Monthly Archives: July 2021

3 - Indifferent (might buy, probably drink), American IPA, Beer Reviews, Carbon Brews, Hong Kong

Carbon Brews Like the Wind

Leave a comment

Brewery: Carbon Brews
Country: Hong Kong
ABV: 6.4%
Style: American IPA
Other Notes: 50 IBUs. Hops – Amarillo, Mosaic and Sabro. Malts – Pale, Wheat, Carapils and Carahell. Yeast – wlp-001. Experience – Pine, citrus, grapefruit

Brewer Description: (from website) A robust American IPA with a sturdy malt backbone. Pours a lovely pale yellow and bursts with mango, orange and peach with undertones of grapefruit and a little dankness. Citrus and pine dominate on the palate with a beautiful dry crisp finish.

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.92
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.7

Intro: A 330ml can, with a best before date of 17th March 2022. Poured into a Holy Mountain tulip glass.
Appearance: A clear golden colour with a two finger white head that had decent retention while leaving lots of nice lacing.
Aroma: Biscuit malt, pine, grassy, pineapple, candied grapefruit.
Taste: Moderately sweet, candied grapefruit, pineapple, biscuit malt, light caramel, light bitterness, with notes of pine and grass.
Mouthfeel: Light to medium bodied with moderate to soft carbonation.
Overall: It’s super fresh and easy to drink, but it was sweeter, more malty, and less bitter than I prefer for a West Coast IPA.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Belgium, Brasserie Cantillon, Lambic - Unblended

Cantillon Cuvée Saint-Gilloise

Leave a comment

Brewery: Brasserie Cantillon
Country: Belgium
ABV: 5.5%
Style: Belgian Lambic (Unblended)
Other Notes: 17/18 Season. Hallertau dry-hopped in the cask

Brewer Description: (from bottle) A very special vintage bottling of Cantillon lambics, aged for 2 years in oak, and dry-hopped in the cask. Beer with taste evolution. To be drunk preferably within the 20 years after bottling date. Store and serve at cellar temperature (12°C-15°C).

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

Intro: A 750ml corked and capped bottle, 17/18 season, bottled on 18th December 2017. Poured into a Cantillon stemmed mini ballon glass.
Appearance: A clear golden orange colour with a one finger white head that dissipated fairly quickly to a ring around the glass while leaving some lacing.
Aroma: Fruity, citrusy, mandarin peel, orange zest, peach, green apple, slight floral, damp wood, musty, funky.
Taste: Light to moderate sour, citrus, mandarin, orange zest and rind, peach, damp wood, barnyard, funky, earthy.
Mouthfeel: Dry, medium bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: Quite different from most other lambics, and in a good way. Balanced, complex, refreshing, and very enjoyable to drink.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Belgium, Gueuzerie Tilquin, Lambic - Fruit

Tilquin Oude Groseille Rouge À l’ancienne

Leave a comment

Brewery: Gueuzerie Tilquin
Country: Belgium
ABV: 6.6%
Style: Lambic – Fruit
Other Notes: 2017-2018

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Beer of spontaneous fermentation, the Old Groseille Rouge Tilquin is made from the fermentation of 260 gr of redcurrants by liter of lambic. Unfiltered and unpasteurized, this beer is refermented in the bottle.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.34
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.2

Intro: A 750ml corked and caged bottle, with a neck label of 2017-2018, and a best before date of 14th March 2028. Poured into a Tilquin stemmed glass.
Appearance: A lightly hazy golden copper colour with a one finger off white head that dissipated fairly quickly to a ring around the glass while leaving sparse lacing.
Aroma: Tart, redcurrants, mixed berries skin, oak, freshly cut wood, funk, hay, grapefruit, with light notes of preserved lemon.
Taste: Sour, tart, redcurrants, oak, funk, hay, grapefruit, lemon zest, and preserved lemon.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with moderate to light carbonation.
Overall: Enjoyable with a nice balance between sour, fruit and funk.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Belgium, Brouwerij 3 Fonteinen, Lambic - Fruit

3 Fonteinen Oude Kriek “Toast”

Leave a comment

Brewery: Brouwerij 3 Fonteinen
Country: Belgium
ABV: 6.4%
Style: Lambic – Fruit
Other Notes: Blend°14, Season 17/18

Brewer Description: (from bottle in Dutch) 3 Fonteinen Oude Kriek wordt bekomen door het macereren van handgeplukte volle krieken op jonge traditionele lambik gedurende minstens vier maanden, in een verhouding van één kilo per liter. Daarna wordt de kriekenklambik geassembleerd met jonge lambik en wordt alles gebotteld, en zet de vergisting zich verder op fles. Hierdoor ontstaat een zacht fruitige Oude Kriek, geraffineerd, en met evolutie in het glas. Natuurlijk fruit, zonder toevoeging van sappen, siropen, of suikers. Ongefilterd en ongepasteuriseerd.

Voor de zes maanden durende maceratie van deze specifieke Oude Kriek “Toast” werd een vers gebrand eikenhouten vat gebruikt. De finale fruitintensiteit bedraagt 350 gram krieken per liter afgewerkte Kriek. Aantal flessen: 1,150.

(translated to English) 3 Fonteinen Oude Kriek is obtained by macerating hand-picked full cherries on young traditional lambic for at least four months, at a ratio of one kilo per litre. Then the cherry lambic is assembled with young lambic and everything is bottled, and the fermentation continues in the bottle. This creates a soft fruity Oude Kriek, refined, and with evolution in the glass. Natural fruit, without the addition of juices, syrups, or sugars. Unfiltered and unpasteurised.

A freshly roasted oak barrel was used for the six-month maceration of this particular Oude Kriek “Toast”. The final fruit intensity is 350 grams of cherries per liter of finished Kriek. Number of bottles: 1,150.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.5
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.4

Intro: A 750ml corked and caged bottle, blend°14, season 17/18, bottled on 17th January 2018, with a best before date of 26th October 2038. Poured into a 3 Fonteinen stemmed glass.
Appearance: A very nice ruby red colour with a slight purple tint, and a one finger pinkish head that dissipated fairly quickly to a ring around the glass while leaving some lacing.
Aroma: Lightly sour and tart, cherry, cherry pie, oak, cherry candy, with a slight hint of vanilla, strawberry, and funk.
Taste: Sour, tart, cherry, cherry skin, cherry pie, sour berries, lemon, oak.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: I’m not really sure about the “toast” part, as it’s not really obvious in the aroma or taste. But this version of the Oude Kriek is enjoyable and nicely balanced.

3 - Indifferent (might buy, probably drink), Beer Reviews, Belgium, Geuzestekerij De Cam, Lambic - Fruit

De Cam Wilde Bosbessen

Leave a comment

Brewery: Geuzestekerij De Cam
Country: Belgium
ABV: 6.5%
Style: Lambic – Fruit
Other Notes: 2017 vintage

Brewer Description: (from bottle in Dutch) In de Ardense wouden groeit in het wild de bosbes. De regio van Vielsalm is beroemd voor zijn rijke oogst en veel streekproducten met de Wilde Bosbessen. De Bosbessen (Vaccinium Myrtillus) worden in hun geheel (geen sap) aan de lambiek toegevoegd in een verhouding van 40 kg per 100 liter jonge lambiek.

(translated to English) Wild blueberries grow in the Ardennes forests. The region of Vielsalm is famous for its rich harvest and many local products including the wild blueberries. The Blueberries (Vaccinium Myrtillus) are added whole (no juice) to the lambic at a ratio of 40 kg per 100 liters of young lambic.

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.89
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.7

Intro: A 750ml corked and caged bottle, 2017 vintage, with a best before date of July 2040. Poured into a De Cam stemmed glass.
Appearance: A hazy reddish purple colour with a thin pinkish head that disappears quickly, while leaving only sparse to no lacing.
Aroma: Blueberry skin, blueberry, blackcurrant, slight jammy, lightly tart, leathery funk.
Taste: Sour, tart, blueberry skin, mixed berries, lemon, funky, with light oak notes.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with soft to no carbonation and a somewhat acidic finish.
Overall: Aromas and flavour were quite good, but increased carbonation would have improved this in every aspect.