Category Archives: 3 – Indifferent (might buy, probably drink)

3 - Indifferent (might buy, probably drink), American Double IPA, Beer Reviews, Three Floyds Brewing Co., USA

Three Floyds Cimmerian Sabertooth Berzerker

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Brewery: Three Floyds Brewing Co.
Country: USA
ABV: 9%
Style: Double IPA
Other Notes: IBU 100

Brewer Description: (from website) In the seemingly endless cruelty, battle and strife of the Hyborian Age, a warrior has but two pleasures: decimating one’s enemies in battle, and a horn of Cimmerian Sabertooth Berzerker to slake the thirst of victory.

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.49
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.4

Intro: Excited to see this on tap at Mikkeller Bangkok.
Appearance: Served in a pint glass a hazy copper orange colour with an off white one finger bubbly head.
Aroma: Strong aromas of citrus grapefruit, lemon peel and pine with some caramel in the background.
Taste: Much like the smell, the immediate taste is bitter hoppy grapefruit and caramel malts. There is some aftertaste of piney hops and spice.
Mouthfeel: Medium to full bodied, with good carbonation.
Overall: Maybe my expectations were too high to begin with, but this was only ok for me. I enjoyed the grapefruit and pine hoppyness but perhaps a bit too much caramel malt sweetness.

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3 - Indifferent (might buy, probably drink), Beer Reviews, Brown Ale, Grand Teton Brewing Co., USA

Grand Teton Bitch Creek Extra Special Brown Ale

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Brewery: Grand Teton Brewing Co.
Country: USA
ABV: 6%
Style: Brown Ale
Other Notes: 60 IBUs

Brewer Description: (from website) Bitch Creek perfectly balances big malt sweetness and robust hop flavor for a full bodied, satisfying mahogany ale. Like the stream for which it is named, our Bitch Creek ESB is full of character… not for the timid.

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.85
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.8

Intro: A 12oz bottle that was bottled on 22 January 2015 and poured into a pint glass.
Appearance: It poured a dark brownish red colour with a slightly less than one finger creamy brown head that dissipates in less than a minute leaving stringy lacing.
Aroma: Sweet toasted bready malts, caramel and some dark fruits mainly plum and grape.
Taste: Mainly sweet caramel mixed with some citrus hoppy flavours and a small amount of dark fruits. The aftertaste also gives a small blast of alcohol.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with low to medium carbonation.
Overall: It was quite a nice brown ale. Maybe a tad bit sweet, but I would probably consider buying this again if I craved for some brown ale. Having said that, this is quite honestly probably the only bottle that’s made it to Hong Kong.

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3 - Indifferent (might buy, probably drink), Beer Reviews, Belgian Tripel, Belgium, Brouwerij der Trappisten van Westmalle

Westmalle Tripel

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Brewery: Brouwerij der Trappisten van Westmalle
Country: Belgium
ABV: 9.5%
Style: Tripel
Other Notes: As per the website, the larger 75cl bottles mature differently to the 33cl bottles. They say that in the larger bottles, the fruit flavours are softer, riper and there’s also a hint of vanilla.

Brewer Description: (from Westmalle website) Westmalle Tripel is a clear, golden yellow Trappist beer that undergoes a secondary fermentation in the bottle (9,5% alcohol). It is a complex beer with a fruity aroma and a nice nuanced hop scent. It is soft and creamy in the mouth, with a bitter touch carried by the fruity aroma. An exceptional beer, with a great deal of finesse and elegance. And with a splendid long aftertaste.

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.68
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.7

Intro: The 33cl bottle had a best before date of 23rd July 2016 and was poured into a Chimay goblet.
Appearance: It poured a hazy golden straw colour with a white head that dissipates fairly quickly leaving thin soapy like lacing.
Aroma: There were aromas of bready malts, caramelised banana, candied sugar, slight bubblegum ending with lemon sour?
Taste: Tastes of sweet bready malts, orange, pear maybe some lingering banana ending with some slight alcohol.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with nice carbonation. Creamy and also somewhat sticky.
Overall: This was a decent tripel. The best thing about it was its look especially the thin soapy lacing. The taste itself was decent, but nothing too special either.

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3 - Indifferent (might buy, probably drink), Beer Reviews, Brouwerij De Molen, Netherlands, Stout - Imperial

De Molen Mout & Mocca

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Brewery: Brouwerij De Molen
Country: Netherlands
ABV: 11.6%
Style: American Imperial Stout
Other Notes: Brewery suggests to enjoy within 5 years

Brewer Description: Could not find any information on the website or the bottle other than to enjoy within 5 years and its name self description of malt and mocha.

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.79
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.7

Intro: Apparently there are two versions of this beer pre-2011 and the 2011 onwards. The pre-2011 version is 9.5% ABV while the 2011 and onwards version is 11.6% ABV. This beer was bottled on 31 January 2013 along with a note saying to enjoy it within 5 years. So currently this is still well within their suggested limits. However normally with coffee flavoured beers, I prefer to drink them fresher when the coffee flavour is usually more pronounced.
Appearance: A 330ml bottle poured into a snifter glass pitch black with minimal head that disappears quickly leaving some spotty lacing.
Aroma: Smelled of biscuit malt, some chocolate, leather and light coffee and toffee/caramel.
Taste: Similar to the smell, it leads with coffee and dark chocolate with a bitter finish. For such high ABV, there is almost no alcohol to taste.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied, minimal carbonation and slightly sticky.
Overall: The lack of alcohol taste and nice coffee and bitter chocolate flavours make it easy to drink. But perhaps there is a lack of depth in flavours and also would prefer a bit more carbonation in it too.

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3 - Indifferent (might buy, probably drink), Bad Martha Brewing Company, Beer Reviews, English Extra Special Bitter, USA

Bad Martha Martha’s Vineyard Ale

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Brewery: Bad Martha Brewing Company
Country: USA
ABV: 5.3%
Style: Extra Special Bitter (ESB)
Other Notes: Uses grape leaves from Martha’s Vineyard. Brewed and bottled for Bad Martha Brewing Company by Mercury Brewing Company

Brewer Description: (from neck of bottle) Get seduced by our flagship ale. The finest English malts, New England hops and grape leaves from Martha’s Vineyard give this Extra Special Bitter a devilish honey hue and smooth caramel flavor.

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.41
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.4

Intro: Another beer brought back to Hong Kong for me as part of a filler for a six pack. Bottled on 2 October 2014. 12oz bottle poured into a pint glass.
Appearance: It poured a hazy dark amber colour with an extremely light head that disappears fast leaving small spotty lacing.
Aroma: Apple and grape tea followed by caramel malts.
Taste: Sweet-ish but not too sweet, grape, plum, light caramel.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with nice carbonation.
Overall: It was interesting and I have to admit better than expected. The reason being that the bottle itself looked rather dull. If I was picking, it would not be a beer I would pick off the shelf. Having said that, I enjoyed the carbonation and the fact that it wasn’t too sweet.

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