The beer pours a murky copper colour, with a small off-white - almost yellow - head which offers some light, delicate lacing. Quite quickly drops to a thin layer, but when you beer is moved about in the glass, it whips up a yeasty looking thick head
On the nose, there are plenty of fruit esters from the yeast; tropical fruits, peaches and apples. Some sweet maltiness, candi sugar, and a faint hint of pine hops.
Initial taste of toasted, sweet malt. Some caramel, cracker bread and toast. A bit of wheat is detectable also. The heavy Belgium yeast then gives off sweet stewed fruit, as detected on the nose, and a slight hint of chocolate as the beer warms up. It's a good mix and works very well.
Finishes with a delicate taste of pine hops, and some mild bitterness. Lingers with some of that stewed fruit and some of the sweet malt. Gives a distinctly earthy feel to the palate, or 'Forest like' as the label suggests... whatever that means. The label also says it has an 'elegant' aftertaste (?!)
Mouthfeel is clean, refreshing, medium bodied with delicate carbonation and moderate astringency. The balance is good and it is easily drinkable. Booze is very well masked, unlike its IPA cousin, the Elliot beer.
Overall, this is very good Belgium amber ale which is well executed and refreshing. Strong malt backbone with clean fruit flavours, and some gentle hop bitterness to offer some balance
90% - Very Good
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