Brouwerij Van Eecke Kapittel Watou Prior Ale Belgian Strong Dark Ale at 9% ABV ($4.55 from Willow Park Wine & Spirits)
Pours clear amber-brown with a fat finger of light beige head diminishing gradually to a thick cap, no lacing. Nose is brown sugar, dark fruit and cloves. Taste is moderate caramel malt sweetness and mild spice, slight sourness and hop bitter. Medium to full body and soft mouth feel with alcohol warming on a slightly tart finish.
Well, that’s all right. Sure, I’ve had better priors, but I don’t think I’ve had better for the price. Really the major problem with this one is the near-complete absence of any hop character to balance out the sweetness. Not that the sweetness is overwhelming, and there is some tartness offsetting it, as well as the alcohol drying, but a little more bittering would help the overall balance. That said, being a monk might not be so bad if this were the daily drink.
My 113th from the 2010 Edition of 1001 Beers (retired from the 2013 Edition) and 116th overall.
7/10 #1001beers #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com
