Win bought tickets for a Mets game in early July, so I went down to NY to go to the game and see Win, Dave, and David. I got into town Friday afternoon, and we took the subway to Park Slope, and had dinner at a German restaurant whose name escapes me. I had two new beers there with dinner.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Stieglbrauerei zu Salzburg
Alcohol: 4.90%
Serving: Tap
Style: German Pilsener, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 3.5 | Smell: 4.0| Taste: 3.5 | Mouthfeel: 4.0 | Drinkability: 4.0
Overall: 3.65
This beer pours a clear, straw-golden color, and is topped by a white head that fads to a ring, but is fed by streams of bubbles. The aroma is a bit richer than a lot of other Pilseners. It's grassy and has a bit more of a pronounced malt character that other examples of the style.
A mild, malty sweetness upfront moves into a dry, crisp finish with grassy hops, which leave a nice lingering bittereness. This beer is crisp, and clean with good carbonation.
I thought that this was a pretty tasty Pils.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Keegan Ales
Alcohol: 5.50%
Serving: Tap
Style: American IPA, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 4.0 | Smell: 3.5 | Taste: 4.0 | Mouthfeel: 4.0 | Drinkability: 4.0
Overall: 3.9
This IPA pours a very lightly hazed amber. It's topped by a thick, off-white head that leaves good lace. The aroma is malty with notes of caramel, slight roast, and chocolate, which is very odd for an IPA. The hops are mild and resiny with hints of citrus.
Caramel malts upfront move into a dry grassy, and citric hop finish. This beer is medium-modied with moderate carbonation.
Despite the interesting combination of aromas this was a nice, bitter IPA with good malts to back up the hops.
After dinner we went across the street to a great beer bar and small plates establishment called Beer Table, which had a phenomenal beer list, great snack plates, and a knowledgeable server.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Birrificio Del Ducato
Alcohol: 8.00%
Serving: Tap
Style: Belgian Dark Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 4.5 | Smell: 3.5 | Taste: 4.0 | Mouthfeel: 4.0 | Drinkability: 4.5
Overall: 4.05
Chimera pours a cloudy red color, and it topped by a creamy, off-white head. It looks very nice. The aroma is mild with notes of cherry, and a mild acidity, which made it seem like it might be a milder Flanders Red.
It starts off malty and moves into a light, cherry fruitiness in the center. The finish has a pulpy fruit character, notes of chocolate, and a mild bitterness. This beer is medium-bodied, moderately carbonated, and dry.
This beer reminded my of a mild Flanders Red that was more balanced and less tart.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij De Dochter van de Korenaar
Alcohol: 5.50%
Serving: Bottle
Style: Belgian Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 3.5 | Smell: 3.5 | Taste: 3.5 | Mouthfeel: 3.0 | Drinkability: 3.5
Overall: 3.45
This beer pours a hazy golden color. It's topped by a white head that quickly fades to a ring, and eventually disappears altogether. The aroma has typical esters thrown off by Belgian yeast: bananas and citrus. There's also a bit of graininess, and an odd, hard to place aroma.
Grassy malts move into a fruity, banana sweetness in the center. The finish has a grassy bitterness. This beer feels a bit watery.
The flavors here were good, but it lacked pep.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij De Molen
Alcohol: 9.20%
Serving: Bottle
Style: American Double IPA, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 4.0 | Smell: 4.0 | Taste: 4.0 | Mouthfeel: 4.0 | Drinkability: 4.0
Overall: 4.0
This is Double IPA from a Dutch brewery... interesting. It pours a hazy caramel color, and is topped by a white head that fades to a film. The aroma is malty with overripe banana, buttery notes, and some nuttiness. There's a strong peppery alcoholic whiff, and notes of resiny hops.
Sweet caramel and bready malts upfront move into a center that's sweetened by flavors of overripe fruit. The finish has peppery alcoholic heat, and a resiny, citric hop character, that imparts a moderate bitterness. Full-bodied and moderately carbonated with a smooth finish.
Though not quite an American DIPA this was definitely an enjoyable beer.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij 't Brouwkot
Alcohol: 6.50%
Serving: Bottle
Style: Saison / Farmhouse Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 4.5 | Smell: 3.5 | Taste: 4.5 | Mouthfeel: 4.0 | Drinkability: 4.5
Overall: 4.25
Netebuk pours a hazy golden color, and is topped by a half-inch, bright white head that fades to a film. This is a very attractive beer. The aromas are subdued, but there are notes of lemon, citrus, and grass.
Grassy notes upfront quickly give way to sweet fruity flavors of bright citrus. The finish is crisp with a mild bitterness. This beer is medium-bodied with refreshing and vigorous carbonation.
I though this was a crisp and refreshing saison.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Hof Ten Dormaal
Alcohol: 8.00%
Serving: Bottle
Style: Saison / Farmhouse Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 5.0 | Smell: 4.0 | Taste: 4.0 | Mouthfeel: 3.5 | Drinkability: 4.0
Overall: 4.15
Hof Ten Dormaal's Blond pours a cloudy golden, and is topped by a tall, white head that fades away very slowly. The aroma has a sourdough breadiness, notes of banana, and hay.
Upfront there's a clean but quite sweet maltiness that yields to a banana and citric fruitiness in the center, and moves into a yeasty finish with only hints of bitterness. This beer is light-bodied and highly carbonated.
Pretty aggressive for a saison, but quite tasty.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Birrificio Montegioco
Alcohol: 8.50%
Serving: Bottle
Style: Belgian Strong Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 4.0 | Smell: 4.5 | Taste: 4.5 | Mouthfeel: 4.5 | Drinkability: 4.0
Overall: 4.35
My notes started to get shorter here. This beer pours a hazed red color. The head is thin, and is made up of large, thin bubbles. The aroma is acidic with notes of sour cherries, and woody notes.
There are flavors of cherries, dark fruit, and woody notes. The sourness is there, but as an undertone. The finish has a mild bitterness. This beer is dry and crisp with low carbonation.
Despite not being as sour as I normally like I thought that this beer was a good balance between a puckering Flanders Red and a milder beer.
After leaving Beer Table we went to a bar called The Gate, where we had a couple more drinks.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Lagunitas Brewing Company
Alcohol: 7.83%
Serving: Tap
Style: American Strong Ale
WTF pours a clear brown color, and is topped by an off-white head that is thick and fluffy. The aroma is a nice mix of citric hops and caramel and molasses malts.
This beer starts malty with a mix of roasted and caramel notes. It mellows towards the center before moving into a resiny, grassy hop bitterness. It's medum-bodied and moderately carbonated.
It's a bit strong, but makes a good sipper.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Speakeasy Ales & Lagers
Alcohol: ?
Serving: Tap
Style: English Pale Mild Ale, BJCP Style Guide
This beer pours a clear, copper color, and is topped by a quickly fading beige head. The aroma has notes of grapefruit hops and mild malts.
It's sweet upfront, moving into a citric hop finish. It's sort of one-note. There are citric hops, but not a lot of malt baking, which for me makes the mild.
We had this, among other beers at the Beer Garden in Queens after the game.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Královský Pivovar Krušovice
Alcohol: 3.80%
Serving: Tap
Style: Schwarzbier, BJCP Style Guide
I thought that I'd had this one before, so I didn't take notes. I remember enjoying it, and that's about all I remember about it.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Stieglbrauerei zu Salzburg
Alcohol: 4.90%
Serving: Tap
Style: German Pilsener, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 3.5 | Smell: 4.0| Taste: 3.5 | Mouthfeel: 4.0 | Drinkability: 4.0
Overall: 3.65
This beer pours a clear, straw-golden color, and is topped by a white head that fads to a ring, but is fed by streams of bubbles. The aroma is a bit richer than a lot of other Pilseners. It's grassy and has a bit more of a pronounced malt character that other examples of the style.
A mild, malty sweetness upfront moves into a dry, crisp finish with grassy hops, which leave a nice lingering bittereness. This beer is crisp, and clean with good carbonation.
I thought that this was a pretty tasty Pils.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Keegan Ales
Alcohol: 5.50%
Serving: Tap
Style: American IPA, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 4.0 | Smell: 3.5 | Taste: 4.0 | Mouthfeel: 4.0 | Drinkability: 4.0
Overall: 3.9
This IPA pours a very lightly hazed amber. It's topped by a thick, off-white head that leaves good lace. The aroma is malty with notes of caramel, slight roast, and chocolate, which is very odd for an IPA. The hops are mild and resiny with hints of citrus.
Caramel malts upfront move into a dry grassy, and citric hop finish. This beer is medium-modied with moderate carbonation.
Despite the interesting combination of aromas this was a nice, bitter IPA with good malts to back up the hops.
After dinner we went across the street to a great beer bar and small plates establishment called Beer Table, which had a phenomenal beer list, great snack plates, and a knowledgeable server.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Birrificio Del Ducato
Alcohol: 8.00%
Serving: Tap
Style: Belgian Dark Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 4.5 | Smell: 3.5 | Taste: 4.0 | Mouthfeel: 4.0 | Drinkability: 4.5
Overall: 4.05
Chimera pours a cloudy red color, and it topped by a creamy, off-white head. It looks very nice. The aroma is mild with notes of cherry, and a mild acidity, which made it seem like it might be a milder Flanders Red.
It starts off malty and moves into a light, cherry fruitiness in the center. The finish has a pulpy fruit character, notes of chocolate, and a mild bitterness. This beer is medium-bodied, moderately carbonated, and dry.
This beer reminded my of a mild Flanders Red that was more balanced and less tart.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij De Dochter van de Korenaar
Alcohol: 5.50%
Serving: Bottle
Style: Belgian Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 3.5 | Smell: 3.5 | Taste: 3.5 | Mouthfeel: 3.0 | Drinkability: 3.5
Overall: 3.45
This beer pours a hazy golden color. It's topped by a white head that quickly fades to a ring, and eventually disappears altogether. The aroma has typical esters thrown off by Belgian yeast: bananas and citrus. There's also a bit of graininess, and an odd, hard to place aroma.
Grassy malts move into a fruity, banana sweetness in the center. The finish has a grassy bitterness. This beer feels a bit watery.
The flavors here were good, but it lacked pep.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij De Molen
Alcohol: 9.20%
Serving: Bottle
Style: American Double IPA, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 4.0 | Smell: 4.0 | Taste: 4.0 | Mouthfeel: 4.0 | Drinkability: 4.0
Overall: 4.0
This is Double IPA from a Dutch brewery... interesting. It pours a hazy caramel color, and is topped by a white head that fades to a film. The aroma is malty with overripe banana, buttery notes, and some nuttiness. There's a strong peppery alcoholic whiff, and notes of resiny hops.
Sweet caramel and bready malts upfront move into a center that's sweetened by flavors of overripe fruit. The finish has peppery alcoholic heat, and a resiny, citric hop character, that imparts a moderate bitterness. Full-bodied and moderately carbonated with a smooth finish.
Though not quite an American DIPA this was definitely an enjoyable beer.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij 't Brouwkot
Alcohol: 6.50%
Serving: Bottle
Style: Saison / Farmhouse Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 4.5 | Smell: 3.5 | Taste: 4.5 | Mouthfeel: 4.0 | Drinkability: 4.5
Overall: 4.25
Netebuk pours a hazy golden color, and is topped by a half-inch, bright white head that fades to a film. This is a very attractive beer. The aromas are subdued, but there are notes of lemon, citrus, and grass.
Grassy notes upfront quickly give way to sweet fruity flavors of bright citrus. The finish is crisp with a mild bitterness. This beer is medium-bodied with refreshing and vigorous carbonation.
I though this was a crisp and refreshing saison.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Hof Ten Dormaal
Alcohol: 8.00%
Serving: Bottle
Style: Saison / Farmhouse Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 5.0 | Smell: 4.0 | Taste: 4.0 | Mouthfeel: 3.5 | Drinkability: 4.0
Overall: 4.15
Hof Ten Dormaal's Blond pours a cloudy golden, and is topped by a tall, white head that fades away very slowly. The aroma has a sourdough breadiness, notes of banana, and hay.
Upfront there's a clean but quite sweet maltiness that yields to a banana and citric fruitiness in the center, and moves into a yeasty finish with only hints of bitterness. This beer is light-bodied and highly carbonated.
Pretty aggressive for a saison, but quite tasty.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Birrificio Montegioco
Alcohol: 8.50%
Serving: Bottle
Style: Belgian Strong Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 4.0 | Smell: 4.5 | Taste: 4.5 | Mouthfeel: 4.5 | Drinkability: 4.0
Overall: 4.35
My notes started to get shorter here. This beer pours a hazed red color. The head is thin, and is made up of large, thin bubbles. The aroma is acidic with notes of sour cherries, and woody notes.
There are flavors of cherries, dark fruit, and woody notes. The sourness is there, but as an undertone. The finish has a mild bitterness. This beer is dry and crisp with low carbonation.
Despite not being as sour as I normally like I thought that this beer was a good balance between a puckering Flanders Red and a milder beer.
After leaving Beer Table we went to a bar called The Gate, where we had a couple more drinks.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Lagunitas Brewing Company
Alcohol: 7.83%
Serving: Tap
Style: American Strong Ale
WTF pours a clear brown color, and is topped by an off-white head that is thick and fluffy. The aroma is a nice mix of citric hops and caramel and molasses malts.
This beer starts malty with a mix of roasted and caramel notes. It mellows towards the center before moving into a resiny, grassy hop bitterness. It's medum-bodied and moderately carbonated.
It's a bit strong, but makes a good sipper.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Speakeasy Ales & Lagers
Alcohol: ?
Serving: Tap
Style: English Pale Mild Ale, BJCP Style Guide
This beer pours a clear, copper color, and is topped by a quickly fading beige head. The aroma has notes of grapefruit hops and mild malts.
It's sweet upfront, moving into a citric hop finish. It's sort of one-note. There are citric hops, but not a lot of malt baking, which for me makes the mild.
We had this, among other beers at the Beer Garden in Queens after the game.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Královský Pivovar Krušovice
Alcohol: 3.80%
Serving: Tap
Style: Schwarzbier, BJCP Style Guide
I thought that I'd had this one before, so I didn't take notes. I remember enjoying it, and that's about all I remember about it.
Labels: American Double IPA, American IPA, American Strong Ale, Belgian Dark Ale, Belgian Pale Ale, English Pale Mild Ale, German Pilsener, Saison, Schwarzbier
Day Eight, Brussels: Poechenellekelder, Delirium Café, Packing
Published by Unknown on Tuesday, December 19, 2006 at 7:22 PM.
Having arrived in Brussels we checked in to the hostel. The first thing I did was shave, then we decided to head out for dinner and beer. Our first stop was Poechenellekelder where we had a dinner of croque monsieurs and a round.
572. Urthel Hop-It
Beer Stats:
Brewery: De Leyerth Brouwerijen
Alcohol: 9.50%
Serving: Bottle, 11.2 oz.
Style: Belgian IPA
Appearance (4.5): Pours a cloudy golden with a thick, four-finger head that fades to an irregular film leaving heavy lace.
Smell (4.0): Fruity with peppery spice, alcohol and light hops.
Taste (4.0): Sweet fruits upfront, there are some cherry notes. The finish is peppery before moving into a significant hop bitterness that has a nice interplay with some lemony tartness.
Mouthfeel (4.0): High carbonation, light to medium-bodied.
Drinkability (4.0): Good hoppiness to provide balance.
Overall (4.1)
573. Barbãr Winter Bok
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brasserie Lefèbvre SA
Alcohol: 8.00%
Serving: Tap
Style: Belgian Strong Dark Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (3.5): Pours a hazy brown with a beige head that thins to a ring leaving patchy lace.
Smell (4.0): Dark fruit, spices and an almost evergreen aroma.
Taste (3.5): Sweet fruit and maltiness upfront. The finish is spicy with a light bitterness. A little too sweet.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Medium-bodied, moderate carbonation.
Drinkability (3.5): Easy to drink, despite sweetness.
Overall (3.65)
After finishing dinner and our beers at Poechenellekelder we went to Delirium Café for a few more rounds. The bar was pretty crowded, but we were able to find seats at the bar.
574. Gentse Tripel
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Van Steenberge N.V.
Alcohol: 8.00%
Serving: Bottle, 11.2 oz.
Style: Tripel, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (3.5): Pours a cloudy golden-amber with a white head that thins to a persistent film leaving no lace.
Smell (3.5): Cherries and caramel. Odd aromas for a tripel, but it smells nice.
Taste (4.0): Some tartness and toasty malts upfront. There's an almost a honey sweetness before the finish, which is peppery, grainy and lightly bitter.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Medium-bodied, high carbonation.
Drinkability (4.0): Quite nice, not too sweet.
Overall (3.8)
575. Abbaye De Rocs Blond
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brasserie de l'Abbaye des Rocs s.a.
Alcohol: ?
Serving: Bottle, 11.2 oz.
Style: Belgian Strong Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (3.0): Pours a very light blond color with a white head that thins to a ring leaving little lace.
Smell (3.0): Sweet maltiness with some tart fruit (maybe sour apple). Very light.
Taste (3.0): Sweet and fruity throughout. There's some light tart apples, light pepper and light bitterness.
Mouthfeel (3.5): Light to medium-bodied, moderate carbonation.
Drinkability (3.5): Not terribly flavorful.
Overall (3.1)
After the first round we each had an Orval. My bottle was from September 2006 and David's was from July 2006. The Brettanomyces aroma and flavors were much more evident in David's bottle. Just two months had made a huge difference in flavor and aroma.
576. Saison De Pipaix
The bartender said he hadn't seen this one, and that he'd have to look. He brought back a dusty bottle with a best by date of August 2003.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brasserie à Vapeur
Alcohol: 6.00%
Serving: Bottle, 750 mL
Style: Saison, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a cloudy orange-amber (though our first pours were crystal-clear). It's topped by a thick, off-white head that thins to a film leaving heavy lace.
Smell (4.0): Sourish almost lambic-like hints, cherry fruitiness and some light maltiness that's hard to place.
Taste (4.5): Sour cherries with some light medicinals, some Brett character and a mild bitterness. Nice tartness
Mouthfeel (4.0): Light-bodied, low carbonation, with a mild dryness.
Drinkability (4.0): Quite drinkable and interesting.
Overall (4.2): Even though the best by date had long since passed this beer had aged quite well.
577. Het Kapittel Dubbel
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Van Eecke N.V.
Alcohol: 7.00%
Serving: Bottle, 11.2 oz.
Style: Dubbel, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a cloudy ruby-brown with a brown head that fades to a quarter-inch layer leaving little lace.
Smell (3.5): Light, but notes of caramel malts and dark fruit.
Taste (3.5): Sweet upfront with raisins and brown sugar. The finish is lightly peppery with hints of roastiness.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Full-bodied, moderate carbonation, and light warming alcohol.
Drinkability (3.5): A little too sweet.
Overall (3.65)
578. Het Kapittel Pater
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Van Eecke N.V.
Alcohol: 6.00%
Serving: Bottle, 11.2 oz.
Style: Belgian Dark Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a hazy amber-brown with an off-white head that fades to a quarter-inch layer leaving patchy lace.
Smell (4.0): Caramel maltiness, with an intriguing smoky character.
Taste (3.5): Caramel sweetness, light pepper, toasty malts with a neutral finish.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Medium-bodied, low carbonation.
Drinkability (3.5): Too sweet.
Overall (3.75)
We still needed to pack, so we left Delirium Café and started the walk back to our hostel. Across the alleyway from the bar is the Janneken Pis, the female counterpart of the Manneken Pis.
Janneken Pis
I still needed to buy chocolate for the lab so decided to stop at a chocolate shop on the way back to the hostel. The Manneken Pis themed chocolatier was eliminated because of sheer kitsch, as evidenced by the photo below. We ended up stopping at Corne Port Royal where I dropped 25 € on a box of chocolates, 2 milk chocolate bars and two 77% cocoa bars. The lab was very pleased.
Kitsch
We got back to the hostel and packed. We had two six-packs of Westvleteren to pack as well as a 750 mL bottle of Cantillon St. Lamvinus, an 11.2 oz bottle of Duvel Gefilterd and an 11.2 oz bottle of Verboden Vrucht. The Westvleteren and the Cantillon were highest priority. We put David's clothes in my bag, and put the beer in David's small duffle. We wrapped each bottle of Westvleteren in socks and then newspaper and placed them back in the six-pack holders. We wrapped the Cantillon in a shirt. We padded the bag heavily with paper and then put the beers in. We left the Verboden Vrucht and decided to drink the Duvel Gefilterd.
579. Duvel Gefilterd
I did this blind and side-by-side with a normal Duvel, which we bought from the hostel bar.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Duvel Moortgat NV
Alcohol: 7.50%
Serving: Bottle, 25 cL
Style: Belgian Strong Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance:
Duvel: Hazy golden with a huge white head.
Gefilterd: Clear golden with a huge white head.
Smell:
Duvel: Bananas, pepper and some graininess.
Gefilterd: Bananas, pepper and some graininess, but much fruitier than the standard Duvel.
Taste:
Duvel: Fruity, but less so than the Gefilterd. It is more peppery, more grainy and more bitter than the Gefilterd.
Gefilterd: Fruity, mostly bananas with peppery spice in the finish, alcoholic warmth with a little bit of burning. Sweeter and fruitier than the Duvel.
Mouthfeel:
Duvel: High carbonation, light-bodied.
Gefilterd: High carbonation, light-bodied.
572. Urthel Hop-It
Beer Stats:
Brewery: De Leyerth Brouwerijen
Alcohol: 9.50%
Serving: Bottle, 11.2 oz.
Style: Belgian IPA
Appearance (4.5): Pours a cloudy golden with a thick, four-finger head that fades to an irregular film leaving heavy lace.
Smell (4.0): Fruity with peppery spice, alcohol and light hops.
Taste (4.0): Sweet fruits upfront, there are some cherry notes. The finish is peppery before moving into a significant hop bitterness that has a nice interplay with some lemony tartness.
Mouthfeel (4.0): High carbonation, light to medium-bodied.
Drinkability (4.0): Good hoppiness to provide balance.
Overall (4.1)
573. Barbãr Winter Bok
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brasserie Lefèbvre SA
Alcohol: 8.00%
Serving: Tap
Style: Belgian Strong Dark Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (3.5): Pours a hazy brown with a beige head that thins to a ring leaving patchy lace.
Smell (4.0): Dark fruit, spices and an almost evergreen aroma.
Taste (3.5): Sweet fruit and maltiness upfront. The finish is spicy with a light bitterness. A little too sweet.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Medium-bodied, moderate carbonation.
Drinkability (3.5): Easy to drink, despite sweetness.
Overall (3.65)
After finishing dinner and our beers at Poechenellekelder we went to Delirium Café for a few more rounds. The bar was pretty crowded, but we were able to find seats at the bar.
574. Gentse Tripel
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Van Steenberge N.V.
Alcohol: 8.00%
Serving: Bottle, 11.2 oz.
Style: Tripel, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (3.5): Pours a cloudy golden-amber with a white head that thins to a persistent film leaving no lace.
Smell (3.5): Cherries and caramel. Odd aromas for a tripel, but it smells nice.
Taste (4.0): Some tartness and toasty malts upfront. There's an almost a honey sweetness before the finish, which is peppery, grainy and lightly bitter.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Medium-bodied, high carbonation.
Drinkability (4.0): Quite nice, not too sweet.
Overall (3.8)
575. Abbaye De Rocs Blond
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brasserie de l'Abbaye des Rocs s.a.
Alcohol: ?
Serving: Bottle, 11.2 oz.
Style: Belgian Strong Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (3.0): Pours a very light blond color with a white head that thins to a ring leaving little lace.
Smell (3.0): Sweet maltiness with some tart fruit (maybe sour apple). Very light.
Taste (3.0): Sweet and fruity throughout. There's some light tart apples, light pepper and light bitterness.
Mouthfeel (3.5): Light to medium-bodied, moderate carbonation.
Drinkability (3.5): Not terribly flavorful.
Overall (3.1)
After the first round we each had an Orval. My bottle was from September 2006 and David's was from July 2006. The Brettanomyces aroma and flavors were much more evident in David's bottle. Just two months had made a huge difference in flavor and aroma.
576. Saison De Pipaix
The bartender said he hadn't seen this one, and that he'd have to look. He brought back a dusty bottle with a best by date of August 2003.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brasserie à Vapeur
Alcohol: 6.00%
Serving: Bottle, 750 mL
Style: Saison, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a cloudy orange-amber (though our first pours were crystal-clear). It's topped by a thick, off-white head that thins to a film leaving heavy lace.
Smell (4.0): Sourish almost lambic-like hints, cherry fruitiness and some light maltiness that's hard to place.
Taste (4.5): Sour cherries with some light medicinals, some Brett character and a mild bitterness. Nice tartness
Mouthfeel (4.0): Light-bodied, low carbonation, with a mild dryness.
Drinkability (4.0): Quite drinkable and interesting.
Overall (4.2): Even though the best by date had long since passed this beer had aged quite well.
577. Het Kapittel Dubbel
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Van Eecke N.V.
Alcohol: 7.00%
Serving: Bottle, 11.2 oz.
Style: Dubbel, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a cloudy ruby-brown with a brown head that fades to a quarter-inch layer leaving little lace.
Smell (3.5): Light, but notes of caramel malts and dark fruit.
Taste (3.5): Sweet upfront with raisins and brown sugar. The finish is lightly peppery with hints of roastiness.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Full-bodied, moderate carbonation, and light warming alcohol.
Drinkability (3.5): A little too sweet.
Overall (3.65)
578. Het Kapittel Pater
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Van Eecke N.V.
Alcohol: 6.00%
Serving: Bottle, 11.2 oz.
Style: Belgian Dark Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a hazy amber-brown with an off-white head that fades to a quarter-inch layer leaving patchy lace.
Smell (4.0): Caramel maltiness, with an intriguing smoky character.
Taste (3.5): Caramel sweetness, light pepper, toasty malts with a neutral finish.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Medium-bodied, low carbonation.
Drinkability (3.5): Too sweet.
Overall (3.75)
We still needed to pack, so we left Delirium Café and started the walk back to our hostel. Across the alleyway from the bar is the Janneken Pis, the female counterpart of the Manneken Pis.
Janneken Pis
I still needed to buy chocolate for the lab so decided to stop at a chocolate shop on the way back to the hostel. The Manneken Pis themed chocolatier was eliminated because of sheer kitsch, as evidenced by the photo below. We ended up stopping at Corne Port Royal where I dropped 25 € on a box of chocolates, 2 milk chocolate bars and two 77% cocoa bars. The lab was very pleased.
Kitsch
We got back to the hostel and packed. We had two six-packs of Westvleteren to pack as well as a 750 mL bottle of Cantillon St. Lamvinus, an 11.2 oz bottle of Duvel Gefilterd and an 11.2 oz bottle of Verboden Vrucht. The Westvleteren and the Cantillon were highest priority. We put David's clothes in my bag, and put the beer in David's small duffle. We wrapped each bottle of Westvleteren in socks and then newspaper and placed them back in the six-pack holders. We wrapped the Cantillon in a shirt. We padded the bag heavily with paper and then put the beers in. We left the Verboden Vrucht and decided to drink the Duvel Gefilterd.
579. Duvel Gefilterd
I did this blind and side-by-side with a normal Duvel, which we bought from the hostel bar.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Duvel Moortgat NV
Alcohol: 7.50%
Serving: Bottle, 25 cL
Style: Belgian Strong Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance:
Duvel: Hazy golden with a huge white head.
Gefilterd: Clear golden with a huge white head.
Smell:
Duvel: Bananas, pepper and some graininess.
Gefilterd: Bananas, pepper and some graininess, but much fruitier than the standard Duvel.
Taste:
Duvel: Fruity, but less so than the Gefilterd. It is more peppery, more grainy and more bitter than the Gefilterd.
Gefilterd: Fruity, mostly bananas with peppery spice in the finish, alcoholic warmth with a little bit of burning. Sweeter and fruitier than the Duvel.
Mouthfeel:
Duvel: High carbonation, light-bodied.
Gefilterd: High carbonation, light-bodied.
Labels: Belgian Dark Ale, Belgian IPA, Belgian Strong Dark Ale, Belgian Strong Pale Ale, Belgium 2006, Dubbel, Saison, Travel, Tripel
We returned to the hotel in Kortrijk and headed to a bar called Boulevard. The inside reminded me of a house, there was a distinct front room filled with tables. The waitress, who wore a bright red hat, took us through the menu and was very friendly. I was impressed at how easily she moved through the packed bar carrying a tray. It was crowded so we ended up having the first round standing. The waitress eventually found us a spot at a large table where a young couple was sitting. We talked with them until they had to leave. I don't remember the context, but the guy said, "The Germans also made mistakes."
David's careful examination of a bottle of Cantillon caught the eye of the couple at the next table, they were probably late 50s or early 60s. They invited us over and bought us a round, we chose Rodenbach. We talked for a while, but language was a little bit more of an issue. Somehow the topic turned to WWI or WWII and the guy said "Without the Americans we would all be Germans." The quote isn't exact because his construction of the statement wasn't exact.
We also had a great plate of snacks that included cheese, sausage with mustard, cornichons, yellow cocktail onions and pine nuts. In addition to the new beers listed below, we had a bottle of Cantillon Broucsella Grand Cru, which was brought out in a champagne bucket, and the Rodenbachs that were purchased for us.
569. Moinette Blond
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brasserie Dupont sprl
Alcohol: 8.50%
Serving: Bottle
Style: Belgian Strong Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a cloudy golden with a thick, white head that fades to a persistent, quarter-inch layer leaving patchy lace.
Smell (4.0): Bananas, pepper and graininess.
Taste (4.0): Well attenuated, there are notes of fruit that lack the accompanying sweetness. Pepper in the finish gives way to grainy flavors as well as some light bitterness.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Medium-bodied, moderate carbonation.
Drinkability (4.0): Very nice and not too sweet.
Overall (4.0)
570. Urchon
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brasserie Des Géants
Alcohol: 7.50%
Serving: Bottle
Style: Belgian Dark Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a hazy brown with a thick, brown head that fades to a quarter-inch layer leaving patchy but light lace.
Smell (4.0): Raisins. caramel, toffee and some light cherry aromas.
Taste (4.0): Malty, like the smell there are raisins, caramel and toffee. There are also some toasted malt flavors. The finish has a light spiciness and a light bitterness.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Medium-bodied, low carbonation.
Drinkability (4.0): Quite nice.
Overall (4.0)
571. De Ranke Guldenberg
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij De Ranke
Alcohol: 8.50%
Serving: Bottle, 750 mL
Style: Tripel, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a hazy golden with a white, whipped-cream head that fades to a thin film leaving patchy lace.
Smell (4.0): Light fruitiness and some peppery spice.
Taste (4.0): On the sweet side, but it balances out. Fruity with a significant peppery spice. A sour apple tartness emerges in the finish with a light bitterness.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Medium-bodied with high carbonation.
Drinkability (4.0): Very drinkable.
Overall (4.0)
David's careful examination of a bottle of Cantillon caught the eye of the couple at the next table, they were probably late 50s or early 60s. They invited us over and bought us a round, we chose Rodenbach. We talked for a while, but language was a little bit more of an issue. Somehow the topic turned to WWI or WWII and the guy said "Without the Americans we would all be Germans." The quote isn't exact because his construction of the statement wasn't exact.
We also had a great plate of snacks that included cheese, sausage with mustard, cornichons, yellow cocktail onions and pine nuts. In addition to the new beers listed below, we had a bottle of Cantillon Broucsella Grand Cru, which was brought out in a champagne bucket, and the Rodenbachs that were purchased for us.
569. Moinette Blond
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brasserie Dupont sprl
Alcohol: 8.50%
Serving: Bottle
Style: Belgian Strong Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a cloudy golden with a thick, white head that fades to a persistent, quarter-inch layer leaving patchy lace.
Smell (4.0): Bananas, pepper and graininess.
Taste (4.0): Well attenuated, there are notes of fruit that lack the accompanying sweetness. Pepper in the finish gives way to grainy flavors as well as some light bitterness.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Medium-bodied, moderate carbonation.
Drinkability (4.0): Very nice and not too sweet.
Overall (4.0)
570. Urchon
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brasserie Des Géants
Alcohol: 7.50%
Serving: Bottle
Style: Belgian Dark Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a hazy brown with a thick, brown head that fades to a quarter-inch layer leaving patchy but light lace.
Smell (4.0): Raisins. caramel, toffee and some light cherry aromas.
Taste (4.0): Malty, like the smell there are raisins, caramel and toffee. There are also some toasted malt flavors. The finish has a light spiciness and a light bitterness.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Medium-bodied, low carbonation.
Drinkability (4.0): Quite nice.
Overall (4.0)
571. De Ranke Guldenberg
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij De Ranke
Alcohol: 8.50%
Serving: Bottle, 750 mL
Style: Tripel, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a hazy golden with a white, whipped-cream head that fades to a thin film leaving patchy lace.
Smell (4.0): Light fruitiness and some peppery spice.
Taste (4.0): On the sweet side, but it balances out. Fruity with a significant peppery spice. A sour apple tartness emerges in the finish with a light bitterness.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Medium-bodied with high carbonation.
Drinkability (4.0): Very drinkable.
Overall (4.0)
Labels: Belgian Dark Ale, Belgian Strong Pale Ale, Belgium 2006, Travel, Tripel
Day Seven, West Flanders: Kortrijk, Ieper, Poperinge, Paix, Ter Posterie
Published by Unknown on at 2:06 AM.
We had breakfast at the hostel in Brugge and then caught the train to Kortrijk. We walked around the city and saw what there was to see, which was essentially just the Stadhuis. We stopped for lunch at a restaurant called "Pomodoro, Pomodoro," where David had an alleged slice of pizza and I had salmon ravioli.
Having exhausted the tourism opportunities in Kortrijk, we decided to take to train to Ieper, rent a car and drive to some of the WWI grave sites in the surrounding countryside. The rental place was a Ford dealership on the edge of town. We were able to rent a Ford KA without any problems, though the guy thought it was weird that we just wanted it for one day. We stopped for gas (petrol!) and purchased a road atlas of Belgium. The picture below isn't the car we drove, but it gives you an idea of how small the car was.
The tiny Ford KA
We drove to various WWI cemeteries around Ieper including the German Cemetery.
WWI cemetery
WWI cemetery
WWI cemetery
WWI cemetery
A monument to Canadian soldiers
German cemetery
German cemetery
After driving to the cemeteries, which where wholly depressing, we decided to drive to Abdij St. Sixtus to see if In De Vrede, the brewery café, was open. We tried to take N8 to Westvleteren, but due to abysmal signage, we were unable to follow the road. We ended up getting lost and taking a circuitous route. Finding the abbey on the back roads was difficult as well. We eventually found it, but the café is closed on Fridays so we weren't able to get anything.
We then drove into Poperinge for dinner. The plan was to eat at Paix, which was listed in the Good Beer Guide, but the food was a little too haught. Instead we stopped at a Belgian fast food palce. I ordered a burger and fries (with mayo) and a can of Hoegaarden, and David ordered a chicken kabob with fries (with ketchup). The burger was okay, but the fries were good. As we were leaving the fast food place we saw the guy we rented the car from in line, though he didn't notice us.
We then went to Paix for a round before heading to Ieper.
565. Queue De Charrue Brune
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brasserie Vanuxeem
Alcohol: ?
Serving: Bottle, 11.2 oz.
Style: Belgian Dark Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (3.5): Pours a clear ruby with a thin brown head that fades to a sudsy film.
Smell (3.5): Notes of cherries with some medicinal phenols.
Taste (3.5): Cherry sweetness with a flash of tartness and a medicinal finish. Too sweet overall.
Mouthfeel (3.5): Medium-bodied, low carbonation, a bit syrupy.
Drinkability (3.5): Too sweet and syrupy, but otherwise not bad.
Overall (3.5)
566. Queue De Charrue Blonde
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brasserie Vanuxeem
Alcohol: 9.00%
Serving: Bottle, 11.2 oz.
Style: Belgian Strong Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a cloudy golden with a thick, white head that fades to a persistent quarter-inch layer leaving patchy lace.
Smell (3.5): Grainy with some pepper and light citrus.
Taste (4.0): Subdued fruity sweetness upfront with a peppery and grainy finish with a light bitterness.
Mouthfeel (3.5): High carbonation, light-bodied with a grainy dryness.
Drinkability (4.0): Good, sweet and spicy.
Overall (3.85)
After leaving Paix we headed to Ieper and went to Ter Posterie for a round. We were the only people in the bar aside from a large group of British people who asked if I was writing a thesis on beer, and later called us tickers under their breath.
567. Yperman
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Leroy
Alcohol: 5.50%
Serving: Bottle
Style: Belgian Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a lightly hazy amber-golden with a thin off-white head that persists as a thin layer.
Smell (3.5): Light fruit, sugar and peppery spice.
Taste (3.5): Light sweetness, fruit and toasty malts upfront. The finish is peppery with some mild bitterness.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Medium-bodied, low carbonation, lightly dry finish.
Drinkability (4.0): Decently drinkable. Not too sweet.
Overall (3.7)
568. Kuurnse Witte
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Bavik
Alcohol: 7.00%
Serving: Bottle
Style: Witbier, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a hazy golden with a thick, ecru head that fades to a thin film leaving heavy lace.
Smell (3.5): Sweet and fruity with bananas, tart orange, some sweet malt, pepper and coriander.
Taste (3.5): Sweet bananas, some orangey tartness, with a light spiciness and a light graininess in the finish.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Medium-bodied, low carbonation, dry graininess and warming alcohol.
Drinkability (3.5): Too sweet.
Overall (3.65)
Having exhausted the tourism opportunities in Kortrijk, we decided to take to train to Ieper, rent a car and drive to some of the WWI grave sites in the surrounding countryside. The rental place was a Ford dealership on the edge of town. We were able to rent a Ford KA without any problems, though the guy thought it was weird that we just wanted it for one day. We stopped for gas (petrol!) and purchased a road atlas of Belgium. The picture below isn't the car we drove, but it gives you an idea of how small the car was.
The tiny Ford KA
We drove to various WWI cemeteries around Ieper including the German Cemetery.
WWI cemetery
WWI cemetery
WWI cemetery
WWI cemetery
A monument to Canadian soldiers
German cemetery
German cemetery
After driving to the cemeteries, which where wholly depressing, we decided to drive to Abdij St. Sixtus to see if In De Vrede, the brewery café, was open. We tried to take N8 to Westvleteren, but due to abysmal signage, we were unable to follow the road. We ended up getting lost and taking a circuitous route. Finding the abbey on the back roads was difficult as well. We eventually found it, but the café is closed on Fridays so we weren't able to get anything.
We then drove into Poperinge for dinner. The plan was to eat at Paix, which was listed in the Good Beer Guide, but the food was a little too haught. Instead we stopped at a Belgian fast food palce. I ordered a burger and fries (with mayo) and a can of Hoegaarden, and David ordered a chicken kabob with fries (with ketchup). The burger was okay, but the fries were good. As we were leaving the fast food place we saw the guy we rented the car from in line, though he didn't notice us.
We then went to Paix for a round before heading to Ieper.
565. Queue De Charrue Brune
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brasserie Vanuxeem
Alcohol: ?
Serving: Bottle, 11.2 oz.
Style: Belgian Dark Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (3.5): Pours a clear ruby with a thin brown head that fades to a sudsy film.
Smell (3.5): Notes of cherries with some medicinal phenols.
Taste (3.5): Cherry sweetness with a flash of tartness and a medicinal finish. Too sweet overall.
Mouthfeel (3.5): Medium-bodied, low carbonation, a bit syrupy.
Drinkability (3.5): Too sweet and syrupy, but otherwise not bad.
Overall (3.5)
566. Queue De Charrue Blonde
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brasserie Vanuxeem
Alcohol: 9.00%
Serving: Bottle, 11.2 oz.
Style: Belgian Strong Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a cloudy golden with a thick, white head that fades to a persistent quarter-inch layer leaving patchy lace.
Smell (3.5): Grainy with some pepper and light citrus.
Taste (4.0): Subdued fruity sweetness upfront with a peppery and grainy finish with a light bitterness.
Mouthfeel (3.5): High carbonation, light-bodied with a grainy dryness.
Drinkability (4.0): Good, sweet and spicy.
Overall (3.85)
After leaving Paix we headed to Ieper and went to Ter Posterie for a round. We were the only people in the bar aside from a large group of British people who asked if I was writing a thesis on beer, and later called us tickers under their breath.
567. Yperman
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Leroy
Alcohol: 5.50%
Serving: Bottle
Style: Belgian Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a lightly hazy amber-golden with a thin off-white head that persists as a thin layer.
Smell (3.5): Light fruit, sugar and peppery spice.
Taste (3.5): Light sweetness, fruit and toasty malts upfront. The finish is peppery with some mild bitterness.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Medium-bodied, low carbonation, lightly dry finish.
Drinkability (4.0): Decently drinkable. Not too sweet.
Overall (3.7)
568. Kuurnse Witte
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Bavik
Alcohol: 7.00%
Serving: Bottle
Style: Witbier, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a hazy golden with a thick, ecru head that fades to a thin film leaving heavy lace.
Smell (3.5): Sweet and fruity with bananas, tart orange, some sweet malt, pepper and coriander.
Taste (3.5): Sweet bananas, some orangey tartness, with a light spiciness and a light graininess in the finish.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Medium-bodied, low carbonation, dry graininess and warming alcohol.
Drinkability (3.5): Too sweet.
Overall (3.65)
Labels: Belgian Dark Ale, Belgian Pale Ale, Belgian Strong Pale Ale, Belgium 2006, Travel, Witbier
After seeing Gravensteen we took the Number 1 Tram south, and then walked to De Hopduvel for a few rounds. The bar is dimly lit and fairly large. There's a small bar to the left as you enter, a room of seating to the right, and another room with lots of seating towards the back. There's an outside courtyard that's probably nice in warmer weather. The front room is decorated with an extensive collection of empty bottles and the walls of the back room are decorated with various beer signs. Aside from the decorations the place has the feel of a medieval house. The beer selection was excellent.
As a service to other patrons who can't read Dutch, the sign on the door to the restroom probably warns you about the step down that you'll encounter when you walk through the door.
David spent a while drawing various Belgian beer images on the back of a coaster, which included a version of the devil on the Hopduvel menu disco dancing. He gave it to the bartender, who seemed to like it.
537. De Dolle Dulle Teve
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij De Dolle Brouwers
Alcohol: 10.00%
Serving: Bottle, 11.2 oz.
Style: Tripel, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.5): Pours a lightly hazy golden. Topped by a fluffy, meringue-like, white head with good retention and nice lacing.
Smell (4.0): Lightly fruity with peppery spice, citrus and grain.
Taste (4.5): Significantly bitter. Light fruity nites up front are quickly followed by strong peppery spice and hoppy bitterness. The finish is bitter with residual sweet and tart fruit flavors.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Medium-bodied, moderate carbonation, lightly dry finish.
Drinkability (5.0): Easy to drink with a good balance.
Overall (4.4)
538. Witkap Pater Dubbel
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Slaghmuylder
Alcohol: 7.20%
Serving: Bottle, 11.2 oz.
Style: Dubbel, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a clear ruby-brown with a thick beige head with good retention and lace.
Smell (4.0): The aromas are light overall, with notes of tropical fruit and cherries. Light, but interesting
Taste (4.0): Light and fruity with notes of cherry and dark fruit. The finish is a delicate interplay of spice and bitterness.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Medium-bodied, low carbonation, velvety texture.
Drinkability (4.0): Very mild and drinkable.
Overall (4.0): Nothing is over the top, but still manages to be a nice brew.
539. Grottenbier
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij St. Bernardus NV
Alcohol: 6.50%
Serving: Bottle
Style: Belgian Dark Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.5): Pours a clear ruby-brown with a three-finger, fluffy, beige head with impressive retention that leaves thick rings of lace.
Smell (4.0): Light overall. Notes of cherries, grain and sweet malts.
Taste (4.5): Notes of cherries and chocolate not accompanied by sweetness or tartness. The finish has some light roasted character.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Medium-bodied, high carbonation with a light dryness in the finish.
Drinkability (5.0): Very balanced.
Overall (4.4)
540. Oudbeitje Lambic
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Hanssens Artisanaal bvba
Alcohol: 6.00%
Serving: Bottle
Style: Fruit Lambic, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (3.5): Lightly hazy pinkish-orange with no head whatsoever, only large bubbles from pouring that disappear quickly.
Smell (4.0): My first impression was of overwhelming strawberries, but after letting it sit I could detect some nice funkiness, which was enhanced by swirling.
Taste (4.5): Intense acidic sourness is dominant from start to finish. Some strawberry flavors appear briefly with mild sweetness. The finish is earthy funkiness along with the acidic sourness.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Light-bodied, very low carbonation, lightly dry finish.
Drinkability (4.0): Pretty drinkable despite sourness.
Overall (4.1): Initially I wasn't impressed, but it really grew on me as I drank it.
541. Cuvée Des Trolls
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brasserie Dubuisson Frères
Alcohol: 7.00%
Serving: Bottle
Style: Belgian Strong Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (3.5): Served in a frosted glass, so I have no idea if this is clear or cloudy, my guess is lightly hazy. Golden in color with a white head that quickly fades to a sudsy film leaving patchy lace.
Smell (3.0): Sweet Belgian yeast fruitiness along with light pepper and light grain.
Taste (3.0): Sweet banana and berry fruitiness with a peppery finish.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Light to medium-bodied with moderate carbonation.
Drinkability (3.5): A little too sweet.
Overall (3.25)
542. Hoppetje
I believe that this is the house beer brewed by De Proef. It's described as a 6º blond abdijbier.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: De Proefbrouwerij
Alcohol: ?
Serving: Tap
Style: Belgian Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.5): Pours a cloudy blond with a white head that fades to a patchy film leaving sheets of lace.
Smell (4.0): Interesting fruitiness. It's not the typical Belgian yeast aroma, though there are some sour apples. There's also a nice funkiness.
Taste (4.0): Lightly fruity with hints of bananas, some sour apples and a grainy finish.
Mouthfeel (3.5): Light-bodied with high carbonation.
Drinkability (4.5): Very drinkable, a good session beer.
Overall (4.1)
543. Moriau Geuze
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Boon
Alcohol: ?
Serving: Bottle, 37.5 cL
Style: Gueuze, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a hazy golden with an off-white head.
Smell (3.0): Pretty light for a gueuze, but the acidic sourness and funkiness are there, you just have to swirl to get them.
Taste (4.0): Halfway between a sweet lambic and a sour lambic. The sourness is balanced by some sweetness. The finish has some earthy funk to it.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Light-bodied, moderate carbonation with a dry finish.
Drinkability (4.0): Not bad for a sweet gueuze.
Overall (3.8)
I know David and I had dinner and played pool at some point on the trip. It's not written in my notebook, but I believe it was in Ghent. I had lasagna, in cream sauce, and David had pasta with pesto sauce.
As a service to other patrons who can't read Dutch, the sign on the door to the restroom probably warns you about the step down that you'll encounter when you walk through the door.
David spent a while drawing various Belgian beer images on the back of a coaster, which included a version of the devil on the Hopduvel menu disco dancing. He gave it to the bartender, who seemed to like it.
537. De Dolle Dulle Teve
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij De Dolle Brouwers
Alcohol: 10.00%
Serving: Bottle, 11.2 oz.
Style: Tripel, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.5): Pours a lightly hazy golden. Topped by a fluffy, meringue-like, white head with good retention and nice lacing.
Smell (4.0): Lightly fruity with peppery spice, citrus and grain.
Taste (4.5): Significantly bitter. Light fruity nites up front are quickly followed by strong peppery spice and hoppy bitterness. The finish is bitter with residual sweet and tart fruit flavors.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Medium-bodied, moderate carbonation, lightly dry finish.
Drinkability (5.0): Easy to drink with a good balance.
Overall (4.4)
538. Witkap Pater Dubbel
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Slaghmuylder
Alcohol: 7.20%
Serving: Bottle, 11.2 oz.
Style: Dubbel, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a clear ruby-brown with a thick beige head with good retention and lace.
Smell (4.0): The aromas are light overall, with notes of tropical fruit and cherries. Light, but interesting
Taste (4.0): Light and fruity with notes of cherry and dark fruit. The finish is a delicate interplay of spice and bitterness.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Medium-bodied, low carbonation, velvety texture.
Drinkability (4.0): Very mild and drinkable.
Overall (4.0): Nothing is over the top, but still manages to be a nice brew.
539. Grottenbier
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij St. Bernardus NV
Alcohol: 6.50%
Serving: Bottle
Style: Belgian Dark Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.5): Pours a clear ruby-brown with a three-finger, fluffy, beige head with impressive retention that leaves thick rings of lace.
Smell (4.0): Light overall. Notes of cherries, grain and sweet malts.
Taste (4.5): Notes of cherries and chocolate not accompanied by sweetness or tartness. The finish has some light roasted character.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Medium-bodied, high carbonation with a light dryness in the finish.
Drinkability (5.0): Very balanced.
Overall (4.4)
540. Oudbeitje Lambic
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Hanssens Artisanaal bvba
Alcohol: 6.00%
Serving: Bottle
Style: Fruit Lambic, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (3.5): Lightly hazy pinkish-orange with no head whatsoever, only large bubbles from pouring that disappear quickly.
Smell (4.0): My first impression was of overwhelming strawberries, but after letting it sit I could detect some nice funkiness, which was enhanced by swirling.
Taste (4.5): Intense acidic sourness is dominant from start to finish. Some strawberry flavors appear briefly with mild sweetness. The finish is earthy funkiness along with the acidic sourness.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Light-bodied, very low carbonation, lightly dry finish.
Drinkability (4.0): Pretty drinkable despite sourness.
Overall (4.1): Initially I wasn't impressed, but it really grew on me as I drank it.
541. Cuvée Des Trolls
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brasserie Dubuisson Frères
Alcohol: 7.00%
Serving: Bottle
Style: Belgian Strong Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (3.5): Served in a frosted glass, so I have no idea if this is clear or cloudy, my guess is lightly hazy. Golden in color with a white head that quickly fades to a sudsy film leaving patchy lace.
Smell (3.0): Sweet Belgian yeast fruitiness along with light pepper and light grain.
Taste (3.0): Sweet banana and berry fruitiness with a peppery finish.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Light to medium-bodied with moderate carbonation.
Drinkability (3.5): A little too sweet.
Overall (3.25)
542. Hoppetje
I believe that this is the house beer brewed by De Proef. It's described as a 6º blond abdijbier.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: De Proefbrouwerij
Alcohol: ?
Serving: Tap
Style: Belgian Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.5): Pours a cloudy blond with a white head that fades to a patchy film leaving sheets of lace.
Smell (4.0): Interesting fruitiness. It's not the typical Belgian yeast aroma, though there are some sour apples. There's also a nice funkiness.
Taste (4.0): Lightly fruity with hints of bananas, some sour apples and a grainy finish.
Mouthfeel (3.5): Light-bodied with high carbonation.
Drinkability (4.5): Very drinkable, a good session beer.
Overall (4.1)
543. Moriau Geuze
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Boon
Alcohol: ?
Serving: Bottle, 37.5 cL
Style: Gueuze, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a hazy golden with an off-white head.
Smell (3.0): Pretty light for a gueuze, but the acidic sourness and funkiness are there, you just have to swirl to get them.
Taste (4.0): Halfway between a sweet lambic and a sour lambic. The sourness is balanced by some sweetness. The finish has some earthy funk to it.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Light-bodied, moderate carbonation with a dry finish.
Drinkability (4.0): Not bad for a sweet gueuze.
Overall (3.8)
I know David and I had dinner and played pool at some point on the trip. It's not written in my notebook, but I believe it was in Ghent. I had lasagna, in cream sauce, and David had pasta with pesto sauce.
Labels: Belgian Dark Ale, Belgian Pale Ale, Belgian Strong Pale Ale, Belgium 2006, Dubbel, Fruit Lambic, Gueuze, Lambic, Sour Beer, Travel, Tripel
Day Three, Antwerp: Dinner, Paters Vaetje, Waagstuk
Published by Unknown on Saturday, December 09, 2006 at 12:24 AM.
After leaving Oud Arsenaal, we decided to go to Eethuisje de Stoemppot, a restaurant that was recommended by one of our guidebooks. The specialty was listed as Flemish cuisine, which sounded more appealing than "Brussels Specialties." David ordered a chicken and mushroom pie with spinach, which turned out to be chicken and mushrooms in cream sauce. I ordered sausage with mashed potatoes, which came with a dizzying array of mustards. We each had a Duvel with dinner. The sausage was very good, as were the potatoes. During the middle of the meal the alarm clock that we had purchased in the hostel in Brussels went off. Neither of us realized what it was and the waitress was walking around the restaurant trying to find the source. She ended up realizing it was coming from our bag before we did.
After dinner we walked back to the cathedral to go to Paters Vaetje (Monk's Tomb), which was located a mere 10 paces away. There were two levels. On the lower level there were benches and tables against the wall, where we sat, as well as some tables at the front and back. There were stained glass windows above the bar, as well as various beer signs. Oddly, they played a Death Cab for Cutie song while we were there. We ran into the German guys again, and ended up talking to them for awhile.
Distance from the bar to the cathedral.
521. Piraat
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Van Steenberge N.V.
Alcohol: 10.50%
Serving: Bottle
Style: Belgian IPA
Appearance (4.0): Pours a cloudy, dark golden, with a white head that fades to a thin film, leaving patchy lace.
Smell (4.0): Caramel and toffee maltiness, light fruitiness, a bit vinuous with evident alcohol.
Taste (3.5): Sweet upfront, with berry fruitiness. The finish is peppery with a light bitterness.
Mouthfeel (3.5): Medium-bodied, moderate carbonation, and very strong alcoholic warming.
Drinkability (3.5): The alcohol is pretty strong in this one.
Overall (3.7)
522. Moeder Overste
Moeder Overste means Mother Superior in Dutch/Flemish.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brasserie Lefèbvre SA
Alcohol: 8.00%
Serving: Bottle
Style: Tripel, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (3.5): Pours a cloudy brownish golden. Topped by a thick, dense, white head with good retention, leaving patchy lace. Seems a bit dark for a tripel.
Smell (3.0): Fruity, with some berry aromas as well as a light floral quality. No detectable spiciness or alcohol.
Taste (3.0): Sweet berry fruitiness that fades into a neutral center with light spice and bitterness in the finish.
Mouthfeel (3.5): Light to medium-bodied, moderate carbonation.
Drinkability (3.5): Too sweet.
Overall (3.2)
For the next round we went with two De Koninck beers that I haven't seen in the US. We got a scratch card with the Winter Koninck. If we saw a glass we would have won a free De Koninck, but we came up empty handed on that one.
523. Winter Koninck
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij De Koninck NV
Alcohol: 6.50%
Serving: Bottle
Style: Belgian Dark Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a clear, dark ruby-brown with a beige head that fades to a thin film, leaving sheets of lace.
Smell (3.0): Lightly malty, light dark fruit. Pretty clean overall, though what is evident is pleasant.
Taste (3.5): Light sugary sweetness throughout. Some light fruitiness, with some good spiciness in the finish.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Medium-bodied, low-carbonation.
Drinkability (4.0): Quite drinkable for a winter beer.
Overall (3.6)
524. De Koninck Tripel
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij De Koninck NV
Alcohol: 8.00%
Serving: Bottle
Style: Tripel, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (3.5): Pours a clear orange-copper. The head fades to a thin film, leaving small patches of lace.
Smell (3.0): Very light fruitiness, light graininess and alcohol.
Taste (3.5): Mostly sweet, with some notes of bananas. The finish is lightly spicy.
Mouthfeel (3.5): Medium-bodied, low carbonation.
Drinkability (4.5): Sweet and pleasant.
Overall (3.5)
David
Thom
After leaving Paters Vaetje, we went to 't Waagstuk to finish out the night. I seem to remember the bar being hard to find, but I may be mistaken. It had a tiled floor interior, with wooden tables and chairs, various beer items on the walls and an array of ceramic mugs hung from hooks on the ceiling. We had all three Westvleteren beers while we were there. We also had a nice conversation with the bartender, who was very friendly. He made some recommendations of beer bars and beers to try in Brugge and Gent. We talked about beer in America and I recommended he seek out some Ommegang. Later David challenged him to a tricep contest. He stopped before David. David claimed victory, but the bartender claimed to have work to do.
The tricep contest
12, 8, Blonde
525. Westvleteren 12
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Westvleteren
Alcohol: 10.20%
Serving: Bottle, 11.2 oz
Style: Quadrupel, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (5.0): Pours a hazy, dark ruby-brown. A one-inch, beige head fades to a very persistent, thin layer, leaving thick lace.
Smell (4.5): Fairly light overall, but nice. Raisins and other dark fruit, light roastiness, with a light graininess. Alcohol is also evident, but is mild.
Taste (4.5): Very nice. Lots of dark fruit like raisins and dates. It's sweet but is balanced well by a peppery and alcoholic bite. The finish has nice bitterness to balance.
Mouthfeel (5.0): Full-bodied, low carbonation with alcoholic warming in the finish.
Drinkability (5.0): Sweet, but very well balanced.
Overall (4.7): This is a great beer. It might not be the best in the world, but it certainly is fantastic.
After dinner we walked back to the cathedral to go to Paters Vaetje (Monk's Tomb), which was located a mere 10 paces away. There were two levels. On the lower level there were benches and tables against the wall, where we sat, as well as some tables at the front and back. There were stained glass windows above the bar, as well as various beer signs. Oddly, they played a Death Cab for Cutie song while we were there. We ran into the German guys again, and ended up talking to them for awhile.
Distance from the bar to the cathedral.
521. Piraat
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Van Steenberge N.V.
Alcohol: 10.50%
Serving: Bottle
Style: Belgian IPA
Appearance (4.0): Pours a cloudy, dark golden, with a white head that fades to a thin film, leaving patchy lace.
Smell (4.0): Caramel and toffee maltiness, light fruitiness, a bit vinuous with evident alcohol.
Taste (3.5): Sweet upfront, with berry fruitiness. The finish is peppery with a light bitterness.
Mouthfeel (3.5): Medium-bodied, moderate carbonation, and very strong alcoholic warming.
Drinkability (3.5): The alcohol is pretty strong in this one.
Overall (3.7)
522. Moeder Overste
Moeder Overste means Mother Superior in Dutch/Flemish.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brasserie Lefèbvre SA
Alcohol: 8.00%
Serving: Bottle
Style: Tripel, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (3.5): Pours a cloudy brownish golden. Topped by a thick, dense, white head with good retention, leaving patchy lace. Seems a bit dark for a tripel.
Smell (3.0): Fruity, with some berry aromas as well as a light floral quality. No detectable spiciness or alcohol.
Taste (3.0): Sweet berry fruitiness that fades into a neutral center with light spice and bitterness in the finish.
Mouthfeel (3.5): Light to medium-bodied, moderate carbonation.
Drinkability (3.5): Too sweet.
Overall (3.2)
For the next round we went with two De Koninck beers that I haven't seen in the US. We got a scratch card with the Winter Koninck. If we saw a glass we would have won a free De Koninck, but we came up empty handed on that one.
523. Winter Koninck
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij De Koninck NV
Alcohol: 6.50%
Serving: Bottle
Style: Belgian Dark Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a clear, dark ruby-brown with a beige head that fades to a thin film, leaving sheets of lace.
Smell (3.0): Lightly malty, light dark fruit. Pretty clean overall, though what is evident is pleasant.
Taste (3.5): Light sugary sweetness throughout. Some light fruitiness, with some good spiciness in the finish.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Medium-bodied, low-carbonation.
Drinkability (4.0): Quite drinkable for a winter beer.
Overall (3.6)
524. De Koninck Tripel
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij De Koninck NV
Alcohol: 8.00%
Serving: Bottle
Style: Tripel, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (3.5): Pours a clear orange-copper. The head fades to a thin film, leaving small patches of lace.
Smell (3.0): Very light fruitiness, light graininess and alcohol.
Taste (3.5): Mostly sweet, with some notes of bananas. The finish is lightly spicy.
Mouthfeel (3.5): Medium-bodied, low carbonation.
Drinkability (4.5): Sweet and pleasant.
Overall (3.5)
David
Thom
After leaving Paters Vaetje, we went to 't Waagstuk to finish out the night. I seem to remember the bar being hard to find, but I may be mistaken. It had a tiled floor interior, with wooden tables and chairs, various beer items on the walls and an array of ceramic mugs hung from hooks on the ceiling. We had all three Westvleteren beers while we were there. We also had a nice conversation with the bartender, who was very friendly. He made some recommendations of beer bars and beers to try in Brugge and Gent. We talked about beer in America and I recommended he seek out some Ommegang. Later David challenged him to a tricep contest. He stopped before David. David claimed victory, but the bartender claimed to have work to do.
The tricep contest
12, 8, Blonde
525. Westvleteren 12
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Westvleteren
Alcohol: 10.20%
Serving: Bottle, 11.2 oz
Style: Quadrupel, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (5.0): Pours a hazy, dark ruby-brown. A one-inch, beige head fades to a very persistent, thin layer, leaving thick lace.
Smell (4.5): Fairly light overall, but nice. Raisins and other dark fruit, light roastiness, with a light graininess. Alcohol is also evident, but is mild.
Taste (4.5): Very nice. Lots of dark fruit like raisins and dates. It's sweet but is balanced well by a peppery and alcoholic bite. The finish has nice bitterness to balance.
Mouthfeel (5.0): Full-bodied, low carbonation with alcoholic warming in the finish.
Drinkability (5.0): Sweet, but very well balanced.
Overall (4.7): This is a great beer. It might not be the best in the world, but it certainly is fantastic.
Labels: Belgian Dark Ale, Belgian IPA, Belgium 2006, Quadrupel, Trappist, Travel, Tripel
381. Unibroue Chambly Noire
I bought this at Downtown Wine & Spirits. I let this warm a little and served it in one of my Duvel tulips. Chambly Noire is a Belgian Dark Ale.
Appearance (4.5): The cork pops out very loudly. It pours an almost opaque black. Holding it to a bright light reveals a beautiful clear ruby color. It's topped with a creamy beige head with good retention.
Smell (3.5): Strong yeastiness, hints of malt and a light graininess. There's also a subtle tart fruitiness.
Taste (3.5): Sweet caramel malts, tart fruitiness, and a lightly sweet finish with hints of roasted bitterness.
Mouthfeel (3.5): Light-bodied and a little watery. Prickly carbonation.
Drinkability (3.5): Smooth and easy to drink, but a little lacking in flavor.
Overall (3.7): This is a decent brew, but I was expecting something more flavorful.
I bought this at Downtown Wine & Spirits. I let this warm a little and served it in one of my Duvel tulips. Chambly Noire is a Belgian Dark Ale.
Appearance (4.5): The cork pops out very loudly. It pours an almost opaque black. Holding it to a bright light reveals a beautiful clear ruby color. It's topped with a creamy beige head with good retention.
Smell (3.5): Strong yeastiness, hints of malt and a light graininess. There's also a subtle tart fruitiness.
Taste (3.5): Sweet caramel malts, tart fruitiness, and a lightly sweet finish with hints of roasted bitterness.
Mouthfeel (3.5): Light-bodied and a little watery. Prickly carbonation.
Drinkability (3.5): Smooth and easy to drink, but a little lacking in flavor.
Overall (3.7): This is a decent brew, but I was expecting something more flavorful.
Labels: Belgian Dark Ale, Reviews, Unibroue
