| The color of just-polished mahogany crowned with a tightly laced-mousselike head, our Abbey Belgian Style Ale raises eyebrows just on sight alone. An ethereal swirl of banana, spice and smoky aromas compels further study. Cross the liquid threshold and discover intertwined flavors evoking ripe fig, caramel, coffee bean and cloves. Settle into the solace of Abbey's other-worldly finish. This is ale consecration. Abbey, the biggest medal collector in the New Belgium stable, is categorized as a Belgian Style "Dubbel" or "Double Ale". This complex ale, along with our Trippel and Porch Swing Single Ale are representative of the beers brewed in monasteries in Belgium where the monks produce beer to support their abbey. A single is characterized as a table beer-one that you could drink all day and not be worse for the experience. A Belgian Tripple is usually golden in color, high in alcohol and profusely hopped. A Dubbel, like our Abbey Ale-is identified as a dark amber in color, very malty brew that is top-fermented and bottle conditioned producing a fruity, estery nose. Though excellent when paired with savory dishes, Abbey inevitably finds itself paired with dessert at dinners given at our brewery. As well, our restaurant friends are finding Abbey to be an appealing addition to their lists of ports, brandies, sherries and single malts. Abbey is worthy of being furnished as a stand alone liquid dessert, a euphoric palate enchancer in the cigar humidor, a stairway to heaven companion to chocolate, or a pleasing brain twister when served with espresso. So, settle into a favorite chair, perhaps drop the needle on John Coltrane, pour yourself an Abbey into a wide mouth glass and seriously question whether life gets any larger. |
