Category Archives: Belgium

3 - Indifferent (might buy, probably drink), Beer Reviews, Belgium, Brasserie Fantôme, Farmhouse Saison

Fantôme Saison Simcoe Unic Brewing

Leave a comment

Brewery: Brasserie Fantôme
Country: Belgium
ABV: 7.5%
Style: Belgian Saison
Other Notes: Belgian Ale brewed with spices

Brewer Description: Not much information I could find, but I assume this is Fantôme Saison hopped with Simcoe.

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.84
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.7

Intro: A 750ml corked and capped bottle, bottle 215 of 650, with a best before date of end of 2022. Poured into a Holy Mountain tulip glass.
Appearance: Slow gushing upon popping the cork, it was a hazy amber orange colour, with an over two finger lively off white head that had good retention, that settled to a thick fluffy cap, and left some nice lacing.
Aroma: Grapefruit, citrus peel, grassy, saison yeast, orange, spicy, with slight barnyard notes.
Taste: Moderately sweet, orange, candied orange, saison yeast, clove, grass, honey, pepper spicy, lemon peel, lightly bitter finish.
Mouthfeel: Medium to light bodied with moderate to high carbonation.
Overall: Interesting flavours but it was perhaps just a tad bit sweet for me to enjoy it more.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Belgium, Brouwerij Oud Beersel, Lambic - Fruit

Oud Beersel Green Walnut

Leave a comment

Brewery: Brouwerij Oud Beersel
Country: Belgium
ABV: 6.5%
Style: Belgian Lambic (Fruit)
Other Notes: Bottled 4 years before best before date

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Green Walnut. Beer of spontaneous fermentation, aged on oak barrels, referments in the bottle.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.98
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.9

Intro: A 750ml corked and caged bottle, 2018 vintage, with a best before date of 7th June 2022. Poured into a 3 Fonteinen gueuze glass.
Appearance: A hazy golden orange colour, with an almost two finger white head that dissipated fairly quickly, but settled to a thin cap, while leaving sparse lacing.
Aroma: Seemed a bit weak, but there’s oak, hay, barnyard, herbs, and citrus rind notes.
Taste: Sour, tart, barnyard, funky, citrus rind, lightly bitter, white wine, and light berry notes.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with moderate to soft but spritzy carbonation.
Overall: Any walnut flavour or aroma was not clear to me, but the overall result was enjoyable with good citrus and berry flavours complementing the sour, funky and bitter notes.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Belgium, Brouwerij Oud Beersel, Lambic - Fruit

Oud Beersel Schaarbeekse Oude Kriek

Leave a comment

Brewery: Brouwerij Oud Beersel
Country: Belgium
ABV: 7%
Style: Belgian Lambic (Fruit)
Other Notes: Bottled 20 years before best before date

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Schaarbeekse Oude Kriek. Beer of spontaneous fermentation, aged on oak barrels, referments in the bottle.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.46
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.4

Intro: A 750ml corked and caged bottle, 2020 vintage, with a best before date of 15th April 2040. Poured into a 3 Fonteinen stemmed glass.
Appearance: A slightly hazy deep ruby red with a purple tint, and a big three finger pinkish head that dissipated fairly quickly, while leaving only sparse lacing.
Aroma: Citrusy lemon zest, cherry, tart, with slight marzipan notes.
Taste: Lightly sweet and sour, tart, cherry, almond, marzipan, oak, lemon zest and lime.
Mouthfeel: Medium to light bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: Very easy to drink with great aroma and flavours. Despite having a best before of 20 years, I preferred this fresh.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Belgium, De Struise Brouwers, Stout - Imperial

De Struise Black Damnation II – Moccha Bomb

Leave a comment

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

Brewer Description: (from bottle) A massive Stout from Flanders, matured in bourbon barrels.

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

Intro: A 750ml bottle, bottled on 25th July 2018, with a best before date of 24th July 2023. Poured into a Black Damnation tasting glass.
Appearance: Black in colour with a thin brown head that dissipated fairly quickly but settled to a ring around the glass, while leaving some decent lacing.
Aroma: Coffee, chocolate, with bourbon notes.
Taste: Coffee, chocolate, slight roast, bourbon, woody, with a lightly bitter finish.
Mouthfeel: Alcohol warming, medium to full bodied, with soft to moderate carbonation.
Overall: An enjoyable sipper with lots of coffee aroma and flavours.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Belgian Strong Dark Ale, Belgium, De Struise Brouwers

De Struise Pannepot

Leave a comment

Brewery: De Struise Brouwers
Country: Belgium
ABV: 10%
Style: Belgian Strong Dark Ale
Other Notes: 27 IBUs. A Dark Strong Ale from Flanders

Brewer Description: (from website) Pannepot is one of our biggest flagship beers at De Struise Brouwers. It is a Belgian dark strong ale with a subtle stout touch. Saw the light of day for the first time in 2003 and has been in the Top 100 of the best beers in the world since 2004.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.05
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.9

Intro: A 330ml bottle, 2020 vintage, bottled on 14th July 2020, with a best before date of 14th July 2025. Poured into a Struise tulip glass.
Appearance: Dark brown in colour with a thin beige head that dissipated quickly and left only sparse to no lacing.
Aroma: Sweet, doughy, cake, caramel, clove, candied plum, prune, grape gummy candies, chocolate, coffee, and candi sugar.
Taste: Lightly sweet, yeasty, doughy, slightly boozy, fig, clove, plum, prunes, raisin, toffee, with notes of cocoa and chocolate.
Mouthfeel: Creamy, medium bodied with low carbonation.
Overall: A little bit too doughy for me, but still enjoyable.