Monthly Archives: May 2017

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Belgium, Brouwerij Lindemans x Mikkeller ApS, Lambic - Fruit

Lindemans x Mikkeller SpontanBasil

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Brewery: Brouwerij Lindemans x Mikkeller ApS
Country: Belgium
ABV: 6%
Style: Belgian Lambic (Fruit)

Brewer Description: (from bottle) SpontanBasil is a unique collaboration between Lindemans and Mikkeller. Breaking the mold among existing beer styles, the brewers combined efforts to craft this old gueuze with a twist, based on a blend of 1 to 2 year-old lambic fermented on oak with fresh basil herb. Refermented in the bottle, SpontanBasil has a golden colour and combines the sourness of lambic with the aromas and flavours of fresh basil. The ideal aperitif, also perfect for food pairing.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.43
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.3

Intro: A 750ml bottle, bottled in February 2015. Poured into a Mikkeller tasting glass.
Appearance: A mostly clear golden orange colour with a just under two finger white head that had decent retention and eventually settled to a thin layer with lots of nice lacing.
Aroma: Extremely herbal with lots of basil and perhaps a hint of lemon and mint. This was surprisingly well combined with some nice funk, oak and hay.
Taste: Sour, basil, lemon, peach, apricot, oak, lemongrass, hay with a light funk.
Mouthfeel: Light bodied with moderate to high carbonation and a dry finish.
Overall: This was much better than expected. I’m usually a little weary about herbally flavoured beers, so the name SpontanBasil does nothing to settle my doubt. But upon getting a whiff of that aroma and tasting it, I found the funk and herbs combined well together and was very enjoyable. Very nice to drink.

3 - Indifferent (might buy, probably drink), Beer Reviews, Fruit Beer, New Belgium Brewing x Brouwerij De Koninck, USA

New Belgium x De Koninck Lips of Faith – Flowering Citrus Ale

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Brewery: New Belgium Brewing x Brouwerij De Koninck
Country: USA
ABV: 7.4%
Style: Fruit Beer
Other Notes: Ale brewed with hibiscus, rose and citrus fruit

Brewer Description: (from bottle) No need to jet to Antwerp when you can open up a bouquet of Flowering Citrus Ale. Thanks to our friends at De Koninck Brewery, we brewed up a summery ale bursting with key lime and whole lemons that mingle with the fragrance of hibiscus, rose petals and strawberry-tinged Mistral hops. Open up and let Belgian summer bloom.

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.79
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.7

Intro: A 12 fl oz bottle with an enjoy by date of 25th June 2017. Poured into a Lost Abbey teku glass.
Appearance: A lightly hazy golden colour with a two finger white head that had decent retention and left lots of nice lacing.
Aroma: Bready malt, honey, citrusy lemon with hints of flowers.
Taste: Tangy and sweet citrusy orange and lemon, bready malt with a light herbal and flowery flavour.
Mouthfeel: Light bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: This was refreshing and very easy to drink. I’m surprised its 7.4% ABV as it felt like something easily under 5%. Great for a hot summers day.

3 - Indifferent (might buy, probably drink), American IPA, Beer Reviews, Stigbergets Bryggeri, Sweden

Stigbergets Muddle

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Brewery: Stigbergets Bryggeri
Country: Sweden
ABV: 7%
Style: American IPA

Brewer Description: Could not find any information on this beer on their website or on the bottle.

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.8
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.7

Intro: A 330ml bottle, batch 599, with a best before date of 19th August 2017. Poured into a Lost Abbey teku glass.
Appearance: A hazy golden straw yellow colour with a one finger white head that dissipated fairly quickly and left some lacing.
Aroma: Mango, pineapple, grapefruit, orange with a hint of pine.
Taste: Generally quite light and short, but there’s mango and peach followed by bitter grapefruit rind and mandarin rind.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with moderate to low carbonation.
Overall: Aroma and taste were nice but was a bit disappointed that the taste was quite light and abrupt, especially when compared to top Stigbergets IPAs like GBG and Amazing Haze.

4 - Good (buy), American Pale Ale, Beer Reviews, O/O Brewing AB, Sweden

O/O Pretty Pale Ale

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Brewery: O/O Brewing AB
Country: Sweden
ABV: 5.5%
Style: American Pale Ale
Other Notes: Brewed by O/O Brewing at Stigbergets Bryggeri in Gothenburg, Sweden. Pronunciation guide: O/O Brewing = Oh! Oh! Brewing

Brewer Description: (from bottle) A rich pale ale

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.12
My ratebeer.com rating: 4

Intro: A 330ml bottle with a best before date of 14th September 2017. Poured into a Lost Abbey teku glass.
Appearance: A nice hazy golden orange colour with a just under two finger fluffy white head that pretty good retention and lots of nice sticky lacing.
Aroma: Starts tropical with apricot, peach, mango followed by some citrusy grapefruit and mandarin with hints of pine, straw and grass. It’s nice albeit a bit weak.
Taste: Sweet malt, peach, mango, grass with a short lasting grapefruit bitter finish.
Mouthfeel: Light bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: Aroma and taste were actually good, but it would have been better if the aromas were stronger and the finishing taste was longer lasting rather than its current abrupt end.

3 - Indifferent (might buy, probably drink), Against The Grain Brewery, American IPA, Beer Reviews, USA

Against The Grain Pile of Face

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Brewery: Against The Grain Brewery
Country: USA
ABV: 6.5%
Style: American IPA
Other Notes: 65 IBUs

Brewer Description: (from can) Rummaged Delight! In a world where all the skulls are being used up, we are left with nothing but piles of face. But fear not, that’s where the story is truly told! Pile of Face is the institution of American IPA, with all the character and drink-ability you would expect as we celebrate American indulgence!

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.7
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.6

Intro: A 1 pint can with a best before date of xx January 2018 (xx appears to be 19, but its not so clear…). Poured into a Lost Abbey teku glass.
Appearance: A clear copper orange colour with a two finger soapy white lacing that had good retention and left sticky lacing.
Aroma: Citrusy grapefruit, lemon and orange rind coupled with pine, light biscuit malt and fruit tea.
Taste: Sweet-ish biscuit malt, bitter grapefruit, orange rind, pine and light tea.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: A decent drinkable IPA.