Category Archives: Brewer

3 - Indifferent (might buy, probably drink), Beer Reviews, BFM (Brasserie des Franches-Montagnes), Farmhouse Saison, Switzerland

BFM Saison au Cidre

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Brewery: BFM (Brasserie des Franches-Montagnes)
Country: Switzerland
ABV: 6.672%
Style: Belgian Saison

Brewer Description: (from website) The juice fermented in barrels for over a year, supported by a few drops of beer. In fact, we do not really know if it’s a cider in a saison or a cider saison, but it’s in 75 cl and we only produced 2,276 bottles, or 379.33 boxes of 6.

(from bottle in French) Cidre et bière affinées en fûts de Saint Bonch’. Au cidre de pommes de la grand-mere du Keke et du Lucas.

(translated into English) Cider and beer matured in Saint Bon-Chien barrels. With apple cider from the grandmother of Keke and Lucas.

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

Intro: A 750ml bottle, with a notched best before date of January 2022. Poured into a Holy Mountain tulip glass.
Appearance: A lightly hazy golden straw yellow colour with a slightly less than two finger white head that had decent retention and eventually settled to a thin cap, while leaving some lacing.
Aroma: Apple cider, oak, with some funky notes and maybe a touch peppery.
Taste: Light sour, tart, apple peel, apple cider, oak, funk, pear, citrus zest, with peppery notes.
Mouthfeel: Medium to light bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: Aroma was nice, but this mix of cider and saison didn’t work as well as I hoped it would.

3 - Indifferent (might buy, probably drink), Beer Reviews, BFM (Brasserie des Franches-Montagnes), Farmhouse Saison, Switzerland

BFM √225 La Saison

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Brewery: BFM (Brasserie des Franches-Montagnes)
Country: Switzerland
ABV: 6%
Style: Belgian Saison
Other Notes: 2016 vintage

Brewer Description: (from website) A favourite of connoisseurs, La √225 Saison barrel with tart and bitter notes at the same time.

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.81
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.7

Intro: A 750ml bottle, 2016 vintage, with a notched best before date of August 2021. Poured into a Holy Mountain tulip glass.
Appearance: A very lightly hazy golden orange colour with a big three finger white head that had decent retention and left lots of nice lacing.
Aroma: Light tartness, apricot, citrus zest and rind, green apple, notes of funk, oak, and a splash of lime.
Taste: Tart, lemon, orange, funky, pepper spice, grass, lightly herbal, and bitter notes.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: An interesting refreshing Saison, but perhaps a bit too herbal for me.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Bière de Garde, Casey Brewing & Blending, USA

Casey Bière de Garde

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Brewery: Casey Brewing & Blending
Country: USA
ABV: 8%
Style: Farmhouse Bière de Garde

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Ale aged in oak barrels.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.11
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.9

Intro: A 750ml corked and caged bottle, bottled on 14th April 2016. Poured into a 3 Fonteinen stemmed glass.
Appearance: A cola brown colour with an orange hue, and a one finger tanned head that settled slowly to a thin cap while leaving some nice lacing.
Aroma: Tart, cherry, plum, red grape, oak, caramel, lemon zest, and a splash of herbal notes.
Taste: Sour, tart, lemon zest, herbal, cherry, plum, red grape, vinous, oak, caramel, and dark malt notes.
Mouthfeel: Medium to light bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: Haven’t had the opportunity to try many Bière de Garde’s, but this was an enjoyable dark sour beer with a balanced malty, tart, and fruity mix.

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

Tilquin Oude Myrtille Sauvage À l’ancienne

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Brewery: Gueuzerie Tilquin
Country: Belgium
ABV: 6.6%
Style: Belgian Lambic (Fruit)
Other Notes: 2018-2019

Brewer Description: (from bottle in Dutch) Bier met spontane gisting, de Oude Myrtille Sauvage Tilquin is verkregen door het gisting van 200 gr wilde bosbessen per liter van lambiek. Niet gefilterd en niet gepasteuriseerd, dit bier is hergist op fles.

(translated to English) Spontaneous fermentation beer, the Oude Myrtille Sauvage Tilquin is obtained by the fermentation of 200 gr wild blueberries per liter of lambic. Not filtered and not pasteurized, this beer is refermented in the bottle.

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

Intro: A 375ml corked and caged bottle, with a neck label of 2018-2019, and a best before date of 21st March 2029. Poured into a 3 Fonteinen stemmed glass.
Appearance: A hazy dark reddish purple colour with an orange hue and an almost two fingered pink head, that dissipated fairly quickly to a thin replenishing cap, while leaving some sparse lacing.
Aroma: Blueberry, blueberry skin, leather, funk, lemon, peppery spice, and notes of oak.
Taste: Tart, lightly sour, blueberry, light sweetness, blueberry skin, oak, funk, hay and lemon.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: Nice and enjoyable with good blueberry and balance between the sour, sweet and funky flavours.

5 - Excellent (must buy), Beer Reviews, Belgium, Gueuzerie Tilquin, Lambic - Fruit

Tilquin Oude Cassis À l’ancienne

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Brewery: Gueuzerie Tilquin
Country: Belgium
ABV: 6.3%
Style: Belgian Lambic (Fruit)
Other Notes: 2018-2019

Brewer Description: (from bottle in Dutch) Bier met spontane gisting, de Oude Cassis Tilquin is verkregen door het gisting van 200 gr zwarte bessen per liter van lambiek. Niet gefilterd en niet gepasteuriseerd, dit bier is hergist op fles.

(translated to English) Spontaneous fermentation beer, the Oude Cassis Tilquin is obtained by the fermentation of 200 gr black currants per liter of lambic. Not filtered and not pasteurized, this beer is refermented in the bottle.

My rating: 5
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.72
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.5

Intro: A 375ml corked and caged bottle, with a neck label of 2018-2019, and a best before date of 25th March 2029. Poured into a 3 Fonteinen stemmed glass.
Appearance: A hazy reddish orange brown colour with a slightly more than one finger off white head that dissipated fairly quickly to a very thin but replenishing cap, while leaving some sparse lacing.
Aroma: Wonderful blackcurrant, with light notes of funk and oak.
Taste: Tart, lightly sour, blackcurrant, oak, with notes of funk.
Mouthfeel: Light to medium bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: It may not be as complex as other great lambics, but I really love blackcurrant flavours and this has it in spades. Super enjoyable and easy to drink. I could just keep drinking this over and over again.