Monthly Archives: May 2019

3 - Indifferent (might buy, probably drink), Beer Reviews, Belgian Strong Pale Ale, Belgium, Brouwerij De Dochter van de Korenaar

De Dochter van de Korenaar Memoire III

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Brewery: Brouwerij De Dochter van de Korenaar
Country: Belgium
ABV: 7.5%
Style: Belgian Strong Pale Ale
Other Notes: One-off edition for the Beerseeker Beerclub 2018

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Special blend of 3 years old Bravoure, La Difference and Bien Sur.

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.74
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.6

Intro: A 660ml bottle with a notched best before date of January 2020. One-off edition for the Beerseeker Beerclub 2018. Poured into a snifter glass.
Appearance: Very lively moderate gusher, as it wanted to explode out as soon as the cap popped off. A hazy amber orange colour with an one finger off white head that had good retention and left some nice lacing.
Aroma: Sweet malt, fruity, grape, citrus peel, brett, oak and light smoke.
Taste: Sweet and sour, citrusy, orange peel, lemon, oak, earthy, along with some light smoke and leather. Light bitterness on the finish.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with moderate to high carbonation.
Overall: Interesting mix of sweet, sour, smoky and bitter along with citrus fruity notes.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Burley Oak Brewing Company, Sour Ale, USA

Burley Oak J.R.E.A.M. Apple Pie

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Brewery: Burley Oak Brewing Company
Country: USA
ABV: 4.8%
Style: Sour Ale
Other Notes: Due to the use of natural fruit this beer must be kept cold

Brewer Description: (from can) Sour Ale brewed with apples, apple pie spice, and lactose.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.46
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.3

Intro: A 1 pint can with some kind of date that is smudged out except for the year 2019. ‘Just like warm apple pie’. Poured into a Lost Abbey teku glass.
Appearance: A cloudy dark orange colour with a big three finger white head that had good retention and left some nice lacing.
Aroma: Apple pie filling.
Taste: Lightly sour, tart, baked apple, cinnamon, nutmeg.
Mouthfeel: Light to medium bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: I didn’t think that this would work, but it did, and I like it. Apple pie filling in liquid form with a nice light sourness that goes well with the apple pie spice flavours.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Jester King Brewery, USA, Wild Ale

Jester King Omniscience & Proselytism

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Brewery: Jester King Brewery
Country: USA
ABV: 5.3%
Style: American Wild Ale
Other Notes: Barrel-aged beer refermented with strawberries

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Strawberries from Fredericksburg, Texas were added to mature, barrel-aged sour beer and refermented to dryness. Unfiltered, unpasteurized, and 100% bottle-conditioned. The name Omniscience & Proselytism does not refer to any claims of inducing omniscience.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.38
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.2

Intro: A 1 pint 0.9 fl. oz. bottle, Blend 5, bottled in May 2018. Poured into a 3 Fonteinen stemmed glass.
Appearance: A clear golden orange colour (from a careful pour) with a one finger white head that dissipated quite quickly while leaving some nice lacing.
Aroma: Tart, strawberry, oak, with some light funk and a splash of lemon.
Taste: Sour, tart, strawberry, vanilla cream, oak, with a touch of lemon and funk.
Mouthfeel: Dry, light to medium bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: I love strawberries, but strawberries in beer hasn’t really worked for me at all. This is the one exception so far though as the strawberries come through nicely and provide a nice balance with the sourness and light funk.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Firestone Walker Brewing Co., USA, Wild Ale

Firestone Walker UnderCurrants

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Brewery: Firestone Walker Brewing Co.
Country: USA
ABV: 6.3%
Style: American Wild Ale
Other Notes: Wild Ale fermented with black currants. Barrel ratio: 95% French Oak

Brewer Description: (from bottle) In 2018 we challenged ourselves to using an array of fruit new to our palates and practices. When offered a high quality, freshly picked Black Currant sample, we couldn’t resist. We present to you a metamorphosis for your senses. Using 12-36 month aged Agrestic Ale as a base, to which we add 1.5lbs/gal Black Currants, the beer undergoes the final maturation in our French Oak “Fruiders” for an additional four months. A convergence of supple tannin and deep purple pigments, gooseberry jam, a mouth-watering acidity and earthy leather elicit notes of a beer having vinous roots. A new variant to one of the Barrelworks pioneers is born. Santé!

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.24
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.2

Intro: A 375ml corked and caged bottle. Batch No. 001, bottled on 28th February 2018. Poured into a 3 Fonteinen stemmed glass.
Appearance: A dark reddish purple colour with a two finger pinkish head that had excellent retention and left lots of nice lacing.
Aroma: Black currant, plum, cherry, grape, with a hint of oak and funk.
Taste: Very lightly sour and tart, black currant, blackberry, Ribena, red currant, with hints of oak and funk.
Mouthfeel: Dry, medium bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: Nice black currant aroma and flavours that comes with a very stunning appearance. Very easy to drink and enjoy.

3 - Indifferent (might buy, probably drink), Abnormal Beer Company, Beer Reviews, Stout - Imperial, USA

Abnormal Maple Mornings

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Brewery: Abnormal Beer Company
Country: USA
ABV: 12.5%
Style: American Imperial Stout
Other Notes: Imperial Stout with maple syrup, coffee & vanilla

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Flapjacks and phat stacks. If you like pancakes, then to you this is money! Maple syrup aroma engulfs the room when you pour this. Once you take a sip the coffee and vanilla take over, but then leave you with even more maple goodness. A slight roastiness from the malt lingers around and helps accentuate all the other flavors. It’s thick and sweet just like a good stack of pancakes should be. Perfect for breakfast, dessert, or general sharing. Because sharing is caring.

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.96
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.8

Intro: A 500ml bottle with no clear bottled on or best before date. Poured into a snifter glass.
Appearance: Dark brown to black in colour with a very thin brown head that dissipated quickly and left no lacing.
Aroma: Pancakes, maple syrup, roast, coffee, chocolate and vanilla with hints of toffee.
Taste: Sweet, maple syrup, roastiness, coffee, milk chocolate, vanilla and toffee. Finish is lightly bitter which tries to balance the sweetness at the beginning.
Mouthfeel: Medium to full bodied with soft carbonation.
Overall: On the verge of being too sweet while cool, but as it warmed to a more reasonable Imperial Stout temperature, the intensity burst through and I felt that it became way too sweet with lots of strong maple flavours and toffee pushing through. The coffee, vanilla and bitterness were nice, but weren’t strong enough themselves to balance the intense sweetness and bring it back in line. Too sweet for me. I’d drink this cold, but that probably not the temperature it was intended to be drank at.