All posts by kitch

3 - Indifferent (might buy, probably drink), Beer Reviews, Czech Republic, Métaphore, Wild Ale

Métaphore Vorrei Un Aperitivo

Leave a comment

Brewery: Métaphore
Country: Czech Republic
ABV: 4.6%
Style: Wild Ale

Brewer Description: (from bottle) The world around us serves as an endless inspiration to me. This appetizing beer is a nod to the classic bitter cocktails of Italy, all the while keeping its roots in local soil. It was brewed from local organic ingredients, rested for seasons in oak barrels, carefully blended and married with Zweigelt grapes, sour cherries and black currants. The magic touch comes from a dozen carefully selected botanicals which impart delightful, grown-up flavours of bitter, beyond the scope of hops. Best when enjoyed and shared in good company. Na zdravi!

My rating: 3+
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.02
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.9

Intro: A 750ml corked and capped bottle, with a best before date of 1st July 2032. Poured into a Tilquin stemmed glass.
Appearance: A very nice mostly clear reddish purple colour, with a one finger pinkish head, that had decent retention and settled to a ring around the glass, while leaving some lacing.
Aroma: Lightly tart, black currant, cherry, grapes, grape skin, a herbal botanical mix, slight funk, and a splash of wood.
Taste: Lightly sour, tart, mixed red berries, black currant, grapes, cherries, band aid, with a herbally bitter finish.
Mouthfeel: Light bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: Looks great, with good aromas. The black currant notes were nice, while the botanical herbal bitter bits added a different dimension to the beer.

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

3 Fonteinen Pruim Dubbele Altesse

Leave a comment

Brewery: Brouwerij 3 Fonteinen
Country: Belgium
ABV: 6%
Style: Lambic – Fruit
Other Notes: Blend°18, Season 22/23

Brewer Description: (from bottle) For this Pruim, we macerated Dubbele Altesse plums from Fruitdas, a fruit farm and cidery. We macerated these plums for more than three months on three-year old lambik, before blending with some more three-year-old lambik. This makes the weighted average age of this plum lambik clock at more than 28 months. The final fruit intensity is 355 grams of hand-picked plums per litre of Pruim. Of the cereals used, more than 1/3 was sourced within our Cereal Collective. 100% 3 Fonteinen.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.23
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.1

Intro: A 750ml corked and caged bottle, blend°18, season 22/23, bottled on 15th December 2022. Poured into a Tilquin stemmed glass.
Appearance: A nice cloudy dark orangey pink colour, with a one finger white head that had pretty good retention, eventually settled to a ring around the glass, while leaving some lacing.
Aroma: Lightly tart, plums, lemon peel, citrus zest, 7-Up, with light wood and light funky notes.
Taste: Sour, tart, plum, grapefruit, wood, light funk, and a fruity sour candied finish.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with moderate to soft carbonation.
Overall: My first thought was that it was too sharp and tart, but it definitely grew on me, and I enjoyed it. The fruity sour candy like finish, mellowed it out for me, and made for great drinking.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Denmark, Insight Cellars, Wild Ale

Insight Cellars Maturation: Bocoy

Leave a comment

Brewery: Insight Cellars
Country: Denmark
ABV: 7.2%
Style: Wild Ale
Other Notes: Danish Wild Ale aged in a very old oloroso barrel. 2021 vintage. 1471 btls

Brewer Description: (from bottle) For our Maturation series, we select beers aged in a single type of barrel to showcase how different casks affect the final character of a beer. We aged our Danish Wild Ale in a large, very old Oloroso Sherry Bocoy cask made of chestnut wood for two years, and blended this with a smaller amount of two-year-old Danish Wild Ale aged in a traditional oak Oloroso barrel. The Oloroso casks enhanced the beer with flavors of toasted walnuts, caramelized fruit and spices.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.24
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.1

Intro: A 750ml corked and caged bottle, 2021 vintage, bottled on 15th June 2023. Poured into a Tilquin stemmed glass.
Appearance: A nice lightly hazy golden orange colour, with a one finger white head that had good retention and left some nice lacing.
Aroma: Light funk, dusty, wood shavings, lemon, and sherry notes.
Taste: Grapefruit, lime zest, sherry, wood, with a lasting citrus peel bitter finish.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with moderate to soft carbonation.
Overall: Enjoyable, nice balanced aroma and flavours.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Denmark, Insight Cellars, Wild Ale

Insight Cellars Alma Del Arrumbador

Leave a comment

Brewery: Insight Cellars
Country: Denmark
ABV: 7.3%
Style: Wild Ale
Other Notes: Danish Wild Ale aged in sherry barrels. 2021 vintage. 2550 btls

Brewer Description: (from bottle) This is our tribute to the hardworking “arrumbadores” whose labor and skill kept Spain’s historical Sherry bodegas running for centuries. We aged our Danish Wild Ale in Oloroso, Pedro Ximenez and Palo Cortado casks for two years before crafting the final blend. The combination of these Sherry barrels makes for the perfect balance of sweet and dry, and imparts a rich and complex melange of toasted nut, dried fruit and spice flavors to our Danish Wild Ale.

My rating: 4-
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.07
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.9

Intro: A 750ml caged and corked bottle, 2021 vintage, bottled on 17th May 2023. Poured into a Tilquin stemmed glass.
Appearance: A lightly hazy golden orange colour, with a one finger white head that had good retention, and left some nice lacing.
Aroma: Funky, sherry, citrus zest, grapefruit notes, and a touch of oak.
Taste: Sherry, funky, grapefruit, notes of dried dark fruit, caramel, a touch nutty, and light spicy bits.
Mouthfeel: Light to medium bodied, with soft carbonation.
Overall: Nice funky and sherry notes but would have preferred a touch more carbonation.

3 - Indifferent (might buy, probably drink), Beer Reviews, Brasserie Ammonite, France, Wild Ale

Ammonite Vinifera XI – Gewurztraminer

Leave a comment

Brewery: Brasserie Ammonite
Country: France
ABV: 6.2%
Style: Wild Ale
Other Notes: 2021 vintage

Brewer Description: (from Untappd) Spontaneous fermented beer aged 1 year in pinot noir cask transferred in “Vinification intégrale” cask. Maceration of 7 months with “Gewurztraminer” grapes from Henri Klee Domaine. Concentration 300g/L.

My rating: 3+
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.93
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.8

Intro: A 750ml corked and capped bottle, 2021 vintage, poured into a Tilquin stemmed glass.
Appearance: A nice lightly hazy golden straw orange colour with a half finger white head that dissipated fairly quickly while leaving only sparse lacing.
Aroma: Tart, vinous, white wine grapes, yellow stone fruit, apricot seed, funk, oak, lime, and citrus zest.
Taste: Lightly sour, herbal, green vines, vinous, white wine grapes, grapefruit, lime, with a touch of funk and wood.
Mouthfeel: Light to medium bodied with moderate to soft carbonation.
Overall: It took some time for me to enjoy this, but it grew on me with each sip. I think it was the herbal element that caught me out a bit.