Parallel Blog Tasting #5 - The Bruery Batch No. 1 - Levud's

Tonight's Parallel Blog Tasting, between myself and my good friend and fellow University of Southern California Alum The Baltimore Beer Guy, is brought to you by The Bruery's Batch #1 - Levud's. The story behind this goes that The Bruery, an upstart brewery in North Orange County, CA, held a homebrew contest to determine the first beer that would be brewed at their new brewery. It turned out to be an 11% ABV Belgian Strong Pale Ale. I'm ballparking that this was actually brewed at the beginning of May sometime, because when we were there for their Grand Opening Party at the end of May this beer was already conditioning in unlabled bottles.

Brian, aka The Baltimore Beer Guy has tried a handful of The Bruery's beers. He's had Orchard White and Black Orchard I believe when he was in San Diego, and I've sent him Saison Rue which he reviewed on his site and Trade Winds Tripel which was the subject of Parallel Blog Tasting #4.

Starting Off...

BBG (6:17:47 PM): Levud's? Yes, yes, yes you will
SOB (6:17:57 PM): Let's git er done
SOB (6:18:18 PM): lemme get my Bruery Glass
BBG (6:18:26 PM): Which glass should I use?
SOB (6:18:43 PM): hm, belgian strong pale.....
SOB (6:18:47 PM): i would use tulip
SOB (6:23:17 PM): ok got my bottle from the fridge
SOB (6:23:23 PM): #953/2157
BBG (6:23:29 PM): 1038
SOB (6:23:36 PM): it's really cold tho, i think my fridge is around 34F
BBG (6:23:48 PM): Mines a little warmer
SOB (6:24:37 PM): alright uncapping
SOB (6:24:55 PM): ideal serving temp is 50, per bottle

Pouring - The Appearance and Aroma...

SOB (6:27:41 PM): carbonation looks spot on
SOB (6:27:45 PM): if not slightly low
SOB (6:27:49 PM): ever so slightly
SOB (6:28:03 PM): wow i can smell the fruit from a foot away
SOB (6:28:23 PM): deep golden color
BBG (6:28:24 PM): Smells good
SOB (6:28:46 PM): white head forms a sea-like foam on top after receding real fast
SOB (6:29:00 PM): somewhat opaque
BBG (6:29:17 PM): sea foam like, exactly
BBG (6:29:19 PM): bright white
SOB (6:29:23 PM): the fruit is big here
SOB (6:29:35 PM): grape-like maybe?
SOB (6:29:44 PM): melon ?
BBG (6:29:57 PM): Im thinking pear
BBG (6:29:59 PM): and passionfruit
SOB (6:30:30 PM): yes, all those remind me of the same smell so yeah heh
SOB (6:30:38 PM): really like the smell in this

Time To Taste...

BBG (6:31:20 PM): Oh yeh ripe fruit taste
SOB (6:31:42 PM): taste contains more of the earthiness from the belgian yeast, and then I get a bit of that alcohol burn type taste (very slight), with fruit pretty dominant there the whole time
BBG (6:32:44 PM): What I just wrote is that it is more malty and fruity than most BSPA's, less yeasty and hoppy
SOB (6:33:14 PM): I would agree
SOB (6:33:39 PM): I actually don't think I've had a BSPA in a while, maybe since mid summer? I can't even remember
SOB (6:33:42 PM): oh yeah, Brewer's Art Ozzy you sent me a month ago.
BBG (6:33:52 PM): Just had Ozzy Tuesday night
BBG (6:33:57 PM): This is a world apart
SOB (6:34:22 PM): they are definitely different takes
BBG (6:35:21 PM): It's (Levud's) a white wine meets BSPA
SOB (6:35:46 PM): Yes I'm getting a big similarity to wine in this, was just thinking that a few min ago
SOB (6:36:02 PM): that might've been where I got grape from
SOB (6:36:28 PM): 11% though, I can notice the alcohol here, which isn't unpleasant... but it's there... I usually don't notice it in any beer

Drinking and Drinking...

BBG (6:44:54 PM): Man this beer is going to take forever to drink, its so sweet
SOB (6:45:32 PM): at least it's not DFH 120
SOB (6:47:44 PM): I like the fruitiness of this, changes it up a lot
BBG (6:48:02 PM): Yeh
SOB (7:10:30 PM): i'm starting to be able to tell this beer is 11%
SOB (7:10:40 PM): I only pours about 350 of the 750 mL
SOB (7:26:40 PM): alright............................. Final grade
SOB (7:26:45 PM): 3.95, B+
BBG (7:28:21 PM): Look = 4
BBG (7:28:30 PM): Smell = 4
BBG (7:28:31 PM): T = 3.5
BBG (7:28:44 PM): MF = 4
BBG (7:28:47 PM): D = 3.5
BBG (7:29:03 PM): (would like it) A little more foamy yes but the presentation was gorgeous