During the Dark Ages, the Belgian Abbeys emerged as some of the world’s finest breweries, and held some of the most closely guarded brewing traditions. Inspired by visits to the Abbeys during a backpack journey around the world, and armed with the knowledge they’d gained, the Mad Scientists touched down in BKLYN determined to keep the monastic torch burning a world away.
The Mad Scientists’ Belgian-inspired experiments began with an ill-fated homebrew back in the late 90s… the first batch of fearsomely strong ale blew the top off the carboy in explosive fashion. We tweaked the formulation over the years and Sixpoint ABIGALE first appeared in 2005 on the tiny scale — only a select few ever tasted the elusive elixir. We shuttled growlered samples off to bars, imploring bar owners to give the Belgian, Abbey-inspired brew a chance. Before long, devoted patrons could point (with blind faith) to the mysterious Sixpoint Star at local pubs and receive goblets of enchanting brew. Others sought out a rare bottled sample, hand-filled and ornamented, old school Sixpoint style.
We recently traveled back to Belgian to visit the Abbeys and get inspired for the Big brew. Here’s a sneak peek at what went down:
Now, more than a decade since our first Belgian experiments, we dug through old brewing records and recipes, consulted with monks (over beers), and revitalized the formulation. A-BIG-ALE emerges from the catacombs, captured in 12 oz slim stained-glass cans and on draft.
Belgian Abbey yeast and traditional candi sugar ensure a zealous fermentation, and help create classic dark fruity flavors with a hefty ABV. We’ve never been religious about rigid beer styles, so loads of American hops spice the Big Ale. It’s like a hoppy Belgian Strong Ale with a Sixpoint twist… a modern take on Medieval Mad Science.
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