T(welve)-10

On the tenth day of Beermas I went and bought for me

10 lords a-robbing?

Nine night owls hooting

Eight maids not for cleaning

Seven avian vampire teasers

Six plans a-hatching

Five collaborations

Four miles of nowhere

Three tropical tree eggs

Two staring wings

And an icy raven looking needy

Oh, the things I'm willing to do for the season!  Drink a Belgian beer?  Well, alright, it does have somebody lordly on the label, so it goes with the song.  I'm also tickled that it says "Robijnrood" on one side, which I misread repeatedly as "Robinhood".  Shows where my sympathies lie, I guess.  What it really is is a red ale, ruby red is the promise, from Brouwerij Haacht.  Charles Quint is no stranger to Belgian beers, but he also has his place in the Spanish beer world.

It does have some ruddiness to it in the glass, sort of a rusty brown color overall.  Very light beige head sits firmly on top.  It certainly smells Belgian, although not as sour or tangy as some.  For the most part the aroma is sweet, although there's just a touch of sour apple.  In the mouth it is plainly a Belgian beer, malty, slightly sour, a real mouthful.  It doesn't have an unpleasant aftertaste, and the flavor is balanced and well under control before the swallow.  It's not a bad sipping, talking beer, with enough body to make snacks welcome but unnecessary.