Topic Archives: Belgian Strong Dark Ales

Posted in Seasonal Return, Troegs Brewing

Troeg’s Mad Elf Can Go Trick Or Treating This Year

Troegs (Hershey, PA) Mad Elf will hit the streets (in bottles) this year October 15, 2012.  This festive elf is arriving early enough to go trick or treating this year. Mad Elf is a Belgian Style Ale, brewed with sweet & sour cherries, honey, & chocolate malt. It’s Christmas in a glass.

The Mad Elf is a cheerful creation to warm your heart and enlighten your tongue. The combination of cherries, honey, and chocolate malts delivers gentle fruits and subtle spices. Fermented and aged with a unique yeast, this ruby red beer has significant warming strength that underlies the pleasant character of this intriguing yet delicious Ale. The Mad Elf is a jolly and delicious beer for the holidays.

Troeg’s Mad Elf isn’t the only Christmasy offering to arrive early this year. SweetWater Festive arrives next week too.

Style: Belgian Strong Dark Ale (w/ Sweet & Sour Cherries, Honey)
Hops: Saaz, Hallertau
Malts: Pilsner, Munich, Hallertau
Yeast: Spicy Belgian

Availability: 12oz bottles, Draft. Fall/Winter Seasonal

11% ABV

Posted in Avery Brewing, Seasonal Return, Videos

Avery’s The Beast Rises Again August 1st

Avery’s The Beast returns on August 1st.  The best is a Belgian strong dark ale, that typically clocks in around 16%. The Beast is a part of the brewery’s “Demons of Ale” series, and is brewed with dates, molasses, dark candi sugar, honey, raisins and turbinado sugar.

The Beast is a seducer — accomodating, complicated, powerful, dark and created to last the ages. With a deep burgundy color and aromas of honey, nutmeg, mandarin orange and pineapple, this massive and challenging brew has flavors akin to a beautiful Carribean rum. Dates, plums, raisins and molasses are dominant in a rich vinous texture. Cellarable for 10+ years.

Style: Belgian Strong Dark (w/ Dates, Molasses, Dark Belgian Candi Sugar, Colorado Honey, Raisins, Turbinado Sugar)
Availability: 12 oz bottles, Limited Draft
Arrival (2012): August 1

16+% ABV


Posted in Coming Soon, Ommegang

Ommegang Celebrates 15 Years with XV

Brewery Ommegang, a leader in brewing Belgian style ales in the United States, celebrates 15 years in 2012. Founded in 1997, Ommegang was built on 136 acres of what used to be a hop farm in Cooperstown, New York.  The farmstead brewery was touted to be the first of its kind built in the U.S. in over 100 years.  Today, they brew some of the best Belgian inspired ales this side of the Atlantic.  To mark the occasion, Ommegang is gearing up to release XV (15) to mark the milestone.

Ommegang XV celebrates our 15th year and honors some of the world’s most desired ales.  The dark Trappist ales of Belgium are made with the simplest of ingredients yet offer richly complex aromas and flavors.  Ommegang XV uses on the finest malts, Ommegang yeast, and a touch of hops, creating a fine ale that will age superbly.

Style: Belgian Strong Dark Ale
Availability: 750ml bottles, corked & caged.  Draft
Arrival: 4th Quarter, 2012

9.1% ABV

Posted in New Releases, Stift Engelszell

World’s 8th Trappist Brewery Bottles First Beer

Until now there were a mere seven true Trappist breweries in the world – i.e. brewed by Trappist monks.  The 8th (based in Austria) has now produced their first beer.   Gregorius has officially been bottled, named for the former Abbot of Stift Engelzell.  Some sleuthing found the below from the Trappist Association newsletter:

The Trappist monastery of Stift Engelszell is located in Engelhartszell, in the northern part of Upper Austria, on the Danube, in a valley with wooded hills.  This monastery has been a member of the International Trappist Association (ITA) since 2008.   In 2009 the ITA granted Stift Engelszell the right to use the “Authentic Trappist Product” label on its Trappist liqueurs. Today the Trappist community is launching a dark Trappist beer, the “Gregorius” (9.7% ABV).

Gregorius is one of two beers coming this month fromt the new Trappist brewery.  [BelgianBeerTravels]

Posted in New Releases, Ommegang

Ommegang Art Of Darkness On Shelves

The newest release from Brewery OmmegangArt Of Darkness is now available.  Arts is a Belgian inspired ale, good for drinking now – or later if you prefer.

Style: Belgian Strong Dark Ale
Availability: 750ml bottles (corked/caged), Draft.

Taste Expectations:  Notes of fruit, caramel, & chocolate.  The yeast adds a spiciness to the beer.   Bold, flavorful.

Cellar: Yes

8.7% ABV, 24 IBUs (Low bitter)

pic via @gtharris88

Posted in 21st Amendment Brewing, Beer News

21A’s Monk’s Blood Put On Long Hiatus

21st Amendment’s Monk’s Blood has just made it’s seasonal appearance. It will be the last time for a while.  After this year it’s gone for  while.

Shaun (Brewmaster and co-founder Shaun O’Sullivan) said, “We have so many things happening in the brewery right now, it’s time to let Monk’s Blood take a break so we can play a little more with some other really special brews.”

Monk’s Blood is a Belgian Style Dark Ale brewed with eight malts, Belgian candi sugar, cinnamon, vanilla bean, dried local black mission figs and aged on oak.  It’s a member of 21st Amendment’s Insurrection Series, a once-in-a-while, four-pack release.

Look for Monk’s Blood in all of 21st Amendment’s territories: CA, OR, WA, AK, ID, MN, OH, MA, NY, NJ, DC, DE, MD, PA, VA, GA and NC.  [PressRelease]

 

Posted in New Beers