Monthly Archives: August 2022

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Belgium, Geuzestekerij De Cam, Lambic - Unblended

De Cam Oude Lambiek 5 Jaar Op Foeder

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Brewery: Geuzestekerij De Cam
Country: Belgium
ABV: 5%
Style: Lambic – Unblended
Other Notes: 2014/2019 vintage

Brewer Description: (from Untappd in Dutch) Traditionele lambiek die 5 jaar in foeders gerijpt heeft. Gebotteld in 2019.

(translated to English) Traditional lambic aged in foeders for 5 years. Bottled in 2019.

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

Intro: A 750ml corked and caged bottle, 2014/2019 vintage, with a best before date of March 2039. Poured into a 3 Fonteinen gueuze glass.
Appearance: A mostly clear golden orange colour with pretty much no head and no lacing.
Aroma: Funky, musty, damp wood, wet hay, lemon, green apple, with some light mixed berry notes.
Taste: Funky, tart, a touch sour, musty damp wood, apple, citrusy, lemon, orange peel, and a touch of berries.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with no carbonation.
Overall: I usually prefer carbonation in my drinks, but this was good, enjoyable and thirst quenching.

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

3 Fonteinen Druif/Kriek Dornfelder

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Brewery: Brouwerij 3 Fonteinen
Country: Belgium
ABV: 8.3%
Style: Lambic – Fruit
Other Notes: Blend°26, Season 20/21

Brewer Description: (from bottle) For this Druif/Kriek, we blended a Belgian dornfelder druivenlambik and a kriekenlambik in a 50/50 proportion. We used both young and two-year old lambikken, originating from nine different barrels and nine different brews. The combined maceration took eight months and the final fruit intensity is 510 grams per litre of sour cherries and freshly pressed, skin-macerated grape juice.

3 Fonteinen Druif/Kriek is obtained by the successive maceration of grapes and cherries on lambik. Natural fruit, without the addition of syrups, or sugars. Unfiltered and unpasteurized.

My rating: 4+
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.48
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.4

Intro: A 750ml corked and caged bottle, blend°26, season 20/21, bottled on 10th February 2021. Poured into a 3 Fonteinen stemmed glass.
Appearance: A dark maroon purple colour with a nice one finger pinkish head that had decent retention and eventually settled to a thin but frothy cap, while leaving some nice lacing.
Aroma: Tart, cherry, blackberry, marzipan, with light citrus zesty notes.
Taste: Sour, tart, cherry, blackberry, grape skin, vinous, oak, with a touch of funk.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with soft to moderate carbonation.
Overall: This Druif/Kriek blend worked really well and was super enjoyable. Despite the 50/50 blend, I got all cherry and no grape in the aroma, but the grape and vinous character did come out nicely in the flavour, and matched well with the cherries.

3 - Indifferent (might buy, probably drink), Beer Reviews, Belgium, De Struise Brouwers, Stout - Russian Imperial

De Struise Black Damnation XXVI – Froggie

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Brewery: De Struise Brouwers
Country: Belgium
ABV: 13%
Style: Stout – Russian Imperial
Other Notes: 72 IBUs

Brewer Description: (from bottle) A massive stout from Flanders matured in Bordeaux wine barrels. Margaux, Pauillac & St.-Estèphe.

My rating: 3+
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.88
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.8

Intro: A 750ml bottle, bottled on 25th July 2018, and a best before date of 24th July 2023. Poured into a snifter glass.
Appearance: Black in colour with a nice frothy one finger brown head that had good retention and left lots of nice lacing.
Aroma: Roasted malts, light char, chocolate, cocoa, raisin, fig, dates, and a touch red wine vinous.
Taste: Roasted malts, bakers chocolate, espresso, light char, licorice, and red wine notes.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with soft carbonation.
Overall: The wine barrels add an interesting dimension to the aroma and flavour, but it’s not among my favourites of the Black Damnation’s. It’s a decent sipper, but I didn’t think it was better than much of the whiskey barrel aged variants.

5 - Excellent (must buy), Beer Reviews, Hudson Valley Brewery x Finback Brewery, IPA - Sour, USA

Hudson Valley x Finback Everyday Spirits I

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Brewery: Hudson Valley Brewery x Finback Brewery
Country: USA
ABV: 8%
Style: IPA – Sour

Brewer Description: (from Untappd) Sour DIPA w/ raw wheat, flaked & malted oat, milk sugar, strawberry, peach & vanilla; hopped w/ Citra, Strata & Galaxy. Brewed in collaboration with Finback Brewery.

My rating: 5
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.63
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.5

Intro: A 16 fl. oz. can with no clear canned on or best before date. Poured into a winebar glass.
Appearance: A dark pinkish orange colour with a two finger very slightly pink head that had pretty good retention and left nice lacing.
Aroma: Sweet jammy, strawberry, vanilla, milkshake, with a hint of peach.
Taste: Sour candy, sweet, tart, strawberry puree, vanilla, peach.
Mouthfeel: Medium to full bodied with soft to moderate carbonation.
Overall: Super enjoyable and the kind of aroma and flavours that are among my favourites. Just like sour candy meets strawberry milkshake. Yum!

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Hudson Valley Brewery, IPA - Sour, USA

Hudson Valley The Map

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Brewery: Hudson Valley Brewery
Country: USA
ABV: 7%
Style: IPA – Sour

Brewer Description: (from Untappd) Sour IPA with wheat & oat, milk sugar, lemon & black lava salt, hopped w/ Mosaic & Azacca.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.26
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.1

Intro: A 16 fl. oz. can with no clear canned on or best before date. Poured into a winebar glass.
Appearance: A hazy orange colour with a one finger white head that had pretty good retention while leaving some lacing.
Aroma: Tart, lemon, yellow stone fruit, unripe mango, sour apricot candy, and lemon zest.
Taste: Sour, tart, lemonade, lemon zest, yellow stone fruit, with a touch of salt.
Mouthfeel: Light to medium bodied with moderate to soft carbonation.
Overall: Really easy and enjoyable to drink with good aroma and flavours.