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Buyer's Guide for Beer Lovers

Continental Ales

Beer From Saints, for Sinners

Belgian Style Golden Ale

Belgian golden ales are pale to golden in color with a lightish body for their deceptive alcoholic punch, as much as 9 percent alcohol by volume. The benchmark example, Duvel (Devil) from Belgium, is quite heavily hopped to give a floral nose and a tangy, fruity finish. Typically, such brews undergo three fermentations, the final one being in the bottle, resulting in fine champagne-like carbonation, and a huge rocky white head when they are poured. Often such beers can be cellared for six months to a year to gain roundness. These beers are probably best served chilled to minimize the alcoholic mouthfeel.

Interpreting the 100-point Scale

Consumers can translate the point score to the following quality bands:

Point Range Quality Band
96-100 points Platinum
90-95 points Gold
85-90 points Silver
80-84 points Bronze
Less than 80 Not Recommended
Legend
  • = Brewpub
  • ABV = Alcohol by volume
  • Date denotes the date on which the beer was tasted

89 Demolition, Goose Island Beer Co. (IL). 7.2% ABV (5/11)
Bright yet lightly hazy, golden yellow color. Fruity aromas of pineapple and apricot pies and cakes with a frothy, supple, fruity-yet-dry medium-to-full body and a long, creamy nectarine soufflé, biscuit, starfruit and peppery, grassy hop finish. A nice food beer.

89 Hop Ruiter, Scheldebrouwerij (Belgium). 8% ABV (5/11)
Hazy golden yellow color. Aromas of peach marmalade, coriander, wintergreen and pepper frittata with a supple, fruity medium-full body and a juicy Asian pear, anise, apple and orange finish with bold leafy peppery hops in support. Very tasty.

88 Chiara, La Fabbrica Della Birra Tenute Collesi (Italy). 6% ABV (1/11)
Hazy yellow color. Interesting aromas of banana pudding, honeyed peach and wheat cracker with a crisp, frothy, dry-yet-fruity medium body and tangy, kiwi, dusty grain and mineral-kissed finish. A very nice food beer.

83 Azreal, Devils Backbone Brewing Co. (VA). 8% ABV (5/10)
Bright golden yellow color. Toasty egg and ham muffin sandwich and spicy ginger aromas have a fruity edge and follow through on a supple entry to a dryish medium-to-full body with citrus, custard and faint phenolic notes. Finishes with a tart, chewy malt and lemon pepper fade.

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