Avery Brewing Company's Salvation

Based in Boulder, Colorado, Avery Brewing Company brews a wide range of beers, but the ones that I really like are the brewer's "series."  One of these series is the "Holy Trinity of Ales," which includes the Hog Heaven Barleywine, the Reverend Quadruple and the Salvation Belgian-Style Golden Ale.  Recently, I saw the Salvation, so I decided to pick one up and give it a try.

The Belgian Golden Ale is one of several styles of strong ales that, unlike some beers, is relatively new.  This style was developed by the Moorgat Brewery after World War II to capitalize on the popularity of pilsner beers. A Golden Ale is very similar to a Belgian Tripel, but tends to be lighter, dryer and fruitier. 

Avery's Salvation pours a nice golden color, which is appropriate given it is a golden ale.  Avery brewed this beer with Stryian Golding hops, along with two row barley, cara 8 and cara 20 malts.  The aromatic elements of this beer feature fruit and spice.  The brewer suggests apricots and peach, with nutmeg and cinnamon.  I can definitely see the nutmeg and cinnamon, which carry through into the taste, both at the front and at the end.  The fruit are present in the aromatics, and carry over to the taste as well, but a little less than the spice.

This beer has an ABV of 9.0% and sells for $6.99 a bottle.  The brewer suggests that the beer can be cellared for up to three years. Perhaps the next time I buy this beer, I'll consider cellaring it to see what change, if any, there is to the beer over time.

ENJOY!

For more about the Golden Ale style, check out the Beer Certification Judge Program.