Bokrijks Belgian Golden Ale

Bokrijks Belgian Golden Ale

April 19, 2012 · by · in recommendations, reviews

Bokrijks Belgian Golden Ale

Recommended!

  • Malty citrus
  • Spice (mild anise) and fruitiness, sweet
  • Clean with hint of spice

A kind of odd-duck, the Belgian pale ale has more in common with the *hefeweizen* than an IPA. The flavor depends a lot on the yeast used, and the *Bokrijks Belgian Golden Ale* that I had was not very citrusy, leaning towards tropical fruit. Sometimes these tropical-fruit-bearing yeasts make the whole beer taste like banana, which I do no enjoy, but the *Bokrijks* just skirted banana, yielding more of a spiced mango flavor. I’ve seen [other reviews][1] which stress the citrusy flavor, and it leads me to believe that there is a strain of wild yeast used in *Bokrijks*, meaning each bottle may be different.

A pilsner glass filled with the cloudy golden ale, Bokrijks, next to the ceramic bottle of Bokrojks.

Apparently, I should have poured this into a tulip glass, so my tasting may have been waaaay off.

I’d love to talk about the history of *Bokrijks* and the brewing methods used, but I know nothing about it. I admit I picked up the bottle because of its uniqueness, and I had no idea what a Belgian golden ale would taste like. I can surmise from the cloudiness that the beer was made with wheat, and I know it’s an ale, but I never would have guessed it would taste as fruity as it does. It was $15 at my local distributor, expensive overall, but a good price for the Belgian import, as I’ve seen it list for $20 elsewhere. The reusable nature of the bottle is a plus.

Bokrijk, where the beer got its name, is a provincial domain in Limburg, Belgium, in Flanders. Bokrijk is known for [its open air museum][2], where the townsfolk continue Flemish traditions, including, one assumes, brewing.

[1]: http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/183/589
[2]: http://www.trabel.com/hasselt-bokrijk.htm

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