. The cap is the color of melted marshmallows and is at least as sticky. The end result is that the glass is positively slathered with chunky lace. What a great way to lead things off. Edit: subsequent pours result in a masterpiece in a glass The nose is an inspired mixture of tropical fruitiness (musky pineapple, tangy orange) and light, summertime spiciness. The former comes from Amarillo hops and the latter from an Orval yeast strain. I wonder whether those two ingredients have ever been combined before? The jump-out-of-the-glass power that I didn't get initially shows up as the beer warms and as the yeast from the bottom of the bottle is liberated. I'm torn between enjoying the relatively subtle, finely complex nature of the flavor profile and wanting to jack things up to the taste bud saturation point. I hate to be thought uncivilized, but with more Amarillo hops, this stuff would be killer with a capital 'K'. Having said that, the stealth bitterness is becoming cumulative with each passing ounce. Contrary to my fears, Estivale doesn't taste anything like Orval. There's an intriguing spiciness that is most reminiscent of tamed white pepper mixed with orange zest, but I don't detect even a trace of horse blanket. I guess the brewery uses several different yeast strains. Pineapple is less prominent on the palate; bitter orange and lemon are more so. This is a near perfect summer beer for a whole host of reasons. It has a relatively light, yet tremendously satisfying flavor; it's snappily bitter without being abusive; and it has a crisp, quenching finish that prompts one to start thinking about the next mouthful almost before the last one is gone. The mouthfeel starts out light, becomes light-medium and gorgeously supple with warming, and is expertly bubbled. Estivale (meaning 'summer') is very good beer. It would probably be just as good if one of the noble hops was used, but I like the decision to use Amarillo. Mostly because I'm a huge fan of Amarillo hops. Although it may not be the quintessential Belgian summertime ale, nothing else comes to mind that can give it a run for its money. What the hell... it *is* the quintessential Belgian summertime ale.