Belgian single is a style you don’t see too often; it was originally made by Belgian monks, but wasn’t meant to make it outside the monastery walls.
Since it's hard to concentrate through prayer time after a couple of dubbels or tripels, the monks would brew singles for themselves after making stronger beers for others. Once they'd collected the wort from a strong brew, they'd run water through the malt again to pick up the remaining sugars, and with this they'd make a lighter beer that'd allow them to keep going about their monkly duties.
They may not have followed the same method as the monks, but Common People have made Paradise Circus as a nod to this Belgian style. And just as in a circus, the performers are all playing multiple roles and working together to put on an entertaining show.
Sniff deeply and there’s a spice that goes straight to the back of your throat, courtesy of the Belgian yeast and the addition of grains of paradise. Grains of paradise is one of the world's rarest spices; you're more likely to hear of it in the context of gin, but it makes for a nice addition to Belgian beers too.
"Incredibly expensive, but worth putting it in," says head brewer Sam Tourle. "The results you get from it - florals and spice - are incredible. Works well with the phenolics generated from the abbey ale yeast.”
Those florals tie in well with the malt sweetness, and these all stand on the shoulders of the booze. The Bangalow brewery’s homage creeps above the upper end of the ABV you’d usually see in this style, but that extra alcohol puts on a balancing act with the rolled oats and wheat to give a full body worthy of the big top.
Mick Wüst
