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

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

Fantôme Saison Simcoe Unic Brewing

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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.

3 - Indifferent (might buy, probably drink), Beer Reviews, Belgian Strong Pale Ale, Belgium, De Dolle Brouwers

De Dolle Stille Nacht

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Brewery: De Dolle Brouwers
Country: Belgium
ABV: 12%
Style: Belgian Strong Pale Ale
Other Notes: Christmas beer

Brewer Description: (from website) With Stille Nacht, available in Esen at De Dolle Brouwers, we offer a quality Christmas beer that you will enjoy, we are sure of it. Only Poperinge bubble hop is used. White candy mites provide the extra density.

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.75
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.5

Intro: A 330ml bottle, bottled in October 2019. Poured into a De Struise tulip glass.
Appearance: A hazy orange colour with a big three finger white head that had good retention and nice lacing.
Aroma: Sweet, candi sugar, honey, boozy, candied orange peel, Belgian spices, with slight notes of apple and banana.
Taste: Light to moderate sweetness, boozy, candi sugar, fig, apple, orange peel, pear, peppery spice, with notes of clove and banana.
Mouthfeel: Boozy, medium bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: It’s a sipper, but the combination of sweet and boozy, although not too extreme here, is still not my favourite.

3 - Indifferent (might buy, probably drink), Beer Reviews, Belgium, Brouwerij De Ranke, Wild Ale

De Ranke Vieille Provision

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Brewery: Brouwerij De Ranke
Country: Belgium
ABV: 7.5%
Style: Wild Ale
Other Notes: Aged on wood

Brewer Description: (from bottle) This first bottling of Vieille Provision is dedicated to the 20th Anniversary of the collaboration between Shelton Brothers as our US importer and Brouwerij De Ranke.

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.85
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.6

Intro: A 750ml bottle with a best before date of 8th June 2021. Poured into a Holy Mountain tulip glass.
Appearance: A hazy golden orange colour with pretty much no head other than some big bubbles that disappeared quickly, while leaving some sparse lacing.
Aroma: Tart, grape, apple, lemon, light funk, with notes of wood.
Taste: Sour, tart, apricot, grape skin, lemon, oak, slightly vinous and with malty notes.
Mouthfeel: Light to medium bodied with soft to no carbonation.
Overall: Aroma was nice, but having low to no carbonation I think affected it overall for me, as I tend not to fully enjoy sour beers without carbonation.

3 - Indifferent (might buy, probably drink), Beer Reviews, Croatia, Porter, The Garden Brewery

The Garden Vanilla & Chocolate Porter

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Brewery: The Garden Brewery
Country: Croatia
ABV: 6.7%
Style: American Porter
Other Notes: 26 IBUs. Malts – Pale Ale, Carafa Special 2, Crystal T50, Chocolate Malt, Aromatic Malts, Oats, Golden Naked Oats and Torrified Wheat. Hops – Centennial. Yeast – AY4. Adjuncts – Cocoa Powder, Cacao Nibs and Vanilla

Brewer Description: (from can) Rested on vanilla and cacao nibs, velvet on the tongue.

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.83
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.7

Intro: A 330ml can, canned on 19th August 2020, but with a best before date of 19th February 2022. Poured into a Holy Mountain tulip glass.
Appearance: Dark dark brown to black in colour with a two finger brown head that dissipated fairly quickly, but left some decent lacing.
Aroma: Lightly roasty, chocolate, and cacao, with light vanilla notes.
Taste: Light roast, lightly sweet, chocolate, chocolate milk, and light vanilla notes.
Mouthfeel: Light to medium bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: Easy drinking with nice chocolate and vanilla notes.

3 - Indifferent (might buy, probably drink), Beer Reviews, Cascade Brewing, USA, Wild Ale

Cascade Figaro

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Brewery: Cascade Brewing
Country: USA
ABV: 9.1%
Style: American Wild Ale
Other Notes: Northwest sour ale. Ale aged in oak barrels with white figs and lemon peel. 2014 project

Brewer Description: (from bottle) House of Sour. Figaro is a blend of blend of sour Blond ales aged for up to 18 months in Chardonnay oak barrels with white figs and lemon peel.

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.83
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.7

Intro: A 750ml corked and caged bottle, 2014 project. Poured into a 3 Fonteinen stemmed glass.
Appearance: A lightly hazy golden copper colour with a two finger off white head that dissipated quickly, but settled to a thin replenishing cap, while leaving some decent lacing.
Aroma: Moderately tart, fig, raisin, apple peel, vinous, white wine, with citrus zest notes.
Taste: Sour, tart, plum, grapes, vinous, white wine, fig, oak, lemon juice, and lemon zest.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: The flavour of figs were a bit week, and overwhelmed by the dark fruits and especially the lemon. But it was still quite enjoyable, and a surprise at 9.1% abv, since it doesn’t seem anywhere close to being that high.