North Coast Brewing Co.
To be perfectly honest, I picked up this Belgian-style ale based entirely on the revelatory goodness of the brewery’s amazing Ruedrich’s Red Seal Ale.
This beer is to orange what RRSA is to red—it is a gorgeous amber-orange colour, foggy for having not been filtered. I leave about a ¼ inch of sediment on the bottom of the bottle when I pour. It was a rough pour, but even this couldn’t manage to create a proper head. Nevertheless, what little head there is leaves thin laces on the sides of my glass as I drink.
Maybe I have orange on the brain or something, but Pranqster even smells vaguely of oranges, together with a spicy, Belgian-style yeast aroma.
The taste is subtle. Where other Belgian-style beers can be very strong (I’m thinking Unibroue here), Pranqster is relatively soft and light. Sweet malt turns gently to citrus and spices which fade slowly as the alcohol taste rises.
Because of its gentleness, I think Pranqster would be a good transition into Belgian-style ales for someone looking to explore that wonderful world for the first time. I served it a little too cold, and, as it warmed up a little, it got even more enjoyable.
While I generally prefer the stronger Belgian-style ales, Pranqster is really very good at what it does. Really, what more can we ask of a beer?
A-
To be perfectly honest, I picked up this Belgian-style ale based entirely on the revelatory goodness of the brewery’s amazing Ruedrich’s Red Seal Ale.
This beer is to orange what RRSA is to red—it is a gorgeous amber-orange colour, foggy for having not been filtered. I leave about a ¼ inch of sediment on the bottom of the bottle when I pour. It was a rough pour, but even this couldn’t manage to create a proper head. Nevertheless, what little head there is leaves thin laces on the sides of my glass as I drink.
Maybe I have orange on the brain or something, but Pranqster even smells vaguely of oranges, together with a spicy, Belgian-style yeast aroma.
The taste is subtle. Where other Belgian-style beers can be very strong (I’m thinking Unibroue here), Pranqster is relatively soft and light. Sweet malt turns gently to citrus and spices which fade slowly as the alcohol taste rises.
Because of its gentleness, I think Pranqster would be a good transition into Belgian-style ales for someone looking to explore that wonderful world for the first time. I served it a little too cold, and, as it warmed up a little, it got even more enjoyable.
While I generally prefer the stronger Belgian-style ales, Pranqster is really very good at what it does. Really, what more can we ask of a beer?
A-
Posts
You've officially made me a North Coast convert. I picked some of this up tonight at the local liquor store (to go along with the Red Seal already in my basket). Bonus: Returned home to realize that the cashier had failed to charge me for the Pranqster. Even if I'd coughed up the $10.45 for four, I'd be enjoying the hell out of it right now. It's kind of like the weak but cumly sister to my favourite big, bonny Belgian lass: Phillips' Surly Blonde.
ReplyDelete1. I like the phrase "revelatory goodness."
ReplyDelete2. Curtis, I think it's "comely" not "cumly" unless you don't mean what I think you mean.
3. Yes, I am commenting on all y'alls writing three weeks after this was posted.