Flat Earth Onvi Ale

A lot more people seem to be talking about Flat Earth Brewing these days. That's a good thing, because they make some tasty beers and deserve some recognition.

Today, I will be having a beer session with Onvi Ale, Flat Earth's biere de garde. This is one of their beers that I have not tried before. I thought it was a seasonal, because I don't see it on liquor store shelves very often. However, the Flat Earth website doesn't call it a seasonal. They just list it as "Special." As I've said before, I enjoy reading their beer descriptions, so here's the one for Onvi:

"Available TBA In 1902, one hundred feet of the Eiffel Tower had to be replaced after it was struck by an electrical discharge. Many believe the source of that surge was from a passing flying saucer. Ovni (flying saucer in French) Ale commemorates the great craftsmanship that went into repairing the tower. This French style bière de garde is made with the finest imported malt and hops. This beer has a substantial malt character with a mild hop bitterness. Ovni Ale pairs well with bouillabaisse, wild game and pasta."

On the label, there is a picture of a little green man crashing a flying saucer into the Eiffel Tower. It must be fun coming up with this stuff! The ABV is listed as 7.1%.

I pour from the bomber into my tulip glass. A 3-finger off white head is easily generated, and slowly falls into a half inch blanket. That half inch isn't going anywhere; it's here to stay. The body color looks like red tinted caramel. It is clear and has lots of bubbles rushing toward the top.

In the aroma I detect some bready, biscuity malt along with a touch of sweet honey. There is a hint of tart fruit and a very mild grassy hop smell.

At first sip, I can't be sure of the flavor nuances. They blend together very well. After a couple more sips, I think I can break it down. There is light sweet malt, some fresh bread, and a tiny hint of earthiness. Then comes a slight tang which leads into the beer quickly turning dry. A moderate bitterness removes the memory of the other flavors and cleans the palate.

There is a medium weight to the body and a nice firm level of carbonation. It feels very clean and easy drinking. Nice lacing works its way around the glass as I drink.

I like it. This beer is pretty malty at the start of each sip, and then the dry and bitter qualities erase the starting flavors for a very clean finish. This makes the beer seem very light, much lighter than it actually is. I would really enjoy drinking this on a nice hot day. It is very refreshing, but it could be dangerous. Even though it is so easy to drink, it is decently strong. You should be careful with this one. It doesn't seem like a 7.1% beer. If you can find some of this beer, buy it and give it a try! I know they're selling growlers of Onvi at the brewery right now...