Oct 19, 2012

Devils Backbone Brewing Azrael

Along with Port City Brewing in Alexandria, Devils Backbone (out of Nelson County) is quickly becoming one of my favorite Virginia breweries. If they keep making award winning beer like they have the past couple of years, they will certainly stand alone as the king of the hill in my home state. Just about everything they make is well crafted, easy drinking and full of flavor. This Belgian-inspired golden ale is certainly no different.

Azrael is a 7% ABV golden ale that showcases the brewery’s versatility. While they are most recognized for their Vienna Lager (a personal favorite), Devils Backbone has been playing around with Belgian yeasts as of late. Their Belgian Congo was a great first stab at a Belgian IPA and now we have Azrael which is just as easy drinking and flavorful.

Appearance

Azrael pours a pale gold in color with a slight chill haze, and a smallish white cap that fell to a thin collar around the glass.

Aroma

Belgian yeast, grain, cereal, herbal/spice notes, earthy hops and a touch of banana. It smells pretty darn good.

Taste

Cereal malt, a slight sweetness, banana and Belgian yeast arrive first as spice notes and a light hop character show up toward the lingering finish. The yeast hangs around a bit with a slight warming glow. The beer is well balanced and goes down easy with a medium body and a crisp carbonation. Tasty.

Overall

Azrael is a pretty darn good brew. It’s not the best Devils Backbone brew, but certainly not bad by any means. The sixer of it that I purchased only lasted a few day in the fridge so you know I have no real complaints about it. I much prefer their Vienna Lager or Eight Point IPA, but I can see this Belgian inspired ale showing up in the house again.

Rating: 3.75/5

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