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
Despite the best efforts of Eyjafjallajokul Jadyn and I managed to fly from Philly to Madrid on April 18th. We arrived in Madrid early on the 19th, and spent the day seeing the city, and fighting off sleep to try to lessen the effects of jetlag. Our first day we quickly discovered that, as anticipated, Spain is not a beer country.
1175. Estrella Damm
We had dinner at La Gloria de Montera, which was pretty good, although my Fideua (paella with noodles rather than rice) was only so-so. The only beer that they had was Estrella Damm, which would be the first of many mediocre lagers that I had over the course of the trip. Unfortunately we forgot to bring the camera out after dropping off our bags at the hotel.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Damm S.A.
Alcohol: 5.20%
Serving: Bottle, 12 oz.
Style: Euro Pale Lager
Appearance: 3.5 | Smell: 2.5 | Taste: 3.0 | Mouthfeel: 3.5 | Drinkability: 3.5
Overall: 3.1
Estrella Damm pours a straw golden color, and is topped by a decent, fluffy, bright white head that fades slowly. The aroma is clean and mild though there are notes of adjunct "maltiness", and faint, grassy hop notes.
There's a clean, neutral maltiness upfront that moves into a slight sweetness in the center. Thankfully there's a bit of hop presence in the finish which really do wonders to make this palatable. The hops are slightly spicy with mild bitterness. This beer is light-bodied, with prickly carbonation, and a crispness that keep it from being watery.
This beer was crisp and had some hop presence, and it was probably the best Spanish beer that we had on the trip, though Jadyn liked Mahou best.
1176. Legado de Yuste
After dinner we decided to walk around the area of Madrid where we were staying for a bit. We ended up walking past a bar called Beer Station, which advertised a large beer selection, and seemed to be geared towards tourists to me. We dropped in hoping to get to try some less common Spanish beer. The selection here was pretty bad, while being much better than any other bar we went to in Spain. Most of the beer available was mass-market European beer that was also available in the US. We each ended up getting a Legado de Yuste (Legacy of Yuste), which was an alleged Belgian-style abbey ale.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Grupo Cruzcampo SA
Alcohol: 6.50%
Serving: Bottle, 11.2 oz.
Style: Belgian Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 2.5 | Smell: 1.5 | Taste: 2.5 | Mouthfeel: 3.5 | Drinkability: 3.0
Overall: 2.45
Legado de Yuste pours a clear, golden copper in color, and is topped by an off-white head that fades to a sudsy film. The aroma is very, very mild. I had to really try to pick anything out. There was only a very mild fruitiness present in the aroma, which was joined by a hint of sweet maltiness when the beer was swirled. I really don't know how a beer can have such a mild aroma.
The taste was clean overall with nothing objectionable, but the lack of flavor. A neutral graininess upfront moved into a mild banana fruitiness in the center. The finish had a bit of chalky yeast, pepper, and dry hops. This beer was medium-bodied, and highly carbonated.
Overall this beer was pretty bland, but fortunately that was really its most objectionable quality.
1175. Estrella Damm
We had dinner at La Gloria de Montera, which was pretty good, although my Fideua (paella with noodles rather than rice) was only so-so. The only beer that they had was Estrella Damm, which would be the first of many mediocre lagers that I had over the course of the trip. Unfortunately we forgot to bring the camera out after dropping off our bags at the hotel.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Damm S.A.
Alcohol: 5.20%
Serving: Bottle, 12 oz.
Style: Euro Pale Lager
Appearance: 3.5 | Smell: 2.5 | Taste: 3.0 | Mouthfeel: 3.5 | Drinkability: 3.5
Overall: 3.1
Estrella Damm pours a straw golden color, and is topped by a decent, fluffy, bright white head that fades slowly. The aroma is clean and mild though there are notes of adjunct "maltiness", and faint, grassy hop notes.
There's a clean, neutral maltiness upfront that moves into a slight sweetness in the center. Thankfully there's a bit of hop presence in the finish which really do wonders to make this palatable. The hops are slightly spicy with mild bitterness. This beer is light-bodied, with prickly carbonation, and a crispness that keep it from being watery.
This beer was crisp and had some hop presence, and it was probably the best Spanish beer that we had on the trip, though Jadyn liked Mahou best.
1176. Legado de Yuste
After dinner we decided to walk around the area of Madrid where we were staying for a bit. We ended up walking past a bar called Beer Station, which advertised a large beer selection, and seemed to be geared towards tourists to me. We dropped in hoping to get to try some less common Spanish beer. The selection here was pretty bad, while being much better than any other bar we went to in Spain. Most of the beer available was mass-market European beer that was also available in the US. We each ended up getting a Legado de Yuste (Legacy of Yuste), which was an alleged Belgian-style abbey ale.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Grupo Cruzcampo SA
Alcohol: 6.50%
Serving: Bottle, 11.2 oz.
Style: Belgian Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 2.5 | Smell: 1.5 | Taste: 2.5 | Mouthfeel: 3.5 | Drinkability: 3.0
Overall: 2.45
Legado de Yuste pours a clear, golden copper in color, and is topped by an off-white head that fades to a sudsy film. The aroma is very, very mild. I had to really try to pick anything out. There was only a very mild fruitiness present in the aroma, which was joined by a hint of sweet maltiness when the beer was swirled. I really don't know how a beer can have such a mild aroma.
The taste was clean overall with nothing objectionable, but the lack of flavor. A neutral graininess upfront moved into a mild banana fruitiness in the center. The finish had a bit of chalky yeast, pepper, and dry hops. This beer was medium-bodied, and highly carbonated.
Overall this beer was pretty bland, but fortunately that was really its most objectionable quality.
Labels: Belgian Pale Ale, Euro Pale Lager
I flew to Texas in late March, and Win and I visited Ward in Houston on the weekend of the 26th. I had several new beers while there
1157. Phoenixx Double ESB
After we arrived at Ward's we went to Anvil, a bar that focuses on cocktails, but with a respectable beer list. I started off with a cask beer, but then switched to cocktails.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Real Ale Brewing Company
Alcohol: 7.20%
Serving: Cask
Style: Extra Special/Strong Bitter (ESB), BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 4.0 | Smell: 4.0 | Taste: 4.5 | Mouthfeel: 4.0 | Drinkability: 4.5
Overall: 4.25
This ESB pours a lightly hazed, copper-amber color, and is topped by a thick, creamy, beige head. The aroma is citric and malty, which gives an impression of orange cream. There are caramel and bready notes, grassy hops, and an almost cinnamon-like spice.
Mildly sweet, bready and toasty malts upfront move into a lightly-citric center. The finish has a rough, hoppy bitterness and a slight spiciness. This beer is smooth and creamy upfront, but moves into a rough, coarse finish.
I thought that this was an amazingly balanced beer.
1158. Hop Czar
I split a bottle of this beer with Ward at his apartment after we got back on Friday night.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: BridgePort Brewing Company
Alcohol: 8.00%
Serving: Bottle
Style: American Double IPA, BJCP Style Guide
Hop Czar pours a clear copper color, and is topped by a wispy, white head. The aroma is disappointingly mild for a Double IPA. It's toasty with mild, citric, and resiny hop notes.
Toasty malts upfront move into citric and resiny hop flavors and bitterness in the finish. Medium-bodied, and moderately-carbonated.
This beer is decently hoppy, but it pretty mild for a DIPA.
1159. Modus Hoperandi
Ward had a birthday party for a friend at his apartment on Saturday. I'd picked up a six-pack of Modus Hoperandi at Spec's earlier in the day, and had this while I was grilling.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Ska Brewing Co.
Alcohol: 6.80%
Serving: Can., 12 oz.
Style: American IPA, BJCP Style Guide
I didn't take notes on this beer, but it was a pleasing, straightforward IPA. I'd definitely try it again.
1160. Shiner Kosmos Reserve
I had a few ounces of Ward's bottle of this beer later in the evening on Saturday.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Spoetzl Brewery
Alcohol: ?
Serving: Bottle
Style: American Pale Lager, BJCP Style Guide
Kosmos Reserve pours a clear copper color, and is topped by a thin, white head. The aroma is pils-like: mildly sweet malts, grainy, and grassy hops.
Sweet bready and grainy malts upfront move through to a subtle, earthy hop flavor in the finish with a mild bitterness. It's crisp and medium-bodied.
I thought this beer was pretty good, but as with most lagers, I thought it could use a touch more hops.
1161. Transatlantique Kriek
At Spec's they had several of New Belgium's Lips of Faith series so I bought a bottle of each. We split this bottle at the end of the Party on Saturday night.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: New Belgium Brewing
Alcohol: 6.30%
Serving: Bottle, 22 oz.
Style: Fruit Lambic, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 4.0 | Smell: 3.5 | Taste: 3.5 | Mouthfeel: 4.0 | Drinkability: 4.5
Overall: 3.75
Transatlantique Kriek pours a clear, ruby-red color with copper tints. It's topped by a thick, pink head that fades to a fluffy, sudsy film, leaving patchy lace. The aroma is mild with notes of cherries, buttery diacetyl, and mild funkiness.
Sweet cherry flavors greet the palate, but are quickly tempered by an acidic sourness that's strong enough to cut the sweetness, but isn't mouth puckering. The finish has a mildly earthy, funkiness. This beer is medium-to-light-bodied, has low carbonation, and a dry finish.
A decent sour. It's blended, so the sourness is attenuated, but it could be stronger.
1162. Le Fleur Misseur
This was purchased at Spec's. We split this beer on Sunday afternoon.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: New Belgium Brewing
Alcohol: 6.50%
Serving: Bottle, 22 oz.
Style: Belgian Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 4.5 | Smell: 4.5 | Taste: 4.0 | Mouthfeel: 4.0| Drinkability: 5.0
Overall: 4.3
Le Fleur Misseur pours a cloudy, straw-golden color, and is topped by a very nice, bright white head that fades to a sudsy film. The aroma is mildly malty with notes of grainy and sweet malts. There's a fruity citrus kick that mingles with banana notes. To top it off there's a mild note of Brettanomyces. Overall this smells like an inviting beer.
A neytral graininess upfront gives way to fruity notes of banana and citrus in the center. The finish is dry, mildly bitter, and Brett-tinged. This beer is light-bodied, dry and has a good dose of carbonation.
I thought that this was an excellent beer. The wild yeasts really add to the style.
1157. Phoenixx Double ESB
After we arrived at Ward's we went to Anvil, a bar that focuses on cocktails, but with a respectable beer list. I started off with a cask beer, but then switched to cocktails.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Real Ale Brewing Company
Alcohol: 7.20%
Serving: Cask
Style: Extra Special/Strong Bitter (ESB), BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 4.0 | Smell: 4.0 | Taste: 4.5 | Mouthfeel: 4.0 | Drinkability: 4.5
Overall: 4.25
This ESB pours a lightly hazed, copper-amber color, and is topped by a thick, creamy, beige head. The aroma is citric and malty, which gives an impression of orange cream. There are caramel and bready notes, grassy hops, and an almost cinnamon-like spice.
Mildly sweet, bready and toasty malts upfront move into a lightly-citric center. The finish has a rough, hoppy bitterness and a slight spiciness. This beer is smooth and creamy upfront, but moves into a rough, coarse finish.
I thought that this was an amazingly balanced beer.
1158. Hop Czar
I split a bottle of this beer with Ward at his apartment after we got back on Friday night.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: BridgePort Brewing Company
Alcohol: 8.00%
Serving: Bottle
Style: American Double IPA, BJCP Style Guide
Hop Czar pours a clear copper color, and is topped by a wispy, white head. The aroma is disappointingly mild for a Double IPA. It's toasty with mild, citric, and resiny hop notes.
Toasty malts upfront move into citric and resiny hop flavors and bitterness in the finish. Medium-bodied, and moderately-carbonated.
This beer is decently hoppy, but it pretty mild for a DIPA.
1159. Modus Hoperandi
Ward had a birthday party for a friend at his apartment on Saturday. I'd picked up a six-pack of Modus Hoperandi at Spec's earlier in the day, and had this while I was grilling.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Ska Brewing Co.
Alcohol: 6.80%
Serving: Can., 12 oz.
Style: American IPA, BJCP Style Guide
I didn't take notes on this beer, but it was a pleasing, straightforward IPA. I'd definitely try it again.
1160. Shiner Kosmos Reserve
I had a few ounces of Ward's bottle of this beer later in the evening on Saturday.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Spoetzl Brewery
Alcohol: ?
Serving: Bottle
Style: American Pale Lager, BJCP Style Guide
Kosmos Reserve pours a clear copper color, and is topped by a thin, white head. The aroma is pils-like: mildly sweet malts, grainy, and grassy hops.
Sweet bready and grainy malts upfront move through to a subtle, earthy hop flavor in the finish with a mild bitterness. It's crisp and medium-bodied.
I thought this beer was pretty good, but as with most lagers, I thought it could use a touch more hops.
1161. Transatlantique Kriek
At Spec's they had several of New Belgium's Lips of Faith series so I bought a bottle of each. We split this bottle at the end of the Party on Saturday night.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: New Belgium Brewing
Alcohol: 6.30%
Serving: Bottle, 22 oz.
Style: Fruit Lambic, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 4.0 | Smell: 3.5 | Taste: 3.5 | Mouthfeel: 4.0 | Drinkability: 4.5
Overall: 3.75
Transatlantique Kriek pours a clear, ruby-red color with copper tints. It's topped by a thick, pink head that fades to a fluffy, sudsy film, leaving patchy lace. The aroma is mild with notes of cherries, buttery diacetyl, and mild funkiness.
Sweet cherry flavors greet the palate, but are quickly tempered by an acidic sourness that's strong enough to cut the sweetness, but isn't mouth puckering. The finish has a mildly earthy, funkiness. This beer is medium-to-light-bodied, has low carbonation, and a dry finish.
A decent sour. It's blended, so the sourness is attenuated, but it could be stronger.
1162. Le Fleur Misseur
This was purchased at Spec's. We split this beer on Sunday afternoon.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: New Belgium Brewing
Alcohol: 6.50%
Serving: Bottle, 22 oz.
Style: Belgian Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 4.5 | Smell: 4.5 | Taste: 4.0 | Mouthfeel: 4.0| Drinkability: 5.0
Overall: 4.3
Le Fleur Misseur pours a cloudy, straw-golden color, and is topped by a very nice, bright white head that fades to a sudsy film. The aroma is mildly malty with notes of grainy and sweet malts. There's a fruity citrus kick that mingles with banana notes. To top it off there's a mild note of Brettanomyces. Overall this smells like an inviting beer.
A neytral graininess upfront gives way to fruity notes of banana and citrus in the center. The finish is dry, mildly bitter, and Brett-tinged. This beer is light-bodied, dry and has a good dose of carbonation.
I thought that this was an excellent beer. The wild yeasts really add to the style.
Labels: American Double IPA, American IPA, American Pale Lager, Belgian Pale Ale, ESB, Fruit Lambic
1086-1093. The CBC's Great Pumpkin Festival
Published by Unknown on Wednesday, November 11, 2009 at 9:30 AM.
Jadyn and I went to Cambridge Brewing Company's 2nd Annual Great Pumpkin Festival on Halloween. After dinner at home, we took the T back to Kendall Square and arrived at around 10 PM. There was a fairly sizable line, but turnover was brisk, and we got in about 15 or 20 minutes later.
Entry to the event was $10, but this included a GPF pint glass. They were out of them when we arrived, so we got two CBC pint glasses instead. Luckily Jadyn has good eyes, and on our way back to the T, spotted an abandoned GPF glass on a table in the courtyard of the Kendall Marriott.
Beers were purchased with tickets, which were sold at two locations at the event. Tickets were available in increments of four, and we ended up buying two sets of twelve tickets totaling $30. For most beers one ticket equaled a four ounce pour, but for stronger beers or rarer beers two tickets equaled a four ounce pour. For us it worked out to about $5.50 per pint, about standard for a pint of quality beer in the area.
The CBC had six of their pumpkin beers on tap, Great Pumpkin Ale, Olde Pumpkin Porter, Biere de Gourde, Spinal Pumpkin, Black Magic, and Ich Bin Ein Kürbisweisse. They also had their standard house beers on tap, as well as another non-pumpkin beer. There were also fifteen pumpkin beers available from other breweries such as Allagash, The Bruery, Dogfish Head, and Elysian to name a few. I was pleased with the variety of different styles of "pumpkin beer." In general I tried to taste the beers that weren't the standard spiced, pumpkin ale.
Jadyn and I were lame, and didn't wear costumes. However, all of the staff and the majority of the patrons were dressed up, and the bar was heavily decorated for Halloween. I thought this was a great beer event. The variety of different interpretations of pumpkin ale kept things interesting, and the food menu looked great. I'll definitely want to go next year.
I've included the description on the beer list before my tasting notes for each beer.
1086. Mr. Yuck
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Elysian Brewing Company
Alcohol: 5.10%
Serving: Tap
Style: American Wild Ale
"Brewed with pale, Munich, Cara-Hell and 150º Crystal malts and both malted and unmalted wheat, as well as wheat flour. Very lightly hopped with UK Fuggles and aged in fermentation for ten months wwith second-generation sour Belgian yeast blend (a culture we've kept alive for seven years), then in kegs for an additional four months. Pumpkin in the mash and kettle."
Mr. Yuck pours a hazy, copper golden. The aroma is pleasingly acidic with notes of funk, wet blanket, and characteristic Brett hopsack. The acidity is moderate, and the finish has Brett flavors. Nicely crisp and dry. I liked this beer, but thought it could have been a bit more sour.
1087. Heavy Seas - The Great Pumpkin
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Clipper City Brewery
Alcohol: 8.50%
Serving: Tap
Style: Pumpkin Ale, BJCP Style Guide
"From our Heavy Seas line of extreme beers, our best experiment ever. The secret is in the 3 ounces of spice per barrel for this fall brew. We add the pumpkin during the mash at precisely the right time to create just the perfect balance of malt, hops, pumkin and spice. The crew at the brewery voted on their favorite recipe to bring you the best & biggest pumpkin beer you'll ever have!"
Pours a clear copper color with an off-white head. There are mild pumpkin notes and strong notes of nutmeg and cinnamon in the aroma. Sweet, sugary pumpkin up front move into a cinnamon and clove spiciness in the center and finish. There's a moderate hop bitterness in the finish.
1088. Olde Pumpkin Porter
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Cambridge Brewing Company
Alcohol: 6.80%
Serving: Tap
Style: American Porter, BJCP Style Guide
"Olde Pumpkin Porter is our attempt at recreating the pumpkin-infused beers of colonial days. Brewed with pale and roasted malts and fresh organic sugar pumpkins, it has whiled away the past year in old bourbon barrels, where it was inoculated by Brettanomyces and Lactobacillus naturally occuring in the CBC dungeon, er, Barrel Cellar. It was then blended with cinnamon sticks and candied ginger, and finished with new oak. It's tart and roasty palate may just transport you back to 17th Century Boston"
Pours a dark black, and is topped by a brown head. The aroma has notes of bourbon, roast and a light acidity. Initially this porter is mildly sweet with roasted undertones, but moves into a boozy center, and a roasted bitterness in the finish. There are also hints of tartness and Brett earthiness in the finish. I thought this was an interesting beer, I'm always interested in attempts to make beers in a somewhat historic context.
1089. Black Magic
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Cambridge Brewing Company
Alcohol: 3.75%
Serving: Cask
Style: Irish Dry Stout, BJCP Style Guide
"Our Irish Dry Stout, Blackout, has been infused with fresh pumpkin, ancho and chipotle peppers, cacao nibs, and whole cinnamon sticks. No beer is safe from the pumpkin! Going one step further, this little beauty is served on cask for this event!"
BLack Magic pours an opaque black, and is topped by a thin, brown head. The aroma is a peculiar mixture of maltiness and cinnamon that gives the distinct impression of Graham Crackers. There are more subtle aromas of peppery spice and roast, but the Graham Cracker aroma was what really stuck out at me. There's a bit of chocolatey, and pumpkin sweetness upfront, but this is quickly eclipsed by the spiciness of the cinnamon, ancho, and chipotles. This spiciness finishes out the beer, leaving a strong, lingering heat. I thought this was a great beer. I really liked the heat, and thought that the slightly sweetened (pumpkin infusion) Irish Dry Stout backbone provided the perfect base for the spiciness. I wonder if this was inspired by Mayan and Aztec chocolate drinks. This was probably my favorite beer of the evening.
1090. Ich Bin Ein Kürbisweisse
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Cambridge Brewing Company
Alcohol: 4.30%
Serving: Tap
Style: Berliner Weissbier, BJCP Style Guide
"Possibly the world's first pumpkin Berliner Weisse! Infused with autumn spices and fresh sugar pumpkin and, well, a secret ingredient to turn this beer a bright orange. Sweet upfront, tart in the finish, pumpkin-spicy in the middle."
Pours a cloudy, golden, orange color, and is topped by a light, white head. The aroma is grassy and grainy with mild spice aromatics, and a sour apple undertone. The initial maltiness leans towards sweet with hints of grassiness. The finish is pleasingly tart with a dry, and earthy character. The pumpkin pie spice is mild, but present throughout. This was another favorite of the evening.
1091. Jack O' Bite
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Elysian Brewing Company
Alcohol: 6.40%
Serving: Tap
Style: Scotch Ale / Wee Heavy, BJCP Style Guide
"Brewed with pale, 77º Crystal, Munich and Cara-Hell malts, and bittered lightly with Glacier hops. Pumpkin in the mash, kettle and fermenter; aged in Jack Daniel's and wine barrels for 6 weeks, inoculated with yeast from Rodenbach."
Pours a hazed, amber-red. It's topped by an off-white head with good lace. The aroma is boozy with woody, acidic and funky notes. A pumpkin and malty sweetness upfront moves into a tart bite. The finish is dry. I thought this was an interesting blend of pumpkin, Scotch Ale, and sour.
1092. St. Alphonso
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Cambridge Brewing Company
Alcohol: 4.50%
Serving: Tap
Style: Belgian Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
This was the one non-pumpkin beer I had all night. It's sort of a cross between a Belgian Pale Ale and a hoppy APA. Their description:
1093. Hansel and Gretel
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Elysian Brewing Company
Alcohol: 4.50%
Serving: Tap
Style: Czech Pilsener, BJCP Style Guide
"Brewed with organic pale, Weyermann Munich and Cara-Hell malts, with pumpkin added in the mash, kettle and fermenter. Spiced with peeled and pureed gresh ginger in the boil and bright tank and hopped with lots of Czech Saaz hops (otherwise it wouldn't be traditional)."
Pours a clear, golden color. Ginger and pumpkin notes beat out the Saaz in the aroma. The pumpkin contributes a distinct sweetness to the style. This sweetness moves into a ginger-spice center, and through to a nice, hoppy bitterness in the finish.
Entry to the event was $10, but this included a GPF pint glass. They were out of them when we arrived, so we got two CBC pint glasses instead. Luckily Jadyn has good eyes, and on our way back to the T, spotted an abandoned GPF glass on a table in the courtyard of the Kendall Marriott.
Beers were purchased with tickets, which were sold at two locations at the event. Tickets were available in increments of four, and we ended up buying two sets of twelve tickets totaling $30. For most beers one ticket equaled a four ounce pour, but for stronger beers or rarer beers two tickets equaled a four ounce pour. For us it worked out to about $5.50 per pint, about standard for a pint of quality beer in the area.
The CBC had six of their pumpkin beers on tap, Great Pumpkin Ale, Olde Pumpkin Porter, Biere de Gourde, Spinal Pumpkin, Black Magic, and Ich Bin Ein Kürbisweisse. They also had their standard house beers on tap, as well as another non-pumpkin beer. There were also fifteen pumpkin beers available from other breweries such as Allagash, The Bruery, Dogfish Head, and Elysian to name a few. I was pleased with the variety of different styles of "pumpkin beer." In general I tried to taste the beers that weren't the standard spiced, pumpkin ale.
Jadyn and I were lame, and didn't wear costumes. However, all of the staff and the majority of the patrons were dressed up, and the bar was heavily decorated for Halloween. I thought this was a great beer event. The variety of different interpretations of pumpkin ale kept things interesting, and the food menu looked great. I'll definitely want to go next year.
I've included the description on the beer list before my tasting notes for each beer.
1086. Mr. Yuck
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Elysian Brewing Company
Alcohol: 5.10%
Serving: Tap
Style: American Wild Ale
"Brewed with pale, Munich, Cara-Hell and 150º Crystal malts and both malted and unmalted wheat, as well as wheat flour. Very lightly hopped with UK Fuggles and aged in fermentation for ten months wwith second-generation sour Belgian yeast blend (a culture we've kept alive for seven years), then in kegs for an additional four months. Pumpkin in the mash and kettle."
Mr. Yuck pours a hazy, copper golden. The aroma is pleasingly acidic with notes of funk, wet blanket, and characteristic Brett hopsack. The acidity is moderate, and the finish has Brett flavors. Nicely crisp and dry. I liked this beer, but thought it could have been a bit more sour.
1087. Heavy Seas - The Great Pumpkin
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Clipper City Brewery
Alcohol: 8.50%
Serving: Tap
Style: Pumpkin Ale, BJCP Style Guide
"From our Heavy Seas line of extreme beers, our best experiment ever. The secret is in the 3 ounces of spice per barrel for this fall brew. We add the pumpkin during the mash at precisely the right time to create just the perfect balance of malt, hops, pumkin and spice. The crew at the brewery voted on their favorite recipe to bring you the best & biggest pumpkin beer you'll ever have!"
Pours a clear copper color with an off-white head. There are mild pumpkin notes and strong notes of nutmeg and cinnamon in the aroma. Sweet, sugary pumpkin up front move into a cinnamon and clove spiciness in the center and finish. There's a moderate hop bitterness in the finish.
1088. Olde Pumpkin Porter
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Cambridge Brewing Company
Alcohol: 6.80%
Serving: Tap
Style: American Porter, BJCP Style Guide
"Olde Pumpkin Porter is our attempt at recreating the pumpkin-infused beers of colonial days. Brewed with pale and roasted malts and fresh organic sugar pumpkins, it has whiled away the past year in old bourbon barrels, where it was inoculated by Brettanomyces and Lactobacillus naturally occuring in the CBC dungeon, er, Barrel Cellar. It was then blended with cinnamon sticks and candied ginger, and finished with new oak. It's tart and roasty palate may just transport you back to 17th Century Boston"
Pours a dark black, and is topped by a brown head. The aroma has notes of bourbon, roast and a light acidity. Initially this porter is mildly sweet with roasted undertones, but moves into a boozy center, and a roasted bitterness in the finish. There are also hints of tartness and Brett earthiness in the finish. I thought this was an interesting beer, I'm always interested in attempts to make beers in a somewhat historic context.
1089. Black Magic
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Cambridge Brewing Company
Alcohol: 3.75%
Serving: Cask
Style: Irish Dry Stout, BJCP Style Guide
"Our Irish Dry Stout, Blackout, has been infused with fresh pumpkin, ancho and chipotle peppers, cacao nibs, and whole cinnamon sticks. No beer is safe from the pumpkin! Going one step further, this little beauty is served on cask for this event!"
BLack Magic pours an opaque black, and is topped by a thin, brown head. The aroma is a peculiar mixture of maltiness and cinnamon that gives the distinct impression of Graham Crackers. There are more subtle aromas of peppery spice and roast, but the Graham Cracker aroma was what really stuck out at me. There's a bit of chocolatey, and pumpkin sweetness upfront, but this is quickly eclipsed by the spiciness of the cinnamon, ancho, and chipotles. This spiciness finishes out the beer, leaving a strong, lingering heat. I thought this was a great beer. I really liked the heat, and thought that the slightly sweetened (pumpkin infusion) Irish Dry Stout backbone provided the perfect base for the spiciness. I wonder if this was inspired by Mayan and Aztec chocolate drinks. This was probably my favorite beer of the evening.
1090. Ich Bin Ein Kürbisweisse
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Cambridge Brewing Company
Alcohol: 4.30%
Serving: Tap
Style: Berliner Weissbier, BJCP Style Guide
"Possibly the world's first pumpkin Berliner Weisse! Infused with autumn spices and fresh sugar pumpkin and, well, a secret ingredient to turn this beer a bright orange. Sweet upfront, tart in the finish, pumpkin-spicy in the middle."
Pours a cloudy, golden, orange color, and is topped by a light, white head. The aroma is grassy and grainy with mild spice aromatics, and a sour apple undertone. The initial maltiness leans towards sweet with hints of grassiness. The finish is pleasingly tart with a dry, and earthy character. The pumpkin pie spice is mild, but present throughout. This was another favorite of the evening.
1091. Jack O' Bite
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Elysian Brewing Company
Alcohol: 6.40%
Serving: Tap
Style: Scotch Ale / Wee Heavy, BJCP Style Guide
"Brewed with pale, 77º Crystal, Munich and Cara-Hell malts, and bittered lightly with Glacier hops. Pumpkin in the mash, kettle and fermenter; aged in Jack Daniel's and wine barrels for 6 weeks, inoculated with yeast from Rodenbach."
Pours a hazed, amber-red. It's topped by an off-white head with good lace. The aroma is boozy with woody, acidic and funky notes. A pumpkin and malty sweetness upfront moves into a tart bite. The finish is dry. I thought this was an interesting blend of pumpkin, Scotch Ale, and sour.
1092. St. Alphonso
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Cambridge Brewing Company
Alcohol: 4.50%
Serving: Tap
Style: Belgian Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
This was the one non-pumpkin beer I had all night. It's sort of a cross between a Belgian Pale Ale and a hoppy APA. Their description:
St. Alphonso pours a pale, straw color, and is topped by a white head. The aroma is primarily hoppy: lots of resin and grassy hops, and a bit of citrus. A distinct citric flavor accompanies a light, grainy maltiness upfront. This moves into resiny and leafy hop flavors in the finish, which contribute more to flavor than to bitterness. This one seems insanely drinkable.Brewers have long held a tradition of naming beers after patron saints. We wanted to do the same, but which saint to choose?
All of the good ones being taken – St. Arnold, St. Bridgette, St. Augustine, etc., etc. – we were left with old Saint Alphonso, patron saint of church pancake breakfasts.
What’s he got to do with our newest beer? Nothing, really. Like I said, all of the good saints were taken.Inspired once again to abuse our position and mess up the mainstream, we’ve created an “American” take on the Belgian single, or table beer. Created for consumption on a daily basis while at the meal table, as opposed to the richer and stronger doubles and triples reserved for festival times, bière de table in Belgium is a lower alcohol beer with plenty of spicy, yeasty, malty flavors.
Our spin involves our house Belgian yeast strain and bucketloads of American hops. Brewed with pale and aromatic malts, its primary flavors and aromas are big, floral, grassy and citrusy thanks to Glacier, Amarillo, and Centennial hops. Glacier hops were added at first wort, and combined with Amarillo and Centennial at the end of the boil and in the whirlpool. Additionally nearly 1.5 pounds per barrel of dryhops were added for that bit of something we call “extra.” No bittering hops were used, but the flavors and residual dryness from the hops, combined with a very well-attenuated, super-dry, light-bodied beer, create a perfect balance on the palate.
Call it a hoppy Belgian session beer if you like.
We call it St. Alphonso.
1093. Hansel and Gretel
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Elysian Brewing Company
Alcohol: 4.50%
Serving: Tap
Style: Czech Pilsener, BJCP Style Guide
"Brewed with organic pale, Weyermann Munich and Cara-Hell malts, with pumpkin added in the mash, kettle and fermenter. Spiced with peeled and pureed gresh ginger in the boil and bright tank and hopped with lots of Czech Saaz hops (otherwise it wouldn't be traditional)."
Pours a clear, golden color. Ginger and pumpkin notes beat out the Saaz in the aroma. The pumpkin contributes a distinct sweetness to the style. This sweetness moves into a ginger-spice center, and through to a nice, hoppy bitterness in the finish.
Labels: American Porter, American Wild Ale, Beer Fests, Belgian Pale Ale, Berliner Weissbier, Czech Pilsener, Irish Dry Stout, Pumpkin Ale, Scotch Ale/Wee Heavy
1071. Nom de Plum
Jadyn and I went to the CBC for drinks on the 14th of August. We each had a "Nom de Plum", a Belgian-style ale brewed with plum juice.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Cambridge Brewing Company
Alcohol: 5.75%
Serving: Tap
Style: Belgian Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 4.0 | Smell: 3.0| Taste: 3.5 | Mouthfeel: 3.0 | Drinkability: 4.0
Overall: 3.5
Nom de Plum pours a hazed, reddish, copper color. It's topped by a slightly off-white, shiny head that fades to a continuous film and leaves sheets of lace. The nose is dominated by peppery coriander, with a slight underlying fruitiness lent by the plum juice. I thought the aroma was a bit one-note for my taste. This beer would definitely benefit from toning down the coriander aromatics to let the fruitiness from the plums to come through.
This beer is malty upfront, but in a neutral sort of way: grainy rather than bready, textural rather than sweet. After these initial notes the plums come forward lending a slight bit of tartness, sweetness, and fruity, plum flavor. The finish is fairly flat, without a good flavor or spiciness. This beer is light-bodied with low carbonation. The carbonation could have been punched up a bit because the beer came across as fairly thin.
Despite my complaints, I thought this was a decent summer beer. It was light and refreshing.
Jadyn and I went to the CBC for drinks on the 14th of August. We each had a "Nom de Plum", a Belgian-style ale brewed with plum juice.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Cambridge Brewing Company
Alcohol: 5.75%
Serving: Tap
Style: Belgian Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 4.0 | Smell: 3.0| Taste: 3.5 | Mouthfeel: 3.0 | Drinkability: 4.0
Overall: 3.5
Nom de Plum pours a hazed, reddish, copper color. It's topped by a slightly off-white, shiny head that fades to a continuous film and leaves sheets of lace. The nose is dominated by peppery coriander, with a slight underlying fruitiness lent by the plum juice. I thought the aroma was a bit one-note for my taste. This beer would definitely benefit from toning down the coriander aromatics to let the fruitiness from the plums to come through.
This beer is malty upfront, but in a neutral sort of way: grainy rather than bready, textural rather than sweet. After these initial notes the plums come forward lending a slight bit of tartness, sweetness, and fruity, plum flavor. The finish is fairly flat, without a good flavor or spiciness. This beer is light-bodied with low carbonation. The carbonation could have been punched up a bit because the beer came across as fairly thin.
Despite my complaints, I thought this was a decent summer beer. It was light and refreshing.
Labels: Belgian Pale Ale
935. Never Mind the Bollekes!
From the CBC website:
Brewery: Cambridge Brewing Company
Alcohol: 5.50%
Serving: Tap
Style: Belgian Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 4.5 | Smell: 4.0 | Taste: 4.0 | Mouthfeel: 3.5 | Drinkability: 5.0
Overall: 4.2
Pours a clear copper with a slight haze. Topped by a dense, fluffy, off-white head that leaves sheets of lace. The aroma is toasty, fruity in the Belgian yeast sort of way, peppery and a tad yeasty.
There's a sweet, bready, malt backbone. Banana fruitiness appears in the center and lingers into finish, which has a mild peppery spice and light bitterness. Light-bodied and a bit thin, perhaps a bit more carbonation would carry it through better.
Like its inspiration, the very model of a session beer.
From the CBC website:
Named after the infamous 1977 album by the Sex Pistols, but inspired by the world-class beer produced in Antwerp, Belgium, by the DeKoninck brewery. Their iconic beer, served in a spherical stemmed glass called a bolleke, is so closely identified in its native Antwerp with its glass that the term bolleke is most colloquially used to refer to a glass filled with the beer itself! In other words, one never orders ‘a glass of DeKoninck,’ one just orders ‘a bolleke.’ Wishing to avoid inciting a copyright infringement lawsuit, we’ve decided against serving our Belgian pale ale in a similar goblet, and instead you’ll find it gracing the flared bowl of our traditional tulip glass. Bright, unfiltered, pale-to-amber in color, it boasts plenty of fruity Begian yeast character. Medium-bodied, the flavors of pilsner and Munich-style malt balance deftly with spicy and floral hops. Hoppier than the Antwerpen amber ale we so admire, it is also of a sessionable nature and can be enjoyed throughout an evening’s conversation. Or in the midst of your favorite mosh pit. We hope our Antwerpen brewing brethren have a sense of humor about this!Beer Stats:
Brewery: Cambridge Brewing Company
Alcohol: 5.50%
Serving: Tap
Style: Belgian Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 4.5 | Smell: 4.0 | Taste: 4.0 | Mouthfeel: 3.5 | Drinkability: 5.0
Overall: 4.2
Pours a clear copper with a slight haze. Topped by a dense, fluffy, off-white head that leaves sheets of lace. The aroma is toasty, fruity in the Belgian yeast sort of way, peppery and a tad yeasty.
There's a sweet, bready, malt backbone. Banana fruitiness appears in the center and lingers into finish, which has a mild peppery spice and light bitterness. Light-bodied and a bit thin, perhaps a bit more carbonation would carry it through better.
Like its inspiration, the very model of a session beer.
891-895: The Return of the Belgian Beer Fest: Part 3
Published by Unknown on Friday, November 21, 2008 at 9:30 AM.
This is the third and final post containing the last five beers that I had at the beer fest. Not much else to say, other than to say it was a great fest.
891. Weyerbacher Thirteen
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Weyerbacher Brewing Co.
Alcohol: 13.60%
Style: American Double Stout
Pours an opaque black, and is topped by an dark brown head. The aroma is banana bread, chocolate and roasted grain. There are notes of chocolate, banana, tart fruit, coffee and chocolate.
892. Stone 08.08.08 Vertical Epic Ale
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Stone Brewing Co.
Alcohol: 8.60%
Style: Belgian Strong Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a lightly hazed golden. Topped by a sudsy white head. There's an apple fruitiness in the aroma. Bready sweetness with hints of caramel and fruit. Lightly bitter in the finish.
893. Harpoon Wild Hibernian
Beer Stats:
Brewery:Harpoon Brewery
Alcohol: 6.50%
Style: American Wild Ale
Pours a cloudy copper. Topped by a thick beige head. The aroma is characteristic Brettanomyces with a bit of apple fruitiness. Sweet upfront, bready with hints of apples. Mildly spicy with a light funkiness in the finish.
894. Southampton Bier de Mars
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Southampton Publick House
Alcohol: 6.80%
Style: Saison, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a cloudy golden. Topped by a thin, sudsy white head. Banana and honey in the aroma. Notes of pepper, banana, and honey on the palate. There's a course graininess in the finish along with a light bitterness.
894. Smuttynose Abbey Single
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Smuttynose Brewing Company
Alcohol: 5.80%
Style: Belgian Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a hazed golden. Citric aroma, hoppy? Light but flavorful. This is the extent of my notes, I was probably in a rush to try to get a last sample of La Folie.
891. Weyerbacher Thirteen
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Weyerbacher Brewing Co.
Alcohol: 13.60%
Style: American Double Stout
Pours an opaque black, and is topped by an dark brown head. The aroma is banana bread, chocolate and roasted grain. There are notes of chocolate, banana, tart fruit, coffee and chocolate.
892. Stone 08.08.08 Vertical Epic Ale
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Stone Brewing Co.
Alcohol: 8.60%
Style: Belgian Strong Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a lightly hazed golden. Topped by a sudsy white head. There's an apple fruitiness in the aroma. Bready sweetness with hints of caramel and fruit. Lightly bitter in the finish.
893. Harpoon Wild Hibernian
Beer Stats:
Brewery:Harpoon Brewery
Alcohol: 6.50%
Style: American Wild Ale
Pours a cloudy copper. Topped by a thick beige head. The aroma is characteristic Brettanomyces with a bit of apple fruitiness. Sweet upfront, bready with hints of apples. Mildly spicy with a light funkiness in the finish.
894. Southampton Bier de Mars
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Southampton Publick House
Alcohol: 6.80%
Style: Saison, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a cloudy golden. Topped by a thin, sudsy white head. Banana and honey in the aroma. Notes of pepper, banana, and honey on the palate. There's a course graininess in the finish along with a light bitterness.
894. Smuttynose Abbey Single
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Smuttynose Brewing Company
Alcohol: 5.80%
Style: Belgian Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a hazed golden. Citric aroma, hoppy? Light but flavorful. This is the extent of my notes, I was probably in a rush to try to get a last sample of La Folie.
Labels: American Double Stout, American Wild Ale, Beer Fests, Belgian Pale Ale, Belgian Strong Pale Ale, Saison
881-890. The Return of the Belgian Beer Fest: Part 2
Published by Unknown on Wednesday, November 19, 2008 at 9:30 AM.
These are the second set of 10 new beers that I had at the Belgian Beer Fest. A good portion of them seem to be rare or one-off beers given that they're not in the BA database. I think this is a sign of a good beer fest, that brewers are willing to bring their small batch, one-off beers to a fest, or better yet, to brew them for a fest. It helps keep the variety high and the offerings interesting.
881. The Tap Honing Ale
Beer Stats:
Brewery: The Tap / Haverhill Brewery, Inc
Alcohol: 6.80%
Style: Belgian Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a cloudy, straw golden. Topped by a sudsy head. Honey is definitely present in the aroma with a bit of a resiny character. The sweetness of the honey mingles well with a nice tart fruitiness from the yeast. I thought this was an excellent honey ale, and was one of my favorite beers from the fest.
882. L'esprit de l'escalier
Beer Stats:
Brewery: The Tap / Haverhill Brewery, Inc
Alcohol: 6.80%
Style: Saison, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a hazy golden-copper, and is topped by a thin white head. Grassy, grainy, light fruit and citrus in the aroma. Toasty malts upfront with some honey-like sweetness. The finish has a peppery spice, and a light bitterness in the aftertaste.
883. Samuel Adams Blonde Ale
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Boston Beer Company
Alcohol: 10.20%
Style: Belgian Strong Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a lightly hazed, golden. Topped by an off-white head. The aroma and taste are both peppery with notes of apple fruitiness.
884. Samuel Adams Knee Deep Kriek
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Boston Beer Company
Alcohol: 6.50%
Style: Fruit Lambic, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a hazed reddish-copper with a pinkish head. Cherries in the aroma. Light cherry flavors upfront move into a tart finish. Not a lot of depth.
885. Dernière Volonté
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brasserie Dieu Du Ciel
Alcohol: 6.50%
Style: Belgian Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a cloudy, straw golden, topped by a thin white head. Bready, with notes of caramel and honey in the aroma, and perhaps a hint of medicinal phenols. Light sweetness upfront moves into a medicinal character. Very tasty.
886. Stone Cali-Belgique
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Stone Brewing Co.
Alcohol: 6.90%
Style: Belgian IPA
Pours a lightly-hazed golden. Topped by a thin, white head. Strong aroma of a Belgian ale, banana and other fruitiness. There's also a good bit of hops in the aroma. There is a sweet Belgian fruitiness upfront for a fleeting moment, before it's crushed by a wall of hops. Hoppy, definitely my preference for a Belgian IPA, but lacks balance.
887. Orphan Annie
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Port Brewing Company/The Lost Abbey
Alcohol: 8.00%
Style: American Wild Ale
Pours a hazed, reddish brown. The head is a wispy beige ring. The aroma is woody with cherry fruitiness. Lightly sweet cherry flavors upfront move into an awesome cherry tartness. Dry finish. This was another favorite from the fest.
888. Avril
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brasserie Dupont
Alcohol: 3.50%
Style: Belgian Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
I'm calling this one a Belgian Pale Ale rather than a Saison, which is what BA has it listed as. I think a BPA is closer in style.
Pours a lightly cloudy, straw golden. Topped by a thin, white head. The aroma is surprisingly strong for a table beer, nice grassy and grainy malts and a bit of banana fruitiness. Lightly grainy malt upfront with light fruit and light peppery spice. Pretty mild.
889. Unibroue 17
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Unibroue
Alcohol: 10.00%
Style: Belgian Strong Dark Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a cloudy brown. Toppe by a thick, light brown head. The aroma seemed a bit hoppy and chocolatey. Lightly bready malts upfront, roasty with notes of chocolate and a peppery finish.
890. Les Deux Brasseurs
Beer Stats:
Brewery: De Proefbrouwerij
Alcohol: 8.50%
Style: Belgian Strong Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
This beer is a collaboration between De Proef and Allagash.
Pours a cloudy, straw golden. The aroma seems to be characteristic Brettanomyces, with some acidic hints. Lightly sour upfront moving through to a medicinal, funky finish with a light bitterness.
881. The Tap Honing Ale
Beer Stats:
Brewery: The Tap / Haverhill Brewery, Inc
Alcohol: 6.80%
Style: Belgian Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a cloudy, straw golden. Topped by a sudsy head. Honey is definitely present in the aroma with a bit of a resiny character. The sweetness of the honey mingles well with a nice tart fruitiness from the yeast. I thought this was an excellent honey ale, and was one of my favorite beers from the fest.
882. L'esprit de l'escalier
Beer Stats:
Brewery: The Tap / Haverhill Brewery, Inc
Alcohol: 6.80%
Style: Saison, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a hazy golden-copper, and is topped by a thin white head. Grassy, grainy, light fruit and citrus in the aroma. Toasty malts upfront with some honey-like sweetness. The finish has a peppery spice, and a light bitterness in the aftertaste.
883. Samuel Adams Blonde Ale
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Boston Beer Company
Alcohol: 10.20%
Style: Belgian Strong Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a lightly hazed, golden. Topped by an off-white head. The aroma and taste are both peppery with notes of apple fruitiness.
884. Samuel Adams Knee Deep Kriek
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Boston Beer Company
Alcohol: 6.50%
Style: Fruit Lambic, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a hazed reddish-copper with a pinkish head. Cherries in the aroma. Light cherry flavors upfront move into a tart finish. Not a lot of depth.
885. Dernière Volonté
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brasserie Dieu Du Ciel
Alcohol: 6.50%
Style: Belgian Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a cloudy, straw golden, topped by a thin white head. Bready, with notes of caramel and honey in the aroma, and perhaps a hint of medicinal phenols. Light sweetness upfront moves into a medicinal character. Very tasty.
886. Stone Cali-Belgique
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Stone Brewing Co.
Alcohol: 6.90%
Style: Belgian IPA
Pours a lightly-hazed golden. Topped by a thin, white head. Strong aroma of a Belgian ale, banana and other fruitiness. There's also a good bit of hops in the aroma. There is a sweet Belgian fruitiness upfront for a fleeting moment, before it's crushed by a wall of hops. Hoppy, definitely my preference for a Belgian IPA, but lacks balance.
887. Orphan Annie
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Port Brewing Company/The Lost Abbey
Alcohol: 8.00%
Style: American Wild Ale
Pours a hazed, reddish brown. The head is a wispy beige ring. The aroma is woody with cherry fruitiness. Lightly sweet cherry flavors upfront move into an awesome cherry tartness. Dry finish. This was another favorite from the fest.
888. Avril
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brasserie Dupont
Alcohol: 3.50%
Style: Belgian Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
I'm calling this one a Belgian Pale Ale rather than a Saison, which is what BA has it listed as. I think a BPA is closer in style.
Pours a lightly cloudy, straw golden. Topped by a thin, white head. The aroma is surprisingly strong for a table beer, nice grassy and grainy malts and a bit of banana fruitiness. Lightly grainy malt upfront with light fruit and light peppery spice. Pretty mild.
889. Unibroue 17
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Unibroue
Alcohol: 10.00%
Style: Belgian Strong Dark Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a cloudy brown. Toppe by a thick, light brown head. The aroma seemed a bit hoppy and chocolatey. Lightly bready malts upfront, roasty with notes of chocolate and a peppery finish.
890. Les Deux Brasseurs
Beer Stats:
Brewery: De Proefbrouwerij
Alcohol: 8.50%
Style: Belgian Strong Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
This beer is a collaboration between De Proef and Allagash.
Pours a cloudy, straw golden. The aroma seems to be characteristic Brettanomyces, with some acidic hints. Lightly sour upfront moving through to a medicinal, funky finish with a light bitterness.
Labels: American Wild Ale, Beer Fests, Belgian IPA, Belgian Pale Ale, Belgian Strong Dark Ale, Belgian Strong Pale Ale, Fruit Lambic, Saison
871-880. The Return of the Belgian Beer Fest: Part 1
Published by Unknown on Monday, November 17, 2008 at 9:30 AM.
Jadyn and I went to the afternoon session of Beer Advocate's Return of the Belgian Beer Fest on Saturday September 27th. This is always my favorite BA fest... I can't get enough Belgian beer. I do regret no going to the Friday night special session though. The format seems to be pretty constant now: unlimited 2 ounce samples, food from Sunset, Belgian sugar waffles, talks, and booths from a good variety of breweries and importers.
I was pleased to see New Belgium at this fest. They haven't been at any of the other Beer Advocate fests that I've been to, and I managed to get a couple samples of the phenomenal La Folie.
871. Brooklyn Flemish Gold
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brooklyn Brewery
Alcohol: 6.50%
Style: Saison, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a cloudy, straw golden. Topped by a white head that thins to a film. The aroma is fruity with notes of bananas, as well as grainy and hoppy aromas. Upfront is a neutral bready malt character. A mild banana sweetness in the center with a mildly hopped finish.
872. Brooklyn Grand Cru
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brooklyn Brewery
Alcohol: 8.40%
Style: Witbier, BJCP Style Guide
Pours an insanely cloudy, beige color with an almost reddish tint. Topped by a thick, off-white head. Notes of coriander, orange peel and alcohol in the aroma. Smooth banana fruitiness, citric orange, and peppery spice.
873. Saison Rue
Beer Stats:
Brewery: The Bruery
Alcohol: 8.50%
Style: Saison, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a hazed golden-copper. Topped by a sudsy, off-white head. Apples and a light peppery spice in the aroma. Apple sweetness with an accompanying tartness upfront. There's also a slight medicinal character in the finish.
874. Duvel Draft
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Duvel Moortgat NV
Alcohol: 6.80%
Style: Belgian Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a crystal clear, straw color. Topped by a rocky, merengue-like head. The aroma is fruity with hints of apple and banana. The flavor is mild. There are grainy and lightly fruity flavors with maybe a hint of apple tartness. The finish is lightly bitter with a grassy dry quality.
875. Ommegang Rouge
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brewery Ommegang
Alcohol: 5.50%
Style: Flanders Red Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a hazy reddish-brown. Topped by a thick beige head that faded quickly to a film. The aroma is nice and acidic. Amazingly tart upfront, with a cherry fruitiness and moderate sweetness in the center. The finish is woody and medicinal. Delicious. One of my favorites from the fest.
876. Rock Bottom Blueberry Lambic
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery
Alcohol: 4.00%
Style: Fruit Lambic, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a cloudy purple. Topped by a sudsy, purple head. The aroma is blueberries and funk. Sour upfront with blueberries throughout and a mild funkiness in the finish. I thought this was an odd combo, the blueberries and lambic characters didn't mesh well. I still have to applaud the attempt though.
877. Eric's Ale (Lips of Faith #3)
Beer Stats:
Brewery: New Belgium Brewing
Alcohol: 7.00%
Style: American Wild Ale
This is a sour ale brewed with peaches. It pours a hazed orange-copper, and is topped by a thin, off-white head. The aroma is lightly acid with hints of peach. Sour, but not mouth puckeringly tart. The sourness is balanced nicely by a light sweetness from the peach.
878. Harpoon Belgian Dip
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Harpoon Brewery
Alcohol: 13.00%
Style: Belgian Strong Dark Ale, BJCP Style Guide
I'm guessing at the style here, so take that into account. Pours a hazed-reddish copper. Sweet on the nose: chocolatey, caramel and candi sugar. There's also a mild whiff of alcohol. Sweet throughout with dominant flavors of candi sugar, caramel and toffee. The finish has a pronounced alcoholic spice. Overall a bit one-dimensional.
879. Harpoon Belgian Chocolate Stout
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Harpoon Brewery
Alcohol: 6.00%
Style: American Stout, BJCP Style Guide
This beer is black with a sudsy, brown head. The aroma is deeply chocolatey with hints of toffee as well. Sweet chocolate upfront, roasty in the center and finish.
880. Monk's Brew
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Mikkeller
Alcohol: 11.50%
Style: Quadrupel, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a cloudy brown, and topped by a beige head. The aroma is fairly light, but is much the same as the palate. Caramel with hints of chocolate and dark fruit. The finish has a peppery and alcoholic spiciness.
I was pleased to see New Belgium at this fest. They haven't been at any of the other Beer Advocate fests that I've been to, and I managed to get a couple samples of the phenomenal La Folie.
871. Brooklyn Flemish Gold
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brooklyn Brewery
Alcohol: 6.50%
Style: Saison, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a cloudy, straw golden. Topped by a white head that thins to a film. The aroma is fruity with notes of bananas, as well as grainy and hoppy aromas. Upfront is a neutral bready malt character. A mild banana sweetness in the center with a mildly hopped finish.
872. Brooklyn Grand Cru
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brooklyn Brewery
Alcohol: 8.40%
Style: Witbier, BJCP Style Guide
Pours an insanely cloudy, beige color with an almost reddish tint. Topped by a thick, off-white head. Notes of coriander, orange peel and alcohol in the aroma. Smooth banana fruitiness, citric orange, and peppery spice.
873. Saison Rue
Beer Stats:
Brewery: The Bruery
Alcohol: 8.50%
Style: Saison, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a hazed golden-copper. Topped by a sudsy, off-white head. Apples and a light peppery spice in the aroma. Apple sweetness with an accompanying tartness upfront. There's also a slight medicinal character in the finish.
874. Duvel Draft
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Duvel Moortgat NV
Alcohol: 6.80%
Style: Belgian Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a crystal clear, straw color. Topped by a rocky, merengue-like head. The aroma is fruity with hints of apple and banana. The flavor is mild. There are grainy and lightly fruity flavors with maybe a hint of apple tartness. The finish is lightly bitter with a grassy dry quality.
875. Ommegang Rouge
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brewery Ommegang
Alcohol: 5.50%
Style: Flanders Red Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a hazy reddish-brown. Topped by a thick beige head that faded quickly to a film. The aroma is nice and acidic. Amazingly tart upfront, with a cherry fruitiness and moderate sweetness in the center. The finish is woody and medicinal. Delicious. One of my favorites from the fest.
876. Rock Bottom Blueberry Lambic
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery
Alcohol: 4.00%
Style: Fruit Lambic, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a cloudy purple. Topped by a sudsy, purple head. The aroma is blueberries and funk. Sour upfront with blueberries throughout and a mild funkiness in the finish. I thought this was an odd combo, the blueberries and lambic characters didn't mesh well. I still have to applaud the attempt though.
877. Eric's Ale (Lips of Faith #3)
Beer Stats:
Brewery: New Belgium Brewing
Alcohol: 7.00%
Style: American Wild Ale
This is a sour ale brewed with peaches. It pours a hazed orange-copper, and is topped by a thin, off-white head. The aroma is lightly acid with hints of peach. Sour, but not mouth puckeringly tart. The sourness is balanced nicely by a light sweetness from the peach.
878. Harpoon Belgian Dip
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Harpoon Brewery
Alcohol: 13.00%
Style: Belgian Strong Dark Ale, BJCP Style Guide
I'm guessing at the style here, so take that into account. Pours a hazed-reddish copper. Sweet on the nose: chocolatey, caramel and candi sugar. There's also a mild whiff of alcohol. Sweet throughout with dominant flavors of candi sugar, caramel and toffee. The finish has a pronounced alcoholic spice. Overall a bit one-dimensional.
879. Harpoon Belgian Chocolate Stout
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Harpoon Brewery
Alcohol: 6.00%
Style: American Stout, BJCP Style Guide
This beer is black with a sudsy, brown head. The aroma is deeply chocolatey with hints of toffee as well. Sweet chocolate upfront, roasty in the center and finish.
880. Monk's Brew
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Mikkeller
Alcohol: 11.50%
Style: Quadrupel, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a cloudy brown, and topped by a beige head. The aroma is fairly light, but is much the same as the palate. Caramel with hints of chocolate and dark fruit. The finish has a peppery and alcoholic spiciness.
Labels: American Stout, American Wild Ale, Beer Fests, Belgian Pale Ale, Belgian Strong Dark Ale, Flanders Red Ale, Fruit Lambic, Quadrupel, Saison, Witbier
745. Leffe Blonde
I had a bottle of this at a goodbye party for one of Jadyn's labmates.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Abbaye de Leffe S.A.
Alcohol: 6.60%
Serving: Bottle, 11.2 oz.
Style: Belgian Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
This one seemed like a fairly standard Belgian Pale Ale. It was on the fruity/sweet side. Nothing objectionable, but nothing that really stood out as great either.
I had a bottle of this at a goodbye party for one of Jadyn's labmates.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Abbaye de Leffe S.A.
Alcohol: 6.60%
Serving: Bottle, 11.2 oz.
Style: Belgian Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
This one seemed like a fairly standard Belgian Pale Ale. It was on the fruity/sweet side. Nothing objectionable, but nothing that really stood out as great either.
Labels: Belgian Pale Ale
I apologize for the tardiness of this post. Over a month and a half late, I'm beginning to feel like Ward.
Jadyn and I went to the afternoon session of Beer Advocate's Belgian Beer Fest on the 27th of October. We arrived early enough to be within a half-block of the doors. This year's fest seemed less crowded than last year's. The middle row of booths was removed and replaced with seating. Overall I think this was an improvement, there's still more than enough variety and it's far less crowded.
As with other fests the notes are more general, abbreviated and are probably to be trusted less as the fest progresses.
715. Ommegang Chocolate Indulgence Stout
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brewery Ommegang
Alcohol: ?
Style: Belgian Strong Dark Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Pours an opaque black, with a foamy brown head. Aroma is roasty with dark fruit and chocolate. Sweet, stoutish roastiness, dark fruit, chocolate, with a roasty bitterness in the finish.
716. The Lost Abbey Mother Pucker
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Port Brewing Company/The Lost Abbey
Alcohol: ?
Style: Fruit Lambic, BJCP Style Guide
This is an apricot lambic-style beer. Pours a hazy straw color with a wispy white head. The aroma is strong apricots with a funky aroma underneath. Sour, but has a nice sweet-apricot flavor. Mild earthiness in the finish. Nice and dry. One of my favorites from the fest.
717. Brooklyn Abbey Singel
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brooklyn Brewery
Alcohol: 6.00%
Style: Belgian Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a hazy straw. Fizzy white head. Aroma is fruity: bananas, clove, Belgian yeast. Crisp maltiness, followed by characteristic Belgian yeast fruitiness, and a peppery graininess in the finish.
718. Bam Noire
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales
Alcohol: 4.30%
Style: Saison, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a clearish brown, topped by a beige head. The aroma is predominantly Brett, with a light fruitiness underneath. The flavor is predominantly Brettanomyces with a roasty finish. An odd combination, but interesting.
719. Cantillon Lambic Aged in Cognac Casks
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brasserie Cantillon
Year: March 2005
Alcohol: 5.00%
Style: Unblended Lambic, BJCP Style Guide
A rare Cantillon, I had to try it. Looks much like the Gueuze, hazy straw colored with a faint head. The aroma is smooth, with the cognac making the funkiness less powerful. The beer is still sour, but is smoothed out nicely by the cognac flavors. This was tasty, but I still prefer the bright sourness and earthy funkiness of the original.
720. Ommegang Abbey Tripel
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brewery Ommegang
Alcohol: ?
Style: Tripel, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a hazy, light-golden with a wispy white head. The aroma is fruity with bananas predominating, also notes of grain and more substantial malt (caramel maybe). Sweet malts and the banana heavy Belgian yeast profile. The finish is peppery with a light bitterness.
721. Black Jacob
Beer Stats:
Brewery: American Flatbread Burlington Hearth
Alcohol: 5.50%
Style: Saison, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a brown color, topped by a beige film. The aroma is yeasty, grainy and roasty. Toasty, dark fruit, with a roasty finish. I like Saisons with a little bit of earty/funky flavors that I felt that this one was lacking.
722. Dogfish Head Red & White
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
Alcohol: 10.00%
Style: Witbier, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a hazy red with a very light, pink, foamy film. Aroma is fruity, yeasty, Witbier characters seem muted. Malty upfront, moves into a fruity center with a citric bite and a peppery finish.
723. De Ranke Père Noël
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij De Ranke
Alcohol: 7.00%
Style: Belgian Strong Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a very cloudy, light amber. White film of a head. Mellowed hop aroma with a hint of fruitiness. Light bready sweetness upfront, moves through a fruity center before a pleasantly hoppy finish.
724. Kasteel Rouge
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Van Honsebrouck N.V.
Alcohol: 8.00%
Style: Fruit Beer, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a light red with a fizzy pink head. Cherry smell with only a little bit of tartness. Sweet cherry flavors throughout with minimal tartness. I remember being unimpressed.
725. Smuttynose Brett & I
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Smuttynose Brewing Company
Alcohol: 7.00%
Style: Belgian Strong Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
A beer brewed with Brettanomyces, I had to try it. Pours a hazy golden, topped by a smooth, filmy head that leaves sheets of lace. The aroma is characteristic Brettanomyces with some nice medicinal characters. Toasty upfront, clean, light sweetness in the center, and an herbal, bitter finish with a hint of Brett.
726. Lost Abbey Veritas 002
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Port Brewing Company/The Lost Abbey
Alcohol: ?
Style: Belgian Strong Dark Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Hazy brown, beige ring lines the glass. The aroma is earth raspberries and tart medicinals. Lightly sweet raspberries, earthy and malty.
727. Dogfish Head Fluckey's Fest
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
Alcohol: ?
Style: Fruit Beer, BJCP Style Guide
From the website
728. Infusco
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Rock Art Brewery
Alcohol: 8.00%
Style: Belgian Strong Dark Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Dark brown with a faint, beige ring of a head, can see floating aggregates. The aroma is sweet, candi sugar with a light phenolic touch. Sweet, chocolatey, lightly sharp medicinal finish.
729. Sixpoint Belgian Rye-PA
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Sixpoint Craft Ales
Alcohol: 7.70%
Style: Belgian IPA
Pours a hazy amber. Topped by a sudsy beige head. Aroma is peppery spice with a touch of sweetness. Toasty upfront with a sweet center. The finish is spicy and hoppy.
730. Ølfabrikken Abbey Ale
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Ølfabrikken
Alcohol: 8.50%
Style: Dubbel, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a cloudy brown with floating particles. The aroma is of sweet, dark fruit. High carbonation upfront, sweet caramel malts, apricot fruitiness. Sweet, but very nice.
731. Urthel Vlaemse Bock
Beer Stats:
Brewery: De Leyerth Brouwerijen
Alcohol: 9.00%
Style: Belgian Strong Dark Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a clear, brown amber with a sudsy beige head that leaves sheets of lace. The aroma is very malty: butterscotch, caramel, dark fruit. Lightly sweet upfront (flavors the same as the aromas). The finish is lightly grainy and bitter.
732. Nøgne Ø Saison
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Nøgne Ø - det kompromissløse bryggeri
Alcohol: 6.50%
Style: Saison, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a very cloudy straw-golden topped by a white sudsy head. Funky aroma with tart citrus. Bready, citrus, funky and bitter. I liked this one, it's hard to find a saison with a good amount of funk to it.
733. Troublette
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brasserie Caracole
Alcohol: 5.00%
Style: Witbier, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a very cloudy straw color. The aroma is soda like with lots of citrus and fruit. Carbonation is high, grainy, citrus, banana, fairly sweet.
734. Weyerbacher Quad
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Weyerbacher Brewing Co.
Alcohol: 12.20%
Style: Quadrupel, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a hazy amber with a beige head. Lightly fruity aroma with some nice malts. Very smooth, malty with some nice dark fruit.
735. Gouden Carolus Ambrio
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Het Anker
Alcohol: 8.00%
Style: Belgian Strong Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a hazed amber with a fuzzy, beige head. The aroma is a nice mix of malty and fruity. Sweet upfront, nice maltiness with some hints of fruit. Lightly bitter finish. Moderately carbonated.
736. Malheur Brut Noir
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij De Landtsheer
Alcohol: 12.00%
Style: Bière de Champagne / Bière Brut
Pours a hazy brown with a light brown head. Aroma is tart with a bit of roastiness. Sweet throughout, finish is fruity.
737. Sixpoint Belgian IPA
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Sixpoint Craft Ales
Alcohol: 6.00%
Style: Belgian IPA
Hazy golden. Sweet fruity aroma, citrus and banana. Sweet banana fruitiness. Light, citric, hop bitterness in the finish.
738. Harpoon Munich Dark Barrel Age: The Funk
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Harpoon Brewery
Alcohol: ?
Style: American Wild Ale
Pours a clear brown with a hint of amber. The aroma is sour and Brett-like. Light flavors at the onset, but moves into a nice fruity sourness. The finish is dry.
739. Harpoon Quad
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Harpoon Brewery
Alcohol:?
Style: Quadrupel, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a hazy amber with a beige head. Aroma is malty and fruity with a hint of bananas. Flavor is Belgian yeast fruitiness, banana, alcoholic spice, peppery.
Jadyn and I went to the afternoon session of Beer Advocate's Belgian Beer Fest on the 27th of October. We arrived early enough to be within a half-block of the doors. This year's fest seemed less crowded than last year's. The middle row of booths was removed and replaced with seating. Overall I think this was an improvement, there's still more than enough variety and it's far less crowded.
As with other fests the notes are more general, abbreviated and are probably to be trusted less as the fest progresses.
715. Ommegang Chocolate Indulgence Stout
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brewery Ommegang
Alcohol: ?
Style: Belgian Strong Dark Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Pours an opaque black, with a foamy brown head. Aroma is roasty with dark fruit and chocolate. Sweet, stoutish roastiness, dark fruit, chocolate, with a roasty bitterness in the finish.
716. The Lost Abbey Mother Pucker
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Port Brewing Company/The Lost Abbey
Alcohol: ?
Style: Fruit Lambic, BJCP Style Guide
This is an apricot lambic-style beer. Pours a hazy straw color with a wispy white head. The aroma is strong apricots with a funky aroma underneath. Sour, but has a nice sweet-apricot flavor. Mild earthiness in the finish. Nice and dry. One of my favorites from the fest.
717. Brooklyn Abbey Singel
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brooklyn Brewery
Alcohol: 6.00%
Style: Belgian Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a hazy straw. Fizzy white head. Aroma is fruity: bananas, clove, Belgian yeast. Crisp maltiness, followed by characteristic Belgian yeast fruitiness, and a peppery graininess in the finish.
718. Bam Noire
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales
Alcohol: 4.30%
Style: Saison, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a clearish brown, topped by a beige head. The aroma is predominantly Brett, with a light fruitiness underneath. The flavor is predominantly Brettanomyces with a roasty finish. An odd combination, but interesting.
719. Cantillon Lambic Aged in Cognac Casks
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brasserie Cantillon
Year: March 2005
Alcohol: 5.00%
Style: Unblended Lambic, BJCP Style Guide
A rare Cantillon, I had to try it. Looks much like the Gueuze, hazy straw colored with a faint head. The aroma is smooth, with the cognac making the funkiness less powerful. The beer is still sour, but is smoothed out nicely by the cognac flavors. This was tasty, but I still prefer the bright sourness and earthy funkiness of the original.
720. Ommegang Abbey Tripel
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brewery Ommegang
Alcohol: ?
Style: Tripel, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a hazy, light-golden with a wispy white head. The aroma is fruity with bananas predominating, also notes of grain and more substantial malt (caramel maybe). Sweet malts and the banana heavy Belgian yeast profile. The finish is peppery with a light bitterness.
721. Black Jacob
Beer Stats:
Brewery: American Flatbread Burlington Hearth
Alcohol: 5.50%
Style: Saison, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a brown color, topped by a beige film. The aroma is yeasty, grainy and roasty. Toasty, dark fruit, with a roasty finish. I like Saisons with a little bit of earty/funky flavors that I felt that this one was lacking.
722. Dogfish Head Red & White
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
Alcohol: 10.00%
Style: Witbier, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a hazy red with a very light, pink, foamy film. Aroma is fruity, yeasty, Witbier characters seem muted. Malty upfront, moves into a fruity center with a citric bite and a peppery finish.
723. De Ranke Père Noël
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij De Ranke
Alcohol: 7.00%
Style: Belgian Strong Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a very cloudy, light amber. White film of a head. Mellowed hop aroma with a hint of fruitiness. Light bready sweetness upfront, moves through a fruity center before a pleasantly hoppy finish.
724. Kasteel Rouge
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Van Honsebrouck N.V.
Alcohol: 8.00%
Style: Fruit Beer, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a light red with a fizzy pink head. Cherry smell with only a little bit of tartness. Sweet cherry flavors throughout with minimal tartness. I remember being unimpressed.
725. Smuttynose Brett & I
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Smuttynose Brewing Company
Alcohol: 7.00%
Style: Belgian Strong Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
A beer brewed with Brettanomyces, I had to try it. Pours a hazy golden, topped by a smooth, filmy head that leaves sheets of lace. The aroma is characteristic Brettanomyces with some nice medicinal characters. Toasty upfront, clean, light sweetness in the center, and an herbal, bitter finish with a hint of Brett.
726. Lost Abbey Veritas 002
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Port Brewing Company/The Lost Abbey
Alcohol: ?
Style: Belgian Strong Dark Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Hazy brown, beige ring lines the glass. The aroma is earth raspberries and tart medicinals. Lightly sweet raspberries, earthy and malty.
727. Dogfish Head Fluckey's Fest
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
Alcohol: ?
Style: Fruit Beer, BJCP Style Guide
From the website
"Admiral Fluckey's Lager was brewed with 51% Pilsner malt and 49% Chardonnay grapes, then fermented with Champagne yeast. It islow (~15 IBU’s) on the bitterness scale, a bit sweet, about 7-8% abv, with the slight acididity of a champagne. Admiral Fluckey was the first commander of the USS Dogfish (submarine) and just passed away on July 2, 2007."Pours a hazy, straw color with a white head that thins to a film. Light, clean graininess in the aroma. Fruity, you can taste the grapes. Moves through to a lightly grainy finish.
728. Infusco
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Rock Art Brewery
Alcohol: 8.00%
Style: Belgian Strong Dark Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Dark brown with a faint, beige ring of a head, can see floating aggregates. The aroma is sweet, candi sugar with a light phenolic touch. Sweet, chocolatey, lightly sharp medicinal finish.
729. Sixpoint Belgian Rye-PA
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Sixpoint Craft Ales
Alcohol: 7.70%
Style: Belgian IPA
Pours a hazy amber. Topped by a sudsy beige head. Aroma is peppery spice with a touch of sweetness. Toasty upfront with a sweet center. The finish is spicy and hoppy.
730. Ølfabrikken Abbey Ale
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Ølfabrikken
Alcohol: 8.50%
Style: Dubbel, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a cloudy brown with floating particles. The aroma is of sweet, dark fruit. High carbonation upfront, sweet caramel malts, apricot fruitiness. Sweet, but very nice.
731. Urthel Vlaemse Bock
Beer Stats:
Brewery: De Leyerth Brouwerijen
Alcohol: 9.00%
Style: Belgian Strong Dark Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a clear, brown amber with a sudsy beige head that leaves sheets of lace. The aroma is very malty: butterscotch, caramel, dark fruit. Lightly sweet upfront (flavors the same as the aromas). The finish is lightly grainy and bitter.
732. Nøgne Ø Saison
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Nøgne Ø - det kompromissløse bryggeri
Alcohol: 6.50%
Style: Saison, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a very cloudy straw-golden topped by a white sudsy head. Funky aroma with tart citrus. Bready, citrus, funky and bitter. I liked this one, it's hard to find a saison with a good amount of funk to it.
733. Troublette
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brasserie Caracole
Alcohol: 5.00%
Style: Witbier, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a very cloudy straw color. The aroma is soda like with lots of citrus and fruit. Carbonation is high, grainy, citrus, banana, fairly sweet.
734. Weyerbacher Quad
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Weyerbacher Brewing Co.
Alcohol: 12.20%
Style: Quadrupel, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a hazy amber with a beige head. Lightly fruity aroma with some nice malts. Very smooth, malty with some nice dark fruit.
735. Gouden Carolus Ambrio
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Het Anker
Alcohol: 8.00%
Style: Belgian Strong Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a hazed amber with a fuzzy, beige head. The aroma is a nice mix of malty and fruity. Sweet upfront, nice maltiness with some hints of fruit. Lightly bitter finish. Moderately carbonated.
736. Malheur Brut Noir
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij De Landtsheer
Alcohol: 12.00%
Style: Bière de Champagne / Bière Brut
Pours a hazy brown with a light brown head. Aroma is tart with a bit of roastiness. Sweet throughout, finish is fruity.
737. Sixpoint Belgian IPA
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Sixpoint Craft Ales
Alcohol: 6.00%
Style: Belgian IPA
Hazy golden. Sweet fruity aroma, citrus and banana. Sweet banana fruitiness. Light, citric, hop bitterness in the finish.
738. Harpoon Munich Dark Barrel Age: The Funk
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Harpoon Brewery
Alcohol: ?
Style: American Wild Ale
Pours a clear brown with a hint of amber. The aroma is sour and Brett-like. Light flavors at the onset, but moves into a nice fruity sourness. The finish is dry.
739. Harpoon Quad
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Harpoon Brewery
Alcohol:?
Style: Quadrupel, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a hazy amber with a beige head. Aroma is malty and fruity with a hint of bananas. Flavor is Belgian yeast fruitiness, banana, alcoholic spice, peppery.
Labels: Beer Fests, Belgian IPA, Belgian Pale Ale, Belgian Strong Dark Ale, Belgian Strong Pale Ale, Bière de Champagne, Dubbel, Fruit Lambic, Fruit/Vegetable Beer, Saison, Tripel, Unblended Lambic, Witbier
701. Golden Ring Abbey Ale
I had this with lunch at the Cambridge Brewing Company on Friday. These are the notes that I jotted down when I got back to lab.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Cambridge Brewing Company
Alcohol: 6.40%
Serving: Tap
Style: Belgian Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a lightly hazed golden with a hint of amber. It's topped by a half-inch white head that fades to a ring. The nose is Belgian yeasty fruitiness, caramel, yeast, grain and a hint of hops. The taste is sweet and fruity upfront followed by a long, lingering, peppery spice. There's a light hop bitterness in the finish to tie things together. Medium-bodied, with moderate carbonation. Very tasty.
I had this with lunch at the Cambridge Brewing Company on Friday. These are the notes that I jotted down when I got back to lab.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Cambridge Brewing Company
Alcohol: 6.40%
Serving: Tap
Style: Belgian Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a lightly hazed golden with a hint of amber. It's topped by a half-inch white head that fades to a ring. The nose is Belgian yeasty fruitiness, caramel, yeast, grain and a hint of hops. The taste is sweet and fruity upfront followed by a long, lingering, peppery spice. There's a light hop bitterness in the finish to tie things together. Medium-bodied, with moderate carbonation. Very tasty.
David's wedding was on the 4th of August on Shelter Island, NY. David brought his remaining Westvleterns that we'd picked up on our trip to Belgium last November: two blondes and three 12s. David, Bennett, Win, Ward, Cindy, Jadyn and I toasted with them before the reception got started.
Labels: Belgian Pale Ale, Brouwerij Westvleteren, Quadrupel, Trappist, Travel
657. Dinner and Drinks at The Publick House
Published by Unknown on Monday, April 30, 2007 at 12:39 PM.
Last Friday night (April 20th) Jadyn and I went to the Publick House for dinner and drinks. The wait was estimated to be an hour when we got there, but we were seated before we'd finished our first beers, an Aprihop for her and a Foret for myself.
We started with an order of Publick House fries as an appetizer. For dinner Jadyn had the Mac and Cheese and I had the Arrogant Bastard meatloaf. The food was good as usual, especially the mashed potatoes that came with my meatloaf. She had a St. Bernardus ABT 12 with dinner and I had an Old Rasputin Imperial Stout. The stout went well with the somewhat bitter Arrogant Bastard based sauce on the meatloaf.
After dinner we had a couple more drinks. I thought that fruit lambics would make a nice after dinner drink. I was hoping for a Cantillon, but they were all out. I ended up having the Boon Oude Geuze Mariage Parfait and Jadyn had a Lindeman's Framboise. Our last drinks were a La Fin Du Monde for Jadyn and a Brooklyn Antwerpen Ale, which I found to be a nice, highly drinkable Belgian Pale Ale.
I enjoyed all of the beers that I ordered, especially Old Rasputin and the Gueuze, and Jadyn particularly enjoyed the Aprihop and Framboise.
657. Brooklyn Antwerpen Ale
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brooklyn Brewery
Alcohol: 5.50%
Serving: Tap
Style: Belgian Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a clear, copper color with a dense off white head that thins to a film, before disappearing.
Smell (4.0): Very fruity. There are notes of bananas and berries with toasty malts, light hops and a hint of spiciness.
Taste (3.5): Toasty malts upfront move into a sweet fruity center with notes of bananas and apples. The finish has a light residual sweetness with a mild bitterness.
Mouthfeel (3.5): Light-bodied, moderate carbonation.
Drinkability (5.0): Mild but flavorful. Definitely something I could have a few of.
Overall (3.85): I thought this was a spot on attempt at a Belgian Pale Ale. I'd definitely have it again.
We started with an order of Publick House fries as an appetizer. For dinner Jadyn had the Mac and Cheese and I had the Arrogant Bastard meatloaf. The food was good as usual, especially the mashed potatoes that came with my meatloaf. She had a St. Bernardus ABT 12 with dinner and I had an Old Rasputin Imperial Stout. The stout went well with the somewhat bitter Arrogant Bastard based sauce on the meatloaf.
After dinner we had a couple more drinks. I thought that fruit lambics would make a nice after dinner drink. I was hoping for a Cantillon, but they were all out. I ended up having the Boon Oude Geuze Mariage Parfait and Jadyn had a Lindeman's Framboise. Our last drinks were a La Fin Du Monde for Jadyn and a Brooklyn Antwerpen Ale, which I found to be a nice, highly drinkable Belgian Pale Ale.
I enjoyed all of the beers that I ordered, especially Old Rasputin and the Gueuze, and Jadyn particularly enjoyed the Aprihop and Framboise.
657. Brooklyn Antwerpen Ale
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brooklyn Brewery
Alcohol: 5.50%
Serving: Tap
Style: Belgian Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a clear, copper color with a dense off white head that thins to a film, before disappearing.
Smell (4.0): Very fruity. There are notes of bananas and berries with toasty malts, light hops and a hint of spiciness.
Taste (3.5): Toasty malts upfront move into a sweet fruity center with notes of bananas and apples. The finish has a light residual sweetness with a mild bitterness.
Mouthfeel (3.5): Light-bodied, moderate carbonation.
Drinkability (5.0): Mild but flavorful. Definitely something I could have a few of.
Overall (3.85): I thought this was a spot on attempt at a Belgian Pale Ale. I'd definitely have it again.
Labels: Belgian Pale Ale, Belgian Strong Pale Ale, Fruit Lambic, Fruit/Vegatable Beer, Gueuze, Lambic, Quadrupel, Russian Imperial Stout, Saison, Sour Beer
Day Seven, West Flanders: Kortrijk, Ieper, Poperinge, Paix, Ter Posterie
Published by Unknown on Thursday, December 14, 2006 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
