NOTES: Draft @ J. Clyde in Birmingham
STYLE: Belgian Strong Pale Ale
ABV: 9%
APPEARANCE: Dark, hazy gold
HEAD: White, poofy, fades slowly
LACING: Nice, substantial rings of lace
NOSE: Avery’s got the Belgian part right. This smells just like a native brew from the land of sprouts and chocolates. Sweet candi sugar, whiffs of fruit (peaches and apricots), and loads of spice (clove and cinnamon).
TASTE: It’s quite sweet from the candi sugar and the big, stone-fruit flavors. But that sweetness is well-tempered by a fair amount of subtle hop bitterness and an excellent alcohol burn in the finish. The spice from the nose is muted in the flavor and there isn’t as much yeast funkiness as you often find in the style.
MOUTHFEEL: A little chewy. A little syrupy. Somewhere between medium and full.
DRINKABILITY: Just OK…the Salvation is a touch cloying, but it has some beautiful, well-balanced flavors. Two would probably do me for the evening though.
RATING: 3 Hops
