Bedlam - Ale Asylum

    Bedlam is a Belgian India Pale Ale brewed by Ale Asylum in Madison, Wisconsin. The inclusion of Belgian yeast with the common IPA ingredients makes for an interesting take on a classic style. Bedlam has the honor of being Ale Asylum's summer seasonal.

    Bedlam pours a hazy copper with a one-finger, off-white head.

    The IPA smells very much like citrus and tropical fruits. Papaya, mango, apricot, and lemon are all present in the beer's aroma. There is also a funky sweetness to the ale's scent which I find enticing. There is a slight bit of the smell of Belgian yeast to the ale, but not as much as I would have expected.

    Bedlam has a medium body with a medium amount of carbonation. The ale has a somewhat high alcohol content at 7.5% ABV. There is no alcohol character to the beer, however.

Looks peaceful enough to me...

    The Belgian IPA first hits your tongue with a citrusy bitterness from the hops, followed by sweet flavors of the malts and tropical fruits. There is also a slight bit of the Belgian yeast's flavor, though it blends extremely well with the other IPA flavors.

     I don't really see why the beer is named Bedlam. While the Belgian flavors definitely change the IPA's character, the mix is actually quite pleasant. Nothing is overpowering in the beer, though the name seems to suggest otherwise. I read on Ale Asylum's website that Bedlam was an experiment by the brewmaster, and that he was only going to make one batch if he found that it wasn't to his liking. I can only assume that the crew over at Ale Asylum were so overjoyed at the beer's great taste that they began to riot and extreme chaos ensued.

    I really feel that Bedlam is a unique ale. The mix of styles works extremely well and makes for a Belgian style that I can really get behind. I suppose that the somewhat fruity character of Belgian yeast should be an obvious partner to the tropical fruit and citrus flavors provided by hops, but I was definitely skeptical at first. The beer also gets points for using the Diablo 2 video game font on the label.

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Rare Vos - Brewery Ommegang

    Rare Vos is a Belgian style Amber Ale created by the Cooperstown, New York located Brewery Ommegang. When translated from Flemish (a dialect of Dutch spoken in northern Belgium), Rare Vos means Sly Fox. I have yet to see why exactly this name would be chosen for this style of ale, but i look forward to learning!

    Ommegang's ale pours a fitting red-amber color like the fur of a fox. A gigantic off-white head forms after pouring, though it quickly settles down leaving no trace on the glass.

    The Amber Ale has an interesting, metallic scent to it, like that of mineral water. There is also a very sweet scent of dark fruits and the banana-like Belgian yeast. Earthy spices entice the nose with their homey scents.

    Rare Vos is medium bodied with a medium-low carbonation level. I'm shocked at how smooth this beer is. Perhaps it is called a Sly Fox because it goes down so easily, yet leaves you surprisingly wobbly at 6.5% alcohol by volume.

    The beer tastes very sweet. There is no hint of metallic flavors, but instead, a surprising hint of orange peel. With the wonderful spices in the ale, Rare Vos reminds me of a fresh fruit pie for some reason. The Belgian yeast flavor is present, though it is much more subdued than in other Belgian style ales I have tried. Everything is very well balanced in the beer, making for an easy to drink ale.

I think you would be safer in my mouth!

    I mainly picked up this beer due to its label. I have had other Ommegang ales and have liked them well enough, but I'm a sucker for animals on labels. Add in the fact that the animals are partaking in one of my favorite hobbies, beer tasting, and I'm nearly 100% sure to buy your product based on the label alone. Thinking on the ale's name, however, reminds me of the old tale about the fox and the gingerbread man. We all know the story, the fox is an investment banker who offers to carry the Gingerbread man on his back across the river of homebuying with an amazing loan. The silly gingerbread man agrees, excited to be a new homeowner. Before too long the fox convinces the gingerbread man to invest in some overseas stocks and bonds, and trustingly, the cookie dude agrees. Next thing you know Mr. Gingerbread is so in need of dough that he sells his kids before they are baked to the fox. Long story short, the gingerbread man dies a painful death while the fox, feasting on the gingerbread man's hopes and dreams, retires to a condo in Hawaii.

    Ommegang's Rare Vos will not take advantage of you like the fox in the story, but it might sneak up on you and surprise you with its smoothness. This beer is definitely one of my favorite Belgian style ales that I have tried. There's just something so, safe, and homey about the spiced fruit flavors in the ale that makes me want to curl up and read a book. I'm really glad I tried this one!

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