Reward? Ale Diablo from Steamworks

A couple weeks ago, I picked up a bomber of one of my favorite fall beers, Ale Diablo from Steamworks in Durango, Colorado. I stuck in in the 'fridge, figuring I'd save it for a special occasion.

Now, I am a man of very low expectations. Seeing me work hard enough to get the next Rocky Mountain Brewing News Hop Tips finished before deadline is good enough for reward time in my book. So, I grabbed the bomber, popped its champagne cork top, and poured myself a pint.

Ale Diablo is a one of those brews that I really look forward to drinking. There is a wicked, yellow eyed, red faced devil on the label (I give bonus points for good label art) and it pours bright golden, an almost hefeweizen color, keeping true to its American Blonde Ale roots.

Ah, but the taste is what I like best. Ale Diablo has a lot more going on in its yellow-ness than most of the other American Blonde Ales. There is plenty of fruity apples and citrus and cloves. There is a nice malty flavor in the background and the earthy hops run from first sip to swallow. It's almost like a Belgian. The flavors are there, but it's lighter. Not as bold as the Belgians we love so much.

I got it! Ale Diablo is a Belgian Lite. It's much more flavorful than most American Blonde Ales, but not as bold and complex as the Belgians.

Oh yea, respect the breath of this beer. You will feel it when you take a quaff. It's not an overpowering taste of alcohol, just a warning that this brew carries a very respectable 8.5% ABV.

The Downside? Availability. Ale Diablo from Steamworks is one of their limited releases and you only find it in the fall. So, buy it when you see it. Tomorrow could be too late.

By the way, the next issue of the Rocky Mountain Brewing News should be showing up at your favorite brew spot in a week or so...and, watch out for the email version of Hop Tips, covering everything beery for the last two weeks of November here in the Rocky Mountain West.

Not a subscriber? Drop me your email and you will be.

Cheers!