Month: June 2015

5 Stars, Brasserie Dupont, Saison

Avec Les Bon Voeux by Brasserie Dupont

Pours a golden blond with loads of frothy white head. A fantastic aroma greats you as the glass is pulled close; apricot, floral, straw, mildly spicy. The first drink is an explosion of complex fruit and floral flavors, a pleasant peppery spiciness and mild bitterness with loads of effervescence making the beer feel like it dissolves on the tongue.

No alcohol bite, I would never guess it comes in at a stout 9.5 abv if I did not read it on the label. Very complex, very balanced, very good. I have had this beer on a number of occasions and I have to say it is one of my all time favorites. Dupont describes this beer as a blond ale but I have always thought of it as an imperial saison. They say this is a good beer to cellar but to be honest I keep opening every bottle I set aside. Saison Dupont gets all of the press but you need to try this one.

5 stars

5 Stars, De Struise Brouwers, Strong Ale

Rio Reserva – 2011 by De Struise Brouwers

Brewed in 2011, bottled in 2014, drank in 2015, best before 2019. “Golden quad” aged in 1 year in wine barrels then racked to bourbon barrels.

Pours brown but when held to the light turns ruby red-brown (trust me that’s a thing). Plenty of beige head; dissipated quickly. Aroma of red wine, oak, vanilla, toffee, fruit sweetness, enough alcohol to let you know it’s there. No sour notes but catching whiffs reminiscent of Flanders Red. One sip dispelles any thought of a Flanders. Strong flavor of oak, vanilla, bourbon, complex malt flavors. This is a thick beer with a pronounced alcohol punch. Finishes is very pleasant with lingering alcohol, some bitterness and fruit flavors.

I am going to call this one a Belgian strong for lack of a better category. Very unique, I really like this beer and I think this it could be even better with some more time, good thing I have another.

5 stars.

5 Stars, Quad, Westvletern

12 by Westvletern

Well here she is, after the blond and the 8 you had to know what was coming next, the big one, Westvletern 12.

I have to say pour is pretty unimpressive, sure it looks great sitting there in the proper chalice glass, but I am having a hard time coming up with any fancy adjectives so I will just say it pours a clear brown with a decent amount of very long lasting cream colored head.

Aroma, alright now we are talking, rich malt,  caramel, fruit, raisin, alcohol, mild spicyness, no one aroma stands above the rest.

Rich malt and high carbonation explode on the tounge followed a host of complex flavors; everything in the aroma is still there with the addition of a small amount of sweetness and a long last pleasant bitter aftertaste. Smooth and incredibly well balanced.

This is a fantastic, big beer and my review does not do it justice. Best beer in the world? I do not know, it’s hard to call any one thing best. But I will say I have done blind taste testing with other Trappist 12s and Belgian quads and the Westvletern was the unanimous number one pick.

5 stars. World class.

4 Stars, Dubbel, Westvletern

8 by Westvletern

Pours a beautiful dark amber with a long lasting beige head that clings to the side of the glass. Subtle classic Trappist yeast aroma; raisin, fig, candi sugar, fruit, spice. First thing you notice when taking a sip is the creamy head, highly carbonated (but not overly so), followed by a burst of flavor similar to aroma but more pronounced. Fades into a alcoholic, slightly sweet and mildly bitter aftertaste. No one flavor or aroma dominates the rest. You are going to find the bottom of the glass too quickly.

4.5 Stars

4 Stars, Blonde, Westvletern

Blond by Westvletern

Pours a clear golden color, lots of visible carbonation, small bright white head that lasts and lasts. Aroma is of light malt, hop crispness. Taste is well balanced; fruit, again malt, wheat, yeasty and pleasant bitterness with a faint grainy finish. A great beer for sitting in the shade with a few friends on a hot day.

4 stars

3 Stars, Brouwerij Huyghe, Strong Ale

Delirium Nocturnum by Brouwerij Huyghe

I have always wanted to try this beer based on the name and packaging alone, yet somehow I had never picked one up. Who doesn’t want a psychedelic pink elephant on their beer label? Pours a dark ruby red.  Tons of long lasting carbonation, huge head. Subtle caramel / toffee notes. Beer is so carbonated it feels like it dissolves on the tongue. Raisin, dried fruit, fading to a dry pleasantly bitter after taste. Overall very similar to last nights Corsendonk Dubbel.

3.5 Stars

4 Stars, De Struise Brouwers, Quad

Pannepot – Old Fishermans Ale – 2014 by De Struise Brouwers

Pours a dark brown, tinge of red, small amount of beige head.  Smells of caramel, fig, dried fruit and a hint of booze.  Full flavor, strong malt backbone, again with the dried fruit, finishes spicy with a mellow alcohol flavor.  Incredibly smooth considering it comes in at a stout 10%.  A perfect beer for a stormy night (like tonight).  I think I have enough of these for a multiyear vertical… Stay tuned.

4 stars

5 Stars, Blonde, Brasserie d' Achouffe

La Chouffe by Brasserie D’ Achouffe

Wow, this is a what the Belgian’s call a blonde? If only all tasted so good. You are immediately greeted with a strong apricot and herbal aroma. The flavor is the same, but slightly bitter with very pleasant carbonation.  I want to take large gulps, which might not be such a good idea with an 8% beer.  I have got to admit I have always passed on the brewery with a gnome on the label, I wont judge (on that criteria) again.

5 stars.