Legend Brewing Z Dam Ale
Back in late October of last year, I picked up (and drank) this bottle of Legend Brewing’s Z Dam Ale knowing full well that it had already sat on shelves for just over six months. I figures, it’s a Belgian-style spiced/golden ale and could handle an extended period in the bottle — longer than your standard, modern IPA at any rate. At any rate, the 6% ABV the beer has been brewed with lime zest and ginger and pays homage to a Richmond, VA area dam that Pony Pasture to Williams Island.
It has also held up fairly well despite the lime and ginger losing some impact on the tastebuds over that time. Z Dam Ale does present a spice blend on the nose and when it hits the tongue, but nothing really stands out as the crisp mouthfeel carries yeast, grain and a hint of honey around your mouth. The beer’s overall presentation is that of a lively and refreshing beer, which would be absolutely crushable if a tad less potent and cracked open on a hot Summer afternoon (instead of the cold and damp October evening during which I drank it).
Despite the age of this particular bottle of Z Dam Ale, it still presented a well rounded drinking experience. The lime and ginger, as stated above, are just about all gone, but the beer presented well and showed signs of being an excellent thirst quencher had I found it during the the Summer months. As it stands, I had no problem with the beer and look forward to running across it mid-2017… hopefully.