Belô Ipê

Big alcohol notes, including some fusel, come up in the initial aroma. Fortunately, the rum and dried fruit esters overcome the alcohol and are joined by caramel malt. A faint and rather nondescript spicy phenol peeks through as it warms up. This beer pours a somewhat hazy deep copper color with a light beige, creamy head. The head drops quickly to a thin layer, but it still manages to linger all the way to the last sip.

Caramel malt sweetness is joined by Cachaça, some raisin and a touch of dried apricot in the flavor. The alcohol combines with the slightly spicy phenols to aid in balancing the malt sweetness. A note of oak and a fleeting roast aspect sneaks in at the finish. Perhaps the coriander is part of the spice, but it never seems distinctly identifiable as such. The beer is sufficiently complex for a Belgian Quad but could benefit from increased carbonation to help bring out a more nuanced flavor profile. It’s still a little boozy, but delicious and smooth enough to remain dangerously easy to drink.