8

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

Gravity cask! at the Return of the Belgian Beer Fest, 9/17/16.
Rather hazy, apricot-peach-gold with a wispy, off-white head atop showing moderate to moderately low retention.
What a nose, though! The reason I added this cask in to the database (I don’t usually) is to show just how different this beer became, yet how enjoyable it still is. Big juicy mango notes blend with citrusy hops and finally are backed by honey-vanilla malt notes. Obviously a lot of the elegance of the phenols and esters is lost here, so to some this may be a trainwreck, but as a lover of New England style juice bombs, I can’t help but fall in love. Bright, juicy, authentic mango and tropical and citrus hop notes linger long, with light plaster and remnants of the phenolic qualities lying underneath the juiciness. Good acidity on the finish; it’s not just all juicy-malty sweetness here. No alcohol or flaws.
Incredibly soft palate, as the classic provides, with doughy, honey-laden malts and low but engaging carbonation. Mango provides both sweet, juicy notes as well as light to moderate acidity on the finish, while citrus abounds from the dry hopping. There’s a touch of breadiness to soak up some of the sweetness, but it’s not overly sweet, really. More phenolic qualities found on the finish here than in the nose, with no alcohol or flaw. Similar to Saison Dupont vs. Cuvee Dry Hopping, but with mango added.