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
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
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
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
608. Oude Beersel Framboise
I purchased this at Downtown Wine & Spirits on Wednesday, and had it the same night. It was served at around 45º F in my New Belgium glass.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Oud Beersel
Alcohol: 6.00%
Serving: Bottle, 375 mL
Style: Fruit Lambic, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a slightly hazy burgundy with a thick, pinkish head that fades to a sparse ring.
Smell (3.5): Upon standing sweet raspberries are dominant with a noticeable, but light funkiness in the background. Swirling brings out a nice sharp acidic aroma and accentuates the musty funkiness.
Taste (3.5): Sweet raspberries greet the palate and remain present throughout. A mild acidic sourness appears in the center and remains through to the finish, becoming more pronounced as the beer warms. The sweet raspberry flavors move towards tartness in the finish. The grassy and medicinal funkiness is relatively mild, which I have noticed is the case with most Beersel lambics.
Mouthfeel (3.5): Medium-bodied, with low carbonation and mild dryness.
Drinkability (3.5): Sweet, but has the sourness and funkiness to prevent it from being cloying.
Overall (3.6): I've enjoyed the other Oud Beersel lambics that I've tried. They've all been sour with a mild funky character. This one was good, for a sweeter lambic, but disappointing to me because it was a sweet lambic.
I purchased this at Downtown Wine & Spirits on Wednesday, and had it the same night. It was served at around 45º F in my New Belgium glass.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Oud Beersel
Alcohol: 6.00%
Serving: Bottle, 375 mL
Style: Fruit Lambic, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a slightly hazy burgundy with a thick, pinkish head that fades to a sparse ring.
Smell (3.5): Upon standing sweet raspberries are dominant with a noticeable, but light funkiness in the background. Swirling brings out a nice sharp acidic aroma and accentuates the musty funkiness.
Taste (3.5): Sweet raspberries greet the palate and remain present throughout. A mild acidic sourness appears in the center and remains through to the finish, becoming more pronounced as the beer warms. The sweet raspberry flavors move towards tartness in the finish. The grassy and medicinal funkiness is relatively mild, which I have noticed is the case with most Beersel lambics.
Mouthfeel (3.5): Medium-bodied, with low carbonation and mild dryness.
Drinkability (3.5): Sweet, but has the sourness and funkiness to prevent it from being cloying.
Overall (3.6): I've enjoyed the other Oud Beersel lambics that I've tried. They've all been sour with a mild funky character. This one was good, for a sweeter lambic, but disappointing to me because it was a sweet lambic.
Labels: Brouwerij Oud Beersel, Fruit Lambic, Lambic, Sour Beer
596. Oud Beersel Oude Kriek Vieille
I purchased this at Downtown Wine & Spirits along with a bottle of Oude Kriek Boon. I served it at around 50º F in my New Belgium glass.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Oud Beersel
Alcohol: 6.50%
Serving: Bottle, 375 mL
Style: Fruit Lambic, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (5.0): Pours a cloudy, deep burgundy. It's topped by a fluffy, two-finger, pink head that sticks around as a quarter-inch layer.
Smell (4.0): Sharp acidic tartness, sweet cherries and a mild funkiness, that almost seems to be musty. This is a characteristic of Oud Beersel lambics that I've noticed. Swirling brings out the funkiness, but it's still relatively mild.
Taste (4.0): Sour throughout, but fairly mild. The fact that the sweetness is relatively low helps to accentuate the sourness. There are also sharp cherry flavors that mingle with the sweet flavors. There's a mild medicinal quality in the finish, which has a light pucker as well as some woodiness and a mild earthiness that's accompanied by a low bitterness.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Light-bodied, low carbonation, with a mildly dry finish.
Drinkability (4.5): Sourness is present, but isn't overpowering.
Overall (4.25): Milder, but still has some nice lambic qualities.
I purchased this at Downtown Wine & Spirits along with a bottle of Oude Kriek Boon. I served it at around 50º F in my New Belgium glass.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Oud Beersel
Alcohol: 6.50%
Serving: Bottle, 375 mL
Style: Fruit Lambic, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (5.0): Pours a cloudy, deep burgundy. It's topped by a fluffy, two-finger, pink head that sticks around as a quarter-inch layer.
Smell (4.0): Sharp acidic tartness, sweet cherries and a mild funkiness, that almost seems to be musty. This is a characteristic of Oud Beersel lambics that I've noticed. Swirling brings out the funkiness, but it's still relatively mild.
Taste (4.0): Sour throughout, but fairly mild. The fact that the sweetness is relatively low helps to accentuate the sourness. There are also sharp cherry flavors that mingle with the sweet flavors. There's a mild medicinal quality in the finish, which has a light pucker as well as some woodiness and a mild earthiness that's accompanied by a low bitterness.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Light-bodied, low carbonation, with a mildly dry finish.
Drinkability (4.5): Sourness is present, but isn't overpowering.
Overall (4.25): Milder, but still has some nice lambic qualities.
Labels: Brouwerij Oud Beersel, Fruit Lambic, Lambic, Sour Beer
594. Oude Kriek Boon
I haven't been terribly impressed with the Boon lambics that I've had in the US, I don't have notes on the Gueuze, so perhaps I'll revisit that soon. I find the Kriek and Framboise to be overly sweet.
I remember reading about Brouwerij Boon in The Brewmaster's Table. Garrett Oliver spoke highly of the Boon Mariage Parfait lambics. So when I saw Boon Oude Geuze Mariage Parfait at Moeder Lambic in Brussels I jumped at the chance to try it, and was very impressed. I saw the Oude Kriek at several bars in Belgium, but I never tried it, and assumed that I wouldn't get another chance to unless I worked out a trade or returned to Europe. I was surprised to see it on the shelves when I stopped by Downtown Wine & Spirits Thursday night, so I grabbed a bottle, undeterred by the $10.45 price tag.
This comes in a corked and caged green 375 mL bottle. With a burgundy label that says "Oude Kriek Boon." The back of the bottle has an awesome Best before date of 12/22/2025. The back also has this blurb:
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Boon
Alcohol: 6.50%
Serving: Bottle, 375 mL
Style: Fruit Lambic, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (5.0): Pours a very cloudy, deep burgundy. It's topped by a thick, fizzy, pink head that fades quickly to a very persistent quarter-inch layer.
Smell (4.5): When sitting the dominant aromas are a sharp tart aroma along with cherries, and a mild, earthy funkiness that increases when the dregs are poured in. Swirling really brings out the funkiness, making woody and wet wool aromas evident.
Taste (4.0): The first flavor to hit the palate is a sweet cherry fruitiness. An acidic sourness quickly becomes dominant and remains so to the finish, though it never completely overshadows the sweet fruitiness. The finish is sour with woody and earthy flavors. Very nice, though the sourness could have been a little stronger.
Mouthfeel (4.5): Medium-bodied, thicker feeling than most other lambics. Though it does have the characteristic low carbonation and strong dryness in the finish.
Drinkability (4.0): Sour, but balanced well by the sweetness. Nice crisp dryness.
Overall (4.35): A very nice fruit lambic. I wish it weren't so expensive. At this price it's cheaper per ounce to buy a Cantillon.
I haven't been terribly impressed with the Boon lambics that I've had in the US, I don't have notes on the Gueuze, so perhaps I'll revisit that soon. I find the Kriek and Framboise to be overly sweet.
I remember reading about Brouwerij Boon in The Brewmaster's Table. Garrett Oliver spoke highly of the Boon Mariage Parfait lambics. So when I saw Boon Oude Geuze Mariage Parfait at Moeder Lambic in Brussels I jumped at the chance to try it, and was very impressed. I saw the Oude Kriek at several bars in Belgium, but I never tried it, and assumed that I wouldn't get another chance to unless I worked out a trade or returned to Europe. I was surprised to see it on the shelves when I stopped by Downtown Wine & Spirits Thursday night, so I grabbed a bottle, undeterred by the $10.45 price tag.
This comes in a corked and caged green 375 mL bottle. With a burgundy label that says "Oude Kriek Boon." The back of the bottle has an awesome Best before date of 12/22/2025. The back also has this blurb:
Boon Oude Kriek is 100% spontaneously fermented, aged in oak barrels and made with a minimum of 300 grams of real cherries per liter. A delicious, full flavored, and traditional lambic experience!I had this beer last night and served it in my New Belgium glass at around 50º F.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Boon
Alcohol: 6.50%
Serving: Bottle, 375 mL
Style: Fruit Lambic, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (5.0): Pours a very cloudy, deep burgundy. It's topped by a thick, fizzy, pink head that fades quickly to a very persistent quarter-inch layer.
Smell (4.5): When sitting the dominant aromas are a sharp tart aroma along with cherries, and a mild, earthy funkiness that increases when the dregs are poured in. Swirling really brings out the funkiness, making woody and wet wool aromas evident.
Taste (4.0): The first flavor to hit the palate is a sweet cherry fruitiness. An acidic sourness quickly becomes dominant and remains so to the finish, though it never completely overshadows the sweet fruitiness. The finish is sour with woody and earthy flavors. Very nice, though the sourness could have been a little stronger.
Mouthfeel (4.5): Medium-bodied, thicker feeling than most other lambics. Though it does have the characteristic low carbonation and strong dryness in the finish.
Drinkability (4.0): Sour, but balanced well by the sweetness. Nice crisp dryness.
Overall (4.35): A very nice fruit lambic. I wish it weren't so expensive. At this price it's cheaper per ounce to buy a Cantillon.
Labels: Brouwerij Boon, Fruit Lambic, Lambic, Sour Beer
Day Five, Ghent: Deus, Trollekelder, Waterhuis aan de Bierkant
Published by Unknown on Tuesday, December 12, 2006 at 11:08 PM.
After De Hopduvel and dinner, if we had dinner after De Hopduvel and not sometime later in the evening, we went to Deus, which was in the Good Beer Guide. The entrance opens onto a room filled with seating. The bar is relatively secluded in the back. I got the impression that they were going for an upscale feel. We had one round before heading to the next bar.
544. Hanssens Oude Kriek
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Hanssens Artisanaal bvba
Alcohol: ?
Serving: Bottle
Style: Fruit Lambic, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.5): Pours a hazy red with a fizzy, pinkish-orange head that fades to a sparse ring.
Smell (4.0): Sweet cherries, acidic sourness and lambic funkiness. Swirling, like it does for most lambics, brings out the funk.
Taste (4.0): Intensely sour with sweet cherries that do little to cut the sourness in the center. The finish is earthy.
Mouthfeel (4.5): Light-bodied, low carbonation and intensely dry.
Drinkability (3.5): Definitely too tart to drink a lot of.
Overall (4.1)
545. Floreffe Prima Melior
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brasserie Lefèbvre SA
Alcohol: 8.00%
Serving: Bottle, 11.2 oz.
Style: Belgian Strong Dark Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (3.0): Pours a dark brown with ruby tints. A thin brown head fades quickly leaving no lace.
Smell (2.0): Sweet raisins and little else.
Taste (3.5): Sugary raisins upfront and through to the finish. The finish has light pepper and a bit of roasted bitterness.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Moderate carbonation, medium-bodied and lightly dry.
Drinkability (4.0): The dry finish bumped this up a notch.
Overall (3.2)
After leaving Deus we passed Ghent's red-light district on the way to Trollekelder, which means "Troll's Cellar." The front window had large trolls on display. The bar was two levels, we opted for the less crowded lower level, where we sat at a table right under the stairs down. Aside from us, there was only one other group downstairs. David spent much of the time trying to figure out what they were talking about.
The waiter seemed to be annoyed that it took us awhile to decide on beers and annoyed with us in general. On our way out, we left the money on the table, which the waiter made us go back downstairs and get when he saw us leaving.
546. La Trappe Blond
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Bierbrouwerij De Koningshoeven B.V.
Alcohol: 6.50%
Serving: Bottle
Style: Belgian Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (3.5): Pours a very lightly hazy golden-orange with a white head that thins to a persistent film.
Smell (3.5): Light Belgian yeast fruitiness with sour apple particularly noticeable. There's also some peppery notes.
Taste (4.0): Very light fruitiness upfront. The finish is a clean spiciness with a nice hoppy bitterness with some crisp graininess.
Mouthfeel (4.0): High carbonation, light-bodied, lightly dry finish.
Drinkability (4.0): Solidly drinkable, good hoppiness.
Overall (3.8)
547. Trollebier Bruin
This is a house beer that I know very little about. Without knowing the alcohol I can't really make a guess on style other than a Dubbel, a Dark Ale or a Strong Dark Ale.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: ?
Alcohol: ?
Serving: Tap
Style: ?
Appearance (4.5): Pours a cloudy, dark brown with a thick, whipped-cream, brown head that eventually fades to a thin film leaving thick lace.
Smell (4.0): Light, but I noticed dark fruit, light phenols, roasty malts and hops.
Taste (3.5): Dark fruit upfront with some cherry tartness. The finish is a mix of light roasty bitterness and hop bitterness.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Medium-bodied, low carbonation with a smooth texture.
Drinkability (4.5): Very drinkable with a nice bitterness for balance.
Overall (3.95)
548. Goudenband
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Liefmans
Alcohol: 8.00%
Serving: Bottle
Style: Flanders Oud Bruin, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a clear ruby with a brown head that thins quickly.
Smell (4.0): Very malty: raisins, caramel and toffee, as well as a bit of a medicinal character.
Taste (4.0): Sweet with some cherry tartness, some toffee and some raisins.
Mouthfeel (3.5): Full-bodied and a little syrupy with low carbonation.
Drinkability (4.0): Pretty good, sweet with a little bit of sourness.
Overall (3.95)
549. Trollebier Blonde
My knowledge about this beer is pretty much the same as for the Bruin. I'm guessing it's a strong pale ale.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: ?
Alcohol: ?
Serving: Tap
Style: Belgian Strong Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.5): Pours a lightly hazy golden with a thick white head that has good retention and leaves thick lace.
Smell (3.5): Belgian yeast fruitiness and sour apples, light spice.
Taste (3.5): Some light sweet fruitiness with a little peppery spice and a good hop bitterness.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Light-bodied, low carbonation.
Drinkability (4.5): Nice drinkability thanks to the hops.
Overall (3.85)
After leaving Trollekelder we were fairly intoxicated, having been drinking for about twelve hours. We went to Waterhuis aan de Bierkant (Waterhouse on the Beerside) to finish the night out. The Waterhuis seemed to be one of the last bars open when we arrived, and as might be expected it was crowded. We ended up with a booth by a window where David promptly began trying to flip as many coasters as he could. Oddly this is written in my notes, "Lane wants to get jaw broken over a bet on coaster flipping."
We had two rounds before I was able to convince David that we'd had enough for the day.
550. Troubadour Obscura
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij De Musketiers
Alcohol: 8.50%
Serving: Bottle
Style: Belgian Strong Dark Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a lightly hazy ruby-brown with a thick brown head that thins to half an inch leaving heavy lace.
Smell (3.5): Light fruity aromas of raisins and cherries. Malty with some light caramel.
Taste (4.5): Sweet malts, a bit of caramel. Tart with a roasty bitterness. Nice.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Medium-bodied, moderate carbonation with a lightly dry finish.
Drinkability (4.0): Balanced!
Overall (4.1)
551. Gandavum Dry Hopping
This is the house beer for The Waterhuis.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: De Proefbrouwerij
Alcohol: 7.50%
Serving: Tap
Style: Belgian Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a lightly hazy golden with a thick whit ehead that fades to a thin film leaving heavy lace.
Smell (4.0): Peppery spice with light fruity notes and a good hop undertone.
Taste (4.5): Nice peppery notes throughout with light fruit and a substantial hop bitterness.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Moderate carbonation, light to medium-bodied.
Drinkability (4.5): Very drinkable, nicely balanced.
Overall (4.25)
552. Bière Du Boucanier Golden
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Van Steenberge N.V.
Alcohol: 11.00%
Serving: Bottle, 11.2 oz.
Style: Belgian Strong Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (3.5): Pours a hazy golden with a white head that fades to a film leaving a small amount of patchy lace.
Smell (3.5): Sour apple fruitiness with alcohol and peppery spice.
Taste (4.0): Very spicy, though sweet fruit is evident. The finish is grainy with a light bitterness.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Medium-bodied, high carbonation with a dry finish.
Drinkability (3.5): The alcohol is very evident, though not overpowering.
Overall (3.75)
544. Hanssens Oude Kriek
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Hanssens Artisanaal bvba
Alcohol: ?
Serving: Bottle
Style: Fruit Lambic, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.5): Pours a hazy red with a fizzy, pinkish-orange head that fades to a sparse ring.
Smell (4.0): Sweet cherries, acidic sourness and lambic funkiness. Swirling, like it does for most lambics, brings out the funk.
Taste (4.0): Intensely sour with sweet cherries that do little to cut the sourness in the center. The finish is earthy.
Mouthfeel (4.5): Light-bodied, low carbonation and intensely dry.
Drinkability (3.5): Definitely too tart to drink a lot of.
Overall (4.1)
545. Floreffe Prima Melior
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brasserie Lefèbvre SA
Alcohol: 8.00%
Serving: Bottle, 11.2 oz.
Style: Belgian Strong Dark Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (3.0): Pours a dark brown with ruby tints. A thin brown head fades quickly leaving no lace.
Smell (2.0): Sweet raisins and little else.
Taste (3.5): Sugary raisins upfront and through to the finish. The finish has light pepper and a bit of roasted bitterness.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Moderate carbonation, medium-bodied and lightly dry.
Drinkability (4.0): The dry finish bumped this up a notch.
Overall (3.2)
After leaving Deus we passed Ghent's red-light district on the way to Trollekelder, which means "Troll's Cellar." The front window had large trolls on display. The bar was two levels, we opted for the less crowded lower level, where we sat at a table right under the stairs down. Aside from us, there was only one other group downstairs. David spent much of the time trying to figure out what they were talking about.
The waiter seemed to be annoyed that it took us awhile to decide on beers and annoyed with us in general. On our way out, we left the money on the table, which the waiter made us go back downstairs and get when he saw us leaving.
546. La Trappe Blond
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Bierbrouwerij De Koningshoeven B.V.
Alcohol: 6.50%
Serving: Bottle
Style: Belgian Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (3.5): Pours a very lightly hazy golden-orange with a white head that thins to a persistent film.
Smell (3.5): Light Belgian yeast fruitiness with sour apple particularly noticeable. There's also some peppery notes.
Taste (4.0): Very light fruitiness upfront. The finish is a clean spiciness with a nice hoppy bitterness with some crisp graininess.
Mouthfeel (4.0): High carbonation, light-bodied, lightly dry finish.
Drinkability (4.0): Solidly drinkable, good hoppiness.
Overall (3.8)
547. Trollebier Bruin
This is a house beer that I know very little about. Without knowing the alcohol I can't really make a guess on style other than a Dubbel, a Dark Ale or a Strong Dark Ale.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: ?
Alcohol: ?
Serving: Tap
Style: ?
Appearance (4.5): Pours a cloudy, dark brown with a thick, whipped-cream, brown head that eventually fades to a thin film leaving thick lace.
Smell (4.0): Light, but I noticed dark fruit, light phenols, roasty malts and hops.
Taste (3.5): Dark fruit upfront with some cherry tartness. The finish is a mix of light roasty bitterness and hop bitterness.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Medium-bodied, low carbonation with a smooth texture.
Drinkability (4.5): Very drinkable with a nice bitterness for balance.
Overall (3.95)
548. Goudenband
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Liefmans
Alcohol: 8.00%
Serving: Bottle
Style: Flanders Oud Bruin, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a clear ruby with a brown head that thins quickly.
Smell (4.0): Very malty: raisins, caramel and toffee, as well as a bit of a medicinal character.
Taste (4.0): Sweet with some cherry tartness, some toffee and some raisins.
Mouthfeel (3.5): Full-bodied and a little syrupy with low carbonation.
Drinkability (4.0): Pretty good, sweet with a little bit of sourness.
Overall (3.95)
549. Trollebier Blonde
My knowledge about this beer is pretty much the same as for the Bruin. I'm guessing it's a strong pale ale.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: ?
Alcohol: ?
Serving: Tap
Style: Belgian Strong Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.5): Pours a lightly hazy golden with a thick white head that has good retention and leaves thick lace.
Smell (3.5): Belgian yeast fruitiness and sour apples, light spice.
Taste (3.5): Some light sweet fruitiness with a little peppery spice and a good hop bitterness.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Light-bodied, low carbonation.
Drinkability (4.5): Nice drinkability thanks to the hops.
Overall (3.85)
After leaving Trollekelder we were fairly intoxicated, having been drinking for about twelve hours. We went to Waterhuis aan de Bierkant (Waterhouse on the Beerside) to finish the night out. The Waterhuis seemed to be one of the last bars open when we arrived, and as might be expected it was crowded. We ended up with a booth by a window where David promptly began trying to flip as many coasters as he could. Oddly this is written in my notes, "Lane wants to get jaw broken over a bet on coaster flipping."
We had two rounds before I was able to convince David that we'd had enough for the day.
550. Troubadour Obscura
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij De Musketiers
Alcohol: 8.50%
Serving: Bottle
Style: Belgian Strong Dark Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a lightly hazy ruby-brown with a thick brown head that thins to half an inch leaving heavy lace.
Smell (3.5): Light fruity aromas of raisins and cherries. Malty with some light caramel.
Taste (4.5): Sweet malts, a bit of caramel. Tart with a roasty bitterness. Nice.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Medium-bodied, moderate carbonation with a lightly dry finish.
Drinkability (4.0): Balanced!
Overall (4.1)
551. Gandavum Dry Hopping
This is the house beer for The Waterhuis.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: De Proefbrouwerij
Alcohol: 7.50%
Serving: Tap
Style: Belgian Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a lightly hazy golden with a thick whit ehead that fades to a thin film leaving heavy lace.
Smell (4.0): Peppery spice with light fruity notes and a good hop undertone.
Taste (4.5): Nice peppery notes throughout with light fruit and a substantial hop bitterness.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Moderate carbonation, light to medium-bodied.
Drinkability (4.5): Very drinkable, nicely balanced.
Overall (4.25)
552. Bière Du Boucanier Golden
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Van Steenberge N.V.
Alcohol: 11.00%
Serving: Bottle, 11.2 oz.
Style: Belgian Strong Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (3.5): Pours a hazy golden with a white head that fades to a film leaving a small amount of patchy lace.
Smell (3.5): Sour apple fruitiness with alcohol and peppery spice.
Taste (4.0): Very spicy, though sweet fruit is evident. The finish is grainy with a light bitterness.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Medium-bodied, high carbonation with a dry finish.
Drinkability (3.5): The alcohol is very evident, though not overpowering.
Overall (3.75)
Labels: Belgian Pale Ale, Belgian Strong Dark Ale, Belgian Strong Pale Ale, Belgium 2006, Flanders Oud Bruin, Fruit Lambic, Lambic, Sour Beer, Travel
After seeing Gravensteen we took the Number 1 Tram south, and then walked to De Hopduvel for a few rounds. The bar is dimly lit and fairly large. There's a small bar to the left as you enter, a room of seating to the right, and another room with lots of seating towards the back. There's an outside courtyard that's probably nice in warmer weather. The front room is decorated with an extensive collection of empty bottles and the walls of the back room are decorated with various beer signs. Aside from the decorations the place has the feel of a medieval house. The beer selection was excellent.
As a service to other patrons who can't read Dutch, the sign on the door to the restroom probably warns you about the step down that you'll encounter when you walk through the door.
David spent a while drawing various Belgian beer images on the back of a coaster, which included a version of the devil on the Hopduvel menu disco dancing. He gave it to the bartender, who seemed to like it.
537. De Dolle Dulle Teve
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij De Dolle Brouwers
Alcohol: 10.00%
Serving: Bottle, 11.2 oz.
Style: Tripel, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.5): Pours a lightly hazy golden. Topped by a fluffy, meringue-like, white head with good retention and nice lacing.
Smell (4.0): Lightly fruity with peppery spice, citrus and grain.
Taste (4.5): Significantly bitter. Light fruity nites up front are quickly followed by strong peppery spice and hoppy bitterness. The finish is bitter with residual sweet and tart fruit flavors.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Medium-bodied, moderate carbonation, lightly dry finish.
Drinkability (5.0): Easy to drink with a good balance.
Overall (4.4)
538. Witkap Pater Dubbel
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Slaghmuylder
Alcohol: 7.20%
Serving: Bottle, 11.2 oz.
Style: Dubbel, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a clear ruby-brown with a thick beige head with good retention and lace.
Smell (4.0): The aromas are light overall, with notes of tropical fruit and cherries. Light, but interesting
Taste (4.0): Light and fruity with notes of cherry and dark fruit. The finish is a delicate interplay of spice and bitterness.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Medium-bodied, low carbonation, velvety texture.
Drinkability (4.0): Very mild and drinkable.
Overall (4.0): Nothing is over the top, but still manages to be a nice brew.
539. Grottenbier
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij St. Bernardus NV
Alcohol: 6.50%
Serving: Bottle
Style: Belgian Dark Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.5): Pours a clear ruby-brown with a three-finger, fluffy, beige head with impressive retention that leaves thick rings of lace.
Smell (4.0): Light overall. Notes of cherries, grain and sweet malts.
Taste (4.5): Notes of cherries and chocolate not accompanied by sweetness or tartness. The finish has some light roasted character.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Medium-bodied, high carbonation with a light dryness in the finish.
Drinkability (5.0): Very balanced.
Overall (4.4)
540. Oudbeitje Lambic
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Hanssens Artisanaal bvba
Alcohol: 6.00%
Serving: Bottle
Style: Fruit Lambic, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (3.5): Lightly hazy pinkish-orange with no head whatsoever, only large bubbles from pouring that disappear quickly.
Smell (4.0): My first impression was of overwhelming strawberries, but after letting it sit I could detect some nice funkiness, which was enhanced by swirling.
Taste (4.5): Intense acidic sourness is dominant from start to finish. Some strawberry flavors appear briefly with mild sweetness. The finish is earthy funkiness along with the acidic sourness.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Light-bodied, very low carbonation, lightly dry finish.
Drinkability (4.0): Pretty drinkable despite sourness.
Overall (4.1): Initially I wasn't impressed, but it really grew on me as I drank it.
541. Cuvée Des Trolls
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brasserie Dubuisson Frères
Alcohol: 7.00%
Serving: Bottle
Style: Belgian Strong Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (3.5): Served in a frosted glass, so I have no idea if this is clear or cloudy, my guess is lightly hazy. Golden in color with a white head that quickly fades to a sudsy film leaving patchy lace.
Smell (3.0): Sweet Belgian yeast fruitiness along with light pepper and light grain.
Taste (3.0): Sweet banana and berry fruitiness with a peppery finish.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Light to medium-bodied with moderate carbonation.
Drinkability (3.5): A little too sweet.
Overall (3.25)
542. Hoppetje
I believe that this is the house beer brewed by De Proef. It's described as a 6º blond abdijbier.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: De Proefbrouwerij
Alcohol: ?
Serving: Tap
Style: Belgian Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.5): Pours a cloudy blond with a white head that fades to a patchy film leaving sheets of lace.
Smell (4.0): Interesting fruitiness. It's not the typical Belgian yeast aroma, though there are some sour apples. There's also a nice funkiness.
Taste (4.0): Lightly fruity with hints of bananas, some sour apples and a grainy finish.
Mouthfeel (3.5): Light-bodied with high carbonation.
Drinkability (4.5): Very drinkable, a good session beer.
Overall (4.1)
543. Moriau Geuze
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Boon
Alcohol: ?
Serving: Bottle, 37.5 cL
Style: Gueuze, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a hazy golden with an off-white head.
Smell (3.0): Pretty light for a gueuze, but the acidic sourness and funkiness are there, you just have to swirl to get them.
Taste (4.0): Halfway between a sweet lambic and a sour lambic. The sourness is balanced by some sweetness. The finish has some earthy funk to it.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Light-bodied, moderate carbonation with a dry finish.
Drinkability (4.0): Not bad for a sweet gueuze.
Overall (3.8)
I know David and I had dinner and played pool at some point on the trip. It's not written in my notebook, but I believe it was in Ghent. I had lasagna, in cream sauce, and David had pasta with pesto sauce.
As a service to other patrons who can't read Dutch, the sign on the door to the restroom probably warns you about the step down that you'll encounter when you walk through the door.
David spent a while drawing various Belgian beer images on the back of a coaster, which included a version of the devil on the Hopduvel menu disco dancing. He gave it to the bartender, who seemed to like it.
537. De Dolle Dulle Teve
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij De Dolle Brouwers
Alcohol: 10.00%
Serving: Bottle, 11.2 oz.
Style: Tripel, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.5): Pours a lightly hazy golden. Topped by a fluffy, meringue-like, white head with good retention and nice lacing.
Smell (4.0): Lightly fruity with peppery spice, citrus and grain.
Taste (4.5): Significantly bitter. Light fruity nites up front are quickly followed by strong peppery spice and hoppy bitterness. The finish is bitter with residual sweet and tart fruit flavors.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Medium-bodied, moderate carbonation, lightly dry finish.
Drinkability (5.0): Easy to drink with a good balance.
Overall (4.4)
538. Witkap Pater Dubbel
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Slaghmuylder
Alcohol: 7.20%
Serving: Bottle, 11.2 oz.
Style: Dubbel, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a clear ruby-brown with a thick beige head with good retention and lace.
Smell (4.0): The aromas are light overall, with notes of tropical fruit and cherries. Light, but interesting
Taste (4.0): Light and fruity with notes of cherry and dark fruit. The finish is a delicate interplay of spice and bitterness.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Medium-bodied, low carbonation, velvety texture.
Drinkability (4.0): Very mild and drinkable.
Overall (4.0): Nothing is over the top, but still manages to be a nice brew.
539. Grottenbier
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij St. Bernardus NV
Alcohol: 6.50%
Serving: Bottle
Style: Belgian Dark Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.5): Pours a clear ruby-brown with a three-finger, fluffy, beige head with impressive retention that leaves thick rings of lace.
Smell (4.0): Light overall. Notes of cherries, grain and sweet malts.
Taste (4.5): Notes of cherries and chocolate not accompanied by sweetness or tartness. The finish has some light roasted character.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Medium-bodied, high carbonation with a light dryness in the finish.
Drinkability (5.0): Very balanced.
Overall (4.4)
540. Oudbeitje Lambic
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Hanssens Artisanaal bvba
Alcohol: 6.00%
Serving: Bottle
Style: Fruit Lambic, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (3.5): Lightly hazy pinkish-orange with no head whatsoever, only large bubbles from pouring that disappear quickly.
Smell (4.0): My first impression was of overwhelming strawberries, but after letting it sit I could detect some nice funkiness, which was enhanced by swirling.
Taste (4.5): Intense acidic sourness is dominant from start to finish. Some strawberry flavors appear briefly with mild sweetness. The finish is earthy funkiness along with the acidic sourness.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Light-bodied, very low carbonation, lightly dry finish.
Drinkability (4.0): Pretty drinkable despite sourness.
Overall (4.1): Initially I wasn't impressed, but it really grew on me as I drank it.
541. Cuvée Des Trolls
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brasserie Dubuisson Frères
Alcohol: 7.00%
Serving: Bottle
Style: Belgian Strong Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (3.5): Served in a frosted glass, so I have no idea if this is clear or cloudy, my guess is lightly hazy. Golden in color with a white head that quickly fades to a sudsy film leaving patchy lace.
Smell (3.0): Sweet Belgian yeast fruitiness along with light pepper and light grain.
Taste (3.0): Sweet banana and berry fruitiness with a peppery finish.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Light to medium-bodied with moderate carbonation.
Drinkability (3.5): A little too sweet.
Overall (3.25)
542. Hoppetje
I believe that this is the house beer brewed by De Proef. It's described as a 6º blond abdijbier.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: De Proefbrouwerij
Alcohol: ?
Serving: Tap
Style: Belgian Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.5): Pours a cloudy blond with a white head that fades to a patchy film leaving sheets of lace.
Smell (4.0): Interesting fruitiness. It's not the typical Belgian yeast aroma, though there are some sour apples. There's also a nice funkiness.
Taste (4.0): Lightly fruity with hints of bananas, some sour apples and a grainy finish.
Mouthfeel (3.5): Light-bodied with high carbonation.
Drinkability (4.5): Very drinkable, a good session beer.
Overall (4.1)
543. Moriau Geuze
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Boon
Alcohol: ?
Serving: Bottle, 37.5 cL
Style: Gueuze, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a hazy golden with an off-white head.
Smell (3.0): Pretty light for a gueuze, but the acidic sourness and funkiness are there, you just have to swirl to get them.
Taste (4.0): Halfway between a sweet lambic and a sour lambic. The sourness is balanced by some sweetness. The finish has some earthy funk to it.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Light-bodied, moderate carbonation with a dry finish.
Drinkability (4.0): Not bad for a sweet gueuze.
Overall (3.8)
I know David and I had dinner and played pool at some point on the trip. It's not written in my notebook, but I believe it was in Ghent. I had lasagna, in cream sauce, and David had pasta with pesto sauce.
Labels: Belgian Dark Ale, Belgian Pale Ale, Belgian Strong Pale Ale, Belgium 2006, Dubbel, Fruit Lambic, Gueuze, Lambic, Sour Beer, Travel, Tripel
Day Five, Ghent: Departure/Arrival, Aba-Jour, Gravensteen
Published by Unknown on Monday, December 11, 2006 at 9:46 PM.
We woke up, had the standard hostel breakfast and checked out. We were told that there was a labor slowdown on train service, but decided to continue on to Ghent. We went to Antwerpen Centraal and easily got on the next train to Ghent.
We arrived in Ghent and took the Number 1 Tram from the station to the area near our hostel. We checked in and took some of the free maps of Ghent. David spent five minutes trying to match up locations on two different maps becoming increasingly frustrated. One was a map of Ghent, the other was a map of Brugge.
We had decided on Aba-Jour, based on a positive description of the food in The Good Beer Guide. The bar was centered on the left wall as you entered. There were small tables filling most of the floor space. We sat towards the back at a table by the large windows that overlook the canal. Queen was playing on the stereo our entire visit. We were eating lunch fairly late so there were only a few other patrons there. Our waiter was very friendly and was more than happy to make beer and food recommendations. We also had a nice conversation about beer, the waiter was pretty interested in how Westvleteren acquired such a sought after status in America, he was also interested in American beers. He recommended Popperings Hommel Bier, which was nicely hoppy. He also recommended a beef stew made with Rodenbach and Westmalle that came with a small salad and a bowl of fries. The stew was excellent, as were the fries, which were served in a huge bowl with a nice flavored mayo for dipping. David asked for ketchup in the following exchange:
David: I know I'm a horrible American...
Waiter: No, no...
David: ...but could I get some ketchup?
Waiter: (jokingly) Yes, you are a horrible American.
The beer list was short, around 60, but the quality was pretty good. There was a nice selection of trappists, including all three Westvleteren beers. There was a nice lambic selection that included mostly authentic lambics. We had a great lunch and two rounds, before heading out.
533. Poperings Hommel Bier
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Van Eecke N.V.
Alcohol: 7.50%
Serving: Tap
Style: Belgian IPA
Appearance (4.5): Pours a hazy golden with an orange tint. A thick, white head slowly fades leaving sheets of lace.
Smell (4.5): Fruity with hints of bananas and light citrus with peppery spice to match. Swirling brings out aromas of grassy hops.
Taste (4.0): Fruity and sweet with some citric tartness upfront, which is met by a peppery bite in the center. The finish has a moderate hoppy bitterness.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Light to medium-bodied, highly carbonated with a bit of oiliness from the hops.
Drinkability (4.5): A fine beer, nice balance bewteen "Belgian" flavors and hoppiness.
Overall (4.25)
534. Villers Oud Vieille
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Huyghe
Alcohol: 7.00%
Serving: Bottle, 11.2 oz.
Style: Dubbel, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a cloudy brown with a thick brown head that fades to a patchy layer leaving no lace.
Smell (3.5): Very sweet smelling. Notes of raisins, caramel, toffee and alcohol.
Taste (3.5): Sweet with raisins, toffee and caramel. The peppery finish serves to provide some balance.
Mouthfeel (3.5): Medium-bodied, with high carbonation.
Drinkability (4.0): Pretty easy to drink.
Overall (3.65)
535. Girardin Kriek 1882
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Girardin
Alcohol: 5.00%
Serving: Bottle
Style: Fruit Lambic, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.5): Pours a hazy red-orange with a sudsy, pink head that fades to a thin film.
Smell (3.0): Has the acidic, cherry and funky aromas expected, but there's an odd buttery aroma as well.
Taste (3.5): Acidic tartness with some sweet cherries. The finish is tart with light funkiness.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Light-bodied, low carbonation, dry finish.
Drinkability (4.5): Balanced with good, but subdued lambic characters.
Overall (3.75)
536. Hoegaarden Grand Cru
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij van Hoegaarden
Alcohol: 8.70%
Serving: Bottle, 11.2 oz.
Style: Witbier, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a cloudy golden-amber. A thickish, off-white head thins to a film with a prominent ring. Leaves no lace.
Smell (4.5): Coriander, banana, orange, cloves, pepper and yeast.
Taste (4.0): Sweet and fruity upfront, strong flavors of banana with mild berry notes. Coriander spice and citric tartness emerge in the center and fade into a finish with light residual sweetness and mild bitterness.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Medium-bodied with moderate carbonation.
Drinkability (4.0): Pretty drinkable.
Overall (4.1)
After lunch we walked to Gravensteen, a castle in Ghent that was built in 1180. The name means "castle of the count" in Dutch. The castle tour was nice, especially since it seemed like you could visit most of the castle. There was in in depth exhibit on crime, punishment and torture. David wants to be reminded that if he ever gets a time machine he should not go back to medieval Ghent and commit a crime.
One of the canals in Ghent
Gravensteen
Gravensteen
A stairwell inside
A view of the canal from the castle
Ghent from the top
Presumably an archer would have been here.
A canal
The guillotine
Inside
More castle
Even more castle
The basement area
The ruins of the kitchen
This was a stable before it was a prison.
We arrived in Ghent and took the Number 1 Tram from the station to the area near our hostel. We checked in and took some of the free maps of Ghent. David spent five minutes trying to match up locations on two different maps becoming increasingly frustrated. One was a map of Ghent, the other was a map of Brugge.
We had decided on Aba-Jour, based on a positive description of the food in The Good Beer Guide. The bar was centered on the left wall as you entered. There were small tables filling most of the floor space. We sat towards the back at a table by the large windows that overlook the canal. Queen was playing on the stereo our entire visit. We were eating lunch fairly late so there were only a few other patrons there. Our waiter was very friendly and was more than happy to make beer and food recommendations. We also had a nice conversation about beer, the waiter was pretty interested in how Westvleteren acquired such a sought after status in America, he was also interested in American beers. He recommended Popperings Hommel Bier, which was nicely hoppy. He also recommended a beef stew made with Rodenbach and Westmalle that came with a small salad and a bowl of fries. The stew was excellent, as were the fries, which were served in a huge bowl with a nice flavored mayo for dipping. David asked for ketchup in the following exchange:
David: I know I'm a horrible American...
Waiter: No, no...
David: ...but could I get some ketchup?
Waiter: (jokingly) Yes, you are a horrible American.
The beer list was short, around 60, but the quality was pretty good. There was a nice selection of trappists, including all three Westvleteren beers. There was a nice lambic selection that included mostly authentic lambics. We had a great lunch and two rounds, before heading out.
533. Poperings Hommel Bier
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Van Eecke N.V.
Alcohol: 7.50%
Serving: Tap
Style: Belgian IPA
Appearance (4.5): Pours a hazy golden with an orange tint. A thick, white head slowly fades leaving sheets of lace.
Smell (4.5): Fruity with hints of bananas and light citrus with peppery spice to match. Swirling brings out aromas of grassy hops.
Taste (4.0): Fruity and sweet with some citric tartness upfront, which is met by a peppery bite in the center. The finish has a moderate hoppy bitterness.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Light to medium-bodied, highly carbonated with a bit of oiliness from the hops.
Drinkability (4.5): A fine beer, nice balance bewteen "Belgian" flavors and hoppiness.
Overall (4.25)
534. Villers Oud Vieille
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Huyghe
Alcohol: 7.00%
Serving: Bottle, 11.2 oz.
Style: Dubbel, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a cloudy brown with a thick brown head that fades to a patchy layer leaving no lace.
Smell (3.5): Very sweet smelling. Notes of raisins, caramel, toffee and alcohol.
Taste (3.5): Sweet with raisins, toffee and caramel. The peppery finish serves to provide some balance.
Mouthfeel (3.5): Medium-bodied, with high carbonation.
Drinkability (4.0): Pretty easy to drink.
Overall (3.65)
535. Girardin Kriek 1882
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Girardin
Alcohol: 5.00%
Serving: Bottle
Style: Fruit Lambic, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.5): Pours a hazy red-orange with a sudsy, pink head that fades to a thin film.
Smell (3.0): Has the acidic, cherry and funky aromas expected, but there's an odd buttery aroma as well.
Taste (3.5): Acidic tartness with some sweet cherries. The finish is tart with light funkiness.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Light-bodied, low carbonation, dry finish.
Drinkability (4.5): Balanced with good, but subdued lambic characters.
Overall (3.75)
536. Hoegaarden Grand Cru
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij van Hoegaarden
Alcohol: 8.70%
Serving: Bottle, 11.2 oz.
Style: Witbier, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a cloudy golden-amber. A thickish, off-white head thins to a film with a prominent ring. Leaves no lace.
Smell (4.5): Coriander, banana, orange, cloves, pepper and yeast.
Taste (4.0): Sweet and fruity upfront, strong flavors of banana with mild berry notes. Coriander spice and citric tartness emerge in the center and fade into a finish with light residual sweetness and mild bitterness.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Medium-bodied with moderate carbonation.
Drinkability (4.0): Pretty drinkable.
Overall (4.1)
After lunch we walked to Gravensteen, a castle in Ghent that was built in 1180. The name means "castle of the count" in Dutch. The castle tour was nice, especially since it seemed like you could visit most of the castle. There was in in depth exhibit on crime, punishment and torture. David wants to be reminded that if he ever gets a time machine he should not go back to medieval Ghent and commit a crime.
One of the canals in Ghent
Gravensteen
Gravensteen
A stairwell inside
A view of the canal from the castle
Ghent from the top
Presumably an archer would have been here.
A canal
The guillotine
Inside
More castle
Even more castle
The basement area
The ruins of the kitchen
This was a stable before it was a prison.
Labels: Belgian IPA, Belgium 2006, Dubbel, Fruit Lambic, Lambic, Sour Beer, Travel, Witbier
Day Two, Brussels: Warm Water, Delirium Café, Absinthe
Published by Unknown on Sunday, December 03, 2006 at 10:31 PM.
After leaving Ploegmans, we headed to nearby Restobières for dinner since it came highly recommended by the Good Beer Guide, but it was closed. Instead we went to Warm Water, which was also recommended by the Guide.
The café was two floors, we took a table upstairs and were served by a Moroccan waitress (David asked). The main menu was in French and Dutch, which we struggled through for a while, focusing on the "Brussels Specialties". I was able to identify a smoked fish plate on the French menu. We were both eying the Brussels tomatoes with kip-kap, but neither of us knew what kip-kap was. We asked for an English menu only to see "kip-kap". The waitress said it was pork, but couldn't tell us what type of pork. David threw caution to the wind and ordered the "Brussels Tomatoes with Kip-Kap" and I ordered "Four Brussels Meats". Perhaps being adventurous here wasn't the best of ideas.
Our food arrived. David's was four tomato halves on a bed of lettuce with a dressing and little globs of meat, that he tried, but couldn't eat many of (Google tells me kip-kap is pig cheeks). Mine was slices of four different types of meat. One was a pâté, one was duck held together by a clear jelly, one was dark brown with white chunks, and the last was a reddish-orange with chucks that may have been tripe. I managed to get through a surprising amount, but had to give up in the end. The highlight of the dinner was the 750 mL bottle of Girardin Gueuze 1882 White Label that we split.
509. Girardin Gueuze 1882 White Label
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Girardin
Alcohol: 5.00%
Serving: Bottle, 750 mL
Style: Gueuze, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.5): Very lightly hazy, with a fluffy off-white head that clings to the glass.
Smell (4.0): Sour and acidic, with lemony and grassy notes and a light funkiness.
Taste (4.5): Sour, lemony and fruity, with a grassy and funky finish that has a light bitterness.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Light-bodied, moderate-carbonation, dry finish.
Drinkability (4.0): Crisp and sour, but nice.
Overall (4.3)
After dinner we took the Subway to the EU building to do some token sight-seeing. It was hard to get good pictures since it was dark.
We then returned to Delirium Café to have more beer. We snagged a barrel and had four rounds. We ended up talking to a few people. A group of Brits sat down at a barrel nearby. One of them noticed that I had been taking notes and he came up to ask about them. When I told him I take notes on the new beers that I try and that I was on number 512 he said "So, a beginner eh?" Tickers, I suspect, and I suspect they thought I was a ticker. David drew a picture of him.
On a trip up to the bar to get the next round David ran into a guy from Canada. A few minutes later the Canadian came by with a girl named Christine from Philadelphia who wanted to meet the other Americans in the bar. We talked for about 10 minutes. The Canadian was going to school in Rotterdam and Christine was in Brussels visiting her sister who had cancer. I don't know if I suspected that she was hitting on me when she made a point to tell me that the guy that she was with was the cousin of a friend and that she had only met him tonight, when she suggested we hang out later in the week, or when she started touching my leg. After they went back to the bar I pointed this out to David, who I had to convince to stay put because I wasn't interested. When we saw them leave David bolted out of the bar a minute later. He was back ten minutes later with a rose and Christine's number in Belgium. He had purchased the rose as a backup apparently.
The conversation went something like this:
David: Gets her attention by yelling something about the Philadelphia Eagles
David: My friend thinks you're really beautiful, could he have your number?
Christine: Writes down number Tell him to call me anytime, day or night.
That's pretty much the end of that story. I wasn't really interested and we were leaving for Antwerp the next day.
David also had a conversation with someone nearby about finance. I don't remember where he was from or what exactly they were talking about. I think David gave the rose to him when we left to give to one of the three girls he was there with.
510. Witkap Pater Tripel
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Slaghmuylder
Alcohol: 7.50%
Serving: Bottle, 11.2 oz.
Style: Tripel, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.5): Pours a hazy, pale blonde, with a sudsy, white head that fades to a quarter-inch layer leaving lace that coats the inside of the glass.
Smell (4.0): Bananas, pepper and a hint of cloves.
Taste (4.0): Lightly sweet fruitiness upfront. The finish is peppery and grainy with a bit of chalky yeast. There's also light bitterness, light residual sweetness and mild tartness.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Light-bodied, high-carbonation, lightly dry.
Drinkability (3.5): Fairly spicy and strong.
Overall (4.05)
511. Witkap Pater Stimulo
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Slaghmuylder
Alcohol: 6.00%
Serving: Bottle, 11.2 oz.
Style: Belgian Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a cloudy, pale-straw color. A thin white head fades to a patchy film.
Smell (4.0): Fruity aromas that are almost tropical. Swirling brings out pepper and hints of alcohol.
Taste (4.0): Fairly well attenuated given the fruitiness in the aroma. There's some dry graininess and mildly sweet fruitiness. The finish is nicely spicy with some chalky yeast.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Light-bodied, moderate carbonation, light dryness.
Drinkability (4.0): Spicy and fruity, not overdone, very drinkable.
Overall (4.05)
512. St. Bernardus Pater 6
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij St. Bernardus NV
Alcohol: 6.70%
Serving: Bottle, 11.2 oz.
Style: Dubbel, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a clear ruby-brown, with a beige head that thins to a film, leaving patchy lace.
Smell (3.5): Roasty with a light fruity sweetness.
Taste (4.0): Toasty maltiness upfront, with a tart cherry fruitiness, followed by a lightly bitter roasted finish.
Mouthfeel (3.5): Medium-bodied, high carbonation.
Drinkability (4.5): Definitely very drinkable and balanced.
Overall (3.9)
23. Corsendonk Pater (2001)
Corsendonk Pater, vintage 2001, was one of the aged beers available at Delirium. We ordered a bottle to try. The bartender poured the first bottle, which had no head, he also sniffed the beer before discarding it and pouring another.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Corsendonk
Year: 2001
Alcohol: 7.50%
Serving: Bottle
Style: Dubbel, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (3.5): Pours a cloudy reddish-brown. A one-inch head fades quickly leaving a ring of bubbles.
Smell (4.5): This reminds me a lot of the De Dolle Stille Nacht that we tried at the Belgian Beer Fest. Strong notes of caramel and toffee, with a nice vinuous character.
Taste (4.5): Caramel and a little bit of a dark fruit sweetness. The fruity sweetness strengthens in the finish.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Full-bodied, low-carbonation.
Drinkability (3.5): Sweet, a sipper.
Overall (4.15)
513. Fantôme Spéciale De Noel
This seemed to be another reimport. It had the US label and said Imported by Shelton Bros.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brasserie Fantôme
Alcohol: 10.00%
Serving: Bottle, 750 mL
Style: Saison, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.5): Pours a clear, dark brown with an amber tint when held up to the light. It's topped by a thick, light brown head with excellent retention and nice lace.
Smell (4.0): Light roast, sweet raisins and cherries.
Taste (4.5): Cherry fruitiness with a lambic like sourness. The finish has a nice chocolate and coffee bitterness with spicy alcohol.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Medium-bodied, moderate carbonation.
Drinkability (4.0): An interesting mix of flavors.
Overall (4.3)
514. De Cam Oude Kriek
When I ordered this one the bartender said he hadn't seen it, but he would check. He brought out a dusty bottle that was labeled 09.2004.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: De Cam Geuzestekerij
Year: 2004
Alcohol: 6.50%
Serving: Bottle
Style: Fruit Lambic, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.5): When I poured out the first half the beer was crystal clear, but the second half had some cloudiness. That tells you how long the bottle had been sitting in the cellar undisturbed. The beer pours an orange-red color with a thin pinkish head that quickly fades to a thin ring.
Smell (5.0): Without swirling cherries and acidic sourness dominate the aroma with a light funky barnyard aroma. Upon swirling the barnyard aroma becomes very intense. Exactly what I want a kriek to smell like.
Taste (5.0): Very acidic and sour. There are tart cherry flavors that bring along no sweetness. The finish is noticeably earthy and funky... Marvelous.
Mouthfeel (4.5): Light-bodied, low carbonation with an intensely dry finish.
Drinkability (4.0): A sipper, but a fantastic sipper.
Overall (4.75)
515. Bieken
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Huisbrouwerij Boelens
Alcohol: 8.50%
Serving: Bottle, 11.2 oz.
Style: Belgian Strong Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (3.5): Pours a lightly cloudy golden with chunks of yeats floating about. A white head fades to a patchy film.
Smell (4.0): Sweet and fruity with notes of honey and toffee.
Taste (3.5): Sweet honey flavors, with a lightly sweet finish with pepper to balance.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Medium to full-bodied, with moderate carbonation.
Drinkability (4.0): Sweet, but not overly so.
Overall (3.7)
After leaving Delirium we noticed that we had forgotten our map. David ran back down to retrieve it. Our barrel had been occupied. When David asked the people there if a map had been left, they said yes. David asked if they were going to give it back, but they made no indication of it. They coughed it up when David threatened to punch them.
After getting the map.
There was an absinthe bar across the street called Maison Fondee. We decided to each have a shot of absinthe since we can't in the US. We asked the bartender for two shots of the best absinthe he had. He explained that thujone is regulated in the EU, so commercial absinthe is low in thujone. He pointed out that the absinthe that he served us was 89.9% alcohol by volume, though low in thujone. We were given two shots of absinthe, two slotted spoons and two cubes of sugar. He explained that we were supposed to burn the sugar and drop it in, though I had always thought that water was poured over the sugar making the absinthe opalescent.
The absinthe itself was bright green and smelled heavily of anise. We followed the bartenders instructions and took the shots, which I can only describe as pure pain. The flavor was straight anise, with little else aside from burning alcohol. We got two tap waters, paid up and then left. The shot definitely pushed me from tipsy to drunk, but other than that I didn't feel anything out of the ordinary. David claimed to be seeing mild visual effects that he said were beyond just being drunk.
We eventually got back to the hostel, after some false turns, disputes about direction and trying to cut through a parking garage with no exit on the other side.
Walking back along Rue des Bouchers
Walking back along Rue des Bouchers
This building was pretty interesting, especially when drunk.
We got back to the hostel and bet money on ping-pong. I beat David handily, which he attributes to the absinthe.
The café was two floors, we took a table upstairs and were served by a Moroccan waitress (David asked). The main menu was in French and Dutch, which we struggled through for a while, focusing on the "Brussels Specialties". I was able to identify a smoked fish plate on the French menu. We were both eying the Brussels tomatoes with kip-kap, but neither of us knew what kip-kap was. We asked for an English menu only to see "kip-kap". The waitress said it was pork, but couldn't tell us what type of pork. David threw caution to the wind and ordered the "Brussels Tomatoes with Kip-Kap" and I ordered "Four Brussels Meats". Perhaps being adventurous here wasn't the best of ideas.
Our food arrived. David's was four tomato halves on a bed of lettuce with a dressing and little globs of meat, that he tried, but couldn't eat many of (Google tells me kip-kap is pig cheeks). Mine was slices of four different types of meat. One was a pâté, one was duck held together by a clear jelly, one was dark brown with white chunks, and the last was a reddish-orange with chucks that may have been tripe. I managed to get through a surprising amount, but had to give up in the end. The highlight of the dinner was the 750 mL bottle of Girardin Gueuze 1882 White Label that we split.
509. Girardin Gueuze 1882 White Label
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Girardin
Alcohol: 5.00%
Serving: Bottle, 750 mL
Style: Gueuze, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.5): Very lightly hazy, with a fluffy off-white head that clings to the glass.
Smell (4.0): Sour and acidic, with lemony and grassy notes and a light funkiness.
Taste (4.5): Sour, lemony and fruity, with a grassy and funky finish that has a light bitterness.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Light-bodied, moderate-carbonation, dry finish.
Drinkability (4.0): Crisp and sour, but nice.
Overall (4.3)
After dinner we took the Subway to the EU building to do some token sight-seeing. It was hard to get good pictures since it was dark.
We then returned to Delirium Café to have more beer. We snagged a barrel and had four rounds. We ended up talking to a few people. A group of Brits sat down at a barrel nearby. One of them noticed that I had been taking notes and he came up to ask about them. When I told him I take notes on the new beers that I try and that I was on number 512 he said "So, a beginner eh?" Tickers, I suspect, and I suspect they thought I was a ticker. David drew a picture of him.
On a trip up to the bar to get the next round David ran into a guy from Canada. A few minutes later the Canadian came by with a girl named Christine from Philadelphia who wanted to meet the other Americans in the bar. We talked for about 10 minutes. The Canadian was going to school in Rotterdam and Christine was in Brussels visiting her sister who had cancer. I don't know if I suspected that she was hitting on me when she made a point to tell me that the guy that she was with was the cousin of a friend and that she had only met him tonight, when she suggested we hang out later in the week, or when she started touching my leg. After they went back to the bar I pointed this out to David, who I had to convince to stay put because I wasn't interested. When we saw them leave David bolted out of the bar a minute later. He was back ten minutes later with a rose and Christine's number in Belgium. He had purchased the rose as a backup apparently.
The conversation went something like this:
David: Gets her attention by yelling something about the Philadelphia Eagles
David: My friend thinks you're really beautiful, could he have your number?
Christine: Writes down number Tell him to call me anytime, day or night.
That's pretty much the end of that story. I wasn't really interested and we were leaving for Antwerp the next day.
David also had a conversation with someone nearby about finance. I don't remember where he was from or what exactly they were talking about. I think David gave the rose to him when we left to give to one of the three girls he was there with.
510. Witkap Pater Tripel
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Slaghmuylder
Alcohol: 7.50%
Serving: Bottle, 11.2 oz.
Style: Tripel, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.5): Pours a hazy, pale blonde, with a sudsy, white head that fades to a quarter-inch layer leaving lace that coats the inside of the glass.
Smell (4.0): Bananas, pepper and a hint of cloves.
Taste (4.0): Lightly sweet fruitiness upfront. The finish is peppery and grainy with a bit of chalky yeast. There's also light bitterness, light residual sweetness and mild tartness.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Light-bodied, high-carbonation, lightly dry.
Drinkability (3.5): Fairly spicy and strong.
Overall (4.05)
511. Witkap Pater Stimulo
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Slaghmuylder
Alcohol: 6.00%
Serving: Bottle, 11.2 oz.
Style: Belgian Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a cloudy, pale-straw color. A thin white head fades to a patchy film.
Smell (4.0): Fruity aromas that are almost tropical. Swirling brings out pepper and hints of alcohol.
Taste (4.0): Fairly well attenuated given the fruitiness in the aroma. There's some dry graininess and mildly sweet fruitiness. The finish is nicely spicy with some chalky yeast.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Light-bodied, moderate carbonation, light dryness.
Drinkability (4.0): Spicy and fruity, not overdone, very drinkable.
Overall (4.05)
512. St. Bernardus Pater 6
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij St. Bernardus NV
Alcohol: 6.70%
Serving: Bottle, 11.2 oz.
Style: Dubbel, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a clear ruby-brown, with a beige head that thins to a film, leaving patchy lace.
Smell (3.5): Roasty with a light fruity sweetness.
Taste (4.0): Toasty maltiness upfront, with a tart cherry fruitiness, followed by a lightly bitter roasted finish.
Mouthfeel (3.5): Medium-bodied, high carbonation.
Drinkability (4.5): Definitely very drinkable and balanced.
Overall (3.9)
23. Corsendonk Pater (2001)
Corsendonk Pater, vintage 2001, was one of the aged beers available at Delirium. We ordered a bottle to try. The bartender poured the first bottle, which had no head, he also sniffed the beer before discarding it and pouring another.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Corsendonk
Year: 2001
Alcohol: 7.50%
Serving: Bottle
Style: Dubbel, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (3.5): Pours a cloudy reddish-brown. A one-inch head fades quickly leaving a ring of bubbles.
Smell (4.5): This reminds me a lot of the De Dolle Stille Nacht that we tried at the Belgian Beer Fest. Strong notes of caramel and toffee, with a nice vinuous character.
Taste (4.5): Caramel and a little bit of a dark fruit sweetness. The fruity sweetness strengthens in the finish.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Full-bodied, low-carbonation.
Drinkability (3.5): Sweet, a sipper.
Overall (4.15)
513. Fantôme Spéciale De Noel
This seemed to be another reimport. It had the US label and said Imported by Shelton Bros.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brasserie Fantôme
Alcohol: 10.00%
Serving: Bottle, 750 mL
Style: Saison, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.5): Pours a clear, dark brown with an amber tint when held up to the light. It's topped by a thick, light brown head with excellent retention and nice lace.
Smell (4.0): Light roast, sweet raisins and cherries.
Taste (4.5): Cherry fruitiness with a lambic like sourness. The finish has a nice chocolate and coffee bitterness with spicy alcohol.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Medium-bodied, moderate carbonation.
Drinkability (4.0): An interesting mix of flavors.
Overall (4.3)
514. De Cam Oude Kriek
When I ordered this one the bartender said he hadn't seen it, but he would check. He brought out a dusty bottle that was labeled 09.2004.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: De Cam Geuzestekerij
Year: 2004
Alcohol: 6.50%
Serving: Bottle
Style: Fruit Lambic, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.5): When I poured out the first half the beer was crystal clear, but the second half had some cloudiness. That tells you how long the bottle had been sitting in the cellar undisturbed. The beer pours an orange-red color with a thin pinkish head that quickly fades to a thin ring.
Smell (5.0): Without swirling cherries and acidic sourness dominate the aroma with a light funky barnyard aroma. Upon swirling the barnyard aroma becomes very intense. Exactly what I want a kriek to smell like.
Taste (5.0): Very acidic and sour. There are tart cherry flavors that bring along no sweetness. The finish is noticeably earthy and funky... Marvelous.
Mouthfeel (4.5): Light-bodied, low carbonation with an intensely dry finish.
Drinkability (4.0): A sipper, but a fantastic sipper.
Overall (4.75)
515. Bieken
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Huisbrouwerij Boelens
Alcohol: 8.50%
Serving: Bottle, 11.2 oz.
Style: Belgian Strong Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (3.5): Pours a lightly cloudy golden with chunks of yeats floating about. A white head fades to a patchy film.
Smell (4.0): Sweet and fruity with notes of honey and toffee.
Taste (3.5): Sweet honey flavors, with a lightly sweet finish with pepper to balance.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Medium to full-bodied, with moderate carbonation.
Drinkability (4.0): Sweet, but not overly so.
Overall (3.7)
After leaving Delirium we noticed that we had forgotten our map. David ran back down to retrieve it. Our barrel had been occupied. When David asked the people there if a map had been left, they said yes. David asked if they were going to give it back, but they made no indication of it. They coughed it up when David threatened to punch them.
After getting the map.
There was an absinthe bar across the street called Maison Fondee. We decided to each have a shot of absinthe since we can't in the US. We asked the bartender for two shots of the best absinthe he had. He explained that thujone is regulated in the EU, so commercial absinthe is low in thujone. He pointed out that the absinthe that he served us was 89.9% alcohol by volume, though low in thujone. We were given two shots of absinthe, two slotted spoons and two cubes of sugar. He explained that we were supposed to burn the sugar and drop it in, though I had always thought that water was poured over the sugar making the absinthe opalescent.
The absinthe itself was bright green and smelled heavily of anise. We followed the bartenders instructions and took the shots, which I can only describe as pure pain. The flavor was straight anise, with little else aside from burning alcohol. We got two tap waters, paid up and then left. The shot definitely pushed me from tipsy to drunk, but other than that I didn't feel anything out of the ordinary. David claimed to be seeing mild visual effects that he said were beyond just being drunk.
We eventually got back to the hostel, after some false turns, disputes about direction and trying to cut through a parking garage with no exit on the other side.
Walking back along Rue des Bouchers
Walking back along Rue des Bouchers
This building was pretty interesting, especially when drunk.
We got back to the hostel and bet money on ping-pong. I beat David handily, which he attributes to the absinthe.
Labels: Belgian Pale Ale, Belgium 2006, Dubbel, Fruit Lambic, Gueuze, Saison, Travel, Tripel
