8.1

Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8.5

22 ounce bottle into tulip glass, bottled on 9/21/2015. Pours lightly hazy/cloudy golden amber color with a 2 finger dense and rocky white head with great retention, that reduces to a small cap that lingers. Nice soapy lacing clings around the glass. Aromas of big lemon, orange, apricot, pear, apple, pepper, clove, light banana/bubblegum, wheat, cracker, biscuit, light honey, herbal, grass, and yeast earthiness. Damn nice aromas with great balance and complexity of fruity/spicy yeast, earthy hops, and moderate pale malt sweetness; with great strength. Taste of big lemon, orange, apricot, pear, apple, pepper, clove, light banana/bubblegum, wheat, cracker, biscuit, light honey, herbal, grass, and yeast earthiness. Moderate yeast spiciness and herbal bitterness on the finish; with lingering notes of lemon, orange, apricot, pear, apple, pepper, clove, light banana/bubblegum, wheat, cracker, biscuit, and herbal/yeast earthiness on the finish for a while. Damn nice complexity, robustness, and balance of fruity/spicy yeast, earthy hops, and moderate pale malt sweetness; with a great malt/bitter/spiciness balance and zero cloying sweetness after the finish. Light-moderate dryness from bitter/spiciness as well. Medium carbonation and medium-full body; with a very smooth and moderately creamy/bready/sticky balanced mouthfeel that is nice. Alcohol is well hidden with only a light warmth lingering after the finish. Overall this is an excellent Belgian strong pale ale. All around great complexity, robustness, and balance of fruity/spicy yeast, earthy hops, and moderate pale malt sweetness; and very smooth and easy to sip on for the ABV. A very enjoyable offering.