Category Archives: Belgium

2 - Maybe (likely wouldn't buy, might drink), Beer Reviews, Belgium, Fruit Beer, Vliegende Paard Brouwers

Préaris Pomegranates of Love

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Brewery: Vliegende Paard Brouwers
Country: Belgium
ABV: 3.5%
Style: Fruit Beer

Brewer Description: (from website in Dutch) Tarwebier gebrouwen met granaatappel 4% abv. Eenmalig gebrouwen in maart 2018.

(translated to English) Wheat beer brewed with pomegranate 4% abv. Brewed once in March 2018.

My rating: 2
My beeradvocate.com rating: 2.97
My ratebeer.com rating: 2.7

Intro: A 330ml bottle with a notched best before date of March 2020. Poured into a 3 Fonteinen stemmed glass.
Appearance: A hazy golden straw yellow colour with a huge four finger white head that had excellent retention but left only sparse lacing.
Aroma: Dusty, wheat, citrusy lemon zest, slight sweet malt, caramel and apple juice.
Taste: Light flavours, wheat, sweet malt, lemon zest, citrus peel and hints of pomegranate.
Mouthfeel: Light bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: Considering pomegranate was in the name, it’s a pity that it wasn’t more prominent. I also wasn’t too fond of the ‘dustiness’ in the aroma. Just didn’t really work out for me.

3 - Indifferent (might buy, probably drink), Beer Reviews, Belgium, Czech Pilsner, En Stoemelings x Blind Enthusiasm Brewing Company

En Stoemelings x Blind Enthusiasm Papy Vandepils

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Brewery: En Stoemelings x Blind Enthusiasm Brewing Company
Country: Belgium
ABV: 5%
Style: Czech Pilsner

Brewer Description: (from Belgian Beer and Food facebook post) Papy Vandepils is a collaboration between Brussels brewery En Stoemelings, and Blind Enthusiasm from Edmonton Canada. It’s a simple and delicately balanced beer, with a grainy, cereal like flavor, followed by a long satisfying dryness. As you may have noticed from our editorial, some members of the Belgian Beer and Food team have an emotional attachment to it, since it represents a coming of age for our friends at En Stoemelings, and ranks as the best thing they’ve made so far. But, it’s a worthy choice in and of itself. According to Denys one of the brewers who made it, the trick is to have the right mix between Heidelberg and Pils malt, two weeks of lagering, and three weeks of maturation, plus clinically clean stainless-steel equipment and lots of love. As to what inspires this beer, the brewers mention Tipo Pils and Rulles Pils, but emphasise that the real reference is a classic Czech Pilsner.

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.44
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.3

Intro: A 330ml bottle, with a best before date of July 2019. Poured into a De Struise glass.
Appearance: A lightly hazy golden colour with a big three finger white head that had excellent retention and left lots of nice sticky lacing.
Aroma: Sweet, lemon zest, bready, yeast, grass, tea and light floral notes.
Taste: Light bitterness, lemon zest, citrus rind, grass, grains, pepper spice and hints of bread.
Mouthfeel: Dry, light bodied with moderate to soft carbonation.
Overall: Easy drinking Pilsner but at the same time not as crisp as others that I prefer.

3 - Indifferent (might buy, probably drink), Beer Reviews, Belgian Pale Ale, Belgium, Nanobrasserie de l'Ermitage

L’Ermitage Théorème de L’Empereur

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Brewery: Nanobrasserie de l’Ermitage
Country: Belgium
ABV: 6.4%
Style: Belgian Pale Ale

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Pale ale thé jasmin.

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.94
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.8

Intro: A 330ml bottle with a best before date of 24th October 2019. Poured into a Lost Abbey teku glass.
Appearance: A lightly hazy golden orange colour with a big three finger white head that had good retention and left lots of sticky lacing.
Aroma: Lemon zest, pear, tea, floral, jasmine and a touch bready.
Taste: Lightly sweet, pear, tea, grass, floral, touch herbal and peppery, with a light bitter finish.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with moderate but prickly carbonation.
Overall: Aroma was nice, while taste was easy drinking.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Belgium, De Struise Brouwers, Flanders Oud Bruin

De Struise Aardnon / Earthnun

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Brewery: De Struise Brouwers
Country: Belgium
ABV: 8%
Style: Belgian Flanders Oud Bruin
Other Notes: 17 IBUs. Flemish Sour Ale, FSA blend in barrel, Vlaams Oud Bruin

Brewer Description: (from bottle) First blend was mastered from existing bottles in 2007 at Ebenezers Pub USA by Christopher Lively and our team. This blend occurred in barrel and has aged for seven years on Margaux barrels from Château Haut Breton Larigaudière. Enjoy!

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.47
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.4

Intro: A 330ml bottle, bottled on 18th February 2016, with a best before date of 17th February 2021. Poured into a 3 Fonteinen stemmed glass.
Appearance: Deep dark brown in colour with a ruby hue and a one fingered tanned head that had decent retention and faded to a ring but left only sparse to no lacing.
Aroma: Light roast, cherry, chocolate, coffee, lightly tart, grape gummy candy, fig and plum.
Taste: Sweet and tart, plum, cherry, fig, grape, blackcurrant, jammy berries, with hints of vinegar, wood, light roast and chocolate.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with moderate to low carbonation.
Overall: Excellent, great aroma and flavours. Good complexity and extremely balanced.

3 - Indifferent (might buy, probably drink), Beer Reviews, Belgium, Brouwerij Het Anker, Euro Sour Ale

Het Anker Gouden Carolus Indulgence 2016 – Cuvée Sauvage

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Brewery: Brouwerij Het Anker
Country: Belgium
ABV: 9.8%
Style: Euro Sour Ale
Other Notes: Strong blond ale blended with Lambic from the Zenne valley. Limited Edition 2016

Brewer Description: (from the bottle and booklet around the neck) Gouden Carolus Indulgence [Indulgence, noun, \in-’dәl-jәn(t)s\ something that is done or enjoyed as a special pleasure] is a limited series of beers brewed every year with varying content. These ‘Indulgence’ brews are exclusive delights to be savoured at special moments or shared with special people.

Cuvée Sauvage is the 2nd taste to be produced under this label. Gouden Carolus Cuvée van de Keizer Rood was blended with 2- and 3-year-old Lambic (20%) from the Boon Brewery (Lembeek). This union combines the best of two brewing traditions: full-bodied and subtly flavoured, fruity and refreshingly sour.

The 2-year-old Lambic comes from oak foudre N°21 (9,000L). It offers aromas of apples, citrus fruits and oak.

The 3-year-old Lambic has aged in oak pipes (600L), and contains more volatile acids that give the beer a powerful, full-bodied and vinous taste with a slightly smoked touch.

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.94
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.8

Intro: A 750ml corked and caged bottle, released in Summer ’16, with a best before end 2018 date. Poured into a Lost Abbey teku glass.
Appearance: A slightly hazy golden orange colour with a big almost three finger off white head that had pretty good retention and left lots of nice lacing.
Aroma: Sweet champagne-y, sour fruit, peach, pink lemonade, sparkling apple cider, lemon zest, light oak and hints of funk.
Taste: Moderately sweet, champagne, peach, lightly sour, lemonade, lemon zest, apple, pineapple, Belgian yeast and a mix of spices.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied, moderate to high carbonation and a dry finish.
Overall: Quite nice overall, but I’m unsure of the necessity to make the ABV so high. With its aroma and flavours, I would have preferred an easy drink rather than one that’s more like a sipper.