Scratch Beer 46 - 2011 (Naked Elf)
Big thanks to Cmurren25 for sending and Decadance for sharing. Slightly hazed, golden pumpkin colored body. Three finger frothy egg shell colored head is perched atop. Head works its way back in a rather quick fashion. Moderate lacing left plastered to the glass. Loads of phenols in the nose. Bubblegum, clove, banana and a peppery spiciness. Soft and subtle fruit, pineapple and possibly a hint of citrus. Not a whole lot of malt or hops going on here. The aroma isn't bad but there is just too much yeast going on. The flavor displays a bit more diversity than the aroma. Sweet malt base is immediately is overwhelmed by the yeasty phenols. Bubblegum is strong, followed by more subtle clove and banana. A fair amount of white pepper spiciness lays on the tongue. A bit of fruit appears on the back of the palate along side some candied sugar. The transition of flavors is clean and appropriate but again the phenolic flavors are a bit more than I would like. Medium bodied belgian style ale. Carbonation is just south of moderate, suitable for the style. The sweetness lingers a bit on the tongue, making for a moderate finish. A very decent beer but not what I had hoped for. The flavors were all there, I just wish the phenols were dialed down a bit. Fairly enjoyable, I am not sure I would want more than one. Glad to have had the opportunity to try this one.