Another strong beer we’re reviewing on the site. Hades Belgian Style Ale runs 7.3% ABV and has plenty of kick to boot (nice pun, I thought). Great Divide is another one of those companies that seems innocuous, and you end up really liking some of their stuff. I really loved their Hibernation Ale, for instance. They are certainly worth a try. Without further ado, let’s launch into Hades to find out if it’s one hell of a beer.

The Pour-Hades was of a light, very clean gold color, which surprised me a little as I expected it to have more haze to it. The body on this Belgian Style Ale was not very active, and the head retention was little, which is also a little counter-intuitive for a Belgian beer.

The Nose-I immediately got some powdery and spicy yeast, which is more along the lines of a Belgian (now we’re getting somewhere). There was also a coriander citrus aroma, which some might describe as lemon zest. These aromas, along with sweet malts and a little bit of alcohol, sum up the nose of the beer.

The Taste-Given the alcohol percentage, the beer had some, but not too much, alcohol warmth to it. The spicy yeast popped. The hops hopped (at the very end of the taste). The lemony zest coriander zested. The residual sweetness residuated (that’s my best George W.). And the beer finished with a nice dryness.

Overall, the beer was good but not great. Nothing divides it, so to speak, a drastic distance from the competition. I suppose this depends on the competition. Don’t let this last section fool you, it’s still a good beer that is worth trying.

Mike’s Rating:

Overall Satisfaction: ★★★¾☆ 

Among other White Ales: ★★★½☆ 

Among other Ales: ★★★☆☆