Month: October 2015

3 Stars, St. Bernardus

Pater 6 by St. Bernardus

Pours a dark reddish-brown with long lasting biscuit colored head. Yeasty, bready aroma. Loads of carbonation, slightly bitter, a bit thin and watery, toffee, raisin, bread. This beer definitely improves and becomes more flavorful as it warms with complex fruit flavors coming forward. Perhaps I am being a bit harsh and I love St. Bernadus’ other beers but this one just tastes like a watered down version of the much bigger and better 8 and 12. 

3 Stars.

Blonde, De Struise Brouwers

Kloeke Blonde by De Struise Brouwers

Very light cloudy straw color in appearance with white head collecting in the center of the glass. Strong, strange, herbal aroma with some yeasty esters. Same strange aroma is the predominant flavor, though not as strong.  Fairly dry. Overall an odd beer that is full of a flavor I cannot quite place and do not think I have experienced in another beer. I also cannot say that I particularly like it.  This beer has no expectation date on the bottle but I am going to surmise that it has passed.

De Struise Brouwers, Wit

Struise Witte by De Struise Brouwers

Pours a cloudy, light golden color with a small amount of rapidly dissipating white head. Herbal, citrus and yeasty notes, very balanced and quite inviting. The first sip reveals loads of citrus flavor. The second more citrus followed by coriander. Semi-sweet, a bit watery but still a flavorful beer. This beer is really quite a pleasant surprise as the bottle say best before 2014 and in a style not expect to age well.  I would love to taste a fresh bottle.

Simply not fair to rate at this point (but 3.5 as is).

4 Stars, De Struise Brouwers, Tripel

XXX – Rye Tripple – Reserva 2013 by De Struise Brouwers 

Best before November 2019, only half way there. Pours a murky dark reddish brown with a small amount of rapidly disappearing head.  Complex aroma of peach, spice and faint bourbon. Fruity at first quickly switching to bourbon and charred oak, honey like sweetness, leading to a spicy, peppery finish. At 10% the alcohol doesn’t disappear but complements the other flavors very nicely. I would bet this will continue to age well. Aren’t all bourbon barrel aged beers stouts? Not this one and that’s a good thing.

4 Stars.

4 Stars, De Struise Brouwers

Pannepot Grand Reserva – 2010 Vintage by De Struise Brouwers

Old Fisherman’s Ale Aged On Oak.

Appears black in the glass but pours a dark brown with a very small amount of head. Aromas of chocolate and oak with some whiskey character. Creamy mouthfeel with plenty of carbonation, particularly for a beer with this much age. Bitter chocolate, fruit and spices finishes with oak followed by subtle vanilla. Full flavored; a great sipping beer.

4.5 Stars.