862. Drie Fonteinen Doesjel
I noticed a bottle of Lambic from Drie Fonteinen that I hadn't seen before at the liquor store in Porter Square, so naturally I had to pick up a bottle. I served this in one of my New Belgium globe glasses.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Drie Fonteinen
Alcohol: 6.00%
Serving: Bottle
Style: Gueuze, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 4.0 | Smell: 4.0 | Taste: 3.5 | Mouthfeel: 3.5 | Drinkability: 4.0
Overall: 3.75
Pours a hazed orange-copper. There are a few stray bubbles present after the pour, but they quickly disappear. The aroma is strongly acidic. There are bright citric aromas present, a nice woodiness and a bit of lambic funkiness that appears on the swirl.
This beer is smooth overall. The acidity is mild, leading to a subdued but persistent tartness throughout. There are citric notes, some grassy bitterness and woody tannins in the finish. Low carbonation, light-bodied and lightly dry.
This was an enjoyable beer, but it lacked some of my favorite qualities in a Gueuze, bright flavors and vigorous carbonation.
I noticed a bottle of Lambic from Drie Fonteinen that I hadn't seen before at the liquor store in Porter Square, so naturally I had to pick up a bottle. I served this in one of my New Belgium globe glasses.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Drie Fonteinen
Alcohol: 6.00%
Serving: Bottle
Style: Gueuze, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 4.0 | Smell: 4.0 | Taste: 3.5 | Mouthfeel: 3.5 | Drinkability: 4.0
Overall: 3.75
Pours a hazed orange-copper. There are a few stray bubbles present after the pour, but they quickly disappear. The aroma is strongly acidic. There are bright citric aromas present, a nice woodiness and a bit of lambic funkiness that appears on the swirl.
This beer is smooth overall. The acidity is mild, leading to a subdued but persistent tartness throughout. There are citric notes, some grassy bitterness and woody tannins in the finish. Low carbonation, light-bodied and lightly dry.
This was an enjoyable beer, but it lacked some of my favorite qualities in a Gueuze, bright flavors and vigorous carbonation.
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
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 Four, Antwerp: Lunch and Sightseeing, Kulminator, Dinner, Elfde Gebod
Published by Unknown on Sunday, December 10, 2006 at 11:27 PM.
We woke up fairly late on Tuesday and went to Horta for breakfast. We got there too late and ended up having to get lunch, with which we had a round. I got the pasta in pesto sauce with sun-dried tomatoes. I don't remember what David got, but I vaguely remember cream sauce.
526. Brugge Tripel
The name on BA is listed as Brugse Tripel, but people seem to be reviewing Brugge Tripel on the same page.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij De Gouden Boom
Alcohol: 9.00%
Serving: Bottle,
Style: Tripel, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (3.0): Pours a clear amber with a smooth, white head that fades to thin layer.
Smell (3.5): Fruity bananas, some graininess, a little peppery spice.
Taste (4.0): Berry and banana fruitiness upfront. Moving into the finish there are grainy notes as well as some peppery spice. The finish also has a nice hoppy bitterness that balances nicely.
Mouthfeel (3.5): Light-bodied with high carbonation.
Drinkability (3.5): Overly carbonated.
Overall (3.6)
527. Steendonk
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Palm NV
Alcohol: 4.50%
Serving: Tap
Style: Witbier, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (3.5): Pours a cloudy, straw color with a white head that thins to a ring, leaving patchy lace.
Smell (3.0): Bananas, cloves and yeast. The pepper and characteristic witbier spice are present, but very light.
Taste (2.0): Lightly sweet fruitiness, bananas especially. There's some graininess and spice, but nothing strong or characteristic of a witbier. Lightly hoppy.
Mouthfeel (2.0): Watery with low carbonation.
Drinkability (3.0): Watery without sufficient carbonation, therefore not that great to drink.
Overall (2.6)
After lunch we visited Rubenshuis, the former home of painter Peter Paul Rubens. I was pretty tired, so I honestly don't remember much, other than being impressed at the size of the house. Afterwards we stopped at a café for coffee before heading to Bierhuis Kulminator.
Kulminator was definitely my favorite bar that we visited while in Belgium. The brightly lit interior had large plants growing near the front window and dried hop vines on the ceiling towards the back. Classical music played in the background, providing a nice atmosphere. There were several large wooden tables arranged throughout bar that were topped by large beer bottles used to hold candles and variety of press clippings. I counted at least four different cats that lounged around the bar. The selection was good, but the selection of aged beers was amazing.
We stayed for several hours, during which time the bar never got crowded. There were two older men who sat at the table next to us for awhile drinking Lefe and Westmalle, a group of American guys our age from Connecticut, and a couple who came in around dinner time.
Bierhuis Kulminator
Dried hops
One of the bar cats
Two of the bar cats
David, intoxicated
Thom, intoxicated
Their card
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Corsendonk
Alcohol: 8.50%
Serving: Bottle, 11.2 oz.
Style: Belgian Strong Dark Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a lightly hazy amber-brown with a fluffy brown head that slowly fades, leaving heavy lace.
Smell (4.0): Sweet cherry aroma, caramel and a light vinuous character.
Taste (4.0): Upfront there are toasty malts, with a mild roasted character. Light tartness that's reminiscent of cherries emerges in the center. The finish has some peppery spice and bitterness.
Mouthfeel (3.5): Light to medium-bodied with high carbonation.
Drinkability (4.0): Well-balanced, no character dominates over the others.
Overall (3.95)
529. Liefmans Kriekbier
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Liefmans
Alcohol: 5.00%
Serving: Tap
Style: Fruit Beer, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a lightly hazy orange-red with a foamy pink head that fades to a thin ring.
Smell (4.0): Sour and acidic with notes of cherries, as well as a moderate funkiness that emerges upon swirling.
Taste (4.5): Very sour throughout, there's some sweetness that emerges with the cherries, but it's always dominated by the sourness and persistent cherry tartness.
Mouthfeel (4.5): Light-bodied, low carbonation, very dry.
Drinkability (3.5): Sour, definitely a sipper.
Overall (4.2)
519. Oud Beersel Oude Gueuze Vieille 2001
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Oud Beersel
Year: 2001
Alcohol: 6.00%
Serving: Bottle, 750 mL
Style: Gueuze, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: Pours a cloudy golden, with a massive off-white head that fades to a thin ring.
Smell: Sour and funky with a little bit of fruitiness. The fruitiness becomes stronger upon swirling.
Taste: This has definitely mellowed with age. The sourness is diminished, but the funkiness has increased.
Mouthfeel: Light-bodied, light carbonation with a dry finish.
Drinkability: Nicely balanced and mellowed.
Overall: I think age has definitely improved this Gueuze.
33. Chimay Grande Réserve 1999
An aged bottle from 1999 served at cellar temperature in a Chimay chalice. They had bottles of Chimay Blue all the way back to 1981.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Bières de Chimay
Year: 1999
Alcohol: 9.00%
Serving: Bottle, 11.2 oz.
Style: Belgian Strong Dark Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.5): Pours a hazy brown-ruby with a creamy beige head that fades to a thin film, leaving patches of lace.
Smell (5.0): This definitely smells aged. Rich and malty with notes of caramel, toffee, and dark fruit. There are also vinuous notes as well as some alcoholic spiciness.
Taste (4.5): Malty upfront with toasty flavors as well as sweet caramel and dark fruit, sweet, but not too sweet. The finish has a light tartness with pepper, alcohol and a very light bitterness.
Mouthfeel (5.0): Full-bodied and thick, with low carbonation.
Drinkability (4.5): Smooth and full flavored, but mellow.
Overall (4.65): This is definitely one that improves with age. I think that it might be worth it to buy a case of Chimay every year just to cellar.
195. Orval Trappist Ale 2002
A dust-covered 2002 bottle, served in an Orval chalice.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brasserie d'Orval S.A.
Year: 2002
Alcohol: 6.20%
Serving: Bottle, 11.2 oz.
Style: Belgian Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.5): Pours a hazy-golden with a thick, off-white head that fades to a thin film leaving heavy patches of lace.
Smell (5.0): Strong Brettanomyces aroma as well as some grassy and citric aromas.
Taste (5.0): Tart citric and Brett characters, with a light sweetness. The finish has a nice mellowed hop bitterness.
Mouthfeel (4.5): Light to medium-bodied, low carbonation with a dry finish.
Drinkability (4.5): Tart with nice dominant Brett character.
Overall (4.8)
530. Gouden Carolus Carolus D'Or - Cuvée Van De Keizer
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Het Anker
Alcohol: 11.00%
Serving: Bottle, 750 mL
Style: Belgian Strong Dark Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a hazy brown with a reddish tint. A thick off-white head fades to a sudsy quarter-inch layer, leaving patchy lace.
Smell (4.0): Sweet and very fruity smelling. Lots of bananas and peppery alcohol. Swirling brings out notes of cherry and raisins.
Taste (3.5): Very sweet with nice fruitiness: bananas, raisins and light tartness. There's a very mild alcoholic spice in the finish.
Mouthfeel (3.5): Thick and full-bodied with low carbonation.
Drinkability (4.5): Smooth and sweet. Neither the alcohol nor sweetness is overpowering.
Overall (3.8)
531. Westvleteren Special 6 1998
David spotted some unlabeled bottles with red caps on the shelf behind the bar. He asked about them and was told that they were bottles of Westvleteren 6 from 1998, the last year that it was produced. We ordered two bottles, which were served in Abdij St. Sixtus goblets at cellar temperature.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Westvleteren
Year: 1998
Alcohol: 6.20%
Serving: Bottle, 11.2 oz.
Style: Belgian Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.5): Pours a hazy dark-brown with ruby tints. A one-inch beige head fades to a quarter-inch layer leaving sheets of lace.
Smell (5.0): Smells aged. Notes of tart cherries, dark fruit and light toffee maltiness. Has the characteristic vinous aroma of an aged beer. Smells amazing.
Taste (4.5): Sweet with some malty caramel notes and fruity notes of dates and raisins, not too sweet though. Light peppery spice and a nice amount of hoppy bitterness.
Mouthfeel (4.5): Full-bodied, low carbonation.
Drinkability (5.0): Mellow, but flavorful.
Overall (4.65): It's amazing how well this beer has held up, very delicious. I feel very lucky to have had one.
After leaving Kulminator we went to Congo for dinner. David had lasagna in... cream sauce. I had pasta in pesto sauce. We then found an internet cafe and made some phone calls and checked e-mail.
After dinner we went to Elfde Gebod for a final round before walking around the city and turning in. The bar was near the cathedral. David sat the round out and opted to have a piece of cake, which came with a large glob of whipped cream. The inside of the bar was heavily decorated with religious imagery. David implied that the waitress, who was very cute, was a teenager. She was actually 22.
Then why are so many nuns strippers?
532. La Trappe Quadrupel
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Bierbrouwerij De Koningshoeven B.V.
Alcohol: 10.00%
Serving: Bottle
Style: Quadrupel, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a clear amber with a beige head that fades to a thin sudsy layer leaving plentiful lace.
Smell (3.5): Dark fruit, light pepper, and hint of alcohol.
Taste (4.0): A neutral grainy character upfront moves into a raisiny sweetness. The finish is lightly spicy with a trailing bitterness. Not too sweet.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Medium-bodied, moderate carbonation with a lightly dry finish.
Drinkability (3.5): Not too sweet, but it could use a bit more spiciness or bitterness to balance.
Overall (3.85)
The Lonely Planet guide said "The Boots" was the most disreputable bar in Belgium. We walked by, the plan was to decide if we would stop in based on the look of the place. It was closed, but I think the sign would have kept us out if it had been open.
David in front of the most disreputable bar in Belgium.
526. Brugge Tripel
The name on BA is listed as Brugse Tripel, but people seem to be reviewing Brugge Tripel on the same page.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij De Gouden Boom
Alcohol: 9.00%
Serving: Bottle,
Style: Tripel, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (3.0): Pours a clear amber with a smooth, white head that fades to thin layer.
Smell (3.5): Fruity bananas, some graininess, a little peppery spice.
Taste (4.0): Berry and banana fruitiness upfront. Moving into the finish there are grainy notes as well as some peppery spice. The finish also has a nice hoppy bitterness that balances nicely.
Mouthfeel (3.5): Light-bodied with high carbonation.
Drinkability (3.5): Overly carbonated.
Overall (3.6)
527. Steendonk
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Palm NV
Alcohol: 4.50%
Serving: Tap
Style: Witbier, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (3.5): Pours a cloudy, straw color with a white head that thins to a ring, leaving patchy lace.
Smell (3.0): Bananas, cloves and yeast. The pepper and characteristic witbier spice are present, but very light.
Taste (2.0): Lightly sweet fruitiness, bananas especially. There's some graininess and spice, but nothing strong or characteristic of a witbier. Lightly hoppy.
Mouthfeel (2.0): Watery with low carbonation.
Drinkability (3.0): Watery without sufficient carbonation, therefore not that great to drink.
Overall (2.6)
After lunch we visited Rubenshuis, the former home of painter Peter Paul Rubens. I was pretty tired, so I honestly don't remember much, other than being impressed at the size of the house. Afterwards we stopped at a café for coffee before heading to Bierhuis Kulminator.
Kulminator was definitely my favorite bar that we visited while in Belgium. The brightly lit interior had large plants growing near the front window and dried hop vines on the ceiling towards the back. Classical music played in the background, providing a nice atmosphere. There were several large wooden tables arranged throughout bar that were topped by large beer bottles used to hold candles and variety of press clippings. I counted at least four different cats that lounged around the bar. The selection was good, but the selection of aged beers was amazing.
We stayed for several hours, during which time the bar never got crowded. There were two older men who sat at the table next to us for awhile drinking Lefe and Westmalle, a group of American guys our age from Connecticut, and a couple who came in around dinner time.
Bierhuis Kulminator
Dried hops
One of the bar cats
Two of the bar cats
David, intoxicated
Thom, intoxicated
Their card
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Corsendonk
Alcohol: 8.50%
Serving: Bottle, 11.2 oz.
Style: Belgian Strong Dark Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a lightly hazy amber-brown with a fluffy brown head that slowly fades, leaving heavy lace.
Smell (4.0): Sweet cherry aroma, caramel and a light vinuous character.
Taste (4.0): Upfront there are toasty malts, with a mild roasted character. Light tartness that's reminiscent of cherries emerges in the center. The finish has some peppery spice and bitterness.
Mouthfeel (3.5): Light to medium-bodied with high carbonation.
Drinkability (4.0): Well-balanced, no character dominates over the others.
Overall (3.95)
529. Liefmans Kriekbier
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Liefmans
Alcohol: 5.00%
Serving: Tap
Style: Fruit Beer, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a lightly hazy orange-red with a foamy pink head that fades to a thin ring.
Smell (4.0): Sour and acidic with notes of cherries, as well as a moderate funkiness that emerges upon swirling.
Taste (4.5): Very sour throughout, there's some sweetness that emerges with the cherries, but it's always dominated by the sourness and persistent cherry tartness.
Mouthfeel (4.5): Light-bodied, low carbonation, very dry.
Drinkability (3.5): Sour, definitely a sipper.
Overall (4.2)
519. Oud Beersel Oude Gueuze Vieille 2001
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Oud Beersel
Year: 2001
Alcohol: 6.00%
Serving: Bottle, 750 mL
Style: Gueuze, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: Pours a cloudy golden, with a massive off-white head that fades to a thin ring.
Smell: Sour and funky with a little bit of fruitiness. The fruitiness becomes stronger upon swirling.
Taste: This has definitely mellowed with age. The sourness is diminished, but the funkiness has increased.
Mouthfeel: Light-bodied, light carbonation with a dry finish.
Drinkability: Nicely balanced and mellowed.
Overall: I think age has definitely improved this Gueuze.
33. Chimay Grande Réserve 1999
An aged bottle from 1999 served at cellar temperature in a Chimay chalice. They had bottles of Chimay Blue all the way back to 1981.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Bières de Chimay
Year: 1999
Alcohol: 9.00%
Serving: Bottle, 11.2 oz.
Style: Belgian Strong Dark Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.5): Pours a hazy brown-ruby with a creamy beige head that fades to a thin film, leaving patches of lace.
Smell (5.0): This definitely smells aged. Rich and malty with notes of caramel, toffee, and dark fruit. There are also vinuous notes as well as some alcoholic spiciness.
Taste (4.5): Malty upfront with toasty flavors as well as sweet caramel and dark fruit, sweet, but not too sweet. The finish has a light tartness with pepper, alcohol and a very light bitterness.
Mouthfeel (5.0): Full-bodied and thick, with low carbonation.
Drinkability (4.5): Smooth and full flavored, but mellow.
Overall (4.65): This is definitely one that improves with age. I think that it might be worth it to buy a case of Chimay every year just to cellar.
195. Orval Trappist Ale 2002
A dust-covered 2002 bottle, served in an Orval chalice.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brasserie d'Orval S.A.
Year: 2002
Alcohol: 6.20%
Serving: Bottle, 11.2 oz.
Style: Belgian Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.5): Pours a hazy-golden with a thick, off-white head that fades to a thin film leaving heavy patches of lace.
Smell (5.0): Strong Brettanomyces aroma as well as some grassy and citric aromas.
Taste (5.0): Tart citric and Brett characters, with a light sweetness. The finish has a nice mellowed hop bitterness.
Mouthfeel (4.5): Light to medium-bodied, low carbonation with a dry finish.
Drinkability (4.5): Tart with nice dominant Brett character.
Overall (4.8)
530. Gouden Carolus Carolus D'Or - Cuvée Van De Keizer
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Het Anker
Alcohol: 11.00%
Serving: Bottle, 750 mL
Style: Belgian Strong Dark Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a hazy brown with a reddish tint. A thick off-white head fades to a sudsy quarter-inch layer, leaving patchy lace.
Smell (4.0): Sweet and very fruity smelling. Lots of bananas and peppery alcohol. Swirling brings out notes of cherry and raisins.
Taste (3.5): Very sweet with nice fruitiness: bananas, raisins and light tartness. There's a very mild alcoholic spice in the finish.
Mouthfeel (3.5): Thick and full-bodied with low carbonation.
Drinkability (4.5): Smooth and sweet. Neither the alcohol nor sweetness is overpowering.
Overall (3.8)
531. Westvleteren Special 6 1998
David spotted some unlabeled bottles with red caps on the shelf behind the bar. He asked about them and was told that they were bottles of Westvleteren 6 from 1998, the last year that it was produced. We ordered two bottles, which were served in Abdij St. Sixtus goblets at cellar temperature.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Westvleteren
Year: 1998
Alcohol: 6.20%
Serving: Bottle, 11.2 oz.
Style: Belgian Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.5): Pours a hazy dark-brown with ruby tints. A one-inch beige head fades to a quarter-inch layer leaving sheets of lace.
Smell (5.0): Smells aged. Notes of tart cherries, dark fruit and light toffee maltiness. Has the characteristic vinous aroma of an aged beer. Smells amazing.
Taste (4.5): Sweet with some malty caramel notes and fruity notes of dates and raisins, not too sweet though. Light peppery spice and a nice amount of hoppy bitterness.
Mouthfeel (4.5): Full-bodied, low carbonation.
Drinkability (5.0): Mellow, but flavorful.
Overall (4.65): It's amazing how well this beer has held up, very delicious. I feel very lucky to have had one.
After leaving Kulminator we went to Congo for dinner. David had lasagna in... cream sauce. I had pasta in pesto sauce. We then found an internet cafe and made some phone calls and checked e-mail.
After dinner we went to Elfde Gebod for a final round before walking around the city and turning in. The bar was near the cathedral. David sat the round out and opted to have a piece of cake, which came with a large glob of whipped cream. The inside of the bar was heavily decorated with religious imagery. David implied that the waitress, who was very cute, was a teenager. She was actually 22.
Then why are so many nuns strippers?
532. La Trappe Quadrupel
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Bierbrouwerij De Koningshoeven B.V.
Alcohol: 10.00%
Serving: Bottle
Style: Quadrupel, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a clear amber with a beige head that fades to a thin sudsy layer leaving plentiful lace.
Smell (3.5): Dark fruit, light pepper, and hint of alcohol.
Taste (4.0): A neutral grainy character upfront moves into a raisiny sweetness. The finish is lightly spicy with a trailing bitterness. Not too sweet.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Medium-bodied, moderate carbonation with a lightly dry finish.
Drinkability (3.5): Not too sweet, but it could use a bit more spiciness or bitterness to balance.
Overall (3.85)
The Lonely Planet guide said "The Boots" was the most disreputable bar in Belgium. We walked by, the plan was to decide if we would stop in based on the look of the place. It was closed, but I think the sign would have kept us out if it had been open.
David in front of the most disreputable bar in Belgium.
Labels: Belgian Pale Ale, Belgian Strong Dark Ale, Belgium 2006, Fruit/Vegatable Beer, Gueuze, Lambic, Quadrupel, Sour Beer, Trappist, Travel, Tripel, Witbier
Day Three, Antwerp: Arrival in Antwerp, De Berenbak, Sightseeing, Oud Arsenaal
Published by Unknown on Friday, December 08, 2006 at 12:20 AM.
Note: All of the pictures, except the beer pictures are clickable for full size (~2 MB each).
We woke up at 8:30, had another minimal breakfast, checked out and then headed to Gare Central to catch a train to Antwerp. We sat next to some old Flemish ladies who were talking about Doctors and prescription as far as David could tell (Dutch and German similarities). We arrived in Antwerp Centraal, which was quite beautiful. I took pictures on the way out, so those will be up in a few posts.
We headed for the tourist information booth to get maps of Antwerp. Having lost our Lonely Planet guidebook, we also asked for directions to a bookstore. Luckily we were directed to Standaard Boekhandel, which, in our estimation, has the finest selection of books in all of Antwerp. We were able to replace our Lonely Planet guide.
We took the #2 Tram to Antwerp Expo, near our hostel. We arrived only to find that they were closed until the afternoon. There were lockers, but no keys. We had to walk around the back of the hostel and buzz the back entrance. An employee let us in and let us drop off our bags.
We headed back into town and decided to have lunch and a round or two at Berenbak, which is a pleasant bar/café. There's a back room with seating for dining, as well as several booths in the bar area. Large windows lining the front of the bar provided good lighting. The music was almost exclusively hits from the 90s. I can remember hearing Ice Ice Baby, The Macarena, Winds of Change and What is Love. We had omelettes and frietens. The omelettes were good, though a little different from what I'm used to getting in the US. The fried were served with mayo, which I was happy to use, but David asked for ketchup. We had a round with lunch and a round afterwards before heading out for some sightseeing.
516. Pauwel Kwak
These were served in round bottomed flask-shaped glasses that were held on wooden stands.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Bosteels
Alcohol: 8.00%
Serving: Bottle
Style: Belgian Strong Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (3.5): Pours a hazy brown with a sudsy, beige head that fades to a thin film leaving patchy lace. Chunks of yeast float around.
Smell (4.0): Malty in the nose with toffee, caramel, raisins with a light spiciness.
Taste (4.0): Sweet caramel maltiness, followed by raisin fruitiness in the center. The finish is lightly spicy and bitter.
Mouthfeel (3.0): Low carbonation, light-bodied and a tad watery.
Drinkability (4.0): Easy to drink.
Overall (3.8)
517. Corsendonk Agnus
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Corsendonk
Alcohol: 7.50%
Serving: Bottle, 750 mL
Style: Tripel, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.5): Pours a lightly hazy golden. A thick, foamy, white head thins to a quarter-inch layer leaving patchy lace.
Smell (4.0): Very fruity, with strong sour apple aromas, yeast and light spice.
Taste (3.5): Light, sweet fruit upfront, mostly sour apple. This fades into a peppery and grainy finish.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Light to medium-bodied, moderate carbonation, a little bit of creaminess.
Drinkability (4.5): Tasty and easy to drink, with a nice refreshing quality.
Overall (3.95)
After leaving Berenbak we went to The Old Stock Exchange, or Den Rhijn, which was the site of the Antwerp stock exchange until 1533.
Inner courtyard of Den Rhijn
Inner courtyard of Den Rhijn
Inner courtyard of Den Rhijn
Inner courtyard of Den Rhijn
We walked through the Grote Markt and saw the Stadhuis, or City Hall, which was built in the 1560s.
The Stadhuis
The statue depicting the legend behind Antwerp's name.
According to Wikipedia:
A street near the Grote Markt
Nearby was The Cathedral of Our Lady, for which construction started in 1351. Construction on the first phase was completed in 1521. We paid the admission to go inside, mainly to see the famous Rubens, including The Raising of the Cross and The Descent of the Cross.
The Cathedral of Our Lady
The Cathedral of Our Lady
The Cathedral of Our Lady
The Cathedral of Our Lady
The Cathedral of Our Lady
We were looking through the guidebook trying to get our bearings, when I noticed an old man paying particular attention to us. He eventually came up to us and was very friendly. He told us about various sights in Antwerp that he thought were notable, one of which was a tunnel under the Scheldt River. We then walked to the river to see Het Steen (The Stone), a castle built in the 1200s to control access to the Scheldt.
Het Steen
Het Steen
A small alley that was notable for some reason.
Having done enough sightseeing and not enough drinking we headed to Oud Arsenaal. On the way we walked by the first skyscraper in Europe, The Boerentoren (Farmer's Tower). There was a single row of tables that lined a bench on the right side, while the bar was on the left side. There was considerable standing room in between. When we arrived the bar was pretty empty, but as soon as we had decided on drinks the bar filled with a large group of middle aged to retired men. One of them sat at the table next to us and struck up a conversation. He explained to us that he was from Ghent and was part of a group called "The Brotherhood of the Monday Friends," a group that got together to drink on the four Mondays a year that are holidays. We also told us a bit about beer, it was nothing that I didn't already know, but I listened anyway. Oud Arsenaal was their last stop for the day, which was fine with him since he had to be back in Ghent later that evening to drink with the rest of the Medieval Crossbow club that he was a member of. I asked him if it was a good idea to drink while shooting crossbows. He maintained that one needs to drink while shooting crossbows in order to be relaxed enough. He got up to talk to other members of The Brotherhood, but before they left he returned to our table and slammed his fist down in what seemed to be a friendly goodbye gesture.
We also saw two men across the bar who had both The Good Beer Guide: Belgium, and The Lonely Planet Belgium guide. On our way out we spoke to them. They were both from Germany and were on vacation in Belgium. More about them later, since we would run into them several more times.
Our first round was an Achel 8° Brune, which I had had before, and an Achel 8° Blond.
518. Achel 8° Blond
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij der St.Benedictusabdij de Achelse
Alcohol: 8.00%
Serving: Bottle, 11.2 oz.
Style: Tripel, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.5): Pours a lightly hazy golden with a very thick, meringue-like, off-white head. The retention is good with thick patches of lace.
Smell (3.5): Fruity, bananas, definite black peppery spice.
Taste (4.0): Light fruitiness upfront. The finish is peppery and spicy with a significant aged-hop bitterness.
Mouthfeel (4.5): Thick and full-bodied, low carbonation with a dry finish.
Drinkability (4.0): The bitterness is quite nice.
Overall (4.05)
Our next round was side by side Gueuzes.
519. Oud Beersel Oude Gueuze Vieille
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Oud Beersel
Alcohol: 6.00%
Serving: Bottle
Style: Gueuze, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.5): Pours a lightly hazy golden with a fluffy, off-white head that fades very, very slowly.
Smell (4.0): Some fruity aromas are evident above an acidic sourness, there's also a light funkiness. Swirling brings out more sourness.
Taste (3.5): Sour and acidic with a fruity citric sweetness. The finish is lightly funky with a slight bitterness.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Light-bodied, low carbonation, lightly dry finish.
Drinkability (4.0): Good. Sour and funky with a nice balance. Has all of the lambic characters, but isn't extreme.
Overall (3.9)
520. Hanssens Oude Gueuze
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Hanssens Artisanaal bvba
Alcohol: 6.00%
Serving: Bottle
Style: Gueuze, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.5): Pours a lightly hazy golden (slightly darker and clearer than the Oud Beersel). Topped by a fluffy, white head that fades, leaving patchy lace.
Smell (5.0): Sour and acidic with considerable funkiness. Swirling increases the funkiness.
Taste (4.5): An intense sourness is evident upfront and lasts throughout. There's some citric character in the center that brings along a very mild sweetness. There are light grassy and earthy elements in the finish.
Mouthfeel (4.5): Light-bodied, low carbonation, very dry.
Drinkability (3.5): Sour and funky, but delicious. This definitely wins in a side-by-side
Overall (4.45)
We woke up at 8:30, had another minimal breakfast, checked out and then headed to Gare Central to catch a train to Antwerp. We sat next to some old Flemish ladies who were talking about Doctors and prescription as far as David could tell (Dutch and German similarities). We arrived in Antwerp Centraal, which was quite beautiful. I took pictures on the way out, so those will be up in a few posts.
We headed for the tourist information booth to get maps of Antwerp. Having lost our Lonely Planet guidebook, we also asked for directions to a bookstore. Luckily we were directed to Standaard Boekhandel, which, in our estimation, has the finest selection of books in all of Antwerp. We were able to replace our Lonely Planet guide.
We took the #2 Tram to Antwerp Expo, near our hostel. We arrived only to find that they were closed until the afternoon. There were lockers, but no keys. We had to walk around the back of the hostel and buzz the back entrance. An employee let us in and let us drop off our bags.
We headed back into town and decided to have lunch and a round or two at Berenbak, which is a pleasant bar/café. There's a back room with seating for dining, as well as several booths in the bar area. Large windows lining the front of the bar provided good lighting. The music was almost exclusively hits from the 90s. I can remember hearing Ice Ice Baby, The Macarena, Winds of Change and What is Love. We had omelettes and frietens. The omelettes were good, though a little different from what I'm used to getting in the US. The fried were served with mayo, which I was happy to use, but David asked for ketchup. We had a round with lunch and a round afterwards before heading out for some sightseeing.
516. Pauwel Kwak
These were served in round bottomed flask-shaped glasses that were held on wooden stands.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Bosteels
Alcohol: 8.00%
Serving: Bottle
Style: Belgian Strong Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (3.5): Pours a hazy brown with a sudsy, beige head that fades to a thin film leaving patchy lace. Chunks of yeast float around.
Smell (4.0): Malty in the nose with toffee, caramel, raisins with a light spiciness.
Taste (4.0): Sweet caramel maltiness, followed by raisin fruitiness in the center. The finish is lightly spicy and bitter.
Mouthfeel (3.0): Low carbonation, light-bodied and a tad watery.
Drinkability (4.0): Easy to drink.
Overall (3.8)
517. Corsendonk Agnus
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Corsendonk
Alcohol: 7.50%
Serving: Bottle, 750 mL
Style: Tripel, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.5): Pours a lightly hazy golden. A thick, foamy, white head thins to a quarter-inch layer leaving patchy lace.
Smell (4.0): Very fruity, with strong sour apple aromas, yeast and light spice.
Taste (3.5): Light, sweet fruit upfront, mostly sour apple. This fades into a peppery and grainy finish.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Light to medium-bodied, moderate carbonation, a little bit of creaminess.
Drinkability (4.5): Tasty and easy to drink, with a nice refreshing quality.
Overall (3.95)
After leaving Berenbak we went to The Old Stock Exchange, or Den Rhijn, which was the site of the Antwerp stock exchange until 1533.
Inner courtyard of Den Rhijn
Inner courtyard of Den Rhijn
Inner courtyard of Den Rhijn
Inner courtyard of Den Rhijn
We walked through the Grote Markt and saw the Stadhuis, or City Hall, which was built in the 1560s.
The Stadhuis
The statue depicting the legend behind Antwerp's name.
According to Wikipedia:
According to folklore, the city got its name from a legend involving a mythical giant called Antigoon that lived near the river Scheldt, exacting a toll from those crossing the river. On refusal, the giant severed one of their hands and threw them into the Scheldt. Eventually, the giant was slain by a young hero named Brabo, who cut off the giant's hand and threw it into the river. Hence the name Antwerpen from Dutch hand werpen (hand-throwing).
A street near the Grote Markt
Nearby was The Cathedral of Our Lady, for which construction started in 1351. Construction on the first phase was completed in 1521. We paid the admission to go inside, mainly to see the famous Rubens, including The Raising of the Cross and The Descent of the Cross.
The Cathedral of Our Lady
The Cathedral of Our Lady
The Cathedral of Our Lady
The Cathedral of Our Lady
The Cathedral of Our Lady
We were looking through the guidebook trying to get our bearings, when I noticed an old man paying particular attention to us. He eventually came up to us and was very friendly. He told us about various sights in Antwerp that he thought were notable, one of which was a tunnel under the Scheldt River. We then walked to the river to see Het Steen (The Stone), a castle built in the 1200s to control access to the Scheldt.
Het Steen
Het Steen
A small alley that was notable for some reason.
Having done enough sightseeing and not enough drinking we headed to Oud Arsenaal. On the way we walked by the first skyscraper in Europe, The Boerentoren (Farmer's Tower). There was a single row of tables that lined a bench on the right side, while the bar was on the left side. There was considerable standing room in between. When we arrived the bar was pretty empty, but as soon as we had decided on drinks the bar filled with a large group of middle aged to retired men. One of them sat at the table next to us and struck up a conversation. He explained to us that he was from Ghent and was part of a group called "The Brotherhood of the Monday Friends," a group that got together to drink on the four Mondays a year that are holidays. We also told us a bit about beer, it was nothing that I didn't already know, but I listened anyway. Oud Arsenaal was their last stop for the day, which was fine with him since he had to be back in Ghent later that evening to drink with the rest of the Medieval Crossbow club that he was a member of. I asked him if it was a good idea to drink while shooting crossbows. He maintained that one needs to drink while shooting crossbows in order to be relaxed enough. He got up to talk to other members of The Brotherhood, but before they left he returned to our table and slammed his fist down in what seemed to be a friendly goodbye gesture.
We also saw two men across the bar who had both The Good Beer Guide: Belgium, and The Lonely Planet Belgium guide. On our way out we spoke to them. They were both from Germany and were on vacation in Belgium. More about them later, since we would run into them several more times.
Our first round was an Achel 8° Brune, which I had had before, and an Achel 8° Blond.
518. Achel 8° Blond
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij der St.Benedictusabdij de Achelse
Alcohol: 8.00%
Serving: Bottle, 11.2 oz.
Style: Tripel, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.5): Pours a lightly hazy golden with a very thick, meringue-like, off-white head. The retention is good with thick patches of lace.
Smell (3.5): Fruity, bananas, definite black peppery spice.
Taste (4.0): Light fruitiness upfront. The finish is peppery and spicy with a significant aged-hop bitterness.
Mouthfeel (4.5): Thick and full-bodied, low carbonation with a dry finish.
Drinkability (4.0): The bitterness is quite nice.
Overall (4.05)
Our next round was side by side Gueuzes.
519. Oud Beersel Oude Gueuze Vieille
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Oud Beersel
Alcohol: 6.00%
Serving: Bottle
Style: Gueuze, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.5): Pours a lightly hazy golden with a fluffy, off-white head that fades very, very slowly.
Smell (4.0): Some fruity aromas are evident above an acidic sourness, there's also a light funkiness. Swirling brings out more sourness.
Taste (3.5): Sour and acidic with a fruity citric sweetness. The finish is lightly funky with a slight bitterness.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Light-bodied, low carbonation, lightly dry finish.
Drinkability (4.0): Good. Sour and funky with a nice balance. Has all of the lambic characters, but isn't extreme.
Overall (3.9)
520. Hanssens Oude Gueuze
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Hanssens Artisanaal bvba
Alcohol: 6.00%
Serving: Bottle
Style: Gueuze, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.5): Pours a lightly hazy golden (slightly darker and clearer than the Oud Beersel). Topped by a fluffy, white head that fades, leaving patchy lace.
Smell (5.0): Sour and acidic with considerable funkiness. Swirling increases the funkiness.
Taste (4.5): An intense sourness is evident upfront and lasts throughout. There's some citric character in the center that brings along a very mild sweetness. There are light grassy and earthy elements in the finish.
Mouthfeel (4.5): Light-bodied, low carbonation, very dry.
Drinkability (3.5): Sour and funky, but delicious. This definitely wins in a side-by-side
Overall (4.45)
Labels: Belgian Strong Pale Ale, Belgium 2006, Gueuze, Lambic, Sour Beer, Travel, Tripel
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
