Penrose P-2

Brewed By: Penrose Brewing Company in Geneva, IL  

Purchased: 64oz Growler bought at Penrose in Geneva, IL; 2014 

Style/ABV: Belgian Pale Ale, 5.4%

Reported IBUs: 45

Hooray for excuses to get drunk 3-day weekends! About Penrose:

Penrose was founded by owner Eric Hobbs and partner/Brewmaster Tom Korder in early 2014. The duo are both former Goose Island employees, and they want to focus on brewing Belgian-inspired session ales, oak barrel-aged beer, beers that use alternative fermentation. Located in the lovely town of Geneva, Illinois, the brewery has a local element that is quaint and inviting. For more info, check out the brewery's website or their Facebook page. 

The Penrose P-2 was listed as #2 on their menu when I was at the taproom this Saturday. This Belgian Pale Ale is described as having tropical fruit, clove, and resiny goodness, along with a "Belgian candy sugar middle." I wasn't able to pull out that candy sugar while drinking the beer in the taproom, so I'm hoping to see how that goes now. This one is brewed with 2-Row, Munich, and Carapils malts; Galaxy, Brambling Cross, and Cascade hops; and Bastogne yeast. According to White Labs, the Bastogne is a high-gravity, Trappist style ale yeast. I'm also unfamiliar with the Brambling Cross hops, which are a cross between Brambling goldings and a wild Canadian Manitoban hop. Okay then.

Penrose P-2

P-2 pours into a cloudy, slightly gold/amber body, with yellow and orange tones. It's definitely darker than their Proto Gradus (Belgian single) and their Desirous White IPA. This one kicks up a finger of white head, and there's quite a bit of carbonation present, even after 24 hours in the growler. This one leaves some dynamite sheets of white lacing on the glass, with those iceberg-spiderweb analogies abound. COME AT ME LITERATE BEER BROS.

The aroma here is much less hoppy than you might expect. I'm pulling off some orange, guava, and candied tropical fruits...but the big note on the aroma is that Belgian clove, light band-aid funk, and very light toast/caramel note. If you pull your nose back a bit, and just generally smell the beer, you get some tropical fruits, mango, and juicy hops. Tropical fruits, baby.

This beer reaches back quite far in terms of depth. To say this is overtly simple is probably selling this beer short, but at the same time this does have a simplicity about it. Those Munich malts tho. Up front are lots of citrus hops, mango, tropical fruit. There's some serious cracker and toast notes in here, with bitter hops hinting at iced tea and wet leafs, playing off the toast notes. I still stand by my initial assessment, if this has candi sugar notes, they are very subtle. I'll let this warm up...and give you an update in like 15 minutes. And, after 15 minutes, I'm still getting gentle hops here, with some powdery/candy hop notes, and deep Munich malts. Is tasty.

This is medium-light bodied, with lots of carbonation. The mouthfeel is sweet and big, but the beer is drinkable and hoppy. There's good balance here, which is a total cop-out for saying the beer just kind of middles it. You don't get any of the 5.4%, and this is ridicously drinkable. Palate depth is fantastic, but complexity is kind of middling. I'm getting juicy but bitter hops up front, with oranges, tropical fruits; the mids throw some fruity Belgian candy sugars at you, with more hops that get a bit more herbal and leafy thanks to the toasty Munich malts; the back end cleans up nicely, with lingering hops and toast. Mild Belgian funk rides throughout, with some hints of clove and phenolic spice. Very nuanced, very nice.

Rating: Above-Average (3.5/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Light Above-Average on this. Not amazing, not bad, worth picking up in a growler or getting on-tap. Execution and freshness go a long way in terms of where my score is at, so keep that in mind. Having said all that, this is another great beer to pair with lightly grilled meats, moderately spicy Korean Barbecue, moderately spicy Mexican food, wings, and things that play off the toasty Munich malts. This is solid banging from Penrose, more like this please. 

Random Thought: Nothing is better than a 3-day weekend. Nothing.