Those crazy
Belgians. They’re always inventing something unique, and then someone else
comes along and steals the credit for it. Takes French fries, for example.
Did you know they really should be called Belgian fries? The Belgians
invented them (or so they claim), calling them pommes frites (fried
potatoes). But Belgium borders France, they speak French in some parts of
Belgium, and somehow, the Belgians did all the work while the French got the
credit.
Then there’s beer. When people think of beer, most of them think of…well,
probably Budweiser. But when people think of good beer, they think of
ales from Britain, lagers from Germany. Only the true connoisseur thinks
about beers from Belgium. But the Belgians make some really great beers, if
you take the time to appreciate them.
Of course, today’s beer, Avery’s The Reverend, is not brewed in
Belgium. But is Belgian in style, hence all of the previous ramblings you’ve
had to endure to read about the actual beer. This is a Belgian-style
quadruple ale, the next logical progression from the tripel style.
I had seen this one on the beer store shelves a few times, but for some
reason passed it up in favor of more glamorous Avery brews like
The Kaiser and
The Czar . Mind
you, those are some pretty darned good brews themselves. And the Reverend
ranks right alongside them.
Not long ago I read the really great review on this beer written by Nathan
Howard, which you must read by clicking
here . So, I ran
out and bought a bottle, and I’m drinking it tonight.
And wow, is it good. It should be, too made with the following ingredients
Hop Variety: Styrian Goldings
Malt Variety: Two-row barley, cara 8, cara 20, caramel 15L, caramel 40L,
Belgian special B
That’s a lot of malt. Hops are light here at only 10 IBUS. This isn’t a
bitter beer at all, but the high amount of alcohol (10% by volume) balances
the beer nicely. Belgian candy sugar adds depth and complexity, too.
The Reverend was named after the grandfather of one of Avery’s salesmen, who
was (you guessed it) a reverend. Perhaps not as impressive as a Czar or a
Kaiser, but certainly more apropos to a style derived from monastic
tradition.
I decant some of my bottle of The Reverend into a wide-mouthed
Koningshoeven Trappist ale glass. This is fitting both because this is the
proper glass to serve such a beer in and because this reminds me of La
Trappe Quad. The glass allows the beer to breathe and warm so that it can be
best appreciated in all its glorious complexity.
There is very little head formation atop the orange amber colored liquid.
Unassuming as it appears, the nose reassures the drinker of the nearly
religious drinking experience to come with its complex yeasty notes.
Then you take a sip, and you realize this is a very special beer. The
mouthfeel is full and rich, with wonderfully bready notes accented by hints
of sweet cotton candy, candied fruit, biscuity malt, spicy licorice,
pineapple, molasses, caramel, and coriander. So much going on here it’s
really incredible, just a wonderfully complex beer.
The Reverend does not finish in a bitter way. It does warm the palate (and
the soul) however with a rich alcohol bite. That makes it a beer to sip
gently and enjoy in moderation. A 22 ounce bottle of this should do you
nicely for the evening, and then some.
Don’t make the mistake I did. Buy this the very first time you see it. And
if you haven’t seen it yet, run to a store that has it. And of course, pray
they have some left.
And remember, try a new beer today, and drink outside the box.
*Pricing data accurate at time of review or latest update. For reference only, based on actual price paid by reviewer.
(B)=Bottled
(D)=Draft