Equinox is done, and so it's time to tap Taras Boulba. Ever since I ordered the keg, I vowed to re-read the Gogol story that inspires it's name, but that didn't get done yet. Just tapped it last night, sold several glasses today, but it's not an easy one to describe. A Belgian pale ale. A hoppy blonde. And only 4.5% ABV. Absolutely lovely, but as it is lacking a higher alcohol oomph, does it justify the higher price tag dictated by the price of the keg? I hope they think so, ...just tasting it will remove doubt. For the moment, I will share my notes from 4 1/2 years ago, December of 2007, when I first found a bottle of this ale. And here's what I said about that:
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I'm not a big fan of paying over $10 for a bottle of beer I've never heard of, but I am prone to references to the works of Nikoalai Gogol. One of the strangest labels I've seen in a while. Looks computer drawn, and depicts a bald, moustachioed burly man hoisting a keg and shouting "Smeirlap" over the prone, and outcrying figure of a man with a face out of "Guernica", all before a carnival backdrop, with a slanted church to right of panel. Picasso man is crying out something in Flemish, and if you visit the Shelton Brothers website, they explain the word balloons and the connection to the Gogol story. Somewhat....anyway..
capped and corked, ...POP! and out comes the funk! and into a Westmalle chalice she goes...
Clean golden hue, lightly hazed,, huge, pillowy white, lace leaving head. Looks beautiful.
Flowery aroma, a touch of sour, and lots of spice...plenty of Saaz hops going on, I think...Green bottle, and initial aromatic impressions had me worried about skunking, but it just seems the unique character of this brew, and not a bottle of cat pee. (Close, though.) Some lemony, citrusy flavor meets the light spices. Nice.
Taste: hops are in charge on the tastebuds, laying claim of the palate. Light bodied, low alcohol, light in the malt department, this is all hops, and easy drinking. Smooth, with no flaws, but lacks pizzaz, or any real, particular character. A palatable ale with higher hops. No biggie. Would go great with food, but offers no excitement. Nice for sessioning. But at that price, I expect more.
Worth the $10.49? No. But they got me with the name and the label. That's how they get ya!
I had that one in the picture in a Leffe glass, yesterday, and right now I'm having one in a St. Bernardus chalice. Whichever chalice you want is fine. I should begin a search for a Brasserie de la Senne chalice. Drinking now, versus that bottle in 2007, it's fresh, lively, hoppy, and light. A lot of citrus zest, grassy hops, a just a little bit of funky yeast. It's tasty, and lean, and utterly easily consumable. A great concoction, but, still, "pricy", or as we say in Minnesota, "spendy." Worth the money, I ask again? Yes, if you've got it.
I'm secretly hopping they do a beer inspired by Gogol's "The Nose."
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