First beer from the Old Ox brewery of Ashburn, Virginia, courtesy of Chuck Triplett! Chuck has introduced me to many a fine beer and brewery from his home state of Virginia, and Old Ox Golden Ox is the latest example. Golden Ox is described on the can as a “Belgian Style Golden Ale” and the brewery recommends it for its high drinkability, though that’s not a quality that I normally associate with Belgian golden ales.
Be that as it may, I popped open a can on a cool March evening. It was a very enjoyable beer and I could see it pairing well with a variety of dishes, though I enjoyed it after dinner without any food accompaniment.
From the can label:
Our Belgian Style Golden Ale is worth getting to know. Balanced, easygoing and smooth all year long. What more could you want in a drinking companion?
Ingredients listed on the can:
Hops: Saaz Columbus Chinook
Malts: Pilsner Munich Vienna Abbey
Old Ox Golden Ox has an alcohol content of 6.5% with 18 IBUs. Total Wine sells it for $10.99 a six-pack in Virginia, which is probably a dollar higher than it should retail for.
Old Ox Golden Ox pours to a pale golden color with a medium head of creamy foam and a rich nose of honey sweet malt. Taking a sip, the malts hit you first up front and that’s what I love here, the honeyish Abbey malt and gently nutty Munich and Vienna malts. There are soft phenols and flowery aroma hops leading into a softly balanced finish, but the beer isn’t overly bitter. Oddly, I’m not getting much Belgian character at all.
While I do love the maltiness, Old Ox Golden Ox doesn’t deliver the goods as a Belgian style ale. That said, malt lover that I am, that absence would not stop me from buying and enjoying this beer again.
And remember, try a new beer today, and drink outside the box.
*Pricing data accurate at time of review or latest update. For reference only, based on actual price paid by reviewer.
(B)=Bottled
(D)=Draft