We are always trying to keep it fresh, so we made the trek to Adelbert’s Brewery for our February meeting. On Saturday’s they are open from 1-4 with tours every 45 min. For $13 you get a nice branded tulip glass and 6 sample pours, with some of the stronger beers taking two marks you could get anywhere from 4-6 samples. Adelbert’s specializes in Belgian style beers which I really enjoy so I have been looking forward to visiting the brewery for some time.
The brewery tasting area was set up well with plenty of places to hang out and even two dart boards for fun. The tour was informative and to the point which is all you want while you are sampling beers, and the servers handled the crowds diligently. The brewery is named after the head brewer’s brother, Adelbert, who passed away in his prime. Each beer is inspired by his many adventures and with names like the Naked Nun and Scratchin’ Hippo there are great stories behind each one.
Adelbert’s has all the usual Belgian styles with a Wit, Saison, Bier de Garde, Dubbel, Tripel and a Quad. In addition they had a Black Ale and a beer they brew for Naughty Brewing that was a smoked Saison. I enjoyed everything I tried and wish I could have sampled some of the beer they had been barrel aging. That will be for another trip!
Their version of a Saison with citrus spicy notes and some fruit. It had a bit of a bitter finish that faded as it warmed. It was a little heavier on the palate than I would want in a Saison, but it was still a great rendition of the style.
The daunting Dubbel had a good fruity nose with dark fruits and a malty sweetness. The taste had the same dark fruits and malt with a slight bitter finish that again faded as it warmed. While it was a deep amber in color it was a little light and clear for the style. In the end this was a damn delectable Dubbel.
Now we are moving on to the heavy hitters. A tripel was right in my wheelhouse and the Tripel B fit the bill. Right away the color and look of the beer was spot on as well as the aroma that held the Belgian yeast, coriander and spice elements. The flavor was light and zesty while the mouthfeel held just the right amount of heft for the style. This was a great locally brewed Tripel.
Finally the best of the bunch in my opinion was the Flyin’ Monks Quad. They tout it as a richer version of the Dancin’ Monks Dubbel that is conditioned on oak cubes used to age Pecan Street Rum. It was a deep dark amber brown that had a more intense dark fruit and slight oak nose. The flavor again followed with the deep dark fruits with heavy sweet dates all with a hint of oak on the finish that perfectly balanced the brew. The Flyin’ Monks was well done and well balanced.
