Category Archives: Belgium

3 - Indifferent (might buy, probably drink), Beer Reviews, Belgium, Lambic - Fruit, OWA Brewery SPRL

OWA Yuzu Lambic

Saturday, 10 December 2016 kitch Leave a comment

Brewery: OWA Brewery SPRL
Country: Belgium
ABV: 5.5%
Style: Belgian Lambic (Fruit)
Other Notes: Brewed at Brouwerij De Troch. Yuzu is from Wakayama Japan

Brewer Description: (from website) A very good choice for those who are not keen on a typical beer taste. Very easy to drink and very refreshing. Yuzu is a Japanese lemon. During brewing, only the peel is used to steep inside the Lambic.

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.49
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.3

Intro: A 375ml corked, capped and paper wrapped bottle, 2015 vintage, with a best before end date of January 2020. Poured into a Cantillon ballon glass.
Appearance: It poured a clear golden copper colour with no head and no lacing.
Aroma: Funk, wood and mineral with lots of citrus orange, sour yuzu and lemon.
Taste: Tart and very sour yuzu plus lemon peel, with a hint of wood and vinegar.
Mouthfeel: Acidic, light to medium bodied with light to no carbonation.
Overall: It started out kind of rough for me, but definitely got better the more I drank it and tasted better than its aroma. Its worth a try if you enjoy sour and/or lambic beer. Love the artwork though!

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Belgium, Hanssens Artisanaal, Lambic - Gueuze

Hanssens Oude Gueuze

Wednesday, 23 November 2016 kitch Leave a comment

Brewery: Hanssens Artisanaal
Country: Belgium
ABV: 6%
Style: Belgian Lambic (Gueuze)

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Each bottle matured for over three years.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.35
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.3

Intro: A 375ml corked and caged bottle with a notched bottled on dating of November 2015, poured into a Cantillon gueuze glass.
Appearance: It poured a slightly hazy golden colour with an almost two finger white head that dissipated quickly to a thin layer while leaving no lacing.
Aroma: Sour, tart, funky and oaky with hints of apple and lemon.
Taste: Sour and tart to start followed by lemon, pear and sour apple fruitiness. The finish has some light funk, a touch of vinegar and nice oakiness.
Mouthfeel: Dry, acidic, medium to light bodied with moderate to high carbonation.
Overall: One of the more sour Gueuze’s out there, but still very nice and enjoyable.

2 - Maybe (likely wouldn't buy, might drink), Beer Reviews, Belgium, Brouwerij van Hoegaarden, Fruit Beer

Hoegaarden Rosée

Tuesday, 15 November 2016 kitch Leave a comment

Brewery: Brouwerij van Hoegaarden
Country: Belgium
ABV: 3%
Style: Fruit Beer

Brewer Description: (from website) The story of the jam jars gave us an idea. Hoegaarden Rosée. It might be pink but it is very much a wheat beer. It also features the soft taste and subtle colour of raspberries. And while it doesn’t feature a higher alcohol percentage, it does mean you can enjoy it even more in the sun.

My rating: 2
My beeradvocate.com rating: 2.73
My ratebeer.com rating: 2.5

Intro: A 250ml bottle with a best before date of 4th May 2017, poured into a Moonzen teku glass.
Appearance: It poured a cloudy reddish pinkish orange colour with a two finger off white head that dissipated quickly and left some lacing.
Aroma: Sweet candy raspberry and strawberry with perhaps a touch of grape juice.
Taste: Sweet candied raspberries followed by apple juice. The finish is somewhat watered down such that any taste becomes really weak.
Mouthfeel: Light bodied with moderate to high carbonation.
Overall: I’m actually fine with the artificial candy berry flavours, but that taste on the finish of being watered down is what disappoints me most.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Belgium, Brasserie Dupont x The Lost Abbey, Farmhouse Saison

Dupont x Lost Abbey Deux Amis

Monday, 7 November 2016 kitch Leave a comment

Brewery: Brasserie Dupont x The Lost Abbey
Country: Belgium
ABV: 7%
Style: Belgian Saison
Other Notes: Hops – Amarillo and Simcoe

Brewer Description: (from bottle) French for “two friends,” Deux Amis commemorates the ground-breaking collaboration between Belgium’s Brasserie Dupont and America’s Lost Abbey Brewery. It brings together two brewers who have long shared a mutual reverence – Olivier Dedeycker, the fourth-generation Master Brewer at Dupont and Tomme Arthur, the acclaimed Brew Master of Lost Abbey. Deux Amis has been brewed at Brasserie Dupont in Belgium and crafted using traditional methods the brewery has perfected over the past century. It receives its decidedly stateside flavor from the addition of American Amarillo and Simcoe hops. The result of this kinship is a dry, refreshing Old World Saison full of New World flavors.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.04
My ratebeer.com rating: 4

Intro: A corked and caged 750ml bottle, 2016 cork with a best before date of May 2018. Poured into a d’Achouffe tulip glass.
Appearance: It poured a cloudy golden orange colour with a huge three finger white head that had decent retention and left foamy sticky lacing.
Aroma: Strong Belgian yeast, clove, banana plus melon with a touch of lemon zest, orange and white pepper spice.
Taste: Lightly doughy, approaching overripe banana sweetness, clove, lemon zest, orange rind, honey, grass and pepper spice.
Mouthfeel: Crisp, medium to light bodied with lively moderate to high carbonation and a dry finish.
Overall: A good refreshing Saison that is easy to drink. Good stuff from two brewery/brewers that I like.

3 - Indifferent (might buy, probably drink), Beer Reviews, Belgian IPA, Belgium, Brasserie d'Achouffe

d’Achouffe Houblon Dobbelen IPA Tripel

Wednesday, 12 October 2016 kitch Leave a comment

Brewery: Brasserie d’Achouffe
Country: Belgium
ABV: 9%
Style: Belgian IPA

Brewer Description: (from website) Houblon Chouffe was brewed for the first time in 2006. It is an Indian Pale Ale, characterised by a harmonious balance between a pleasant fruitiness and pronounced bitterness by using three types of hops. Houblon Chouffe is an unfiltered beer which is refermented both in the bottle and in barrels.

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.88
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.7

Intro: A 330ml bottle with a best before end date of November 2016 and poured into a d’Achouffe tulip glass.
Appearance: It poured a cloudy pale blonde colour with a big three finger white head that had great retention and left nice lacing.
Aroma: Belgian yeast and banana along with pear, apple and a hint of pine.
Taste: Pine, bitterness and lightly spicy followed by light banana and honey sweetness.
Mouthfeel: Dry, crisp, medium bodied with moderate tingly carbonation.
Overall: A nice solid brew that hides the alcohol well.

words of another dreamy traveller