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

3 - Indifferent (might buy, probably drink), Beer Reviews, Belgium, De Struise Brouwers, Stout - Russian Imperial

De Struise Black Albert Costa Rica Espresso

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Brewery: De Struise Brouwers
Country: Belgium
ABV: 13%
Style: Russian Imperial Stout
Other Notes: Belgian Espresso stout. Vintage 2015

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Experience de Tarrazu coffee in our Black Albert. Grown in the rich volcanic soils of Costa Rica’s famed Tarrazu region, these first choice Arabica coffee cherries are ripened evenly at 1,400 to 1,600 meters, hand-picked, sun dried and then dark roasted on Struise premises for a unique taste. It will surprise you with a flavor that hints of cacao and grapefruit and an aroma of aged wood and dark chocolate. Its intensity fills the palate, then fades cheerfully. Discover why we now roast our own coffee beans.

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.9
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.7

Intro: A 750ml bottle, bottled on 17th November 2016. Poured into a snifter glass.
Appearance: Black in colour with no head and no lacing.
Aroma: Roasty, coffee, chocolate, caramel, plum, dark fruit, licorice, boozy, and light smoky notes.
Taste: Roasted malts, chocolate, caramel, coffee, moderately sweet, dark fruit, plum, raisins, licorice, candi sugar, and a strong boozy finish.
Mouthfeel: Medium to full bodied with soft carbonation.
Overall: The booziness comes through quite strong in the aroma and taste, and maybe a bit too much. I was also hoping for more or stronger coffee notes. It’s interesting, but I easily prefer the original version of Black Albert more.

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.