1014. Baby Tree
As part of American Craft Beer Week, which was last week, I made an effort to drink only Massachusetts craft beer. Last Wednesday (May 13th) I opened a bottle of Baby Tree, the newest release from Pretty Things Beer and Ale Project. I served this in two chalices and split it with Jadyn. This beer is a Quadrupel brewed with "dried plums" (which, I have to admit, sounds a lot classier than prunes).
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Pretty Things Beer and Ale Project
Alcohol: 8.60%
Serving: Bottle, 22 oz.
Style: Quadrupel, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 3.5 | Smell: 3.5 | Taste: 4.5 | Mouthfeel: 4.0 | Drinkability: 4.0
Overall: 4.0
Pours a cloudy, chocolate brown, and is topped by a transient, half-inch, brown head that fades to a wispy ring. The aroma is sweet and malty, there are notes of candi sugar and an intense aroma of dark fruit. There are notes of raisins, dates and dried plums. There's also a light, husky graininess on the swirl.
The beer is initially sweet on the palate. A nice, cindi sugar, sweetness unfolds into a plum fruitiness in the center. The dark fruit characters in this quad are much milder than other exapmles of the style. There's a brief, peppery flash towards the finish, which quickly moves into a husky graininess that's punctuated by a mild bitterness and light sweetness. Medium-bodied, smooth and moderately carbonated. The grainy quality gives the beer a bit of dryness.
I liked Baby Tree. It's not as intense as other Quads, but it has a pleasing fruity maltiness and a nice dryness in the finish.
As part of American Craft Beer Week, which was last week, I made an effort to drink only Massachusetts craft beer. Last Wednesday (May 13th) I opened a bottle of Baby Tree, the newest release from Pretty Things Beer and Ale Project. I served this in two chalices and split it with Jadyn. This beer is a Quadrupel brewed with "dried plums" (which, I have to admit, sounds a lot classier than prunes).
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Pretty Things Beer and Ale Project
Alcohol: 8.60%
Serving: Bottle, 22 oz.
Style: Quadrupel, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 3.5 | Smell: 3.5 | Taste: 4.5 | Mouthfeel: 4.0 | Drinkability: 4.0
Overall: 4.0
Pours a cloudy, chocolate brown, and is topped by a transient, half-inch, brown head that fades to a wispy ring. The aroma is sweet and malty, there are notes of candi sugar and an intense aroma of dark fruit. There are notes of raisins, dates and dried plums. There's also a light, husky graininess on the swirl.
The beer is initially sweet on the palate. A nice, cindi sugar, sweetness unfolds into a plum fruitiness in the center. The dark fruit characters in this quad are much milder than other exapmles of the style. There's a brief, peppery flash towards the finish, which quickly moves into a husky graininess that's punctuated by a mild bitterness and light sweetness. Medium-bodied, smooth and moderately carbonated. The grainy quality gives the beer a bit of dryness.
I liked Baby Tree. It's not as intense as other Quads, but it has a pleasing fruity maltiness and a nice dryness in the finish.
Labels: Quadrupel
1000. St. Bernardus Abt 12 60th Anniversary Edition
Published by Unknown on Monday, April 20, 2009 at 9:30 AM.
I've probably explained what the numbers before each beer mean on the blog before, but I'll mention them again for this post. I started keeping track of the different beers that I'd had my senior year of college. The beer list is yet another example of my obsessive side. Once I started the list I had to continue adding to it. I started keeping notes on most of the new beers that I try in January 2006, when I started this blog at beer number 308. Over the 6 years that I've been keeping a list I've averaged about 165 new beers a year, however the yearly average stands at about 210 new beers since I started the blog. Hopefully 2000 won't be another 5 or 6 years away...
1000. St. Bernardus Abt 12 60th Anniversary Edition
I originally purchased two bottles of the 60th anniversary edition of St Bernardus Abt 12 at Downtown Wine & Spirits in the last few months of 2006. My intention at the time was to have one beer then, and to cellar the other. For whatever reason I ended up leaving both bottles in the cellar. Having both bottles in the cellar made picking out beer number 1000 for the list very easy. Jadyn and I split this beer on April 8th. I let it warm to around 50º F before splitting it between Westvleteren and Ommegang chalices.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij St. Bernardus NV
Year: 2006
Alcohol: 11.00%
Serving: Bottle, 750 mL
Style: Quadrupel, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 4.5 | Smell: 5.0 | Taste: 5.0 | Mouthfeel: 4.5 | Drinkability: 5.0
Overall: 4.85
This beer initially pours a mildly hazed, amber color, but becomes much darker and cloudier as the end of the bottle is poured. A half-inch thick, creamy, beige head tops the beer. The head retains well, and leaves generous lace clinging to the side of the glass. Small flecks of yeast on top of the head give the beer a cinnamon-dusted appearance.
The aroma is malty and complex, and gives away the fact that this beer has been aged. An aroma characteristic of aged Belgian Quads and Strong Dark Ales - somewhere at the intersection of boozy, vinous and buttery - greets the nose first. Notes of toffee and candi sugar are present, but have likely faded. Swirling brings out an acidic, cherry aroma as well as hints of chocolate.
This quad is malty and sweet upfront. A mild, bready sweetness is first evident, followed by sweeter flavors of caramel and candi sugar. Raisin and fig flavors appear towards the center and are followed by a lightly tart, cherry flavor. The cherry malts combined with the alcoholic spice give the beer a boozy, vinous quality that moves into a mildly bitter finish. Ageing, at least as compared to regular St Bernardus Abt 12, seems to have mellowed out the fruit in the center, and brought out tart and boozy characters. This beer is medium-bodied and smooth with moderate carbonation. It's not as thick as most quads. Has this relative thinness always been an aspect of the beer, or is it a consequence of cellaring?
Delicious, smooth and complex. I think ageing does a lot for this style as a whole. Deciding whether to have the next bottle sooner or later will be a tough decision.
1000. St. Bernardus Abt 12 60th Anniversary Edition
I originally purchased two bottles of the 60th anniversary edition of St Bernardus Abt 12 at Downtown Wine & Spirits in the last few months of 2006. My intention at the time was to have one beer then, and to cellar the other. For whatever reason I ended up leaving both bottles in the cellar. Having both bottles in the cellar made picking out beer number 1000 for the list very easy. Jadyn and I split this beer on April 8th. I let it warm to around 50º F before splitting it between Westvleteren and Ommegang chalices.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij St. Bernardus NV
Year: 2006
Alcohol: 11.00%
Serving: Bottle, 750 mL
Style: Quadrupel, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 4.5 | Smell: 5.0 | Taste: 5.0 | Mouthfeel: 4.5 | Drinkability: 5.0
Overall: 4.85
This beer initially pours a mildly hazed, amber color, but becomes much darker and cloudier as the end of the bottle is poured. A half-inch thick, creamy, beige head tops the beer. The head retains well, and leaves generous lace clinging to the side of the glass. Small flecks of yeast on top of the head give the beer a cinnamon-dusted appearance.
The aroma is malty and complex, and gives away the fact that this beer has been aged. An aroma characteristic of aged Belgian Quads and Strong Dark Ales - somewhere at the intersection of boozy, vinous and buttery - greets the nose first. Notes of toffee and candi sugar are present, but have likely faded. Swirling brings out an acidic, cherry aroma as well as hints of chocolate.
This quad is malty and sweet upfront. A mild, bready sweetness is first evident, followed by sweeter flavors of caramel and candi sugar. Raisin and fig flavors appear towards the center and are followed by a lightly tart, cherry flavor. The cherry malts combined with the alcoholic spice give the beer a boozy, vinous quality that moves into a mildly bitter finish. Ageing, at least as compared to regular St Bernardus Abt 12, seems to have mellowed out the fruit in the center, and brought out tart and boozy characters. This beer is medium-bodied and smooth with moderate carbonation. It's not as thick as most quads. Has this relative thinness always been an aspect of the beer, or is it a consequence of cellaring?
Delicious, smooth and complex. I think ageing does a lot for this style as a whole. Deciding whether to have the next bottle sooner or later will be a tough decision.
Labels: Quadrupel
871-880. The Return of the Belgian Beer Fest: Part 1
Published by Unknown on Monday, November 17, 2008 at 9:30 AM.
Jadyn and I went to the afternoon session of Beer Advocate's Return of the Belgian Beer Fest on Saturday September 27th. This is always my favorite BA fest... I can't get enough Belgian beer. I do regret no going to the Friday night special session though. The format seems to be pretty constant now: unlimited 2 ounce samples, food from Sunset, Belgian sugar waffles, talks, and booths from a good variety of breweries and importers.
I was pleased to see New Belgium at this fest. They haven't been at any of the other Beer Advocate fests that I've been to, and I managed to get a couple samples of the phenomenal La Folie.
871. Brooklyn Flemish Gold
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brooklyn Brewery
Alcohol: 6.50%
Style: Saison, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a cloudy, straw golden. Topped by a white head that thins to a film. The aroma is fruity with notes of bananas, as well as grainy and hoppy aromas. Upfront is a neutral bready malt character. A mild banana sweetness in the center with a mildly hopped finish.
872. Brooklyn Grand Cru
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brooklyn Brewery
Alcohol: 8.40%
Style: Witbier, BJCP Style Guide
Pours an insanely cloudy, beige color with an almost reddish tint. Topped by a thick, off-white head. Notes of coriander, orange peel and alcohol in the aroma. Smooth banana fruitiness, citric orange, and peppery spice.
873. Saison Rue
Beer Stats:
Brewery: The Bruery
Alcohol: 8.50%
Style: Saison, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a hazed golden-copper. Topped by a sudsy, off-white head. Apples and a light peppery spice in the aroma. Apple sweetness with an accompanying tartness upfront. There's also a slight medicinal character in the finish.
874. Duvel Draft
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Duvel Moortgat NV
Alcohol: 6.80%
Style: Belgian Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a crystal clear, straw color. Topped by a rocky, merengue-like head. The aroma is fruity with hints of apple and banana. The flavor is mild. There are grainy and lightly fruity flavors with maybe a hint of apple tartness. The finish is lightly bitter with a grassy dry quality.
875. Ommegang Rouge
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brewery Ommegang
Alcohol: 5.50%
Style: Flanders Red Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a hazy reddish-brown. Topped by a thick beige head that faded quickly to a film. The aroma is nice and acidic. Amazingly tart upfront, with a cherry fruitiness and moderate sweetness in the center. The finish is woody and medicinal. Delicious. One of my favorites from the fest.
876. Rock Bottom Blueberry Lambic
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery
Alcohol: 4.00%
Style: Fruit Lambic, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a cloudy purple. Topped by a sudsy, purple head. The aroma is blueberries and funk. Sour upfront with blueberries throughout and a mild funkiness in the finish. I thought this was an odd combo, the blueberries and lambic characters didn't mesh well. I still have to applaud the attempt though.
877. Eric's Ale (Lips of Faith #3)
Beer Stats:
Brewery: New Belgium Brewing
Alcohol: 7.00%
Style: American Wild Ale
This is a sour ale brewed with peaches. It pours a hazed orange-copper, and is topped by a thin, off-white head. The aroma is lightly acid with hints of peach. Sour, but not mouth puckeringly tart. The sourness is balanced nicely by a light sweetness from the peach.
878. Harpoon Belgian Dip
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Harpoon Brewery
Alcohol: 13.00%
Style: Belgian Strong Dark Ale, BJCP Style Guide
I'm guessing at the style here, so take that into account. Pours a hazed-reddish copper. Sweet on the nose: chocolatey, caramel and candi sugar. There's also a mild whiff of alcohol. Sweet throughout with dominant flavors of candi sugar, caramel and toffee. The finish has a pronounced alcoholic spice. Overall a bit one-dimensional.
879. Harpoon Belgian Chocolate Stout
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Harpoon Brewery
Alcohol: 6.00%
Style: American Stout, BJCP Style Guide
This beer is black with a sudsy, brown head. The aroma is deeply chocolatey with hints of toffee as well. Sweet chocolate upfront, roasty in the center and finish.
880. Monk's Brew
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Mikkeller
Alcohol: 11.50%
Style: Quadrupel, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a cloudy brown, and topped by a beige head. The aroma is fairly light, but is much the same as the palate. Caramel with hints of chocolate and dark fruit. The finish has a peppery and alcoholic spiciness.
I was pleased to see New Belgium at this fest. They haven't been at any of the other Beer Advocate fests that I've been to, and I managed to get a couple samples of the phenomenal La Folie.
871. Brooklyn Flemish Gold
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brooklyn Brewery
Alcohol: 6.50%
Style: Saison, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a cloudy, straw golden. Topped by a white head that thins to a film. The aroma is fruity with notes of bananas, as well as grainy and hoppy aromas. Upfront is a neutral bready malt character. A mild banana sweetness in the center with a mildly hopped finish.
872. Brooklyn Grand Cru
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brooklyn Brewery
Alcohol: 8.40%
Style: Witbier, BJCP Style Guide
Pours an insanely cloudy, beige color with an almost reddish tint. Topped by a thick, off-white head. Notes of coriander, orange peel and alcohol in the aroma. Smooth banana fruitiness, citric orange, and peppery spice.
873. Saison Rue
Beer Stats:
Brewery: The Bruery
Alcohol: 8.50%
Style: Saison, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a hazed golden-copper. Topped by a sudsy, off-white head. Apples and a light peppery spice in the aroma. Apple sweetness with an accompanying tartness upfront. There's also a slight medicinal character in the finish.
874. Duvel Draft
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Duvel Moortgat NV
Alcohol: 6.80%
Style: Belgian Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a crystal clear, straw color. Topped by a rocky, merengue-like head. The aroma is fruity with hints of apple and banana. The flavor is mild. There are grainy and lightly fruity flavors with maybe a hint of apple tartness. The finish is lightly bitter with a grassy dry quality.
875. Ommegang Rouge
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brewery Ommegang
Alcohol: 5.50%
Style: Flanders Red Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a hazy reddish-brown. Topped by a thick beige head that faded quickly to a film. The aroma is nice and acidic. Amazingly tart upfront, with a cherry fruitiness and moderate sweetness in the center. The finish is woody and medicinal. Delicious. One of my favorites from the fest.
876. Rock Bottom Blueberry Lambic
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery
Alcohol: 4.00%
Style: Fruit Lambic, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a cloudy purple. Topped by a sudsy, purple head. The aroma is blueberries and funk. Sour upfront with blueberries throughout and a mild funkiness in the finish. I thought this was an odd combo, the blueberries and lambic characters didn't mesh well. I still have to applaud the attempt though.
877. Eric's Ale (Lips of Faith #3)
Beer Stats:
Brewery: New Belgium Brewing
Alcohol: 7.00%
Style: American Wild Ale
This is a sour ale brewed with peaches. It pours a hazed orange-copper, and is topped by a thin, off-white head. The aroma is lightly acid with hints of peach. Sour, but not mouth puckeringly tart. The sourness is balanced nicely by a light sweetness from the peach.
878. Harpoon Belgian Dip
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Harpoon Brewery
Alcohol: 13.00%
Style: Belgian Strong Dark Ale, BJCP Style Guide
I'm guessing at the style here, so take that into account. Pours a hazed-reddish copper. Sweet on the nose: chocolatey, caramel and candi sugar. There's also a mild whiff of alcohol. Sweet throughout with dominant flavors of candi sugar, caramel and toffee. The finish has a pronounced alcoholic spice. Overall a bit one-dimensional.
879. Harpoon Belgian Chocolate Stout
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Harpoon Brewery
Alcohol: 6.00%
Style: American Stout, BJCP Style Guide
This beer is black with a sudsy, brown head. The aroma is deeply chocolatey with hints of toffee as well. Sweet chocolate upfront, roasty in the center and finish.
880. Monk's Brew
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Mikkeller
Alcohol: 11.50%
Style: Quadrupel, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a cloudy brown, and topped by a beige head. The aroma is fairly light, but is much the same as the palate. Caramel with hints of chocolate and dark fruit. The finish has a peppery and alcoholic spiciness.
Labels: American Stout, American Wild Ale, Beer Fests, Belgian Pale Ale, Belgian Strong Dark Ale, Flanders Red Ale, Fruit Lambic, Quadrupel, Saison, Witbier
David's wedding was on the 4th of August on Shelter Island, NY. David brought his remaining Westvleterns that we'd picked up on our trip to Belgium last November: two blondes and three 12s. David, Bennett, Win, Ward, Cindy, Jadyn and I toasted with them before the reception got started.
Labels: Belgian Pale Ale, Brouwerij Westvleteren, Quadrupel, Trappist, Travel
679. The Reverend
I bought a bomber of The Reverend close to a year ago when I was trying to put together Beer Advocate's Top Ten Quads. I eventually gave up, and ended up keeping this one in my fridge. Jadyn and I split this one the other night.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Avery Breweing Company
Alcohol: 10.00%
Serving: Bottle, 22 oz
Style: Quadrupel, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a lightly hazy, reddish amber with a fizzy, off-white head that fades to a patchy film with a continuous ring.
Smell (4.5): Very rich and malty. Mostly dark fruits: dates, raisins and a touch of cherry. Evident spicy alcohol.
Taste (4.0): Malty upfront: caramel, toffee, dates, and raisins. Light peppery alcoholic spice. The finish has a mild, but persistent bitterness and a lingering sweetness. The malts also have taken on a hint of the vinous aged character that I've noticed in aged beers that I've tried.
Mouthfeel (4.5): Full-bodied, low-carbonation, smooth and thick.
Drinkability (4.0): Very rich, high in alcohol. A pleasant beer to sip.
Overall (4.15)
I bought a bomber of The Reverend close to a year ago when I was trying to put together Beer Advocate's Top Ten Quads. I eventually gave up, and ended up keeping this one in my fridge. Jadyn and I split this one the other night.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Avery Breweing Company
Alcohol: 10.00%
Serving: Bottle, 22 oz
Style: Quadrupel, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a lightly hazy, reddish amber with a fizzy, off-white head that fades to a patchy film with a continuous ring.
Smell (4.5): Very rich and malty. Mostly dark fruits: dates, raisins and a touch of cherry. Evident spicy alcohol.
Taste (4.0): Malty upfront: caramel, toffee, dates, and raisins. Light peppery alcoholic spice. The finish has a mild, but persistent bitterness and a lingering sweetness. The malts also have taken on a hint of the vinous aged character that I've noticed in aged beers that I've tried.
Mouthfeel (4.5): Full-bodied, low-carbonation, smooth and thick.
Drinkability (4.0): Very rich, high in alcohol. A pleasant beer to sip.
Overall (4.15)
Labels: Avery Brewing Company, Quadrupel
657. Dinner and Drinks at The Publick House
Published by Unknown on Monday, April 30, 2007 at 12:39 PM.
Last Friday night (April 20th) Jadyn and I went to the Publick House for dinner and drinks. The wait was estimated to be an hour when we got there, but we were seated before we'd finished our first beers, an Aprihop for her and a Foret for myself.
We started with an order of Publick House fries as an appetizer. For dinner Jadyn had the Mac and Cheese and I had the Arrogant Bastard meatloaf. The food was good as usual, especially the mashed potatoes that came with my meatloaf. She had a St. Bernardus ABT 12 with dinner and I had an Old Rasputin Imperial Stout. The stout went well with the somewhat bitter Arrogant Bastard based sauce on the meatloaf.
After dinner we had a couple more drinks. I thought that fruit lambics would make a nice after dinner drink. I was hoping for a Cantillon, but they were all out. I ended up having the Boon Oude Geuze Mariage Parfait and Jadyn had a Lindeman's Framboise. Our last drinks were a La Fin Du Monde for Jadyn and a Brooklyn Antwerpen Ale, which I found to be a nice, highly drinkable Belgian Pale Ale.
I enjoyed all of the beers that I ordered, especially Old Rasputin and the Gueuze, and Jadyn particularly enjoyed the Aprihop and Framboise.
657. Brooklyn Antwerpen Ale
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brooklyn Brewery
Alcohol: 5.50%
Serving: Tap
Style: Belgian Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a clear, copper color with a dense off white head that thins to a film, before disappearing.
Smell (4.0): Very fruity. There are notes of bananas and berries with toasty malts, light hops and a hint of spiciness.
Taste (3.5): Toasty malts upfront move into a sweet fruity center with notes of bananas and apples. The finish has a light residual sweetness with a mild bitterness.
Mouthfeel (3.5): Light-bodied, moderate carbonation.
Drinkability (5.0): Mild but flavorful. Definitely something I could have a few of.
Overall (3.85): I thought this was a spot on attempt at a Belgian Pale Ale. I'd definitely have it again.
We started with an order of Publick House fries as an appetizer. For dinner Jadyn had the Mac and Cheese and I had the Arrogant Bastard meatloaf. The food was good as usual, especially the mashed potatoes that came with my meatloaf. She had a St. Bernardus ABT 12 with dinner and I had an Old Rasputin Imperial Stout. The stout went well with the somewhat bitter Arrogant Bastard based sauce on the meatloaf.
After dinner we had a couple more drinks. I thought that fruit lambics would make a nice after dinner drink. I was hoping for a Cantillon, but they were all out. I ended up having the Boon Oude Geuze Mariage Parfait and Jadyn had a Lindeman's Framboise. Our last drinks were a La Fin Du Monde for Jadyn and a Brooklyn Antwerpen Ale, which I found to be a nice, highly drinkable Belgian Pale Ale.
I enjoyed all of the beers that I ordered, especially Old Rasputin and the Gueuze, and Jadyn particularly enjoyed the Aprihop and Framboise.
657. Brooklyn Antwerpen Ale
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brooklyn Brewery
Alcohol: 5.50%
Serving: Tap
Style: Belgian Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a clear, copper color with a dense off white head that thins to a film, before disappearing.
Smell (4.0): Very fruity. There are notes of bananas and berries with toasty malts, light hops and a hint of spiciness.
Taste (3.5): Toasty malts upfront move into a sweet fruity center with notes of bananas and apples. The finish has a light residual sweetness with a mild bitterness.
Mouthfeel (3.5): Light-bodied, moderate carbonation.
Drinkability (5.0): Mild but flavorful. Definitely something I could have a few of.
Overall (3.85): I thought this was a spot on attempt at a Belgian Pale Ale. I'd definitely have it again.
Labels: Belgian Pale Ale, Belgian Strong Pale Ale, Fruit Lambic, Fruit/Vegatable Beer, Gueuze, Lambic, Quadrupel, Russian Imperial Stout, Saison, Sour Beer
Day 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: Dinner, Paters Vaetje, Waagstuk
Published by Unknown on Saturday, December 09, 2006 at 12:24 AM.
After leaving Oud Arsenaal, we decided to go to Eethuisje de Stoemppot, a restaurant that was recommended by one of our guidebooks. The specialty was listed as Flemish cuisine, which sounded more appealing than "Brussels Specialties." David ordered a chicken and mushroom pie with spinach, which turned out to be chicken and mushrooms in cream sauce. I ordered sausage with mashed potatoes, which came with a dizzying array of mustards. We each had a Duvel with dinner. The sausage was very good, as were the potatoes. During the middle of the meal the alarm clock that we had purchased in the hostel in Brussels went off. Neither of us realized what it was and the waitress was walking around the restaurant trying to find the source. She ended up realizing it was coming from our bag before we did.
After dinner we walked back to the cathedral to go to Paters Vaetje (Monk's Tomb), which was located a mere 10 paces away. There were two levels. On the lower level there were benches and tables against the wall, where we sat, as well as some tables at the front and back. There were stained glass windows above the bar, as well as various beer signs. Oddly, they played a Death Cab for Cutie song while we were there. We ran into the German guys again, and ended up talking to them for awhile.
Distance from the bar to the cathedral.
521. Piraat
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Van Steenberge N.V.
Alcohol: 10.50%
Serving: Bottle
Style: Belgian IPA
Appearance (4.0): Pours a cloudy, dark golden, with a white head that fades to a thin film, leaving patchy lace.
Smell (4.0): Caramel and toffee maltiness, light fruitiness, a bit vinuous with evident alcohol.
Taste (3.5): Sweet upfront, with berry fruitiness. The finish is peppery with a light bitterness.
Mouthfeel (3.5): Medium-bodied, moderate carbonation, and very strong alcoholic warming.
Drinkability (3.5): The alcohol is pretty strong in this one.
Overall (3.7)
522. Moeder Overste
Moeder Overste means Mother Superior in Dutch/Flemish.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brasserie Lefèbvre SA
Alcohol: 8.00%
Serving: Bottle
Style: Tripel, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (3.5): Pours a cloudy brownish golden. Topped by a thick, dense, white head with good retention, leaving patchy lace. Seems a bit dark for a tripel.
Smell (3.0): Fruity, with some berry aromas as well as a light floral quality. No detectable spiciness or alcohol.
Taste (3.0): Sweet berry fruitiness that fades into a neutral center with light spice and bitterness in the finish.
Mouthfeel (3.5): Light to medium-bodied, moderate carbonation.
Drinkability (3.5): Too sweet.
Overall (3.2)
For the next round we went with two De Koninck beers that I haven't seen in the US. We got a scratch card with the Winter Koninck. If we saw a glass we would have won a free De Koninck, but we came up empty handed on that one.
523. Winter Koninck
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij De Koninck NV
Alcohol: 6.50%
Serving: Bottle
Style: Belgian Dark Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a clear, dark ruby-brown with a beige head that fades to a thin film, leaving sheets of lace.
Smell (3.0): Lightly malty, light dark fruit. Pretty clean overall, though what is evident is pleasant.
Taste (3.5): Light sugary sweetness throughout. Some light fruitiness, with some good spiciness in the finish.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Medium-bodied, low-carbonation.
Drinkability (4.0): Quite drinkable for a winter beer.
Overall (3.6)
524. De Koninck Tripel
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij De Koninck NV
Alcohol: 8.00%
Serving: Bottle
Style: Tripel, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (3.5): Pours a clear orange-copper. The head fades to a thin film, leaving small patches of lace.
Smell (3.0): Very light fruitiness, light graininess and alcohol.
Taste (3.5): Mostly sweet, with some notes of bananas. The finish is lightly spicy.
Mouthfeel (3.5): Medium-bodied, low carbonation.
Drinkability (4.5): Sweet and pleasant.
Overall (3.5)
David
Thom
After leaving Paters Vaetje, we went to 't Waagstuk to finish out the night. I seem to remember the bar being hard to find, but I may be mistaken. It had a tiled floor interior, with wooden tables and chairs, various beer items on the walls and an array of ceramic mugs hung from hooks on the ceiling. We had all three Westvleteren beers while we were there. We also had a nice conversation with the bartender, who was very friendly. He made some recommendations of beer bars and beers to try in Brugge and Gent. We talked about beer in America and I recommended he seek out some Ommegang. Later David challenged him to a tricep contest. He stopped before David. David claimed victory, but the bartender claimed to have work to do.
The tricep contest
12, 8, Blonde
525. Westvleteren 12
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Westvleteren
Alcohol: 10.20%
Serving: Bottle, 11.2 oz
Style: Quadrupel, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (5.0): Pours a hazy, dark ruby-brown. A one-inch, beige head fades to a very persistent, thin layer, leaving thick lace.
Smell (4.5): Fairly light overall, but nice. Raisins and other dark fruit, light roastiness, with a light graininess. Alcohol is also evident, but is mild.
Taste (4.5): Very nice. Lots of dark fruit like raisins and dates. It's sweet but is balanced well by a peppery and alcoholic bite. The finish has nice bitterness to balance.
Mouthfeel (5.0): Full-bodied, low carbonation with alcoholic warming in the finish.
Drinkability (5.0): Sweet, but very well balanced.
Overall (4.7): This is a great beer. It might not be the best in the world, but it certainly is fantastic.
After dinner we walked back to the cathedral to go to Paters Vaetje (Monk's Tomb), which was located a mere 10 paces away. There were two levels. On the lower level there were benches and tables against the wall, where we sat, as well as some tables at the front and back. There were stained glass windows above the bar, as well as various beer signs. Oddly, they played a Death Cab for Cutie song while we were there. We ran into the German guys again, and ended up talking to them for awhile.
Distance from the bar to the cathedral.
521. Piraat
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Van Steenberge N.V.
Alcohol: 10.50%
Serving: Bottle
Style: Belgian IPA
Appearance (4.0): Pours a cloudy, dark golden, with a white head that fades to a thin film, leaving patchy lace.
Smell (4.0): Caramel and toffee maltiness, light fruitiness, a bit vinuous with evident alcohol.
Taste (3.5): Sweet upfront, with berry fruitiness. The finish is peppery with a light bitterness.
Mouthfeel (3.5): Medium-bodied, moderate carbonation, and very strong alcoholic warming.
Drinkability (3.5): The alcohol is pretty strong in this one.
Overall (3.7)
522. Moeder Overste
Moeder Overste means Mother Superior in Dutch/Flemish.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brasserie Lefèbvre SA
Alcohol: 8.00%
Serving: Bottle
Style: Tripel, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (3.5): Pours a cloudy brownish golden. Topped by a thick, dense, white head with good retention, leaving patchy lace. Seems a bit dark for a tripel.
Smell (3.0): Fruity, with some berry aromas as well as a light floral quality. No detectable spiciness or alcohol.
Taste (3.0): Sweet berry fruitiness that fades into a neutral center with light spice and bitterness in the finish.
Mouthfeel (3.5): Light to medium-bodied, moderate carbonation.
Drinkability (3.5): Too sweet.
Overall (3.2)
For the next round we went with two De Koninck beers that I haven't seen in the US. We got a scratch card with the Winter Koninck. If we saw a glass we would have won a free De Koninck, but we came up empty handed on that one.
523. Winter Koninck
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij De Koninck NV
Alcohol: 6.50%
Serving: Bottle
Style: Belgian Dark Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a clear, dark ruby-brown with a beige head that fades to a thin film, leaving sheets of lace.
Smell (3.0): Lightly malty, light dark fruit. Pretty clean overall, though what is evident is pleasant.
Taste (3.5): Light sugary sweetness throughout. Some light fruitiness, with some good spiciness in the finish.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Medium-bodied, low-carbonation.
Drinkability (4.0): Quite drinkable for a winter beer.
Overall (3.6)
524. De Koninck Tripel
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij De Koninck NV
Alcohol: 8.00%
Serving: Bottle
Style: Tripel, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (3.5): Pours a clear orange-copper. The head fades to a thin film, leaving small patches of lace.
Smell (3.0): Very light fruitiness, light graininess and alcohol.
Taste (3.5): Mostly sweet, with some notes of bananas. The finish is lightly spicy.
Mouthfeel (3.5): Medium-bodied, low carbonation.
Drinkability (4.5): Sweet and pleasant.
Overall (3.5)
David
Thom
After leaving Paters Vaetje, we went to 't Waagstuk to finish out the night. I seem to remember the bar being hard to find, but I may be mistaken. It had a tiled floor interior, with wooden tables and chairs, various beer items on the walls and an array of ceramic mugs hung from hooks on the ceiling. We had all three Westvleteren beers while we were there. We also had a nice conversation with the bartender, who was very friendly. He made some recommendations of beer bars and beers to try in Brugge and Gent. We talked about beer in America and I recommended he seek out some Ommegang. Later David challenged him to a tricep contest. He stopped before David. David claimed victory, but the bartender claimed to have work to do.
The tricep contest
12, 8, Blonde
525. Westvleteren 12
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Westvleteren
Alcohol: 10.20%
Serving: Bottle, 11.2 oz
Style: Quadrupel, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (5.0): Pours a hazy, dark ruby-brown. A one-inch, beige head fades to a very persistent, thin layer, leaving thick lace.
Smell (4.5): Fairly light overall, but nice. Raisins and other dark fruit, light roastiness, with a light graininess. Alcohol is also evident, but is mild.
Taste (4.5): Very nice. Lots of dark fruit like raisins and dates. It's sweet but is balanced well by a peppery and alcoholic bite. The finish has nice bitterness to balance.
Mouthfeel (5.0): Full-bodied, low carbonation with alcoholic warming in the finish.
Drinkability (5.0): Sweet, but very well balanced.
Overall (4.7): This is a great beer. It might not be the best in the world, but it certainly is fantastic.
Labels: Belgian Dark Ale, Belgian IPA, Belgium 2006, Quadrupel, Trappist, Travel, Tripel
After the tour at Cantillon it was time to get down to some real drinking. We headed to Delirium Café, which guarantees 2,004 different beers in stock. The bar is located on Impasse De La Fidélité, a small dead end off of Rue des Bouchers, which is itself a narrow winding cobbled alleyway lined on either side by restaurants whose tables make the entire street nearly unwalkable when crowded. The bar is marked by small signs with the Delirium Tremens logo on them. There are tables upstairs, but the bar is located below ground.
The bar is roughly L shaped, with around 12 or 14 taps that face the back. There are large barrels with chairs around them near the bar, and regular tables farther back. We sat at the bar on this visit.
The menu is the size of a small town's phone book, and can be quite overwhelming. There are featured beers, which each get a pretty good description. The rest are organized alphabetically by country. Surprisingly there were two Goose Island beers available.
If the bottles were 33 or 37 cL David and I ordered one each per round and switched halfway through. If the bottle was 75 cL we split it. For these reviews and most of the rest I don't have notes for "Overall", so I'll just put the score.
496. Kasteelbier Bruin-Brune
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Van Honsebrouck N.V.
Alcohol: 11.00%
Serving: Bottle, 11.2 oz.
Style: Quadrupel, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.5): Pours a very dark brown with a thick foamy head that fades into a sudsy film.
Smell (3.5): Caramel, dark fruit, and a hint of roastiness.
Taste (3.5): Malty and sweet throughout. There are strong flavors of raisins that dominate. The finish is spicy with noticable alcohol, residual sweetness and a light roastiness.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Medium-bodied with moderate carbonation.
Drinkability (3.5): A little sweet, but otherwise drinkable.
Overall (3.75)
497. Kasteelbier Blond
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Van Honsebrouck N.V.
Alcohol: 11.00%
Serving: Bottle, 11.2 oz.
Style: Tripel, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (3.5): Pours a lightly hazy golden with a thin white head that quickly fades to a patchy layer.
Smell (4.0): Strong aromas of banana and clove, with peppery spice that emerges on swirling.
Taste (4.0): Banana fruitiness upfront, cloves and peppery spice with light bitterness in the finish.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Very high carbonation, light-bodied with a lightly dry finish.
Drinkability (4.0): Crisp and pretty refreshing.
Overall (3.9)
498. Artevelde Grand Cru 1993
At the end of the menu several aged beers were listed. One of these was Artevelde from 1993. The bottle said "Imported by Best Brands, Fairfield, NJ." Apparently this one has made the transatlantic voyage at least twice.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Huyghe
Year: 1993
Alcohol: 7.30%
Serving: Bottle,
Style: Belgian Strong Dark Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a clear amber brown with a beige head that thins to a film, leaving patchy lace.
Smell (4.0): Notes of cherry, caramel and medicinal phenols.
Taste (4.0): Very mellow. Light cherry and medicinal phenols, with graininess and bitterness in the finish.
Mouthfeel (4.5): High carbonation, light-bodied, with a crisp, dry finish.
Drinkability (4.0): Easily drinkable, definitely mellowed.
Overall (4.05)
499. Guinness Special Export Stout
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Guinness Ltd.
Alcohol: 8.00%
Serving: Bottle, 11.2 oz.
Style: Foreign / Export Stout, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (5.0): Pitch black, topped by a very thick brown head that fades leaving heavy lace on the glass.
Smell (4.0): Lightly sweet chocolate, and some roasted coffee notes.
Taste (4.5): Sweet chocolate upfront, moving into light tartness, with heavy coffee roasted flavors in the finish.
Mouthfeel (4.5): Full-bodied, moderate carbonation, creamy.
Drinkability (4.5): Very nice, full-flavored, sweet but well balanced by roasted bitterness.
Overall (4.5): Text
500. Ename Dubbel
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Roman N.V.
Alcohol: 6.50%
Serving: Bottle, 11.2 oz.
Style: Dubbel, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a clear ruby-brown with afoamy beige head that persists as a film leaving nice lace.
Smell (2.0): Lightly sweet, with faint hints of caramel and light fruit.
Taste (3.5): Very attenuated. Lightly sweet upfront with notes of dark fruit. The finish is lightly bitter with a very light residual sweetness.
Mouthfeel (4.0): High carbonation, light-bodied, with a dry finish.
Drinkability (3.5): Not too sweet.
Overall (3.35)
501. Saxo
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brasserie Caracole
Alcohol: 8.00%
Serving: Bottle, 11.2 oz.
Style: Belgian Strong Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.5): Pours a lightly hazy golden with a thick, fluffy, bright white head that leaves heavy lace.
Smell (4.0): Very peppery, with banana fruitiness, and light graininess.
Taste (4.5): Lightly sweet fruit upfront, with a significant peppery bite in the finish with a light bitterness.
Mouthfeel (4.0): High carbonation, light-bodied, dry finish.
Drinkability (4.5): Very crisp and refreshing, with a nice dry finish.
Overall (4.35)
I'll post a summary of my thoughts on Delirium Café after I blog all of the other visits.
The bar is roughly L shaped, with around 12 or 14 taps that face the back. There are large barrels with chairs around them near the bar, and regular tables farther back. We sat at the bar on this visit.
The menu is the size of a small town's phone book, and can be quite overwhelming. There are featured beers, which each get a pretty good description. The rest are organized alphabetically by country. Surprisingly there were two Goose Island beers available.
If the bottles were 33 or 37 cL David and I ordered one each per round and switched halfway through. If the bottle was 75 cL we split it. For these reviews and most of the rest I don't have notes for "Overall", so I'll just put the score.
496. Kasteelbier Bruin-Brune
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Van Honsebrouck N.V.
Alcohol: 11.00%
Serving: Bottle, 11.2 oz.
Style: Quadrupel, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.5): Pours a very dark brown with a thick foamy head that fades into a sudsy film.
Smell (3.5): Caramel, dark fruit, and a hint of roastiness.
Taste (3.5): Malty and sweet throughout. There are strong flavors of raisins that dominate. The finish is spicy with noticable alcohol, residual sweetness and a light roastiness.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Medium-bodied with moderate carbonation.
Drinkability (3.5): A little sweet, but otherwise drinkable.
Overall (3.75)
497. Kasteelbier Blond
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Van Honsebrouck N.V.
Alcohol: 11.00%
Serving: Bottle, 11.2 oz.
Style: Tripel, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (3.5): Pours a lightly hazy golden with a thin white head that quickly fades to a patchy layer.
Smell (4.0): Strong aromas of banana and clove, with peppery spice that emerges on swirling.
Taste (4.0): Banana fruitiness upfront, cloves and peppery spice with light bitterness in the finish.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Very high carbonation, light-bodied with a lightly dry finish.
Drinkability (4.0): Crisp and pretty refreshing.
Overall (3.9)
498. Artevelde Grand Cru 1993
At the end of the menu several aged beers were listed. One of these was Artevelde from 1993. The bottle said "Imported by Best Brands, Fairfield, NJ." Apparently this one has made the transatlantic voyage at least twice.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Huyghe
Year: 1993
Alcohol: 7.30%
Serving: Bottle,
Style: Belgian Strong Dark Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a clear amber brown with a beige head that thins to a film, leaving patchy lace.
Smell (4.0): Notes of cherry, caramel and medicinal phenols.
Taste (4.0): Very mellow. Light cherry and medicinal phenols, with graininess and bitterness in the finish.
Mouthfeel (4.5): High carbonation, light-bodied, with a crisp, dry finish.
Drinkability (4.0): Easily drinkable, definitely mellowed.
Overall (4.05)
499. Guinness Special Export Stout
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Guinness Ltd.
Alcohol: 8.00%
Serving: Bottle, 11.2 oz.
Style: Foreign / Export Stout, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (5.0): Pitch black, topped by a very thick brown head that fades leaving heavy lace on the glass.
Smell (4.0): Lightly sweet chocolate, and some roasted coffee notes.
Taste (4.5): Sweet chocolate upfront, moving into light tartness, with heavy coffee roasted flavors in the finish.
Mouthfeel (4.5): Full-bodied, moderate carbonation, creamy.
Drinkability (4.5): Very nice, full-flavored, sweet but well balanced by roasted bitterness.
Overall (4.5): Text
500. Ename Dubbel
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Roman N.V.
Alcohol: 6.50%
Serving: Bottle, 11.2 oz.
Style: Dubbel, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a clear ruby-brown with afoamy beige head that persists as a film leaving nice lace.
Smell (2.0): Lightly sweet, with faint hints of caramel and light fruit.
Taste (3.5): Very attenuated. Lightly sweet upfront with notes of dark fruit. The finish is lightly bitter with a very light residual sweetness.
Mouthfeel (4.0): High carbonation, light-bodied, with a dry finish.
Drinkability (3.5): Not too sweet.
Overall (3.35)
501. Saxo
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brasserie Caracole
Alcohol: 8.00%
Serving: Bottle, 11.2 oz.
Style: Belgian Strong Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.5): Pours a lightly hazy golden with a thick, fluffy, bright white head that leaves heavy lace.
Smell (4.0): Very peppery, with banana fruitiness, and light graininess.
Taste (4.5): Lightly sweet fruit upfront, with a significant peppery bite in the finish with a light bitterness.
Mouthfeel (4.0): High carbonation, light-bodied, dry finish.
Drinkability (4.5): Very crisp and refreshing, with a nice dry finish.
Overall (4.35)
I'll post a summary of my thoughts on Delirium Café after I blog all of the other visits.
Labels: Belgian Strong Dark Ale, Belgian Strong Pale Ale, Belgium 2006, Delerium Café, Dubbel, Export Stout, Quadrupel, Travel, Tripel
491. Bush De Noël (Scaldis Noël)
I purchased this at Downtown Wine & Spirits last week. I let it warm to around 45º F and served it in one of my Chimay chalices.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brasserie Dubuisson Frères
Alcohol: 12.00%
Serving: Bottle, 25 mL
Style: Quadrupel, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a lightly hazy amber with a half-inch, beige head that thins to a sudsy film.
Smell (4.0): Very fruity, with notes of banana, raisins, dates and cherries. There's also caramel maltiness and the light scent of alcohol.
Taste (3.5): Fruity and sweet throughout. There are lightly tart hints of cherries and strong flavors of dark fruit. The finish is lightly bitter with alcoholic spiciness.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Full-bodied, moderate carbonation with a strong warming sensation.
Drinkability (4.0): Surprisingly drinkable, given this is 12% alcohol.
Overall (3.8): A good quadrupel.
I purchased this at Downtown Wine & Spirits last week. I let it warm to around 45º F and served it in one of my Chimay chalices.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brasserie Dubuisson Frères
Alcohol: 12.00%
Serving: Bottle, 25 mL
Style: Quadrupel, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a lightly hazy amber with a half-inch, beige head that thins to a sudsy film.
Smell (4.0): Very fruity, with notes of banana, raisins, dates and cherries. There's also caramel maltiness and the light scent of alcohol.
Taste (3.5): Fruity and sweet throughout. There are lightly tart hints of cherries and strong flavors of dark fruit. The finish is lightly bitter with alcoholic spiciness.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Full-bodied, moderate carbonation with a strong warming sensation.
Drinkability (4.0): Surprisingly drinkable, given this is 12% alcohol.
Overall (3.8): A good quadrupel.
Labels: Brasserie Dubuisson Frères, Quadrupel, Reviews
Belgium Comes to Cooperstown: Saturday, Part III
Published by Unknown on Friday, July 21, 2006 at 8:09 PM.
I'm finally getting around to posting my tasting notes for Belgium Comes to Cooperstown. This should be the last of my posts about the actual beer fest. I'll write one more post about Sunday, but that'll be about the Baseball Hall of Fame and won't mention beer at all.
The beer selection was outstanding. There were a lot of great importers in attendance. The selection at the Shelton Brothers booth alone was phenomenal. There were also a lot of good North American breweries including: Allagash, Brooklyn Brewery, Dogfish Head, and Unibroue just off the top of my head.
Just some general comments about my tasting notes: I tried to be as concise as possible to facilitate more sampling, I didn't assign numerical rankings because of the small sample sizes, and I decided to dispense with the drinkability category for the fest. I decided to eliminate drinkability because it's the hardest category to get a good feel for with a small sample of beer, and because at the Extreme Beer Fest it was the first category that my objectivity slipped on as I approached inebriation. David also took tasting notes, though I don't have those to post.
All beers were served in the 4 oz. sampling glass that was provided. They were served variously on tap and from bottles, though I didn't make a note of this when I was served, I'll note the ones I'm sure about (which may turn out to be most of them). Some breweries had some merchandise for sale at their booths. Brooklyn had bottle openers on lanyards, glassware and what appeared to be thongs. Unibroue was selling large cardboard versions of their bottle labels. I bought two when I was pretty drunk.
They were out of La Fin Du Monde
I have pictures of me with most of the beers, but I can't remember which beers are which. I'll only post a few that I'm sure of.
408. Rodenbach Grand Cru
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Rodenbach N.V.
Alcohol: 6.00%
Serving: Bottle
Style: Flanders Red Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: Pours a reddish-amber with good clarity, topped by a persistent brown/beige head.
Smell: Sweet, sour, cherries, and a sharp aroma I couldn't place.
Taste: Sour, but not overpowering, the aftertaste is sharp and tart.
Mouthfeel: Light, effervescent carbonation, finish is sour and dry.
409. Blanche De Brooklyn
I'd seen Garrett Oliver walking around the brewery building that morning when I took the tour. He was at the booth when I went by. I told him that I enjoyed his book. Perhaps I should have tried to get a picture with him.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brooklyn Brewery
Alcohol: 4.50%
Serving: Tap
Style: Witbier, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: Very hazy, with a pale straw hue, the head is creamy and white, and fades to a persistent thin layer.
Smell: Fruity, bananas, pepper.
Taste: Banana fruitiness is evident, though not as strong as the aroma. The finish is spicy and peppery. Perhaps grains of paradise?
Mouthfeel: Strong carbonation, light-bodied, with a lightly dry finish.
410. Cantillon Iris
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brasserie Cantillon
Alcohol: 5.00%
Serving: Bottle
Style: Unblended Lambic, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: Pours a hazy bright golden, a thin ring of white bubbles is the only sign of a head.
Smell: Lambic sourness, funkiness emerges upon swirling. There's also a strong hoppiness, though the hop aromas themselves seem to have mellowed.
Taste: Sour lambic flavors upfront, with mellow but dominant hop flavors in the finish.
Mouthfeel: Light-bodied, with a dry finish.
411. Harpoon Belgian Pale Ale
The Harpoon Belgian Pale Ale was created for Belgium Comes to Cooperstown. I'd read that it was Harpoon IPA fermented with a Belgian yeast strain. I had to try this because I probably wouldn't get a chance to try it again, and because it had the potential to really showcase the differences in yeast strains. The guy at the Harpoon booth, who introduced himself as the brewery's microbiologist, said that he had pulled off a small amount of the wort from a batch of Harpoon IPA and pitched the Duvel yeast strain.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Harpoon Brewery
Alcohol: ?
Serving: Tap
Style: Belgian Pale Ale/ American IPA
Appearance: Pours a clear golden-amber with a thick, fluffy, white head that leaves patchy lace.
Smell: Intensely fruity and floral.
Taste: Fruity upfront and through the center. The fruitiness fades into bitterness in the finish, but the bitterness is mellow compared to the IPA.
Mouthfeel: Smooth, moderate carbonation, medium-bodied with a creamy/silky feel.
412. Ommegang Bier De Mars
This is another one-off release from Ommegang, this time a Bière de Garde. I had this one right after a sample of Ommegeddon.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brewery Ommegang
Alcohol: ?
Serving: Tap
Style: Bière de Garde, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: Pours a hazy golden amber, with a head that fades to nothing.
Smell: Tart, hoppy, with a hint of musty funkiness. I wouldn't be surprised if this beer was fermented with Brettanomyces.
Taste: Hint of citric sweetness and tartness. The finish is musty and funky with mellow hops.
Mouthfeel: Light to medium bodied, moderate to high carbonation, with a dry finish.
413. De Ranke XX Bitter
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij De Ranke
Alcohol: 6.20%
Serving: Bottle
Style: Belgian Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: Lightly hazy yellow straw color, my pour had no head.
Smell: Aroma reminded me of the Harpoon BPA. Juicy fruity aromas, with a mellowed but strong hop presence.
Taste: Sweet fruitiness, notes of bananas, followed by mellowed but bitter hops.
Mouthfeel: Light to medium-bodied, smooth, moderate to low carbonation.
414. St. Bernardus Tripel
I'm typically a fan of St. Bernardus beers. I haven't seen this one at Downtown Wine & Spirits, so I decided to give it a try.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij St. Bernardus NV
Alcohol: 8.00%
Serving: Bottle
Style: Tripel, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: Pours a lightly hazy golden with a thick white head.
Smell: Typical Belgian fruitiness. Bananas, yeast and light alcohol.
Taste: Fruity with nutty and buttery notes, spicy alcohol.
Mouthfeel: Smooth, medium-bodied, low carbonation.
415. Dogfish Head Fort
Neither of the Daves were enthusiastic about trying a raspberry beer, but I wanted to give it a try since I missed it at the Extreme Beer Fest and haven't seen it for sale in Boston.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
Alcohol: 18.00%
Style: Fruit Beer, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: Pours a clear amber with a beige head that leaves patchy lace.
Smell: Raspberries and alcohol.
Taste: Tart raspberries and very spicy high alcohol.
Mouthfeel: Low carbonation, medium to full-bodied.
416. Barrel Aged Four
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Allagash Brewing Company
Alcohol: 10.00%
Style: Quadrupel, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: Pours a hazy brown with amber tints, no head on my pour.
Smell: Fruity. Notes of cherry, alcohol and vanilla.
Taste: More fruitiness in the taste, with notes of bourbon and an herbal flavor.
Mouthfeel: Low carbonation, medium-bodied, smooth and almost silky.
417. Palm
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Palm NV
Alcohol: 5.10%
Serving: Bottle
Style: Belgian Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: Pours a clear amber with a fluffy white head that thins to a patchy layer.
Smell: Belgian yeast fruitiness, with a bit of malt.
Taste: Toasty malts, yeast, fruit, with a light bitterness.
Mouthfeel: Tingly carbonation, medium bodied.
418. Obbie's Grand Cru
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Appalachian Brewing Company
Alcohol: ?
Serving: Tap
Style: Belgian Strong Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: Pours a very cloudy light brown with a white head.
Smell: Belgian yeast fruitiness.
Taste: Fruity upfront. The finish is spicy, with a light bitterness detectable in an otherwise sweet finish.
Mouthfeel: High carbonation that conceals most other characters, light-bodied.
419. Zinnebir
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Sint-Pieters
Alcohol: 5.50%
Serving: Bottle
Style: Belgian Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: Pours a very cloudy golden with a foamy head that leaves thick lace on the glass.
Smell: Light fruitiness with hints of orange.
Taste: Fruity, peppery. The finish is grainy and spicy with a hoppy bitterness.
Mouthfeel: Low carbonation, light-bodied and smooth.
420. The Shed Substance D
This beer was advertised as a Saison with Brett.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: The Shed Restaurant and Brewery
Alcohol: ?
Style: Saison, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: Pours a hazy light golden with a creamy bubbly white head.
Smell: A tart, hoppy Brettanomyces aroma. Funky and lightly fruity.
Taste: Citric tartness, fruitiness, mellow hop flavors with a bitter finish.
Mouthfeel: Low carbonation, smooth, medium-bodied.
421. The Shed Double Hoppy Illumination
Beer Stats:
Brewery: The Shed Restaurant and Brewery
Alcohol: ?
Style: Saison, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: Pours a clear amber with a persistent beige head.
Smell: Fruity with resiny hops.
Taste: Hoppy with a nice sweet fruity and malty notes.
Mouthfeel: Smooth and creamy with low to medium carbonation.
In addition to the new beers I had several samples of Ommegeddon, another sample of Ommegang's Bier De Mars, Cambridge Brewing Company's Tripel Threat and some others I can't remember. There were a lot of beers that I wanted to try but wasn't able to due to a limited supply, limited time or limited sobriety.
Overall Belgium Comes to Cooperstown was an excellent beer fest. The brewery grounds during summer are an ideal place (weather permitting) for an event like this. Perhaps there could have been more seating, but maybe it wouldn't have been needed without the rain. I definitely want to go again next year, and maybe even camp out.
The beer selection was outstanding. There were a lot of great importers in attendance. The selection at the Shelton Brothers booth alone was phenomenal. There were also a lot of good North American breweries including: Allagash, Brooklyn Brewery, Dogfish Head, and Unibroue just off the top of my head.
Just some general comments about my tasting notes: I tried to be as concise as possible to facilitate more sampling, I didn't assign numerical rankings because of the small sample sizes, and I decided to dispense with the drinkability category for the fest. I decided to eliminate drinkability because it's the hardest category to get a good feel for with a small sample of beer, and because at the Extreme Beer Fest it was the first category that my objectivity slipped on as I approached inebriation. David also took tasting notes, though I don't have those to post.
All beers were served in the 4 oz. sampling glass that was provided. They were served variously on tap and from bottles, though I didn't make a note of this when I was served, I'll note the ones I'm sure about (which may turn out to be most of them). Some breweries had some merchandise for sale at their booths. Brooklyn had bottle openers on lanyards, glassware and what appeared to be thongs. Unibroue was selling large cardboard versions of their bottle labels. I bought two when I was pretty drunk.
They were out of La Fin Du Monde
I have pictures of me with most of the beers, but I can't remember which beers are which. I'll only post a few that I'm sure of.
408. Rodenbach Grand Cru
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Rodenbach N.V.
Alcohol: 6.00%
Serving: Bottle
Style: Flanders Red Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: Pours a reddish-amber with good clarity, topped by a persistent brown/beige head.
Smell: Sweet, sour, cherries, and a sharp aroma I couldn't place.
Taste: Sour, but not overpowering, the aftertaste is sharp and tart.
Mouthfeel: Light, effervescent carbonation, finish is sour and dry.
409. Blanche De Brooklyn
I'd seen Garrett Oliver walking around the brewery building that morning when I took the tour. He was at the booth when I went by. I told him that I enjoyed his book. Perhaps I should have tried to get a picture with him.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brooklyn Brewery
Alcohol: 4.50%
Serving: Tap
Style: Witbier, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: Very hazy, with a pale straw hue, the head is creamy and white, and fades to a persistent thin layer.
Smell: Fruity, bananas, pepper.
Taste: Banana fruitiness is evident, though not as strong as the aroma. The finish is spicy and peppery. Perhaps grains of paradise?
Mouthfeel: Strong carbonation, light-bodied, with a lightly dry finish.
410. Cantillon Iris
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brasserie Cantillon
Alcohol: 5.00%
Serving: Bottle
Style: Unblended Lambic, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: Pours a hazy bright golden, a thin ring of white bubbles is the only sign of a head.
Smell: Lambic sourness, funkiness emerges upon swirling. There's also a strong hoppiness, though the hop aromas themselves seem to have mellowed.
Taste: Sour lambic flavors upfront, with mellow but dominant hop flavors in the finish.
Mouthfeel: Light-bodied, with a dry finish.
411. Harpoon Belgian Pale Ale
The Harpoon Belgian Pale Ale was created for Belgium Comes to Cooperstown. I'd read that it was Harpoon IPA fermented with a Belgian yeast strain. I had to try this because I probably wouldn't get a chance to try it again, and because it had the potential to really showcase the differences in yeast strains. The guy at the Harpoon booth, who introduced himself as the brewery's microbiologist, said that he had pulled off a small amount of the wort from a batch of Harpoon IPA and pitched the Duvel yeast strain.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Harpoon Brewery
Alcohol: ?
Serving: Tap
Style: Belgian Pale Ale/ American IPA
Appearance: Pours a clear golden-amber with a thick, fluffy, white head that leaves patchy lace.
Smell: Intensely fruity and floral.
Taste: Fruity upfront and through the center. The fruitiness fades into bitterness in the finish, but the bitterness is mellow compared to the IPA.
Mouthfeel: Smooth, moderate carbonation, medium-bodied with a creamy/silky feel.
412. Ommegang Bier De Mars
This is another one-off release from Ommegang, this time a Bière de Garde. I had this one right after a sample of Ommegeddon.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brewery Ommegang
Alcohol: ?
Serving: Tap
Style: Bière de Garde, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: Pours a hazy golden amber, with a head that fades to nothing.
Smell: Tart, hoppy, with a hint of musty funkiness. I wouldn't be surprised if this beer was fermented with Brettanomyces.
Taste: Hint of citric sweetness and tartness. The finish is musty and funky with mellow hops.
Mouthfeel: Light to medium bodied, moderate to high carbonation, with a dry finish.
413. De Ranke XX Bitter
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij De Ranke
Alcohol: 6.20%
Serving: Bottle
Style: Belgian Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: Lightly hazy yellow straw color, my pour had no head.
Smell: Aroma reminded me of the Harpoon BPA. Juicy fruity aromas, with a mellowed but strong hop presence.
Taste: Sweet fruitiness, notes of bananas, followed by mellowed but bitter hops.
Mouthfeel: Light to medium-bodied, smooth, moderate to low carbonation.
414. St. Bernardus Tripel
I'm typically a fan of St. Bernardus beers. I haven't seen this one at Downtown Wine & Spirits, so I decided to give it a try.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij St. Bernardus NV
Alcohol: 8.00%
Serving: Bottle
Style: Tripel, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: Pours a lightly hazy golden with a thick white head.
Smell: Typical Belgian fruitiness. Bananas, yeast and light alcohol.
Taste: Fruity with nutty and buttery notes, spicy alcohol.
Mouthfeel: Smooth, medium-bodied, low carbonation.
415. Dogfish Head Fort
Neither of the Daves were enthusiastic about trying a raspberry beer, but I wanted to give it a try since I missed it at the Extreme Beer Fest and haven't seen it for sale in Boston.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
Alcohol: 18.00%
Style: Fruit Beer, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: Pours a clear amber with a beige head that leaves patchy lace.
Smell: Raspberries and alcohol.
Taste: Tart raspberries and very spicy high alcohol.
Mouthfeel: Low carbonation, medium to full-bodied.
416. Barrel Aged Four
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Allagash Brewing Company
Alcohol: 10.00%
Style: Quadrupel, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: Pours a hazy brown with amber tints, no head on my pour.
Smell: Fruity. Notes of cherry, alcohol and vanilla.
Taste: More fruitiness in the taste, with notes of bourbon and an herbal flavor.
Mouthfeel: Low carbonation, medium-bodied, smooth and almost silky.
417. Palm
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Palm NV
Alcohol: 5.10%
Serving: Bottle
Style: Belgian Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: Pours a clear amber with a fluffy white head that thins to a patchy layer.
Smell: Belgian yeast fruitiness, with a bit of malt.
Taste: Toasty malts, yeast, fruit, with a light bitterness.
Mouthfeel: Tingly carbonation, medium bodied.
418. Obbie's Grand Cru
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Appalachian Brewing Company
Alcohol: ?
Serving: Tap
Style: Belgian Strong Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: Pours a very cloudy light brown with a white head.
Smell: Belgian yeast fruitiness.
Taste: Fruity upfront. The finish is spicy, with a light bitterness detectable in an otherwise sweet finish.
Mouthfeel: High carbonation that conceals most other characters, light-bodied.
419. Zinnebir
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Sint-Pieters
Alcohol: 5.50%
Serving: Bottle
Style: Belgian Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: Pours a very cloudy golden with a foamy head that leaves thick lace on the glass.
Smell: Light fruitiness with hints of orange.
Taste: Fruity, peppery. The finish is grainy and spicy with a hoppy bitterness.
Mouthfeel: Low carbonation, light-bodied and smooth.
420. The Shed Substance D
This beer was advertised as a Saison with Brett.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: The Shed Restaurant and Brewery
Alcohol: ?
Style: Saison, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: Pours a hazy light golden with a creamy bubbly white head.
Smell: A tart, hoppy Brettanomyces aroma. Funky and lightly fruity.
Taste: Citric tartness, fruitiness, mellow hop flavors with a bitter finish.
Mouthfeel: Low carbonation, smooth, medium-bodied.
421. The Shed Double Hoppy Illumination
Beer Stats:
Brewery: The Shed Restaurant and Brewery
Alcohol: ?
Style: Saison, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: Pours a clear amber with a persistent beige head.
Smell: Fruity with resiny hops.
Taste: Hoppy with a nice sweet fruity and malty notes.
Mouthfeel: Smooth and creamy with low to medium carbonation.
In addition to the new beers I had several samples of Ommegeddon, another sample of Ommegang's Bier De Mars, Cambridge Brewing Company's Tripel Threat and some others I can't remember. There were a lot of beers that I wanted to try but wasn't able to due to a limited supply, limited time or limited sobriety.
Overall Belgium Comes to Cooperstown was an excellent beer fest. The brewery grounds during summer are an ideal place (weather permitting) for an event like this. Perhaps there could have been more seating, but maybe it wouldn't have been needed without the rain. I definitely want to go again next year, and maybe even camp out.
Labels: Beer Fests, Belgian Pale Ale, Belgian Strong Pale Ale, Bière de Garde, Flanders Red Ale, Fruit/Vegatable Beer, Lambic, Quadrupel, Saison, Sour Beer, Travel, Tripel, Unblended Lambic, Witbier
Belgium Comes to Cooperstown: Saturday, Part I
Published by Unknown on Tuesday, July 18, 2006 at 9:30 AM.
The plan was to grab breakfast, go to Glimmerglass State Park on Otsego Lake to go swimming and then head to Brewery Ommegang for Belgium Comes to Cooperstown. We had breakfast at Waffle Works in Herkimer and then drove to Glimmerglass State Park for some swimming.
We arrived at Glimmerglass and decided to swim despite the light rain and the "Beach Closed" signs. At around 10:55 - when the lifeguards arrived for the 11:00 beach opening - we were told by a PA announcement to get out of the water because the beach wasn't open. We showered, got dressed and headed to Brewery Ommegang.
The brewery wasn't very crowded when we arrived. There were quite a few tents up, but ours was one of the first cars to park in the field next door. We checked in and got our wristbands. Since we were early we went on a brewery tour, and I bought an Ommegang T-shirt and bottle opener. I received the first two compliments of the day on my Neutral Milk Hotel T-shirt from two of the people working the register in the brewery store.
The brewery building itself is quite attractive. It's modeled after a Belgian farmhouse, and has an open archway that separates the two halves of the brewery. The dates on the front of the brewery are 1549 and 1997. The former being the date of the first Ommegang (which means "walk about") in Brussels, and the latter being the year that Brewery Ommegang was founded.
The tour began outside in the archway of the brewery where the tour guide passed around glasses containing various ingredients used in Ommegang beers. We then went inside and saw the brewhouse.
Brewery Ommegang practices open fermentation. The fermentation room isn't open to visitors, but a window and a mirror allow a glimpse of the fermentation.
After seeing the brewhouse, we walked to the other side of the building and saw the bottling operation.
After the tour we went to the tasting room where we sampled all of Ommegang's regular offerings. Ommegang Witte, Rare Vos, Hennepin, Ommegang and Three Philosophers.
David and Dave
Dave
David
After the tour we found a table under one of the tents and had burgers, fries and Belgian waffles, while waiting for the 2 PM start of sampling. The next entry will include tasting notes for the different beers that I tried, strange events, and more pictures.
We arrived at Glimmerglass and decided to swim despite the light rain and the "Beach Closed" signs. At around 10:55 - when the lifeguards arrived for the 11:00 beach opening - we were told by a PA announcement to get out of the water because the beach wasn't open. We showered, got dressed and headed to Brewery Ommegang.
The brewery wasn't very crowded when we arrived. There were quite a few tents up, but ours was one of the first cars to park in the field next door. We checked in and got our wristbands. Since we were early we went on a brewery tour, and I bought an Ommegang T-shirt and bottle opener. I received the first two compliments of the day on my Neutral Milk Hotel T-shirt from two of the people working the register in the brewery store.
The brewery building itself is quite attractive. It's modeled after a Belgian farmhouse, and has an open archway that separates the two halves of the brewery. The dates on the front of the brewery are 1549 and 1997. The former being the date of the first Ommegang (which means "walk about") in Brussels, and the latter being the year that Brewery Ommegang was founded.
The tour began outside in the archway of the brewery where the tour guide passed around glasses containing various ingredients used in Ommegang beers. We then went inside and saw the brewhouse.
Brewery Ommegang practices open fermentation. The fermentation room isn't open to visitors, but a window and a mirror allow a glimpse of the fermentation.
After seeing the brewhouse, we walked to the other side of the building and saw the bottling operation.
After the tour we went to the tasting room where we sampled all of Ommegang's regular offerings. Ommegang Witte, Rare Vos, Hennepin, Ommegang and Three Philosophers.
David and Dave
Dave
David
After the tour we found a table under one of the tents and had burgers, fries and Belgian waffles, while waiting for the 2 PM start of sampling. The next entry will include tasting notes for the different beers that I tried, strange events, and more pictures.
Labels: Beer Fests, Belgian Pale Ale, Belgian Strong Dark Ale, Brewery Ommegang, Brewery Tours, Quadrupel, Saison, Travel, Witbier
367. Bush Ambrée (Scaldis)
I've had this in my fridge for several months, I decided to give it a try tonight. The bottle I have is labeled Scaldis Belgian Ale, however elsewhere this is marketed as Bush. The difference, I assume, is because of AB's Busch beer. I let this warm for half an hour, before serving it in one of my Chimay Chalices. This is a quadrupel. BJCP Style Guide. The abv for this one is a massive 12%.
Appearance (3.5): Pours a hazy amber with a thin white head that recedes to a thin layer quickly. Little bits of yeast float around.
Smell (4.0): The aroma is peppery with notes of caramel and a cherry fruitiness.
Taste (4.0): Sweet caramel malt flavors upfront, as well as some notes of fruit. The finish is lightly bitter with a strong alcoholic warmth.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Smooth and creamy with tingly carbonation.
Drinkability (3.5): Tasty, but the alcohol is very noticable.
Overall (3.85): Not much to say here, pretty good.
I've had this in my fridge for several months, I decided to give it a try tonight. The bottle I have is labeled Scaldis Belgian Ale, however elsewhere this is marketed as Bush. The difference, I assume, is because of AB's Busch beer. I let this warm for half an hour, before serving it in one of my Chimay Chalices. This is a quadrupel. BJCP Style Guide. The abv for this one is a massive 12%.
Appearance (3.5): Pours a hazy amber with a thin white head that recedes to a thin layer quickly. Little bits of yeast float around.
Smell (4.0): The aroma is peppery with notes of caramel and a cherry fruitiness.
Taste (4.0): Sweet caramel malt flavors upfront, as well as some notes of fruit. The finish is lightly bitter with a strong alcoholic warmth.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Smooth and creamy with tingly carbonation.
Drinkability (3.5): Tasty, but the alcohol is very noticable.
Overall (3.85): Not much to say here, pretty good.
Labels: Brasserie Dubuisson Frères, Quadrupel, Reviews
298. St Bernardus Abt 12
I picked up an 11.2 oz bottle of St Bernardus Abt 12 at Downtown Wine & Spirits last night. I let it warm a little and served it in one of my Ommegang chalices. This is a Quadrupel. BJCP Style Guide.
Appearance (4.5): Pours a hazy dark brown with a thick beige head that persists as a thin quarter inch layer that reemerges on swirling. Moderate lacing.
Smell (5.0): Raisins and other dark fruit, rich malts, caramel, spicy alcohol and a bit of Belgian yeast.
Taste (5.0): Like the aroma, the flavors are dominated by dark fruit and rich malts. Flavors of raisins and caramel are obvious. The finish is lightly bitter, with noticeable, but not overpowering alcoholic spice.
Mouthfeel (4.5): Tingly carbonation, smooth and medium-bodied.
Drinkability (5.0): Very tasty, the alcohol is noticeable, but not overpowering. Delicious and dangerous.
Overall (4.85): A really fantastic beer. Easily one of the best I've had.
I picked up an 11.2 oz bottle of St Bernardus Abt 12 at Downtown Wine & Spirits last night. I let it warm a little and served it in one of my Ommegang chalices. This is a Quadrupel. BJCP Style Guide.
Appearance (4.5): Pours a hazy dark brown with a thick beige head that persists as a thin quarter inch layer that reemerges on swirling. Moderate lacing.
Smell (5.0): Raisins and other dark fruit, rich malts, caramel, spicy alcohol and a bit of Belgian yeast.
Taste (5.0): Like the aroma, the flavors are dominated by dark fruit and rich malts. Flavors of raisins and caramel are obvious. The finish is lightly bitter, with noticeable, but not overpowering alcoholic spice.
Mouthfeel (4.5): Tingly carbonation, smooth and medium-bodied.
Drinkability (5.0): Very tasty, the alcohol is noticeable, but not overpowering. Delicious and dangerous.
Overall (4.85): A really fantastic beer. Easily one of the best I've had.
Labels: Brouwerij St. Bernardus, Quadrupel, Reviews
About a month ago I found out about Belgian Shop, an online shop specializing in Belgian products. They sell beer from all Trappist breweries, including Brouwerij Westvleteren, the brewery associated with the Abbey of Saint Sixtus. The Westvleteren beers are the hardest Trappist beers to obtain since they are only sold at the Abbey. Individual buyers must promise not to resell the beer. It seems that Belgian Shop violates this agreement and these beers are grey market.
Westvleteren produces three beers: Trappist Westvleteren Blonde (Green Cap), Trappist Westvleteren 8 (Blue Cap) and Trappist Westvleteren 12 (Yellow Cap). Of the three, 12 is the hardest to obtain. This is reflected by the fact that Belgian Shop was out of stock when I ordered, and has been every time I've checked since.
I ordered a bottle of Blonde, a bottle of 8 and a Westvleteren chalice on March 25th. They arrived today. I'm looking forward to giving them a try.
Labels: Belgian Pale Ale, Dubbel, Quadrupel
Thom and I attended the Extreme Beer Fest last night at the Cyclorama in Boston's Back Bay. Upon arriving at the building, we joined a huge line towards the entrance, but only had to wait about 20 minutes, with annoying slut girl behind us and ridiculous middle-aged men in front of us, before being allowed entrance. We got our IDs checked, our wrists braceleted, and our official 4 oz. plastic cups and 5 drink tickets (we bought 5 more for a dollar each). The place was packed, but it was a friendly crowd.
For food, Sunset Grill and Tap had a small setup in the back. After Beer #2, Thom bought a Sausage and I had a Chicken Fajita Wrap, both delicious. Later on, after the buzz set in, we bought a very tasty Belgian waffle from Waffle Haus.
Beer 1: Brooklyn Monster Ale, English Barleywine
Unfortunately Garrett Oliver was not present at this booth, but the pourer was friendly and smiled at me.
Appearance: Beer was a hazy orange-red. It had a thin, beige, bubbly head.
Smell: No surprise here, the beer smelled like a wine, grapey and sweet.
Taste: Very sweet and vinuous with some tingle up front. Ended with a wonderful malty, but not bitter warming alcohol.
Mouthfeel: Lightbodied, with carbonation at the beginning, but not at the end.
Drinkability: This was delicious! I could drink a lot of it.
Beer 2: Allagash Curieux, Tripel
Served on draught, from a cooler.
Appearance: Pours a hazy dark golden with a creamy head that slowly diminishes.
Smell: I smelled a pretzely sweetness. After Thom suggested dill, I smelled that too.
Taste: I tasted dill and green bell peppers in the middle, then some sourdough, and a little bitterness.
Mouthfeel: Light- to mediumbodied with not too much carbonation.
Drinkability: Light and tasty, easy to drink a lot of, but the dill flavor?
Final Notes: Beer Advocate reviews find this Tripel to have vanilla and woody notes; most remark on tasting the whiskey from being aged in bourbon casks. I couldn't taste any of this, but I have a pretty undeveloped palate, so take my notes with a grain of salt!
Beer 3: Boston Beerworks Peanut Butter Porter, American Porter
Appearance: This beer is dark dark dark with a thin head that disappears except around the edges of the cup.
Smell: Peanut butter!
Taste: The peanut butter taste in the middle faded to a sweet nuttiness. There was both some roasted as well as hoppy bitterness at the end.
Mouthfeel: Lightbodied with mild carbonation.
Drinkability: I could drink 1 or 2, my typical max for porters. I liked this because the PB was a fine replacement for the usual bitter chocolates I taste in Porters.
Beer 4: The Reverend, Quadrupel
This is where my notes start to get illegible, ie this is where I start to get drunk
Appearance: Clear orange-bronze, no head.
Smell: My most complex nose so far, I smelled fried plantains, caramel, maple syrup, and iced tea.
Taste: Tasted sweet like candy and maple syrup.
Mouthfeel: This was lightbodied but also choppy with carbonation.
Drinkability: My notes say "Could drink a lot. Don't love it."
Beer 5: Harpoon Varius Strong Ale
Brewed exclusively for the Extreme Beer Fest. According to BA.com:
Smell: Sweet, with pineapple and berries.
Taste: Tropical fruit sweetness, then bready malts. Finishes with a slight bitterness.
Mouthfeel: Lightbodied and quite carbonated.
Drinkability: Very refreshing, but couldn't drink too much because of the hoppy bitterness.
Beer 6: Three Philosophers, Quadrupel
I went to Ommegang to get their Rodenbach, a Flemish Sour Ale, but they were out! I tried this since I know Thom really likes it. This is my last beer, I had to cut myself off due to extreme tipsyness! Thom had to take my notes for me.
Appearance: Hazy, orange-red-brown. Thin beige ring of head.
Smell: Sweet raisins, cherries.
Taste: Sour-bitter fruit with mild carbonation. Thom transcribed my words which were the following: "Tarty-tart-tart in the middle, fig. Chomp chomp chomp, raisin."
Mouthfeel: Tingly and mediumbodied.
Drinkability: "I can't drink so much of this. It's so high in alcohol!"
Overall
I had a great time at this Beer Fest and got to try some awesome beers. I really like the beer fests because it brings so many beer lovers together, and also we scored some freebies, like my weeklydig.com bottle opener, plenty of coasters, a red devil glass ornament, and some hops!
For food, Sunset Grill and Tap had a small setup in the back. After Beer #2, Thom bought a Sausage and I had a Chicken Fajita Wrap, both delicious. Later on, after the buzz set in, we bought a very tasty Belgian waffle from Waffle Haus.
Beer 1: Brooklyn Monster Ale, English Barleywine
Unfortunately Garrett Oliver was not present at this booth, but the pourer was friendly and smiled at me.
Appearance: Beer was a hazy orange-red. It had a thin, beige, bubbly head.
Smell: No surprise here, the beer smelled like a wine, grapey and sweet.
Taste: Very sweet and vinuous with some tingle up front. Ended with a wonderful malty, but not bitter warming alcohol.
Mouthfeel: Lightbodied, with carbonation at the beginning, but not at the end.
Drinkability: This was delicious! I could drink a lot of it.
Beer 2: Allagash Curieux, Tripel
Served on draught, from a cooler.
Appearance: Pours a hazy dark golden with a creamy head that slowly diminishes.
Smell: I smelled a pretzely sweetness. After Thom suggested dill, I smelled that too.
Taste: I tasted dill and green bell peppers in the middle, then some sourdough, and a little bitterness.
Mouthfeel: Light- to mediumbodied with not too much carbonation.
Drinkability: Light and tasty, easy to drink a lot of, but the dill flavor?
Final Notes: Beer Advocate reviews find this Tripel to have vanilla and woody notes; most remark on tasting the whiskey from being aged in bourbon casks. I couldn't taste any of this, but I have a pretty undeveloped palate, so take my notes with a grain of salt!
Beer 3: Boston Beerworks Peanut Butter Porter, American Porter
Appearance: This beer is dark dark dark with a thin head that disappears except around the edges of the cup.
Smell: Peanut butter!
Taste: The peanut butter taste in the middle faded to a sweet nuttiness. There was both some roasted as well as hoppy bitterness at the end.
Mouthfeel: Lightbodied with mild carbonation.
Drinkability: I could drink 1 or 2, my typical max for porters. I liked this because the PB was a fine replacement for the usual bitter chocolates I taste in Porters.
Beer 4: The Reverend, Quadrupel
This is where my notes start to get illegible, ie this is where I start to get drunk
Appearance: Clear orange-bronze, no head.
Smell: My most complex nose so far, I smelled fried plantains, caramel, maple syrup, and iced tea.
Taste: Tasted sweet like candy and maple syrup.
Mouthfeel: This was lightbodied but also choppy with carbonation.
Drinkability: My notes say "Could drink a lot. Don't love it."
Beer 5: Harpoon Varius Strong Ale
Brewed exclusively for the Extreme Beer Fest. According to BA.com:
Harpoon Varius Strong AleAppearance: Thick creamy head reduces to nothing. Clear dark golden.
Named "Harpoon Varius" because many different Harpoon brewers contributed to making this beer, which is brewed exclusively for the BeerAdvocate Extreme Beer Fest. Brewed in 10 10-gallon batches, Harpoon Varius is an experimental strong ale. Unfiltered, slightly cloudy, DANGEROUS! Rich alcohol notes mixing with earthy floral hop, thick malty sweetness in the nose. It starts off with a slight honey sweetness and transitions to a pronounced higher alcohol warmth and complex ester character. Finishes with a distinct smooth, bitter finish. Brewing with Pale Ale malt (90%), Caramel, and Victory. Hopped with Northern Brewer, East Kent Goldings, Fuggle, and Magnum. Dry-hopped with Willamette. Fermented with a Dry English Ale yeast.
Smell: Sweet, with pineapple and berries.
Taste: Tropical fruit sweetness, then bready malts. Finishes with a slight bitterness.
Mouthfeel: Lightbodied and quite carbonated.
Drinkability: Very refreshing, but couldn't drink too much because of the hoppy bitterness.
Beer 6: Three Philosophers, Quadrupel
I went to Ommegang to get their Rodenbach, a Flemish Sour Ale, but they were out! I tried this since I know Thom really likes it. This is my last beer, I had to cut myself off due to extreme tipsyness! Thom had to take my notes for me.
Appearance: Hazy, orange-red-brown. Thin beige ring of head.
Smell: Sweet raisins, cherries.
Taste: Sour-bitter fruit with mild carbonation. Thom transcribed my words which were the following: "Tarty-tart-tart in the middle, fig. Chomp chomp chomp, raisin."
Mouthfeel: Tingly and mediumbodied.
Drinkability: "I can't drink so much of this. It's so high in alcohol!"
Overall
I had a great time at this Beer Fest and got to try some awesome beers. I really like the beer fests because it brings so many beer lovers together, and also we scored some freebies, like my weeklydig.com bottle opener, plenty of coasters, a red devil glass ornament, and some hops!
Labels: Allagash Brewing Company, American Porter, Avery Brewing Company, Beer Fests, Beer Works, Brewery Ommegang, Brooklyn Brewery, English Barley Wine, Harpoon Brewery, Quadrupel, Reviews, Tripel
