The Bruery 5 Golden Rings. "Belgian-style golden ale brewed with pineapple juice and spices. The fifth verse of our "Twelve beers of Christmas" saga incorporates sweet, cake- like spice into a rich and robust golden ale. Happy Holidays!"
Famille Rue, Unfiltered, bottle-conditioned.
Hazy, unfiltered orange appearance, long-lasting, lovely white head. An attractive little number.
Aroma: the airy eminence of the golden ale is here, with the sweet, lofty spice that comes with it, very much in the style of Duvel. Yeast at work in the nose, and not a little bit of fruit. Not too much, just enough, for some beautiful balance.
Taste: On the tongue, the pineapple comes raging through. Not the least bit subtle, either, it's fully in effect, large and in charge. Big hits of sweetness from the fruit. Bit too much for my taste, takes us far away from the golden ale promised in the nose.
Medium-bodied, long, fruity finish. An almost over-bearing sweetness that is mixed with hits of sour, as well. But the sweet fruit takes over.
The pineapple essence is far too strong for my taste, driving the drinkability factor down a peg or two.
I'm not getting the "cake-like spice", and the sweetness seems to come completely from the pineapple. Didn't notice the ABV, but it's starting to peek through.
11.5% ABV, it seems. Okay, that makes sense. Pretty big stuff.
I get it. 5 Golden Rings, like a golden ale, but, hey, what else is golden and comes in rings, sometimes? Pineapple, right? Doesn't mean it works, flavor-wise. Once the pineapple flavor washes down the throat, along comes the booze. Not an entirely perfect blend.
On the back label, we are told that it is suitable for aging for up to seven years, soon after the release of Twelve Drummers Drumming. So, sometime in 2019, it'll be good for a vertical. Perhaps. But, right now, I'm not thrilled with this. But, I will finish it.
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