Het Anker Lucifer

Brouwerij Het Anker Lucifer - Belgian Pale Ale (2013)

Brewed and Bottled by Brouwerij Het Anker in Mechelen, Belgium.

Year Round Brew.

25.4 fl. oz. / $9.99 USD / 8% ABV

About: "Lucifer entered the market in the mid 1980s under the label of Liefmans breweries. It was an extension to the popular segment of strong, blonde beers. After Liefmans Breweries disappeared, Lucifer fell into the hands of our neighbours and friends Duvel Moortgat. However, they only wished to concentrate on Liefmans’ fruit beers. Lucifer was in danger of dying a silent death. But we didn’t let it get that far, our conscience couldn’t allow this to happen. Het Anker received the right to produce and commercialise Lucifer. May we roast in hell if it doesn’t follow the success of our own beers!

Lucifer, as the name might suggest, is similar to Duvel. Ok... A Belgian golden, it has sweet malt and a light fruitiness on the nose. The flavor is quite delicate, with a nice bready sweetness up front, a light fruitiness throughout, and long dry finish. Hops: Magnum, Spalt, Saaz"

Thoughts: Today is my son's birthday. He's almost two days days old. Fuck to the yeah! So I thought I'd celebrate tonight with the beer I named him after. Loud ass pop off of the cork. Simple enough pull with a little snug, but not too slippery or stuck... if you know what I mean! Smoke comes firing out. Much like the hell-fire of a newly condemned soul thrown into an unforgiving world of despair.

Well son of the morning star, if this ale isn't a lot lighter than I had expected it to be. Not that I assumed it would be blood red, but... with a name like Lucifer, I figured it would at least be RTTDD. Absolutely massive head on this! It... just... won't... die. Down, that is. Total fluff. This has to be the whitest head I've ever seen on a beer. There's an insane amount of carbonation rising up. The brew is a total cloud of dirty yellow color. Major lacing all around.

The scent is immediately crisp, fruity, no doubt of the Belgian variety. It smells very refreshing, and a little bit spicy. Need I say... tempting? This really is one beautiful smelling beer no doubt about it. It bounces all over the place but at the same time remains in the same spot, like a figure 8.

Taste is just like the scents. It's slightly dank, rustic, tingling, enticing, fruity, zinging, and the flavors just bounce around in the mouth like Q*Bert on a 3-D pyramid pedestal. It's not overly sweet or wrecking, nor is it dull or lousy in any way, in fact, Lucifer tastes fucking great. It feels good and is you can tell immediately that it's a well crafted and cared for beer. It's got a gentle spice, and after the swallow it's a total mellow feel. This beer tastes not only awesome, but it light as a feather while leaving you stiff as a board.

Mouth feel has a heavy foamy feel when you keep it inside for a while. This stuff puffs out quickly. It does go down smooth as HELL though, and leaves a crisp, almost drying sensation. I didn't know that this was a Pale Ale going into it, but I haven't had too many like this for a while... especially strong ones with Belgian influence. The taste was like one big flashback to my past. Not only did this beer surprise me, but it enlightened me as well.