1218. Sun King
I had this beer at the CBC shortly after the American Craft Beer Fest. It seems closest in style and spicing to a witbier. From the CBC website:
Continuing the recent run of Beatles-inspired CBC beers (Golden Slumbers Pils, Sgt. Pepper), we welcome you to enjoy our latest creation, released in time to celebrate the summer solstice. This beer aspires to capture the dreamlike sense of summertime warmth evoked by this magical track from the Side Two Medley of the Beatles masterpiece, Abbey Road, where it is perfectly sandwiched between “You Never Give Me Your Money” and “Mean Mr. Mustard.”
Sun King was brewed with pale malted barley, wheat, oats, and rye, all grains lending a crisp, clean, complex body and palate. Much like its musical namesake it enjoys a three part harmony of Belgian yeast character, a touch of coriander, and dried citrus peel. Our chosen combination of lemon, lime, orange, and grapefruit peel offers complexity in the finish of this delicate beer without any one aspect dominating the overall composition. Light, dry, very effervescent, and moderate in alcohol content, this is one of our most favorite summer session beers yet.
Here comes the sun king
Everybody’s laughing
Everybody’s happy
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Cambridge Brewing Company
Alcohol: 4.00%
Serving: Tap
Style: Witbier, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 4.0 | Smell: 4.0 | Taste: 4.5 | Mouthfeel: 4.0 | Drinkability: 5.0
Overall: 4.3
Sun King pours a very nice, moderately cloudy, straw golden. It's topped by a thin white head that fades to a film leaving patches of lace. The aroma is grainy with notes of peppery spice, citrus, and powdery yeast.
This beer is very tasty. It is clean upfront with banana and citrus flavors in the center. The sweetness mellows in the finish and is met by notes of peppery spice and citrus. A mild grassy bitterness makes a brief appearance just after the swallow. This beer is light-bodied, moderately carbonated, and has a crisp, mildly dry finish.
I thought that this was a mild but flavorful beer. There's a bright citric character that makes this a very refreshing summer beer.
Labels: Witbier
1166. Orchard White
Jadyn bought this beer while I was away and we had it on my first night back in Boston (March 31st).
Beer Stats:
Brewery:The Bruery
Alcohol: 5.70%
Serving: Bottle, 750, mL
Style: Witbier, BJCP Style Guide
I didn't take notes on this beer, but I remember it being a pleasant Witbier. It certainly looked nice.
Jadyn bought this beer while I was away and we had it on my first night back in Boston (March 31st).
Beer Stats:
Brewery:The Bruery
Alcohol: 5.70%
Serving: Bottle, 750, mL
Style: Witbier, BJCP Style Guide
I didn't take notes on this beer, but I remember it being a pleasant Witbier. It certainly looked nice.
Labels: Witbier
1148. UFO White
I went to a labmate's birthday party on March 13th. I had a couple of these at the party.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Harpoon Brewery
Alcohol: 4.80%
Serving: Bottle, 12 oz.
Style: Witbier, BJCP Style Guide
I didn't pay a lot of attention to this beer. It seems to be Harpoon's attempt to make a successful witbier like Blue Moon, and to cash in in that vein. It was a decent wit. It had nice spices, but was overall pretty average.
I went to a labmate's birthday party on March 13th. I had a couple of these at the party.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Harpoon Brewery
Alcohol: 4.80%
Serving: Bottle, 12 oz.
Style: Witbier, BJCP Style Guide
I didn't pay a lot of attention to this beer. It seems to be Harpoon's attempt to make a successful witbier like Blue Moon, and to cash in in that vein. It was a decent wit. It had nice spices, but was overall pretty average.
Labels: Witbier
Jadyn and I had some friends over to our apartment on Saturday June 13th. I picked up a mixed twelve-pack of Long Trail beers, two of which I hadn't had before. I had both that evening, but have reviewed each subsequently.
1027. Long Trail Belgian White
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Long Trail Brewing Company
Alcohol: 4.70%
Serving: Bottle, 12 oz.
Style: Witbier, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 3.5 | Smell: 3.5 | Taste: 3.5 | Mouthfeel: 4.0 | Drinkability: 4.0
Overall: 3.6
Long Trail's Belgian White pours a cloudy, straw color, and is topped by a bright white head that quickly fades to a film. I like the color a lot, but the head retention leaves something to be desired. The aroma is fairly mild overall, though the traditional notes of spicy coriander and citrus are there, along with notes of pepper, yeast and banana. There's also a bit of graininess present in the aroma, which, when combined with the relative lightness of the other components of the aroma hints at an inviting crispness.
Like a lot of wheat beers the malts here are predominantly grainy with a mild sweetness, but their major contribution is a crisp texture on the palate rather than a huge amount of flavor. Esters contributed by the yeast, and the traditional Wit spicing become evident in the center. There are bright citric notes of lemon and orange, notes of banana, a coriander spiciness, and a peppery finish that melds with the crisp backbone of the beer in the finish. Long Trail's Belgian White is light-bodied with a nice crispness that comes from the grainy malt backbone and the substantial carbonation. There's also a mild dryness in the finish.
Long Trail Belgian White is a decent Witbier. It's a nice refreshing summer beer, but it could use a bit more punch in the flavors from spicing.
1028. Long Trail Traditional IPA
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Long Trail Brewing Company
Alcohol: 5.90%
Serving: Bottle, 12 oz.
Style: English India Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 4.0 | Smell: 3.0 | Taste: 4.0 | Mouthfeel: 4.0 | Drinkability: 4.0
Overall: 3.8
Long Trail IPA pours a lightly hazed golden color with a hint of copper, making it a shade lighter than most other IPAs. I really like the color on this beer a lot. It's topped by a thin, sudsy white head with good, clinging lace. The aroma is fairly mild overall. There are notes of toasty and biscuity malts as well as leafy, resiny hops.
This IPA is very malt-forward, with a strong malt backbone. Initially there's a bready, caramel sweetness upfront and through the center. The finish has a nice peppery spice that plays well with the resiny hop bittereness. It's not the hoppiest IPA, but if you want a maltier beer that still has a good amount of hop flavor this IPA nails it. Long Trail's IPA is medium-bodied with prickly carbonation and a grassy dryness in the finish.
Long Trail IPA might not be the hoppiest IPA, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. This beer is the epitome of balance, with enough malts to offset, but not overpower the hop bitterness and flavors.
1027. Long Trail Belgian White
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Long Trail Brewing Company
Alcohol: 4.70%
Serving: Bottle, 12 oz.
Style: Witbier, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 3.5 | Smell: 3.5 | Taste: 3.5 | Mouthfeel: 4.0 | Drinkability: 4.0
Overall: 3.6
Long Trail's Belgian White pours a cloudy, straw color, and is topped by a bright white head that quickly fades to a film. I like the color a lot, but the head retention leaves something to be desired. The aroma is fairly mild overall, though the traditional notes of spicy coriander and citrus are there, along with notes of pepper, yeast and banana. There's also a bit of graininess present in the aroma, which, when combined with the relative lightness of the other components of the aroma hints at an inviting crispness.
Like a lot of wheat beers the malts here are predominantly grainy with a mild sweetness, but their major contribution is a crisp texture on the palate rather than a huge amount of flavor. Esters contributed by the yeast, and the traditional Wit spicing become evident in the center. There are bright citric notes of lemon and orange, notes of banana, a coriander spiciness, and a peppery finish that melds with the crisp backbone of the beer in the finish. Long Trail's Belgian White is light-bodied with a nice crispness that comes from the grainy malt backbone and the substantial carbonation. There's also a mild dryness in the finish.
Long Trail Belgian White is a decent Witbier. It's a nice refreshing summer beer, but it could use a bit more punch in the flavors from spicing.
1028. Long Trail Traditional IPA
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Long Trail Brewing Company
Alcohol: 5.90%
Serving: Bottle, 12 oz.
Style: English India Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 4.0 | Smell: 3.0 | Taste: 4.0 | Mouthfeel: 4.0 | Drinkability: 4.0
Overall: 3.8
Long Trail IPA pours a lightly hazed golden color with a hint of copper, making it a shade lighter than most other IPAs. I really like the color on this beer a lot. It's topped by a thin, sudsy white head with good, clinging lace. The aroma is fairly mild overall. There are notes of toasty and biscuity malts as well as leafy, resiny hops.
This IPA is very malt-forward, with a strong malt backbone. Initially there's a bready, caramel sweetness upfront and through the center. The finish has a nice peppery spice that plays well with the resiny hop bittereness. It's not the hoppiest IPA, but if you want a maltier beer that still has a good amount of hop flavor this IPA nails it. Long Trail's IPA is medium-bodied with prickly carbonation and a grassy dryness in the finish.
Long Trail IPA might not be the hoppiest IPA, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. This beer is the epitome of balance, with enough malts to offset, but not overpower the hop bitterness and flavors.
Labels: English IPA, Witbier
This is the final set of beers that I tasted at the 2009 Beer Advocate Extreme Beer Fest.
Overall I thought the fest was fun. Going with friends from lab was a different experience, more focused on drunkeness than times I've been with David and Win.
981. Cuvee de Castleton
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Captain Lawrence Brewing Co.
Alcohol: 8.00%
Style: American Wild Ale
Pours a cloudy, straw golden. The aroma is acidic and sour with a light graininess and citric hints. There's a nice sour backbone running throughout the beer with notes of citrus and grape fruitiness. The finish has a nice dry character.
982. Tröegs Mad Elf
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Tröegs Brewing Company
Alcohol: 11.00%
Style: Belgian Strong Dark Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a cloudy, dark amber. Topped by fizzy, soda-like carbonation. Sweet malts in the aroma: toffee and candi sugar. The taste is much like the aroma with a spicy alcohol in the finish.
983. Magic Hat Wild Ginger
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Magic Hat Brewing Company
Alcohol: 5.00%
Style: Herbed/Spiced Beer, BJCP Style Guide
Ginger was added to this beer once during primary fermentation and once after fermentation was complete. It poured a dark copper. The aroma was dominated by ginger. There were mild caramel malts before the spiciness of the ginger took over.
984. Rosso e Marrone
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Captain Lawrence Brewing Co.
Alcohol: ?
Style: Flanders Oud Bruin, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a cloudy, reddish amber. The aroma is acidic and hints at the sourness to come. There's a nice tart acidity throughout over a backbone of fruity characters.
985. Plead the 5th
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Dark Horse Brewing Company
Alcohol: 12.00%
Style: Russian Imperial Stout, BJCP Style Guide
Pours an opaque, dark black. The aroma is roast with notes of coffee. Dark roasted malts give a chocolate and fruity sweetness upfront, and a coffee bitterness in the finish.
986. Behemoth Blonde Barleywine
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Three Floyds Brewing Co.
Alcohol: 12.50%
Style: American Barleywine, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a clear copper. There are notes of citrus and fruit as well as caramel malts in the aroma. Caramel and raw sugar malt notes upfront, followed by a leafy and citric hop flavors in the finish. Overall the malts come through as only lightly sweet.
987. Samuel Adams Imperial White
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Boston Beer Company
Alcohol: 9.00%
Style: Witbier, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a hazy golden. Standard witbier aroma: coriander, orange peel, Belgian yeast. The flavor profile is much the same with a nice spiciness in the finish.
988. Scotty Karate Scottish Ale
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Dark Horse Brewing Company
Alcohol: 9.75%
Style: Scotch Ale / Wee Heavy, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a hazy, dark amber-brown. The aroma is malty: caramel, molasses. Malty throughout the palate. Notes of caramel, toffee, hints of chocolate, and a lightly bitter finish.
989. Dry-Hopped 2008 Double Bastard Ale
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Stone Brewing Co.
Alcohol: 10.50%
Style: American Strong Ale
Double Bastard dry-hopped with Columbus and Amarillo hops. Pours a hazed copper. Sweet malts are evident in the aroma, as well as strong resiny hops. The flavors were similar. My notes were minimal because I was pretty drunk at that point.
Overall I thought the fest was fun. Going with friends from lab was a different experience, more focused on drunkeness than times I've been with David and Win.
981. Cuvee de Castleton
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Captain Lawrence Brewing Co.
Alcohol: 8.00%
Style: American Wild Ale
Pours a cloudy, straw golden. The aroma is acidic and sour with a light graininess and citric hints. There's a nice sour backbone running throughout the beer with notes of citrus and grape fruitiness. The finish has a nice dry character.
982. Tröegs Mad Elf
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Tröegs Brewing Company
Alcohol: 11.00%
Style: Belgian Strong Dark Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a cloudy, dark amber. Topped by fizzy, soda-like carbonation. Sweet malts in the aroma: toffee and candi sugar. The taste is much like the aroma with a spicy alcohol in the finish.
983. Magic Hat Wild Ginger
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Magic Hat Brewing Company
Alcohol: 5.00%
Style: Herbed/Spiced Beer, BJCP Style Guide
Ginger was added to this beer once during primary fermentation and once after fermentation was complete. It poured a dark copper. The aroma was dominated by ginger. There were mild caramel malts before the spiciness of the ginger took over.
984. Rosso e Marrone
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Captain Lawrence Brewing Co.
Alcohol: ?
Style: Flanders Oud Bruin, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a cloudy, reddish amber. The aroma is acidic and hints at the sourness to come. There's a nice tart acidity throughout over a backbone of fruity characters.
985. Plead the 5th
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Dark Horse Brewing Company
Alcohol: 12.00%
Style: Russian Imperial Stout, BJCP Style Guide
Pours an opaque, dark black. The aroma is roast with notes of coffee. Dark roasted malts give a chocolate and fruity sweetness upfront, and a coffee bitterness in the finish.
986. Behemoth Blonde Barleywine
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Three Floyds Brewing Co.
Alcohol: 12.50%
Style: American Barleywine, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a clear copper. There are notes of citrus and fruit as well as caramel malts in the aroma. Caramel and raw sugar malt notes upfront, followed by a leafy and citric hop flavors in the finish. Overall the malts come through as only lightly sweet.
987. Samuel Adams Imperial White
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Boston Beer Company
Alcohol: 9.00%
Style: Witbier, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a hazy golden. Standard witbier aroma: coriander, orange peel, Belgian yeast. The flavor profile is much the same with a nice spiciness in the finish.
988. Scotty Karate Scottish Ale
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Dark Horse Brewing Company
Alcohol: 9.75%
Style: Scotch Ale / Wee Heavy, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a hazy, dark amber-brown. The aroma is malty: caramel, molasses. Malty throughout the palate. Notes of caramel, toffee, hints of chocolate, and a lightly bitter finish.
989. Dry-Hopped 2008 Double Bastard Ale
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Stone Brewing Co.
Alcohol: 10.50%
Style: American Strong Ale
Double Bastard dry-hopped with Columbus and Amarillo hops. Pours a hazed copper. Sweet malts are evident in the aroma, as well as strong resiny hops. The flavors were similar. My notes were minimal because I was pretty drunk at that point.
Labels: American Barleywine, American Wild Ale, Beer Fests, Belgian Strong Dark Ale, Flanders Oud Bruin, Herbed/Spiced Beer, Russian Imperial Stout, Scotch Ale/Wee Heavy, Witbier
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
After eating dinner at Cafe Polonia David, Win and I went to Deep Ellum for more beer. Deep Ellum was a planned stop about a year ago when David and Dave came up to visit on St. Patrick's Day, but we never made it then because of numerous detours to bars of lesser quality, and serious inebriation. We were in much better shape when we set out for Deep Ellum this year, and were in comparatively better shape when we finished up our night this year, though not by much. These beers were again split three ways, so therefore no ratings.
I need to start making notes about the bars that I go to, because I remember being impressed by the atmosphere at Deep Ellum, but I don't remember much of it now.
793. Two-Headed Beast
Beer Stats:
Brewery: High and Mighty Brewing Co.
Alcohol: 6.00%
Serving: Tap
Style: Foreign / Export Stout, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a deep black with a thick, dark brown head that leaves sheets of lace. The aroma is all roasted malts with nice hints of chocolate and a slight metallic note. Sweet malts, with notes of chocolate and dart fruit that move through to a sharp finish with a light roasted bitterness and a bit of coffee. Thick feeling on the palate, high carbonation. I was a fan of this one.
794. Sixpoint Diesel
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Sixpoint Craft Ales
Alcohol: 6.60%
Serving: Tap
Style: American Stout, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a dark brownish-ruby. Topped by a beige head that fades to a thin film. The aroma was surprisingly fruity, almost a grape soda-like aroma, though there was some good roastiness as well. The flavors were lightly fruity and sweet through the center with a sharp finish with not much bitterness. I thought this one was a tad sweet.
795. Gritty's Black Fly Stout
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Gritty McDuff's Brewing Company
Alcohol: 4.10%
Serving: Tap
Style: Irish Dry Stout, BJCP Style Guide
Dark black in color, with amber edges. A dense, creamy, beige head sits atop the beer leaving plentiful lace. The aroma is a nice mix of coffee and fruit with a faint buttery character. The sweetness is held in check by a nice roasty character throughout. There are hints of coffee, but it's not overwhelming or obvious. Smooth, medium-bodied, lightly carbonated.
796. Grey Lady
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Cisco Brewers Inc.
Alcohol: ?
Serving: Tap
Style: Witbier, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a hazy golden with a merengue-like, white head that leaves nice lace. Lots of coriander in the nose, with additional notes of citrus and yeast. Lightly sweet malts, nice notes of citrus and coriander, lightly grainy in the finish with hints of pepper and a lingering sweetness. Light-bodied with moderate carbonation.
797. Aecht Schlenkerla Helles Laberbier
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brauerei Heller-Trum
Alcohol: 4.30%
Serving: Bottle
Style: Munich Helles Lager, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a clear, golden with a white, film of a head that leaves thick lace. The aroma is predominantly smoky, but notes of graininess appear upon swirling. There are sweet and grainy malts throughout. The finish is smoy with a moderate, leafy, hop bitterness.
798. Thomas Hooker American Pale Ale
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Thomas Hooker Ales & Lagers
Alcohol: 5.40%
Serving: Bottle
Style: American Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a clear copper. The head thins to a white film, leaving plentiful lace. The aroma is citric and leafy hops with some bready and sweet malts underneath. The flavor is overly sweet, lots of malt with a citric hop bitterness. Pretty bland overall.
799. Saison d'Epeautre
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brasserie de Blaugies
Alcohol: 6.00%
Serving: Bottle
Style: Saison, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a hazy straw-golden with lts of yeast particles floating around. The thick white head retains well. Grainy, citrus, fruit in the aroma. Not too sweet. Neutral maltiness upfront with notes of citrus and banana in the center. There isn't a lot of bitterness, but the beer isn't so sweet that it needs it. Light-bodied, highly carbonated with a dryish finish.
I need to start making notes about the bars that I go to, because I remember being impressed by the atmosphere at Deep Ellum, but I don't remember much of it now.
793. Two-Headed Beast
Beer Stats:
Brewery: High and Mighty Brewing Co.
Alcohol: 6.00%
Serving: Tap
Style: Foreign / Export Stout, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a deep black with a thick, dark brown head that leaves sheets of lace. The aroma is all roasted malts with nice hints of chocolate and a slight metallic note. Sweet malts, with notes of chocolate and dart fruit that move through to a sharp finish with a light roasted bitterness and a bit of coffee. Thick feeling on the palate, high carbonation. I was a fan of this one.
794. Sixpoint Diesel
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Sixpoint Craft Ales
Alcohol: 6.60%
Serving: Tap
Style: American Stout, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a dark brownish-ruby. Topped by a beige head that fades to a thin film. The aroma was surprisingly fruity, almost a grape soda-like aroma, though there was some good roastiness as well. The flavors were lightly fruity and sweet through the center with a sharp finish with not much bitterness. I thought this one was a tad sweet.
795. Gritty's Black Fly Stout
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Gritty McDuff's Brewing Company
Alcohol: 4.10%
Serving: Tap
Style: Irish Dry Stout, BJCP Style Guide
Dark black in color, with amber edges. A dense, creamy, beige head sits atop the beer leaving plentiful lace. The aroma is a nice mix of coffee and fruit with a faint buttery character. The sweetness is held in check by a nice roasty character throughout. There are hints of coffee, but it's not overwhelming or obvious. Smooth, medium-bodied, lightly carbonated.
796. Grey Lady
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Cisco Brewers Inc.
Alcohol: ?
Serving: Tap
Style: Witbier, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a hazy golden with a merengue-like, white head that leaves nice lace. Lots of coriander in the nose, with additional notes of citrus and yeast. Lightly sweet malts, nice notes of citrus and coriander, lightly grainy in the finish with hints of pepper and a lingering sweetness. Light-bodied with moderate carbonation.
797. Aecht Schlenkerla Helles Laberbier
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brauerei Heller-Trum
Alcohol: 4.30%
Serving: Bottle
Style: Munich Helles Lager, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a clear, golden with a white, film of a head that leaves thick lace. The aroma is predominantly smoky, but notes of graininess appear upon swirling. There are sweet and grainy malts throughout. The finish is smoy with a moderate, leafy, hop bitterness.
798. Thomas Hooker American Pale Ale
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Thomas Hooker Ales & Lagers
Alcohol: 5.40%
Serving: Bottle
Style: American Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a clear copper. The head thins to a white film, leaving plentiful lace. The aroma is citric and leafy hops with some bready and sweet malts underneath. The flavor is overly sweet, lots of malt with a citric hop bitterness. Pretty bland overall.
799. Saison d'Epeautre
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brasserie de Blaugies
Alcohol: 6.00%
Serving: Bottle
Style: Saison, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a hazy straw-golden with lts of yeast particles floating around. The thick white head retains well. Grainy, citrus, fruit in the aroma. Not too sweet. Neutral maltiness upfront with notes of citrus and banana in the center. There isn't a lot of bitterness, but the beer isn't so sweet that it needs it. Light-bodied, highly carbonated with a dryish finish.
Labels: American Pale Ale, American Stout, Export Stout, Irish Dry Stout, Munich Helles Lager, Saison, Witbier
Win had mentioned that one of his coworkers was also a bartender at a new beer bar/brewpub in Waco called The Dancing Bear Pub. This was exciting because Cricket's, Waco's other beer bar, focuses more on imports than on craft beer (though there are some good craft options). Waco is already "Chain Restaurant Hell" so it's nice to see something -anything- open that isn't a chain. That's not to say there aren't good non-chain restaurants in Waco , there are (Bangkok Royal has some of the best Thai food I've had anywhere), but the most popular restaurants seem to be chains, and the citizenry only seems to be clamoring for more chains. Enough bitching about Waco though.
The Dancing Bear opened recently, and as a consequence doesn't yet have the permits from the TABC for brewing. According to the menu there will be 5 beers: Dancing Bear Pale, an American Pale Ale; Black Bear Stout, an Irish Dry Stout; 12th Street Wheat, an American Pale Wheat Ale; Barron Estates IPA; and 76 Magnum IPA, a Double IPA. I was a little disappointed the brewery wasn't up and running yet, because I don't know when I'll be back to Waco. Unless something comes up between now and then it won't be until next Christmas.
The Dancing Bear is near the intersection of 12th St. and Speight Avenue near the Baylor campus. The outside isn't much, it's half of a small building with two retail spaces. The other half is a restaurant called "Food for Thought." I've never been, but you can order their food at the bar.
The inside is much nicer. There was a long bench along the left side of the bar with tables and chairs next to it. There were booths along the right side of the bar and taller tables and chairs on the right side at the rear. The walls were half wood-paneled with greenish-beige paint on the top half. The bar was lit by hanging lights, that were somewhat dim, but could have been dimmer. The walls were a little bare. They had some stuff up, but it definitely looked a bit sparse. There was an L-shaped bar with shelving against the wall displaying a variety of bottles. It was raining, but there was a large fenced in patio with tables and a space for a band (live jazz on Thursdays) out back.
The inside is nicer. The night I went it wasn't crowded, a few people at the bar and a few at a table. I think Win said that the other times he's been it's been busier, but this was the first day it was open after Christmas. Maybe it's sampling error, but it seemed to attract the Waco hipster crowd.
Click for a larger image:
There were about 18 taps and about 50 or 60 bottles available, with a lot of good, craft breweries represented like Real Ale, Great Divide, Avery, Left Hand, Sierra Nevada, Anchor, Victory, New Belgium, Chimay, Unibroue, Allagash, Bear Republic, Ommegang, Dogfish Head, Rogue and Stone.
I didn't have much interaction with the bartenders, but on previous trips Win was given samples to help him decide on what to order, so the service seems pretty good.
750. Sisyphus
I like to try Texas beers that I haven't had before when I'm back home so I started out the evening with a pint of Real Ale Sisyphus, a barleywine.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Real Ale Brewing Company
Alcohol: 11.20%
Serving: Tap
Style: American Barleywine, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a hazed amber-copper with a beige head that thins to a film leaving patches of lace.
Smell (3.5): Light overall, dark fruit, a nice caramel maltiness, and hints of alcohol.
Taste (3.5): Sweet caramel malts, vague notes of dark fruit. The finish has a bit of citrus character, with notes of earth and a moderate bitterness. The alcohol is well hidden.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Full-bodied, moderate carbonation, creamy.
Drinkability (3.5): Sweet, and a little strong. Could have used a little more hops.
Overall (3.65): I really liked the maltiness in this beer, but I thought it could have used a bit more hop bitterness.
751. Mothership Wit
New Belgium doesn't distribute to Massachusetts, so I always try to have any new offerings that I see.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: New Belgium Brewing
Alcohol: 4.80%
Serving: Tap
Style: Witbier, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.5): This beer might seem a bit pale for some, but this is exactly how I think a witbier hould look. Pours a pale, hazy straw-golden. The head thins to a film leaving wispy lace.
Smell (4.0): Banana, clove, coriander. A bit of grain as well.
Taste (3.5): Upfront graininess. Light sweet fruitiness, banana, clove, coriander, citrus, and powdery yeast.
Mouthfeel (3.5): Light-bodies and powdery.
Drinkability (4.5): Flavorful, but very drinkable.
Overall (3.9): I thought this was a good witbier. It could have used a bit more boldness in the flavor department, but it was still quite tasty.
294. Shade Grown Coffee Porter
Another great beer that I only get in when I'm in Texas.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Real Ale Brewing Company
Alcohol: 6.30%
Serving: Tap
Style: American Porter, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.5): Pours black with amber tints at the edges. The beige head thins to a film leaving no lace.
Smell (4.0): The nose is predominantly coffee, with some chocolate.
Taste (4.5): Sweet chocolate and dark fruit flavors. The finish is a nice roasted, coffee bitterness with a bit of lingering fruitiness.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Medium-bodied, moderately high carbonation. Some graininess.
Drinkability (4.5): Very tasty.
Overall (4.35): One of my favorite coffee porters, it has a nice coffee flavors without beating you over the head with it.
The Dancing Bear opened recently, and as a consequence doesn't yet have the permits from the TABC for brewing. According to the menu there will be 5 beers: Dancing Bear Pale, an American Pale Ale; Black Bear Stout, an Irish Dry Stout; 12th Street Wheat, an American Pale Wheat Ale; Barron Estates IPA; and 76 Magnum IPA, a Double IPA. I was a little disappointed the brewery wasn't up and running yet, because I don't know when I'll be back to Waco. Unless something comes up between now and then it won't be until next Christmas.
The Dancing Bear is near the intersection of 12th St. and Speight Avenue near the Baylor campus. The outside isn't much, it's half of a small building with two retail spaces. The other half is a restaurant called "Food for Thought." I've never been, but you can order their food at the bar.
The inside is much nicer. There was a long bench along the left side of the bar with tables and chairs next to it. There were booths along the right side of the bar and taller tables and chairs on the right side at the rear. The walls were half wood-paneled with greenish-beige paint on the top half. The bar was lit by hanging lights, that were somewhat dim, but could have been dimmer. The walls were a little bare. They had some stuff up, but it definitely looked a bit sparse. There was an L-shaped bar with shelving against the wall displaying a variety of bottles. It was raining, but there was a large fenced in patio with tables and a space for a band (live jazz on Thursdays) out back.
The inside is nicer. The night I went it wasn't crowded, a few people at the bar and a few at a table. I think Win said that the other times he's been it's been busier, but this was the first day it was open after Christmas. Maybe it's sampling error, but it seemed to attract the Waco hipster crowd.
Click for a larger image:
There were about 18 taps and about 50 or 60 bottles available, with a lot of good, craft breweries represented like Real Ale, Great Divide, Avery, Left Hand, Sierra Nevada, Anchor, Victory, New Belgium, Chimay, Unibroue, Allagash, Bear Republic, Ommegang, Dogfish Head, Rogue and Stone.
I didn't have much interaction with the bartenders, but on previous trips Win was given samples to help him decide on what to order, so the service seems pretty good.
750. Sisyphus
I like to try Texas beers that I haven't had before when I'm back home so I started out the evening with a pint of Real Ale Sisyphus, a barleywine.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Real Ale Brewing Company
Alcohol: 11.20%
Serving: Tap
Style: American Barleywine, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a hazed amber-copper with a beige head that thins to a film leaving patches of lace.
Smell (3.5): Light overall, dark fruit, a nice caramel maltiness, and hints of alcohol.
Taste (3.5): Sweet caramel malts, vague notes of dark fruit. The finish has a bit of citrus character, with notes of earth and a moderate bitterness. The alcohol is well hidden.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Full-bodied, moderate carbonation, creamy.
Drinkability (3.5): Sweet, and a little strong. Could have used a little more hops.
Overall (3.65): I really liked the maltiness in this beer, but I thought it could have used a bit more hop bitterness.
751. Mothership Wit
New Belgium doesn't distribute to Massachusetts, so I always try to have any new offerings that I see.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: New Belgium Brewing
Alcohol: 4.80%
Serving: Tap
Style: Witbier, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.5): This beer might seem a bit pale for some, but this is exactly how I think a witbier hould look. Pours a pale, hazy straw-golden. The head thins to a film leaving wispy lace.
Smell (4.0): Banana, clove, coriander. A bit of grain as well.
Taste (3.5): Upfront graininess. Light sweet fruitiness, banana, clove, coriander, citrus, and powdery yeast.
Mouthfeel (3.5): Light-bodies and powdery.
Drinkability (4.5): Flavorful, but very drinkable.
Overall (3.9): I thought this was a good witbier. It could have used a bit more boldness in the flavor department, but it was still quite tasty.
294. Shade Grown Coffee Porter
Another great beer that I only get in when I'm in Texas.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Real Ale Brewing Company
Alcohol: 6.30%
Serving: Tap
Style: American Porter, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.5): Pours black with amber tints at the edges. The beige head thins to a film leaving no lace.
Smell (4.0): The nose is predominantly coffee, with some chocolate.
Taste (4.5): Sweet chocolate and dark fruit flavors. The finish is a nice roasted, coffee bitterness with a bit of lingering fruitiness.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Medium-bodied, moderately high carbonation. Some graininess.
Drinkability (4.5): Very tasty.
Overall (4.35): One of my favorite coffee porters, it has a nice coffee flavors without beating you over the head with it.
Labels: American Barleywine, American Porter, New Belgium Brewing, Real Ale Brewing Company, Witbier
I apologize for the tardiness of this post. Over a month and a half late, I'm beginning to feel like Ward.
Jadyn and I went to the afternoon session of Beer Advocate's Belgian Beer Fest on the 27th of October. We arrived early enough to be within a half-block of the doors. This year's fest seemed less crowded than last year's. The middle row of booths was removed and replaced with seating. Overall I think this was an improvement, there's still more than enough variety and it's far less crowded.
As with other fests the notes are more general, abbreviated and are probably to be trusted less as the fest progresses.
715. Ommegang Chocolate Indulgence Stout
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brewery Ommegang
Alcohol: ?
Style: Belgian Strong Dark Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Pours an opaque black, with a foamy brown head. Aroma is roasty with dark fruit and chocolate. Sweet, stoutish roastiness, dark fruit, chocolate, with a roasty bitterness in the finish.
716. The Lost Abbey Mother Pucker
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Port Brewing Company/The Lost Abbey
Alcohol: ?
Style: Fruit Lambic, BJCP Style Guide
This is an apricot lambic-style beer. Pours a hazy straw color with a wispy white head. The aroma is strong apricots with a funky aroma underneath. Sour, but has a nice sweet-apricot flavor. Mild earthiness in the finish. Nice and dry. One of my favorites from the fest.
717. Brooklyn Abbey Singel
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brooklyn Brewery
Alcohol: 6.00%
Style: Belgian Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a hazy straw. Fizzy white head. Aroma is fruity: bananas, clove, Belgian yeast. Crisp maltiness, followed by characteristic Belgian yeast fruitiness, and a peppery graininess in the finish.
718. Bam Noire
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales
Alcohol: 4.30%
Style: Saison, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a clearish brown, topped by a beige head. The aroma is predominantly Brett, with a light fruitiness underneath. The flavor is predominantly Brettanomyces with a roasty finish. An odd combination, but interesting.
719. Cantillon Lambic Aged in Cognac Casks
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brasserie Cantillon
Year: March 2005
Alcohol: 5.00%
Style: Unblended Lambic, BJCP Style Guide
A rare Cantillon, I had to try it. Looks much like the Gueuze, hazy straw colored with a faint head. The aroma is smooth, with the cognac making the funkiness less powerful. The beer is still sour, but is smoothed out nicely by the cognac flavors. This was tasty, but I still prefer the bright sourness and earthy funkiness of the original.
720. Ommegang Abbey Tripel
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brewery Ommegang
Alcohol: ?
Style: Tripel, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a hazy, light-golden with a wispy white head. The aroma is fruity with bananas predominating, also notes of grain and more substantial malt (caramel maybe). Sweet malts and the banana heavy Belgian yeast profile. The finish is peppery with a light bitterness.
721. Black Jacob
Beer Stats:
Brewery: American Flatbread Burlington Hearth
Alcohol: 5.50%
Style: Saison, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a brown color, topped by a beige film. The aroma is yeasty, grainy and roasty. Toasty, dark fruit, with a roasty finish. I like Saisons with a little bit of earty/funky flavors that I felt that this one was lacking.
722. Dogfish Head Red & White
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
Alcohol: 10.00%
Style: Witbier, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a hazy red with a very light, pink, foamy film. Aroma is fruity, yeasty, Witbier characters seem muted. Malty upfront, moves into a fruity center with a citric bite and a peppery finish.
723. De Ranke Père Noël
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij De Ranke
Alcohol: 7.00%
Style: Belgian Strong Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a very cloudy, light amber. White film of a head. Mellowed hop aroma with a hint of fruitiness. Light bready sweetness upfront, moves through a fruity center before a pleasantly hoppy finish.
724. Kasteel Rouge
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Van Honsebrouck N.V.
Alcohol: 8.00%
Style: Fruit Beer, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a light red with a fizzy pink head. Cherry smell with only a little bit of tartness. Sweet cherry flavors throughout with minimal tartness. I remember being unimpressed.
725. Smuttynose Brett & I
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Smuttynose Brewing Company
Alcohol: 7.00%
Style: Belgian Strong Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
A beer brewed with Brettanomyces, I had to try it. Pours a hazy golden, topped by a smooth, filmy head that leaves sheets of lace. The aroma is characteristic Brettanomyces with some nice medicinal characters. Toasty upfront, clean, light sweetness in the center, and an herbal, bitter finish with a hint of Brett.
726. Lost Abbey Veritas 002
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Port Brewing Company/The Lost Abbey
Alcohol: ?
Style: Belgian Strong Dark Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Hazy brown, beige ring lines the glass. The aroma is earth raspberries and tart medicinals. Lightly sweet raspberries, earthy and malty.
727. Dogfish Head Fluckey's Fest
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
Alcohol: ?
Style: Fruit Beer, BJCP Style Guide
From the website
728. Infusco
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Rock Art Brewery
Alcohol: 8.00%
Style: Belgian Strong Dark Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Dark brown with a faint, beige ring of a head, can see floating aggregates. The aroma is sweet, candi sugar with a light phenolic touch. Sweet, chocolatey, lightly sharp medicinal finish.
729. Sixpoint Belgian Rye-PA
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Sixpoint Craft Ales
Alcohol: 7.70%
Style: Belgian IPA
Pours a hazy amber. Topped by a sudsy beige head. Aroma is peppery spice with a touch of sweetness. Toasty upfront with a sweet center. The finish is spicy and hoppy.
730. Ølfabrikken Abbey Ale
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Ølfabrikken
Alcohol: 8.50%
Style: Dubbel, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a cloudy brown with floating particles. The aroma is of sweet, dark fruit. High carbonation upfront, sweet caramel malts, apricot fruitiness. Sweet, but very nice.
731. Urthel Vlaemse Bock
Beer Stats:
Brewery: De Leyerth Brouwerijen
Alcohol: 9.00%
Style: Belgian Strong Dark Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a clear, brown amber with a sudsy beige head that leaves sheets of lace. The aroma is very malty: butterscotch, caramel, dark fruit. Lightly sweet upfront (flavors the same as the aromas). The finish is lightly grainy and bitter.
732. Nøgne Ø Saison
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Nøgne Ø - det kompromissløse bryggeri
Alcohol: 6.50%
Style: Saison, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a very cloudy straw-golden topped by a white sudsy head. Funky aroma with tart citrus. Bready, citrus, funky and bitter. I liked this one, it's hard to find a saison with a good amount of funk to it.
733. Troublette
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brasserie Caracole
Alcohol: 5.00%
Style: Witbier, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a very cloudy straw color. The aroma is soda like with lots of citrus and fruit. Carbonation is high, grainy, citrus, banana, fairly sweet.
734. Weyerbacher Quad
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Weyerbacher Brewing Co.
Alcohol: 12.20%
Style: Quadrupel, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a hazy amber with a beige head. Lightly fruity aroma with some nice malts. Very smooth, malty with some nice dark fruit.
735. Gouden Carolus Ambrio
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Het Anker
Alcohol: 8.00%
Style: Belgian Strong Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a hazed amber with a fuzzy, beige head. The aroma is a nice mix of malty and fruity. Sweet upfront, nice maltiness with some hints of fruit. Lightly bitter finish. Moderately carbonated.
736. Malheur Brut Noir
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij De Landtsheer
Alcohol: 12.00%
Style: Bière de Champagne / Bière Brut
Pours a hazy brown with a light brown head. Aroma is tart with a bit of roastiness. Sweet throughout, finish is fruity.
737. Sixpoint Belgian IPA
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Sixpoint Craft Ales
Alcohol: 6.00%
Style: Belgian IPA
Hazy golden. Sweet fruity aroma, citrus and banana. Sweet banana fruitiness. Light, citric, hop bitterness in the finish.
738. Harpoon Munich Dark Barrel Age: The Funk
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Harpoon Brewery
Alcohol: ?
Style: American Wild Ale
Pours a clear brown with a hint of amber. The aroma is sour and Brett-like. Light flavors at the onset, but moves into a nice fruity sourness. The finish is dry.
739. Harpoon Quad
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Harpoon Brewery
Alcohol:?
Style: Quadrupel, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a hazy amber with a beige head. Aroma is malty and fruity with a hint of bananas. Flavor is Belgian yeast fruitiness, banana, alcoholic spice, peppery.
Jadyn and I went to the afternoon session of Beer Advocate's Belgian Beer Fest on the 27th of October. We arrived early enough to be within a half-block of the doors. This year's fest seemed less crowded than last year's. The middle row of booths was removed and replaced with seating. Overall I think this was an improvement, there's still more than enough variety and it's far less crowded.
As with other fests the notes are more general, abbreviated and are probably to be trusted less as the fest progresses.
715. Ommegang Chocolate Indulgence Stout
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brewery Ommegang
Alcohol: ?
Style: Belgian Strong Dark Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Pours an opaque black, with a foamy brown head. Aroma is roasty with dark fruit and chocolate. Sweet, stoutish roastiness, dark fruit, chocolate, with a roasty bitterness in the finish.
716. The Lost Abbey Mother Pucker
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Port Brewing Company/The Lost Abbey
Alcohol: ?
Style: Fruit Lambic, BJCP Style Guide
This is an apricot lambic-style beer. Pours a hazy straw color with a wispy white head. The aroma is strong apricots with a funky aroma underneath. Sour, but has a nice sweet-apricot flavor. Mild earthiness in the finish. Nice and dry. One of my favorites from the fest.
717. Brooklyn Abbey Singel
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brooklyn Brewery
Alcohol: 6.00%
Style: Belgian Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a hazy straw. Fizzy white head. Aroma is fruity: bananas, clove, Belgian yeast. Crisp maltiness, followed by characteristic Belgian yeast fruitiness, and a peppery graininess in the finish.
718. Bam Noire
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales
Alcohol: 4.30%
Style: Saison, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a clearish brown, topped by a beige head. The aroma is predominantly Brett, with a light fruitiness underneath. The flavor is predominantly Brettanomyces with a roasty finish. An odd combination, but interesting.
719. Cantillon Lambic Aged in Cognac Casks
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brasserie Cantillon
Year: March 2005
Alcohol: 5.00%
Style: Unblended Lambic, BJCP Style Guide
A rare Cantillon, I had to try it. Looks much like the Gueuze, hazy straw colored with a faint head. The aroma is smooth, with the cognac making the funkiness less powerful. The beer is still sour, but is smoothed out nicely by the cognac flavors. This was tasty, but I still prefer the bright sourness and earthy funkiness of the original.
720. Ommegang Abbey Tripel
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brewery Ommegang
Alcohol: ?
Style: Tripel, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a hazy, light-golden with a wispy white head. The aroma is fruity with bananas predominating, also notes of grain and more substantial malt (caramel maybe). Sweet malts and the banana heavy Belgian yeast profile. The finish is peppery with a light bitterness.
721. Black Jacob
Beer Stats:
Brewery: American Flatbread Burlington Hearth
Alcohol: 5.50%
Style: Saison, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a brown color, topped by a beige film. The aroma is yeasty, grainy and roasty. Toasty, dark fruit, with a roasty finish. I like Saisons with a little bit of earty/funky flavors that I felt that this one was lacking.
722. Dogfish Head Red & White
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
Alcohol: 10.00%
Style: Witbier, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a hazy red with a very light, pink, foamy film. Aroma is fruity, yeasty, Witbier characters seem muted. Malty upfront, moves into a fruity center with a citric bite and a peppery finish.
723. De Ranke Père Noël
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij De Ranke
Alcohol: 7.00%
Style: Belgian Strong Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a very cloudy, light amber. White film of a head. Mellowed hop aroma with a hint of fruitiness. Light bready sweetness upfront, moves through a fruity center before a pleasantly hoppy finish.
724. Kasteel Rouge
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Van Honsebrouck N.V.
Alcohol: 8.00%
Style: Fruit Beer, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a light red with a fizzy pink head. Cherry smell with only a little bit of tartness. Sweet cherry flavors throughout with minimal tartness. I remember being unimpressed.
725. Smuttynose Brett & I
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Smuttynose Brewing Company
Alcohol: 7.00%
Style: Belgian Strong Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
A beer brewed with Brettanomyces, I had to try it. Pours a hazy golden, topped by a smooth, filmy head that leaves sheets of lace. The aroma is characteristic Brettanomyces with some nice medicinal characters. Toasty upfront, clean, light sweetness in the center, and an herbal, bitter finish with a hint of Brett.
726. Lost Abbey Veritas 002
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Port Brewing Company/The Lost Abbey
Alcohol: ?
Style: Belgian Strong Dark Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Hazy brown, beige ring lines the glass. The aroma is earth raspberries and tart medicinals. Lightly sweet raspberries, earthy and malty.
727. Dogfish Head Fluckey's Fest
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
Alcohol: ?
Style: Fruit Beer, BJCP Style Guide
From the website
"Admiral Fluckey's Lager was brewed with 51% Pilsner malt and 49% Chardonnay grapes, then fermented with Champagne yeast. It islow (~15 IBU’s) on the bitterness scale, a bit sweet, about 7-8% abv, with the slight acididity of a champagne. Admiral Fluckey was the first commander of the USS Dogfish (submarine) and just passed away on July 2, 2007."Pours a hazy, straw color with a white head that thins to a film. Light, clean graininess in the aroma. Fruity, you can taste the grapes. Moves through to a lightly grainy finish.
728. Infusco
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Rock Art Brewery
Alcohol: 8.00%
Style: Belgian Strong Dark Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Dark brown with a faint, beige ring of a head, can see floating aggregates. The aroma is sweet, candi sugar with a light phenolic touch. Sweet, chocolatey, lightly sharp medicinal finish.
729. Sixpoint Belgian Rye-PA
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Sixpoint Craft Ales
Alcohol: 7.70%
Style: Belgian IPA
Pours a hazy amber. Topped by a sudsy beige head. Aroma is peppery spice with a touch of sweetness. Toasty upfront with a sweet center. The finish is spicy and hoppy.
730. Ølfabrikken Abbey Ale
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Ølfabrikken
Alcohol: 8.50%
Style: Dubbel, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a cloudy brown with floating particles. The aroma is of sweet, dark fruit. High carbonation upfront, sweet caramel malts, apricot fruitiness. Sweet, but very nice.
731. Urthel Vlaemse Bock
Beer Stats:
Brewery: De Leyerth Brouwerijen
Alcohol: 9.00%
Style: Belgian Strong Dark Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a clear, brown amber with a sudsy beige head that leaves sheets of lace. The aroma is very malty: butterscotch, caramel, dark fruit. Lightly sweet upfront (flavors the same as the aromas). The finish is lightly grainy and bitter.
732. Nøgne Ø Saison
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Nøgne Ø - det kompromissløse bryggeri
Alcohol: 6.50%
Style: Saison, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a very cloudy straw-golden topped by a white sudsy head. Funky aroma with tart citrus. Bready, citrus, funky and bitter. I liked this one, it's hard to find a saison with a good amount of funk to it.
733. Troublette
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brasserie Caracole
Alcohol: 5.00%
Style: Witbier, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a very cloudy straw color. The aroma is soda like with lots of citrus and fruit. Carbonation is high, grainy, citrus, banana, fairly sweet.
734. Weyerbacher Quad
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Weyerbacher Brewing Co.
Alcohol: 12.20%
Style: Quadrupel, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a hazy amber with a beige head. Lightly fruity aroma with some nice malts. Very smooth, malty with some nice dark fruit.
735. Gouden Carolus Ambrio
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Het Anker
Alcohol: 8.00%
Style: Belgian Strong Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a hazed amber with a fuzzy, beige head. The aroma is a nice mix of malty and fruity. Sweet upfront, nice maltiness with some hints of fruit. Lightly bitter finish. Moderately carbonated.
736. Malheur Brut Noir
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij De Landtsheer
Alcohol: 12.00%
Style: Bière de Champagne / Bière Brut
Pours a hazy brown with a light brown head. Aroma is tart with a bit of roastiness. Sweet throughout, finish is fruity.
737. Sixpoint Belgian IPA
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Sixpoint Craft Ales
Alcohol: 6.00%
Style: Belgian IPA
Hazy golden. Sweet fruity aroma, citrus and banana. Sweet banana fruitiness. Light, citric, hop bitterness in the finish.
738. Harpoon Munich Dark Barrel Age: The Funk
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Harpoon Brewery
Alcohol: ?
Style: American Wild Ale
Pours a clear brown with a hint of amber. The aroma is sour and Brett-like. Light flavors at the onset, but moves into a nice fruity sourness. The finish is dry.
739. Harpoon Quad
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Harpoon Brewery
Alcohol:?
Style: Quadrupel, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a hazy amber with a beige head. Aroma is malty and fruity with a hint of bananas. Flavor is Belgian yeast fruitiness, banana, alcoholic spice, peppery.
Labels: Beer Fests, Belgian IPA, Belgian Pale Ale, Belgian Strong Dark Ale, Belgian Strong Pale Ale, Bière de Champagne, Dubbel, Fruit Lambic, Fruit/Vegetable Beer, Saison, Tripel, Unblended Lambic, Witbier
642. Samuel Adams White Ale
I tried this last week at CCR Focus/Beer Hour. I drank it out of the bottle, so I don't have proper notes.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Boston Beer Company
Alcohol: 5.20%
Serving: Bottle, 12 oz.
Style: Witbier, BJCP Style Guide
This smells like a witbier, very strong aromas of citrus and coriander. The taste is a prototypical witbier. There's a strong citric fruitiness upfront, and a nice peppery, coriander spiciness. Overall I thought it was a little sweet, but I'm going to wait until I've properly reviewed it to say anything for sure. I might try to snag a bottle to review this week if they have it again.
I tried this last week at CCR Focus/Beer Hour. I drank it out of the bottle, so I don't have proper notes.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Boston Beer Company
Alcohol: 5.20%
Serving: Bottle, 12 oz.
Style: Witbier, BJCP Style Guide
This smells like a witbier, very strong aromas of citrus and coriander. The taste is a prototypical witbier. There's a strong citric fruitiness upfront, and a nice peppery, coriander spiciness. Overall I thought it was a little sweet, but I'm going to wait until I've properly reviewed it to say anything for sure. I might try to snag a bottle to review this week if they have it again.
Labels: Witbier
604. Half Wit
I haven't updated since Monday because I've been busy working on talk that I gave Wednesday and on lab meeting, which I gave today.
Bennett was in town visiting a friend, so after I finished up in lab tonight we met up and headed to the Cambridge Brewing Company. We waited a half-hour for a table, but had a round to pass the time Bennett and I had the Cambridge River Porter, and Beth had a Regatta Golden.
We had another round with dinner. Bennett had a Big Man Ale and Beth and I each had a Half Wit. I had a burger with cheddar and fries with mayo. Bennett and Beth split a pizza and a burger. The beer was served cool in a flared pils glass.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Cambridge Brewing Company
Alcohol: 4.70%
Serving: Tap
Style: Witbier, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (3.5): Pours a very hazy straw color with wisps of bubbles but no head.
Smell (4.0): The aroma is dominated by very strong peppery coriander. There are also some tart citric aromas with ginger undertones. There's also a light yeasty and grainy aroma.
Taste (4.0): Grainy maltiness upfront, with a citric tartness in the center that becomes pleasingly strong The finish is a strong peppery coriander spiciness with a light touch of grain.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Light-bodied with moderate carbonation.
Drinkability (4.0): Tasty, light and refreshing.
Overall (3.9): A solid witbier, spiced very nicely.
I haven't updated since Monday because I've been busy working on talk that I gave Wednesday and on lab meeting, which I gave today.
Bennett was in town visiting a friend, so after I finished up in lab tonight we met up and headed to the Cambridge Brewing Company. We waited a half-hour for a table, but had a round to pass the time Bennett and I had the Cambridge River Porter, and Beth had a Regatta Golden.
We had another round with dinner. Bennett had a Big Man Ale and Beth and I each had a Half Wit. I had a burger with cheddar and fries with mayo. Bennett and Beth split a pizza and a burger. The beer was served cool in a flared pils glass.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Cambridge Brewing Company
Alcohol: 4.70%
Serving: Tap
Style: Witbier, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (3.5): Pours a very hazy straw color with wisps of bubbles but no head.
Smell (4.0): The aroma is dominated by very strong peppery coriander. There are also some tart citric aromas with ginger undertones. There's also a light yeasty and grainy aroma.
Taste (4.0): Grainy maltiness upfront, with a citric tartness in the center that becomes pleasingly strong The finish is a strong peppery coriander spiciness with a light touch of grain.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Light-bodied with moderate carbonation.
Drinkability (4.0): Tasty, light and refreshing.
Overall (3.9): A solid witbier, spiced very nicely.
Labels: Cambridge Brewing Company, Witbier
Day Seven, West Flanders: Kortrijk, Ieper, Poperinge, Paix, Ter Posterie
Published by Unknown on Thursday, December 14, 2006 at 2:06 AM.
We had breakfast at the hostel in Brugge and then caught the train to Kortrijk. We walked around the city and saw what there was to see, which was essentially just the Stadhuis. We stopped for lunch at a restaurant called "Pomodoro, Pomodoro," where David had an alleged slice of pizza and I had salmon ravioli.
Having exhausted the tourism opportunities in Kortrijk, we decided to take to train to Ieper, rent a car and drive to some of the WWI grave sites in the surrounding countryside. The rental place was a Ford dealership on the edge of town. We were able to rent a Ford KA without any problems, though the guy thought it was weird that we just wanted it for one day. We stopped for gas (petrol!) and purchased a road atlas of Belgium. The picture below isn't the car we drove, but it gives you an idea of how small the car was.
The tiny Ford KA
We drove to various WWI cemeteries around Ieper including the German Cemetery.
WWI cemetery
WWI cemetery
WWI cemetery
WWI cemetery
A monument to Canadian soldiers
German cemetery
German cemetery
After driving to the cemeteries, which where wholly depressing, we decided to drive to Abdij St. Sixtus to see if In De Vrede, the brewery café, was open. We tried to take N8 to Westvleteren, but due to abysmal signage, we were unable to follow the road. We ended up getting lost and taking a circuitous route. Finding the abbey on the back roads was difficult as well. We eventually found it, but the café is closed on Fridays so we weren't able to get anything.
We then drove into Poperinge for dinner. The plan was to eat at Paix, which was listed in the Good Beer Guide, but the food was a little too haught. Instead we stopped at a Belgian fast food palce. I ordered a burger and fries (with mayo) and a can of Hoegaarden, and David ordered a chicken kabob with fries (with ketchup). The burger was okay, but the fries were good. As we were leaving the fast food place we saw the guy we rented the car from in line, though he didn't notice us.
We then went to Paix for a round before heading to Ieper.
565. Queue De Charrue Brune
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brasserie Vanuxeem
Alcohol: ?
Serving: Bottle, 11.2 oz.
Style: Belgian Dark Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (3.5): Pours a clear ruby with a thin brown head that fades to a sudsy film.
Smell (3.5): Notes of cherries with some medicinal phenols.
Taste (3.5): Cherry sweetness with a flash of tartness and a medicinal finish. Too sweet overall.
Mouthfeel (3.5): Medium-bodied, low carbonation, a bit syrupy.
Drinkability (3.5): Too sweet and syrupy, but otherwise not bad.
Overall (3.5)
566. Queue De Charrue Blonde
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brasserie Vanuxeem
Alcohol: 9.00%
Serving: Bottle, 11.2 oz.
Style: Belgian Strong Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a cloudy golden with a thick, white head that fades to a persistent quarter-inch layer leaving patchy lace.
Smell (3.5): Grainy with some pepper and light citrus.
Taste (4.0): Subdued fruity sweetness upfront with a peppery and grainy finish with a light bitterness.
Mouthfeel (3.5): High carbonation, light-bodied with a grainy dryness.
Drinkability (4.0): Good, sweet and spicy.
Overall (3.85)
After leaving Paix we headed to Ieper and went to Ter Posterie for a round. We were the only people in the bar aside from a large group of British people who asked if I was writing a thesis on beer, and later called us tickers under their breath.
567. Yperman
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Leroy
Alcohol: 5.50%
Serving: Bottle
Style: Belgian Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a lightly hazy amber-golden with a thin off-white head that persists as a thin layer.
Smell (3.5): Light fruit, sugar and peppery spice.
Taste (3.5): Light sweetness, fruit and toasty malts upfront. The finish is peppery with some mild bitterness.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Medium-bodied, low carbonation, lightly dry finish.
Drinkability (4.0): Decently drinkable. Not too sweet.
Overall (3.7)
568. Kuurnse Witte
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Bavik
Alcohol: 7.00%
Serving: Bottle
Style: Witbier, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a hazy golden with a thick, ecru head that fades to a thin film leaving heavy lace.
Smell (3.5): Sweet and fruity with bananas, tart orange, some sweet malt, pepper and coriander.
Taste (3.5): Sweet bananas, some orangey tartness, with a light spiciness and a light graininess in the finish.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Medium-bodied, low carbonation, dry graininess and warming alcohol.
Drinkability (3.5): Too sweet.
Overall (3.65)
Having exhausted the tourism opportunities in Kortrijk, we decided to take to train to Ieper, rent a car and drive to some of the WWI grave sites in the surrounding countryside. The rental place was a Ford dealership on the edge of town. We were able to rent a Ford KA without any problems, though the guy thought it was weird that we just wanted it for one day. We stopped for gas (petrol!) and purchased a road atlas of Belgium. The picture below isn't the car we drove, but it gives you an idea of how small the car was.
The tiny Ford KA
We drove to various WWI cemeteries around Ieper including the German Cemetery.
WWI cemetery
WWI cemetery
WWI cemetery
WWI cemetery
A monument to Canadian soldiers
German cemetery
German cemetery
After driving to the cemeteries, which where wholly depressing, we decided to drive to Abdij St. Sixtus to see if In De Vrede, the brewery café, was open. We tried to take N8 to Westvleteren, but due to abysmal signage, we were unable to follow the road. We ended up getting lost and taking a circuitous route. Finding the abbey on the back roads was difficult as well. We eventually found it, but the café is closed on Fridays so we weren't able to get anything.
We then drove into Poperinge for dinner. The plan was to eat at Paix, which was listed in the Good Beer Guide, but the food was a little too haught. Instead we stopped at a Belgian fast food palce. I ordered a burger and fries (with mayo) and a can of Hoegaarden, and David ordered a chicken kabob with fries (with ketchup). The burger was okay, but the fries were good. As we were leaving the fast food place we saw the guy we rented the car from in line, though he didn't notice us.
We then went to Paix for a round before heading to Ieper.
565. Queue De Charrue Brune
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brasserie Vanuxeem
Alcohol: ?
Serving: Bottle, 11.2 oz.
Style: Belgian Dark Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (3.5): Pours a clear ruby with a thin brown head that fades to a sudsy film.
Smell (3.5): Notes of cherries with some medicinal phenols.
Taste (3.5): Cherry sweetness with a flash of tartness and a medicinal finish. Too sweet overall.
Mouthfeel (3.5): Medium-bodied, low carbonation, a bit syrupy.
Drinkability (3.5): Too sweet and syrupy, but otherwise not bad.
Overall (3.5)
566. Queue De Charrue Blonde
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brasserie Vanuxeem
Alcohol: 9.00%
Serving: Bottle, 11.2 oz.
Style: Belgian Strong Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a cloudy golden with a thick, white head that fades to a persistent quarter-inch layer leaving patchy lace.
Smell (3.5): Grainy with some pepper and light citrus.
Taste (4.0): Subdued fruity sweetness upfront with a peppery and grainy finish with a light bitterness.
Mouthfeel (3.5): High carbonation, light-bodied with a grainy dryness.
Drinkability (4.0): Good, sweet and spicy.
Overall (3.85)
After leaving Paix we headed to Ieper and went to Ter Posterie for a round. We were the only people in the bar aside from a large group of British people who asked if I was writing a thesis on beer, and later called us tickers under their breath.
567. Yperman
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Leroy
Alcohol: 5.50%
Serving: Bottle
Style: Belgian Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a lightly hazy amber-golden with a thin off-white head that persists as a thin layer.
Smell (3.5): Light fruit, sugar and peppery spice.
Taste (3.5): Light sweetness, fruit and toasty malts upfront. The finish is peppery with some mild bitterness.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Medium-bodied, low carbonation, lightly dry finish.
Drinkability (4.0): Decently drinkable. Not too sweet.
Overall (3.7)
568. Kuurnse Witte
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Bavik
Alcohol: 7.00%
Serving: Bottle
Style: Witbier, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a hazy golden with a thick, ecru head that fades to a thin film leaving heavy lace.
Smell (3.5): Sweet and fruity with bananas, tart orange, some sweet malt, pepper and coriander.
Taste (3.5): Sweet bananas, some orangey tartness, with a light spiciness and a light graininess in the finish.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Medium-bodied, low carbonation, dry graininess and warming alcohol.
Drinkability (3.5): Too sweet.
Overall (3.65)
Labels: Belgian Dark Ale, Belgian Pale Ale, Belgian Strong Pale Ale, Belgium 2006, Travel, Witbier
After getting energy in the form of coffee and waffles, we walked to Kelk, which seemed like a grungy local bar. There was a very friendly dalmatian who came up to us. We had a round before heading on to De Garre.
555. Bourgogne Des Flandres
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Timmermans-John Martin N.V.
Alcohol: 5.00%
Serving: Bottle
Style: Flanders Red Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a clear, dark brown with ruby tints. A thick, brown head thins to a sudsy film leaving sheets of lace.
Smell (3.5): There's a sweet cherry aroma, notes of caramel and toffee, and light medicinal phenols.
Taste (3.0): Light cherry sweetness, with a bit of bitterness in the finish.
Mouthfeel (3.5): Medium-bodied, moderate carbonation.
Drinkability (3.5): Drinkable, but a bit bland.
Overall (3.4)
556. Witte Trappist
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Bierbrouwerij De Koningshoeven B.V.
Alcohol: 5.50%
Serving: Bottle, 11.2 oz.
Style: Witbier, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (3.5): Pours a clear golden with a white head that thins to a persistent layer leaving patchy lace.
Smell (3.5): Heavy notes of bananas. Swirling brings out some pepper and spice.
Taste (3.0): Lightly sweet upfront, some notes of banana. There's graininess in the center with a light peppery spice and tartness. This tastes more like a Belgian Pale Ale than a wit.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Light-bodied, moderate to low carbonation with a bit of creaminess.
Drinkability (4.0): Easy enough to drink, though not to style.
Overall (3.4)
After Kelk, we walked to De Garre, which we had a hard time finding, because the streeet it was on turned out to be a very narrow 500 year-old alley. We grabbed a table upstairs, in the alleged non-smoking section and had a round before leaving for Brugs Beertje.
557. Tripel Van Der Garre
This was served in a Garre glass at De Garre in Brugge. It came with a small bowl of piquant cheese that was quite nice.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Van Steenberge N.V.
Alcohol: 11.00%
Serving: Tap
Style: Tripel, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.5): Pours a lightly hazy golden-orange with a three-finger, off-white head with excellent retention that leaves intact sheets of lace as it fades.
Smell (4.0): Has a nice fruity smell with a blend of bananas and sour apple with a bit of pepper.
Taste (4.0): Light, but fruity with sweet bananas and sour apples. The fruitiness is balanced nicely with some spiciness and bitterness.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Light to medium-bodied, creamy, moderate carbonation.
Drinkability (4.0): Very well balanced, but watch out for the alcohol.
Overall (4.1)
558. Judas
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Alken-Maes
Alcohol: 8.50%
Serving: Bottle, 11.2 oz.
Style: Belgian Strong Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a lightly hazy golden with a huge, four-finger, white head that fades to a thin film leaving patchy lace.
Smell (3.0): Sour apples and maybe some light graininess.
Taste (2.5): Fruity sour apples with some light pepper, not much else going on.
Mouthfeel (2.5): Low carbonation reveals that this beer feels a bit thin.
Drinkability (3.0): Fine, but nothing to keep your interest.
Overall (2.95)
De Garre was pretty smoky, so we headed to Brugs Beertje next.
555. Bourgogne Des Flandres
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Timmermans-John Martin N.V.
Alcohol: 5.00%
Serving: Bottle
Style: Flanders Red Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a clear, dark brown with ruby tints. A thick, brown head thins to a sudsy film leaving sheets of lace.
Smell (3.5): There's a sweet cherry aroma, notes of caramel and toffee, and light medicinal phenols.
Taste (3.0): Light cherry sweetness, with a bit of bitterness in the finish.
Mouthfeel (3.5): Medium-bodied, moderate carbonation.
Drinkability (3.5): Drinkable, but a bit bland.
Overall (3.4)
556. Witte Trappist
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Bierbrouwerij De Koningshoeven B.V.
Alcohol: 5.50%
Serving: Bottle, 11.2 oz.
Style: Witbier, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (3.5): Pours a clear golden with a white head that thins to a persistent layer leaving patchy lace.
Smell (3.5): Heavy notes of bananas. Swirling brings out some pepper and spice.
Taste (3.0): Lightly sweet upfront, some notes of banana. There's graininess in the center with a light peppery spice and tartness. This tastes more like a Belgian Pale Ale than a wit.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Light-bodied, moderate to low carbonation with a bit of creaminess.
Drinkability (4.0): Easy enough to drink, though not to style.
Overall (3.4)
After Kelk, we walked to De Garre, which we had a hard time finding, because the streeet it was on turned out to be a very narrow 500 year-old alley. We grabbed a table upstairs, in the alleged non-smoking section and had a round before leaving for Brugs Beertje.
557. Tripel Van Der Garre
This was served in a Garre glass at De Garre in Brugge. It came with a small bowl of piquant cheese that was quite nice.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Van Steenberge N.V.
Alcohol: 11.00%
Serving: Tap
Style: Tripel, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.5): Pours a lightly hazy golden-orange with a three-finger, off-white head with excellent retention that leaves intact sheets of lace as it fades.
Smell (4.0): Has a nice fruity smell with a blend of bananas and sour apple with a bit of pepper.
Taste (4.0): Light, but fruity with sweet bananas and sour apples. The fruitiness is balanced nicely with some spiciness and bitterness.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Light to medium-bodied, creamy, moderate carbonation.
Drinkability (4.0): Very well balanced, but watch out for the alcohol.
Overall (4.1)
558. Judas
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Alken-Maes
Alcohol: 8.50%
Serving: Bottle, 11.2 oz.
Style: Belgian Strong Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a lightly hazy golden with a huge, four-finger, white head that fades to a thin film leaving patchy lace.
Smell (3.0): Sour apples and maybe some light graininess.
Taste (2.5): Fruity sour apples with some light pepper, not much else going on.
Mouthfeel (2.5): Low carbonation reveals that this beer feels a bit thin.
Drinkability (3.0): Fine, but nothing to keep your interest.
Overall (2.95)
De Garre was pretty smoky, so we headed to Brugs Beertje next.
Labels: Belgian Strong Pale Ale, Belgium 2006, Flanders Red Ale, Travel, Tripel, Witbier
Day Five, Ghent: Departure/Arrival, Aba-Jour, Gravensteen
Published by Unknown on Monday, December 11, 2006 at 9:46 PM.
We woke up, had the standard hostel breakfast and checked out. We were told that there was a labor slowdown on train service, but decided to continue on to Ghent. We went to Antwerpen Centraal and easily got on the next train to Ghent.
We arrived in Ghent and took the Number 1 Tram from the station to the area near our hostel. We checked in and took some of the free maps of Ghent. David spent five minutes trying to match up locations on two different maps becoming increasingly frustrated. One was a map of Ghent, the other was a map of Brugge.
We had decided on Aba-Jour, based on a positive description of the food in The Good Beer Guide. The bar was centered on the left wall as you entered. There were small tables filling most of the floor space. We sat towards the back at a table by the large windows that overlook the canal. Queen was playing on the stereo our entire visit. We were eating lunch fairly late so there were only a few other patrons there. Our waiter was very friendly and was more than happy to make beer and food recommendations. We also had a nice conversation about beer, the waiter was pretty interested in how Westvleteren acquired such a sought after status in America, he was also interested in American beers. He recommended Popperings Hommel Bier, which was nicely hoppy. He also recommended a beef stew made with Rodenbach and Westmalle that came with a small salad and a bowl of fries. The stew was excellent, as were the fries, which were served in a huge bowl with a nice flavored mayo for dipping. David asked for ketchup in the following exchange:
David: I know I'm a horrible American...
Waiter: No, no...
David: ...but could I get some ketchup?
Waiter: (jokingly) Yes, you are a horrible American.
The beer list was short, around 60, but the quality was pretty good. There was a nice selection of trappists, including all three Westvleteren beers. There was a nice lambic selection that included mostly authentic lambics. We had a great lunch and two rounds, before heading out.
533. Poperings Hommel Bier
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Van Eecke N.V.
Alcohol: 7.50%
Serving: Tap
Style: Belgian IPA
Appearance (4.5): Pours a hazy golden with an orange tint. A thick, white head slowly fades leaving sheets of lace.
Smell (4.5): Fruity with hints of bananas and light citrus with peppery spice to match. Swirling brings out aromas of grassy hops.
Taste (4.0): Fruity and sweet with some citric tartness upfront, which is met by a peppery bite in the center. The finish has a moderate hoppy bitterness.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Light to medium-bodied, highly carbonated with a bit of oiliness from the hops.
Drinkability (4.5): A fine beer, nice balance bewteen "Belgian" flavors and hoppiness.
Overall (4.25)
534. Villers Oud Vieille
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Huyghe
Alcohol: 7.00%
Serving: Bottle, 11.2 oz.
Style: Dubbel, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a cloudy brown with a thick brown head that fades to a patchy layer leaving no lace.
Smell (3.5): Very sweet smelling. Notes of raisins, caramel, toffee and alcohol.
Taste (3.5): Sweet with raisins, toffee and caramel. The peppery finish serves to provide some balance.
Mouthfeel (3.5): Medium-bodied, with high carbonation.
Drinkability (4.0): Pretty easy to drink.
Overall (3.65)
535. Girardin Kriek 1882
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Girardin
Alcohol: 5.00%
Serving: Bottle
Style: Fruit Lambic, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.5): Pours a hazy red-orange with a sudsy, pink head that fades to a thin film.
Smell (3.0): Has the acidic, cherry and funky aromas expected, but there's an odd buttery aroma as well.
Taste (3.5): Acidic tartness with some sweet cherries. The finish is tart with light funkiness.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Light-bodied, low carbonation, dry finish.
Drinkability (4.5): Balanced with good, but subdued lambic characters.
Overall (3.75)
536. Hoegaarden Grand Cru
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij van Hoegaarden
Alcohol: 8.70%
Serving: Bottle, 11.2 oz.
Style: Witbier, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a cloudy golden-amber. A thickish, off-white head thins to a film with a prominent ring. Leaves no lace.
Smell (4.5): Coriander, banana, orange, cloves, pepper and yeast.
Taste (4.0): Sweet and fruity upfront, strong flavors of banana with mild berry notes. Coriander spice and citric tartness emerge in the center and fade into a finish with light residual sweetness and mild bitterness.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Medium-bodied with moderate carbonation.
Drinkability (4.0): Pretty drinkable.
Overall (4.1)
After lunch we walked to Gravensteen, a castle in Ghent that was built in 1180. The name means "castle of the count" in Dutch. The castle tour was nice, especially since it seemed like you could visit most of the castle. There was in in depth exhibit on crime, punishment and torture. David wants to be reminded that if he ever gets a time machine he should not go back to medieval Ghent and commit a crime.
One of the canals in Ghent
Gravensteen
Gravensteen
A stairwell inside
A view of the canal from the castle
Ghent from the top
Presumably an archer would have been here.
A canal
The guillotine
Inside
More castle
Even more castle
The basement area
The ruins of the kitchen
This was a stable before it was a prison.
We arrived in Ghent and took the Number 1 Tram from the station to the area near our hostel. We checked in and took some of the free maps of Ghent. David spent five minutes trying to match up locations on two different maps becoming increasingly frustrated. One was a map of Ghent, the other was a map of Brugge.
We had decided on Aba-Jour, based on a positive description of the food in The Good Beer Guide. The bar was centered on the left wall as you entered. There were small tables filling most of the floor space. We sat towards the back at a table by the large windows that overlook the canal. Queen was playing on the stereo our entire visit. We were eating lunch fairly late so there were only a few other patrons there. Our waiter was very friendly and was more than happy to make beer and food recommendations. We also had a nice conversation about beer, the waiter was pretty interested in how Westvleteren acquired such a sought after status in America, he was also interested in American beers. He recommended Popperings Hommel Bier, which was nicely hoppy. He also recommended a beef stew made with Rodenbach and Westmalle that came with a small salad and a bowl of fries. The stew was excellent, as were the fries, which were served in a huge bowl with a nice flavored mayo for dipping. David asked for ketchup in the following exchange:
David: I know I'm a horrible American...
Waiter: No, no...
David: ...but could I get some ketchup?
Waiter: (jokingly) Yes, you are a horrible American.
The beer list was short, around 60, but the quality was pretty good. There was a nice selection of trappists, including all three Westvleteren beers. There was a nice lambic selection that included mostly authentic lambics. We had a great lunch and two rounds, before heading out.
533. Poperings Hommel Bier
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Van Eecke N.V.
Alcohol: 7.50%
Serving: Tap
Style: Belgian IPA
Appearance (4.5): Pours a hazy golden with an orange tint. A thick, white head slowly fades leaving sheets of lace.
Smell (4.5): Fruity with hints of bananas and light citrus with peppery spice to match. Swirling brings out aromas of grassy hops.
Taste (4.0): Fruity and sweet with some citric tartness upfront, which is met by a peppery bite in the center. The finish has a moderate hoppy bitterness.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Light to medium-bodied, highly carbonated with a bit of oiliness from the hops.
Drinkability (4.5): A fine beer, nice balance bewteen "Belgian" flavors and hoppiness.
Overall (4.25)
534. Villers Oud Vieille
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Huyghe
Alcohol: 7.00%
Serving: Bottle, 11.2 oz.
Style: Dubbel, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a cloudy brown with a thick brown head that fades to a patchy layer leaving no lace.
Smell (3.5): Very sweet smelling. Notes of raisins, caramel, toffee and alcohol.
Taste (3.5): Sweet with raisins, toffee and caramel. The peppery finish serves to provide some balance.
Mouthfeel (3.5): Medium-bodied, with high carbonation.
Drinkability (4.0): Pretty easy to drink.
Overall (3.65)
535. Girardin Kriek 1882
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Girardin
Alcohol: 5.00%
Serving: Bottle
Style: Fruit Lambic, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.5): Pours a hazy red-orange with a sudsy, pink head that fades to a thin film.
Smell (3.0): Has the acidic, cherry and funky aromas expected, but there's an odd buttery aroma as well.
Taste (3.5): Acidic tartness with some sweet cherries. The finish is tart with light funkiness.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Light-bodied, low carbonation, dry finish.
Drinkability (4.5): Balanced with good, but subdued lambic characters.
Overall (3.75)
536. Hoegaarden Grand Cru
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij van Hoegaarden
Alcohol: 8.70%
Serving: Bottle, 11.2 oz.
Style: Witbier, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a cloudy golden-amber. A thickish, off-white head thins to a film with a prominent ring. Leaves no lace.
Smell (4.5): Coriander, banana, orange, cloves, pepper and yeast.
Taste (4.0): Sweet and fruity upfront, strong flavors of banana with mild berry notes. Coriander spice and citric tartness emerge in the center and fade into a finish with light residual sweetness and mild bitterness.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Medium-bodied with moderate carbonation.
Drinkability (4.0): Pretty drinkable.
Overall (4.1)
After lunch we walked to Gravensteen, a castle in Ghent that was built in 1180. The name means "castle of the count" in Dutch. The castle tour was nice, especially since it seemed like you could visit most of the castle. There was in in depth exhibit on crime, punishment and torture. David wants to be reminded that if he ever gets a time machine he should not go back to medieval Ghent and commit a crime.
One of the canals in Ghent
Gravensteen
Gravensteen
A stairwell inside
A view of the canal from the castle
Ghent from the top
Presumably an archer would have been here.
A canal
The guillotine
Inside
More castle
Even more castle
The basement area
The ruins of the kitchen
This was a stable before it was a prison.
Labels: Belgian IPA, Belgium 2006, Dubbel, Fruit Lambic, Lambic, Sour Beer, Travel, Witbier
Day Four, Antwerp: Lunch and Sightseeing, Kulminator, Dinner, Elfde Gebod
Published by Unknown on Sunday, December 10, 2006 at 11:27 PM.
We woke up fairly late on Tuesday and went to Horta for breakfast. We got there too late and ended up having to get lunch, with which we had a round. I got the pasta in pesto sauce with sun-dried tomatoes. I don't remember what David got, but I vaguely remember cream sauce.
526. Brugge Tripel
The name on BA is listed as Brugse Tripel, but people seem to be reviewing Brugge Tripel on the same page.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij De Gouden Boom
Alcohol: 9.00%
Serving: Bottle,
Style: Tripel, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (3.0): Pours a clear amber with a smooth, white head that fades to thin layer.
Smell (3.5): Fruity bananas, some graininess, a little peppery spice.
Taste (4.0): Berry and banana fruitiness upfront. Moving into the finish there are grainy notes as well as some peppery spice. The finish also has a nice hoppy bitterness that balances nicely.
Mouthfeel (3.5): Light-bodied with high carbonation.
Drinkability (3.5): Overly carbonated.
Overall (3.6)
527. Steendonk
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Palm NV
Alcohol: 4.50%
Serving: Tap
Style: Witbier, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (3.5): Pours a cloudy, straw color with a white head that thins to a ring, leaving patchy lace.
Smell (3.0): Bananas, cloves and yeast. The pepper and characteristic witbier spice are present, but very light.
Taste (2.0): Lightly sweet fruitiness, bananas especially. There's some graininess and spice, but nothing strong or characteristic of a witbier. Lightly hoppy.
Mouthfeel (2.0): Watery with low carbonation.
Drinkability (3.0): Watery without sufficient carbonation, therefore not that great to drink.
Overall (2.6)
After lunch we visited Rubenshuis, the former home of painter Peter Paul Rubens. I was pretty tired, so I honestly don't remember much, other than being impressed at the size of the house. Afterwards we stopped at a café for coffee before heading to Bierhuis Kulminator.
Kulminator was definitely my favorite bar that we visited while in Belgium. The brightly lit interior had large plants growing near the front window and dried hop vines on the ceiling towards the back. Classical music played in the background, providing a nice atmosphere. There were several large wooden tables arranged throughout bar that were topped by large beer bottles used to hold candles and variety of press clippings. I counted at least four different cats that lounged around the bar. The selection was good, but the selection of aged beers was amazing.
We stayed for several hours, during which time the bar never got crowded. There were two older men who sat at the table next to us for awhile drinking Lefe and Westmalle, a group of American guys our age from Connecticut, and a couple who came in around dinner time.
Bierhuis Kulminator
Dried hops
One of the bar cats
Two of the bar cats
David, intoxicated
Thom, intoxicated
Their card
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Corsendonk
Alcohol: 8.50%
Serving: Bottle, 11.2 oz.
Style: Belgian Strong Dark Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a lightly hazy amber-brown with a fluffy brown head that slowly fades, leaving heavy lace.
Smell (4.0): Sweet cherry aroma, caramel and a light vinuous character.
Taste (4.0): Upfront there are toasty malts, with a mild roasted character. Light tartness that's reminiscent of cherries emerges in the center. The finish has some peppery spice and bitterness.
Mouthfeel (3.5): Light to medium-bodied with high carbonation.
Drinkability (4.0): Well-balanced, no character dominates over the others.
Overall (3.95)
529. Liefmans Kriekbier
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Liefmans
Alcohol: 5.00%
Serving: Tap
Style: Fruit Beer, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a lightly hazy orange-red with a foamy pink head that fades to a thin ring.
Smell (4.0): Sour and acidic with notes of cherries, as well as a moderate funkiness that emerges upon swirling.
Taste (4.5): Very sour throughout, there's some sweetness that emerges with the cherries, but it's always dominated by the sourness and persistent cherry tartness.
Mouthfeel (4.5): Light-bodied, low carbonation, very dry.
Drinkability (3.5): Sour, definitely a sipper.
Overall (4.2)
519. Oud Beersel Oude Gueuze Vieille 2001
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Oud Beersel
Year: 2001
Alcohol: 6.00%
Serving: Bottle, 750 mL
Style: Gueuze, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: Pours a cloudy golden, with a massive off-white head that fades to a thin ring.
Smell: Sour and funky with a little bit of fruitiness. The fruitiness becomes stronger upon swirling.
Taste: This has definitely mellowed with age. The sourness is diminished, but the funkiness has increased.
Mouthfeel: Light-bodied, light carbonation with a dry finish.
Drinkability: Nicely balanced and mellowed.
Overall: I think age has definitely improved this Gueuze.
33. Chimay Grande Réserve 1999
An aged bottle from 1999 served at cellar temperature in a Chimay chalice. They had bottles of Chimay Blue all the way back to 1981.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Bières de Chimay
Year: 1999
Alcohol: 9.00%
Serving: Bottle, 11.2 oz.
Style: Belgian Strong Dark Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.5): Pours a hazy brown-ruby with a creamy beige head that fades to a thin film, leaving patches of lace.
Smell (5.0): This definitely smells aged. Rich and malty with notes of caramel, toffee, and dark fruit. There are also vinuous notes as well as some alcoholic spiciness.
Taste (4.5): Malty upfront with toasty flavors as well as sweet caramel and dark fruit, sweet, but not too sweet. The finish has a light tartness with pepper, alcohol and a very light bitterness.
Mouthfeel (5.0): Full-bodied and thick, with low carbonation.
Drinkability (4.5): Smooth and full flavored, but mellow.
Overall (4.65): This is definitely one that improves with age. I think that it might be worth it to buy a case of Chimay every year just to cellar.
195. Orval Trappist Ale 2002
A dust-covered 2002 bottle, served in an Orval chalice.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brasserie d'Orval S.A.
Year: 2002
Alcohol: 6.20%
Serving: Bottle, 11.2 oz.
Style: Belgian Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.5): Pours a hazy-golden with a thick, off-white head that fades to a thin film leaving heavy patches of lace.
Smell (5.0): Strong Brettanomyces aroma as well as some grassy and citric aromas.
Taste (5.0): Tart citric and Brett characters, with a light sweetness. The finish has a nice mellowed hop bitterness.
Mouthfeel (4.5): Light to medium-bodied, low carbonation with a dry finish.
Drinkability (4.5): Tart with nice dominant Brett character.
Overall (4.8)
530. Gouden Carolus Carolus D'Or - Cuvée Van De Keizer
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Het Anker
Alcohol: 11.00%
Serving: Bottle, 750 mL
Style: Belgian Strong Dark Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a hazy brown with a reddish tint. A thick off-white head fades to a sudsy quarter-inch layer, leaving patchy lace.
Smell (4.0): Sweet and very fruity smelling. Lots of bananas and peppery alcohol. Swirling brings out notes of cherry and raisins.
Taste (3.5): Very sweet with nice fruitiness: bananas, raisins and light tartness. There's a very mild alcoholic spice in the finish.
Mouthfeel (3.5): Thick and full-bodied with low carbonation.
Drinkability (4.5): Smooth and sweet. Neither the alcohol nor sweetness is overpowering.
Overall (3.8)
531. Westvleteren Special 6 1998
David spotted some unlabeled bottles with red caps on the shelf behind the bar. He asked about them and was told that they were bottles of Westvleteren 6 from 1998, the last year that it was produced. We ordered two bottles, which were served in Abdij St. Sixtus goblets at cellar temperature.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Westvleteren
Year: 1998
Alcohol: 6.20%
Serving: Bottle, 11.2 oz.
Style: Belgian Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.5): Pours a hazy dark-brown with ruby tints. A one-inch beige head fades to a quarter-inch layer leaving sheets of lace.
Smell (5.0): Smells aged. Notes of tart cherries, dark fruit and light toffee maltiness. Has the characteristic vinous aroma of an aged beer. Smells amazing.
Taste (4.5): Sweet with some malty caramel notes and fruity notes of dates and raisins, not too sweet though. Light peppery spice and a nice amount of hoppy bitterness.
Mouthfeel (4.5): Full-bodied, low carbonation.
Drinkability (5.0): Mellow, but flavorful.
Overall (4.65): It's amazing how well this beer has held up, very delicious. I feel very lucky to have had one.
After leaving Kulminator we went to Congo for dinner. David had lasagna in... cream sauce. I had pasta in pesto sauce. We then found an internet cafe and made some phone calls and checked e-mail.
After dinner we went to Elfde Gebod for a final round before walking around the city and turning in. The bar was near the cathedral. David sat the round out and opted to have a piece of cake, which came with a large glob of whipped cream. The inside of the bar was heavily decorated with religious imagery. David implied that the waitress, who was very cute, was a teenager. She was actually 22.
Then why are so many nuns strippers?
532. La Trappe Quadrupel
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Bierbrouwerij De Koningshoeven B.V.
Alcohol: 10.00%
Serving: Bottle
Style: Quadrupel, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a clear amber with a beige head that fades to a thin sudsy layer leaving plentiful lace.
Smell (3.5): Dark fruit, light pepper, and hint of alcohol.
Taste (4.0): A neutral grainy character upfront moves into a raisiny sweetness. The finish is lightly spicy with a trailing bitterness. Not too sweet.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Medium-bodied, moderate carbonation with a lightly dry finish.
Drinkability (3.5): Not too sweet, but it could use a bit more spiciness or bitterness to balance.
Overall (3.85)
The Lonely Planet guide said "The Boots" was the most disreputable bar in Belgium. We walked by, the plan was to decide if we would stop in based on the look of the place. It was closed, but I think the sign would have kept us out if it had been open.
David in front of the most disreputable bar in Belgium.
526. Brugge Tripel
The name on BA is listed as Brugse Tripel, but people seem to be reviewing Brugge Tripel on the same page.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij De Gouden Boom
Alcohol: 9.00%
Serving: Bottle,
Style: Tripel, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (3.0): Pours a clear amber with a smooth, white head that fades to thin layer.
Smell (3.5): Fruity bananas, some graininess, a little peppery spice.
Taste (4.0): Berry and banana fruitiness upfront. Moving into the finish there are grainy notes as well as some peppery spice. The finish also has a nice hoppy bitterness that balances nicely.
Mouthfeel (3.5): Light-bodied with high carbonation.
Drinkability (3.5): Overly carbonated.
Overall (3.6)
527. Steendonk
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Palm NV
Alcohol: 4.50%
Serving: Tap
Style: Witbier, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (3.5): Pours a cloudy, straw color with a white head that thins to a ring, leaving patchy lace.
Smell (3.0): Bananas, cloves and yeast. The pepper and characteristic witbier spice are present, but very light.
Taste (2.0): Lightly sweet fruitiness, bananas especially. There's some graininess and spice, but nothing strong or characteristic of a witbier. Lightly hoppy.
Mouthfeel (2.0): Watery with low carbonation.
Drinkability (3.0): Watery without sufficient carbonation, therefore not that great to drink.
Overall (2.6)
After lunch we visited Rubenshuis, the former home of painter Peter Paul Rubens. I was pretty tired, so I honestly don't remember much, other than being impressed at the size of the house. Afterwards we stopped at a café for coffee before heading to Bierhuis Kulminator.
Kulminator was definitely my favorite bar that we visited while in Belgium. The brightly lit interior had large plants growing near the front window and dried hop vines on the ceiling towards the back. Classical music played in the background, providing a nice atmosphere. There were several large wooden tables arranged throughout bar that were topped by large beer bottles used to hold candles and variety of press clippings. I counted at least four different cats that lounged around the bar. The selection was good, but the selection of aged beers was amazing.
We stayed for several hours, during which time the bar never got crowded. There were two older men who sat at the table next to us for awhile drinking Lefe and Westmalle, a group of American guys our age from Connecticut, and a couple who came in around dinner time.
Bierhuis Kulminator
Dried hops
One of the bar cats
Two of the bar cats
David, intoxicated
Thom, intoxicated
Their card
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Corsendonk
Alcohol: 8.50%
Serving: Bottle, 11.2 oz.
Style: Belgian Strong Dark Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a lightly hazy amber-brown with a fluffy brown head that slowly fades, leaving heavy lace.
Smell (4.0): Sweet cherry aroma, caramel and a light vinuous character.
Taste (4.0): Upfront there are toasty malts, with a mild roasted character. Light tartness that's reminiscent of cherries emerges in the center. The finish has some peppery spice and bitterness.
Mouthfeel (3.5): Light to medium-bodied with high carbonation.
Drinkability (4.0): Well-balanced, no character dominates over the others.
Overall (3.95)
529. Liefmans Kriekbier
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Liefmans
Alcohol: 5.00%
Serving: Tap
Style: Fruit Beer, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a lightly hazy orange-red with a foamy pink head that fades to a thin ring.
Smell (4.0): Sour and acidic with notes of cherries, as well as a moderate funkiness that emerges upon swirling.
Taste (4.5): Very sour throughout, there's some sweetness that emerges with the cherries, but it's always dominated by the sourness and persistent cherry tartness.
Mouthfeel (4.5): Light-bodied, low carbonation, very dry.
Drinkability (3.5): Sour, definitely a sipper.
Overall (4.2)
519. Oud Beersel Oude Gueuze Vieille 2001
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Oud Beersel
Year: 2001
Alcohol: 6.00%
Serving: Bottle, 750 mL
Style: Gueuze, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: Pours a cloudy golden, with a massive off-white head that fades to a thin ring.
Smell: Sour and funky with a little bit of fruitiness. The fruitiness becomes stronger upon swirling.
Taste: This has definitely mellowed with age. The sourness is diminished, but the funkiness has increased.
Mouthfeel: Light-bodied, light carbonation with a dry finish.
Drinkability: Nicely balanced and mellowed.
Overall: I think age has definitely improved this Gueuze.
33. Chimay Grande Réserve 1999
An aged bottle from 1999 served at cellar temperature in a Chimay chalice. They had bottles of Chimay Blue all the way back to 1981.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Bières de Chimay
Year: 1999
Alcohol: 9.00%
Serving: Bottle, 11.2 oz.
Style: Belgian Strong Dark Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.5): Pours a hazy brown-ruby with a creamy beige head that fades to a thin film, leaving patches of lace.
Smell (5.0): This definitely smells aged. Rich and malty with notes of caramel, toffee, and dark fruit. There are also vinuous notes as well as some alcoholic spiciness.
Taste (4.5): Malty upfront with toasty flavors as well as sweet caramel and dark fruit, sweet, but not too sweet. The finish has a light tartness with pepper, alcohol and a very light bitterness.
Mouthfeel (5.0): Full-bodied and thick, with low carbonation.
Drinkability (4.5): Smooth and full flavored, but mellow.
Overall (4.65): This is definitely one that improves with age. I think that it might be worth it to buy a case of Chimay every year just to cellar.
195. Orval Trappist Ale 2002
A dust-covered 2002 bottle, served in an Orval chalice.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brasserie d'Orval S.A.
Year: 2002
Alcohol: 6.20%
Serving: Bottle, 11.2 oz.
Style: Belgian Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.5): Pours a hazy-golden with a thick, off-white head that fades to a thin film leaving heavy patches of lace.
Smell (5.0): Strong Brettanomyces aroma as well as some grassy and citric aromas.
Taste (5.0): Tart citric and Brett characters, with a light sweetness. The finish has a nice mellowed hop bitterness.
Mouthfeel (4.5): Light to medium-bodied, low carbonation with a dry finish.
Drinkability (4.5): Tart with nice dominant Brett character.
Overall (4.8)
530. Gouden Carolus Carolus D'Or - Cuvée Van De Keizer
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Het Anker
Alcohol: 11.00%
Serving: Bottle, 750 mL
Style: Belgian Strong Dark Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a hazy brown with a reddish tint. A thick off-white head fades to a sudsy quarter-inch layer, leaving patchy lace.
Smell (4.0): Sweet and very fruity smelling. Lots of bananas and peppery alcohol. Swirling brings out notes of cherry and raisins.
Taste (3.5): Very sweet with nice fruitiness: bananas, raisins and light tartness. There's a very mild alcoholic spice in the finish.
Mouthfeel (3.5): Thick and full-bodied with low carbonation.
Drinkability (4.5): Smooth and sweet. Neither the alcohol nor sweetness is overpowering.
Overall (3.8)
531. Westvleteren Special 6 1998
David spotted some unlabeled bottles with red caps on the shelf behind the bar. He asked about them and was told that they were bottles of Westvleteren 6 from 1998, the last year that it was produced. We ordered two bottles, which were served in Abdij St. Sixtus goblets at cellar temperature.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Westvleteren
Year: 1998
Alcohol: 6.20%
Serving: Bottle, 11.2 oz.
Style: Belgian Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.5): Pours a hazy dark-brown with ruby tints. A one-inch beige head fades to a quarter-inch layer leaving sheets of lace.
Smell (5.0): Smells aged. Notes of tart cherries, dark fruit and light toffee maltiness. Has the characteristic vinous aroma of an aged beer. Smells amazing.
Taste (4.5): Sweet with some malty caramel notes and fruity notes of dates and raisins, not too sweet though. Light peppery spice and a nice amount of hoppy bitterness.
Mouthfeel (4.5): Full-bodied, low carbonation.
Drinkability (5.0): Mellow, but flavorful.
Overall (4.65): It's amazing how well this beer has held up, very delicious. I feel very lucky to have had one.
After leaving Kulminator we went to Congo for dinner. David had lasagna in... cream sauce. I had pasta in pesto sauce. We then found an internet cafe and made some phone calls and checked e-mail.
After dinner we went to Elfde Gebod for a final round before walking around the city and turning in. The bar was near the cathedral. David sat the round out and opted to have a piece of cake, which came with a large glob of whipped cream. The inside of the bar was heavily decorated with religious imagery. David implied that the waitress, who was very cute, was a teenager. She was actually 22.
Then why are so many nuns strippers?
532. La Trappe Quadrupel
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Bierbrouwerij De Koningshoeven B.V.
Alcohol: 10.00%
Serving: Bottle
Style: Quadrupel, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a clear amber with a beige head that fades to a thin sudsy layer leaving plentiful lace.
Smell (3.5): Dark fruit, light pepper, and hint of alcohol.
Taste (4.0): A neutral grainy character upfront moves into a raisiny sweetness. The finish is lightly spicy with a trailing bitterness. Not too sweet.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Medium-bodied, moderate carbonation with a lightly dry finish.
Drinkability (3.5): Not too sweet, but it could use a bit more spiciness or bitterness to balance.
Overall (3.85)
The Lonely Planet guide said "The Boots" was the most disreputable bar in Belgium. We walked by, the plan was to decide if we would stop in based on the look of the place. It was closed, but I think the sign would have kept us out if it had been open.
David in front of the most disreputable bar in Belgium.
Labels: Belgian Pale Ale, Belgian Strong Dark Ale, Belgium 2006, Fruit/Vegatable Beer, Gueuze, Lambic, Quadrupel, Sour Beer, Trappist, Travel, Tripel, Witbier
