Category Archives: Switzerland

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Chien Bleu, Farmhouse Saison, Switzerland

Chien Bleu Chien Andalou

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Brewery: Chien Bleu
Country: Switzerland
ABV: 6%
Style: Farmhouse Saison
Other Notes: Cuvee 2020-2021

Brewer Description: (from Untappd) Three spontan beers blend with Solera method, 3 years (20%), 2 years (20%) & 1 year (60%). Barrel aged in Sherry and Pedro Ximenez.

My rating: 4+
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.5
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.4

Intro: An unnecessarily black waxed, capped and corked bottle, cuvee 2020-2021, with a best before date of April 2027. Poured into a Tilquin stemmed glass.
Appearance: A hazy golden orange colour, with a nice fluffy one finger white head that had great retention, and left good lacing.
Aroma: Grape skin, white wine vinous, wood, sherry, light funk, with notes of yellow stone fruit and lemon zest.
Taste: Light to moderate sour, yellow stone fruit, grape skin, vinous, wood, sherry, and a touch of light funky notes.
Mouthfeel: Smooth, medium bodied, with moderate to soft carbonation.
Overall: The wax was unnecessary and just caused a big mess before I even got started. Despite this, the beer drank really well with enjoyable aroma and flavours. Admittedly, a good surprise!

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Brasserie l'Apaisée, Switzerland, Wild Ale

l’Apaisée Prunus Persica Pêche Jaune

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Brewery: Brasserie l’Apaisée
Country: Switzerland
ABV: 6%
Style: Wild Ale
Other Notes: 2022 vintage

Brewer Description: (from bottle in French) Assemblage de bières de fermentation mixte élevées en barriques plus refermentées avec des péches jaunes demeter (Elegant Lady + Redskin).

(translated to English) Blend of mixed fermentation beers aged in barrels, refermented with Demeter yellow peaches (Elegant Lady + Redskin).

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.15
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.1

Intro: A 750ml clear bottle, 2022 vintage, to be enjoyed before 2028. Poured into a Tilquin stemmed glass.
Appearance: A hazy peach orange yellow colour, with a one finger white head that had pretty good retention, while leaving only sparse spotty lacing.
Aroma: Fruity, lightly tart, peach, peach skin, oak, funk.
Taste: Lightly tart, peach, peach skin, a splash of lemon juice, with notes of oak and funk.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: Loved the aromas, and while the peach flavours were nice, there was a lack of complexity that would have made it more interesting.

3 - Indifferent (might buy, probably drink), Beer Reviews, BFM (Brasserie des Franches-Montagnes), Bière de Garde, Switzerland

BFM Abbaye de Saint Bon-Chien Special Blend Bordo Casks 2018

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Brewery: BFM (Brasserie des Franches-Montagnes)
Country: Switzerland
ABV: 11%
Style: Bière de Garde
Other Notes: Special blend Bordo casks 2018

Brewer Description: (from bottle in French) Bière atypique aux notes épicées et balsamiques avec une belle acidité, la est élevée en barriques de vins rouges plus d’un an, puis assemblée.

(translated to English) An atypical beer with spicy and balsamic notes and a nice acidity, is aged in red wine barrels for more than a year, then blended.

My rating: 3+
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.96
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.8

Intro: A 750ml bottle, 2018 vintage, special blend Bordo casks. Poured into a Tilquin stemmed glass.
Appearance: A clear dark reddish copper colour with pretty much no head and no lacing.
Aroma: Lightly tart, dark fruit, plum, prunes, dark berries, vinous, wood, oaky vanilla notes, with a splash of balsamic.
Taste: Sour, tart, dark fruit, plum, prunes, dark berries, red wine grapes, vinous, wood, and an oaky vanilla note.
Mouthfeel: Medium to full bodied with no carbonation.
Overall: It’s got good aroma and flavours, but the lack of carbonation made it not nearly as good as the original. The lack of carbonation just seemed like it was missing something.

3 - Indifferent (might buy, probably drink), Beer Reviews, Chien Bleu, Switzerland, Wild Ale

Chien Bleu Giotto

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Brewery: Chien Bleu
Country: Switzerland
ABV: 6.5%
Style: Wild Ale
Other Notes: 660 bottles

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Giotto is a blend of three beers with red fruits. We have blended 60% young prune beer with 20% grape beer (pinot noir) and 20% spontaneous cherry beer from 2019.

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.83
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.6

Intro: A 750ml corked and capped bottle, with a best before date of June 2023. Poured into a 3 Fonteinen stemmed glass.
Appearance: A not so appealing hazy pinkish brown colour, with a half finger white head that dissipated fairly quickly to a ring around the glass, while leaving some decent lacing.
Aroma: Fruity, mainly prunes and cherry, funky, light wood, and a touch vinous.
Taste: Lightly tart, prunes, cherry, red wine vinous, light funk, with notes of wood.
Mouthfeel: Medium to light bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: The unappealing look of the pour made me check the photos on Untappd, and there seems to be quite a bit of inconsistency from the murky pinkish brown, like my pour, to a more appealing burgundy red, which is unfortunate. The aroma and flavours were better than it looked though, and made for some easy drinking.

3 - Indifferent (might buy, probably drink), Beer Reviews, Chien Bleu, Farmhouse Saison - Fruit, Switzerland

Chien Bleu Abricot 2021

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Brewery: Chien Bleu
Country: Switzerland
ABV: 6%
Style: Farmhouse Saison – Fruit
Other Notes: 720 bottles

Brewer Description: (from bottle) The frost has led us to change the variety of apricot for the 2021 season. We chose the Bergarouge. The apricots were infused for 6 weeks in a 12 month saison.

My rating: 3+
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.89
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.8

Intro: A 750ml corked and capped bottle, cuvee 2021-2022, with a best before date of June 2024. Poured into a 3 Fonteinen stemmed glass.
Appearance: A hazy orange colour with a one finger white head that dissipated fairly quickly to a ring around the glass, while leaving some sparse lacing.
Aroma: Tart, apricot, wood, light funk.
Taste: Sour, tart, apricot, green, oak, light funk.
Mouthfeel: Light bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: Not as complex as I hoped, and while the apricots were front and centre, they seemed a little underripe and green (or this is just a variety that isn’t one of my favourites).