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
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 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
