Empyrean's Belgium Resolution
Saturday night we went to our favorite Lincoln Old Chicago. Not much was going on there, so we shook ourselves down the street a bit to Fireworks. They now have a new Belgium Red Ale on tap named “Phoenix: Belgium Resolution.”
The first thing you notice about this offering is the characteristic just-fully-under-ripe strawberry color. Nice, lacey white head that quickly disapated. Like most other Belgium-style offerings, there was no hint of hops in the nose or taste. This ale is also characteristically opaque for the style. Tasted good, this isn't something where you'r looking for the balance of hops and malt. Rather, this is more like a big, chewy, cloudy wine. Definite diactyle, but not unpleasent. I suspect that this would make a good Flanders Red Ale (BJCP style 20E), if you're looking for that sort of thing.