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

3 - Indifferent (might buy, probably drink), Beer Reviews, Japan, Lager - Black / Schwarzbier, West Coast Brewing

West Coast The Schwartz

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Brewery: West Coast Brewing
Country: Japan
ABV: 5%
Style: Lager – Black / Schwarzbier

Brewer Description: (from website) Ladies and Gents, It’s officially dark lager time. Hop Dude lager aficionados are ringing in the fall with “The Schwartz” our first ever take on a dark classic, schwarzbier. Lightly roasted coffee feels with hints of milk chocolate and dark fruit in an easy to consume low ABV elixir format—helllll yes. We may not end up comparing the size of our Schwartz, but we will end up having a damn good time taking it down. If and when, the next iteration we will def aim for a touch more bitterness, but for now we’ll gladly take the roasty drinkability.

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.57
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.5

Intro: A 500ml can, canned on 11th October 2023. Poured into a winebar glass.
Appearance: Black in colour with a two fingered tanned head that had pretty good retention, while leaving some lacing.
Aroma: Light roast, milk chocolate, a touch of coffee, and dark fruit notes.
Taste: As you’d expect from the aroma, light roast, malty, black coffee, milk chocolate, with light plum dark fruit notes.
Mouthfeel: Light bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: Aroma and flavours were a little light in that I was hoping for stronger and more bitter roasty notes.

3 - Indifferent (might buy, probably drink), Beer Reviews, IPA - New England / Hazy Double, Japan, West Coast Brewing

West Coast Full Hop Alchemist v.32

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Brewery: West Coast Brewing
Country: Japan
ABV: 8.5%
Style: IPA – New England / Hazy Double
Other Notes: Hazy Double IPA. Hops – Enigma, Sultana & Sultana Lupulin

Brewer Description: (from website) Word on the street is that our Alchemist just sits in his hop closet juggling massive bags of Big Boi IPA hops all day—not (entirely) accurate. The combos gon’ get real Hop Dudes. V32 is about to hit taps and shelves (and your squeaky clean glass… fingers crossed) and is a bold blend of two hops that are not as familiar to modern IPA savants—Enigma and Sultana. Full disclosure: it’s a little sweeter than most of our FHA offerings, and a touch out of balance (missed the mark just a touch?), likely due to a lighter body and slightly warmer mash temp (the jury is out, but adjustments are in order). It is however also absolutely delicious, loaded with fantastic FLAVORS of the lychee / white grape and overripe mango persuasions, with a subtle yet solid strawberry candy-like component. In a word V32 is very tropical, but brings all kinds of fascinating sensory in a hazy quite unlike anything we have cooked up to date.

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.94
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.8

Intro: A 500ml can, canned on 6th November 2023. Poured into a winebar glass.
Appearance: A hazy darkish orange colour with a two finger white head that had good retention and left nice lacing.
Aroma: Grassy, orange rind, citrus zest, mango, and a touch dank.
Taste: Sweet, maybe on the verge of being too much for me. Mango, mandarin, candied grapefruit zest, and notes of citrus bitterness that helps with the sweetness a bit.
Mouthfeel: Sticky, medium bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: Generally, it was on the overly sweet side for me, but luckily there was some citrus rind and zesty bits that helped balance the sweetness.

3 - Indifferent (might buy, probably drink), Beer Reviews, Belgium, Bofkont, Lambic - Fruit

Bofkont Honeymoon

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Brewery: Bofkont
Country: Belgium
ABV: 6%
Style: Lambic – Fruit

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Blend of 1, 2 and 3 years old lambic with locally picked elderflower. The elderflower is a mix of 7 different varieties.

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.86
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.8

Intro: A 750ml corked and capped bottle, 2022 vintage, bottled on 20th August 2022. Poured into a Tilquin stemmed glass.
Appearance: A mostly clear golden orange colour with a one finger white head that had good retention and left some nice lacing.
Aroma: Lightly tart, grape gummy candy, floral, elderflower, grass, dry hay, with hints of dill.
Taste: Sour, tart, floral, elderflower, perfumy, lemon juice, with light notes of dill and pickle juice.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: Enjoyed the aroma, but the perfumy notes in the flavour wasn’t really my thing, and it was a touch too acidic on the finish.

3 - Indifferent (might buy, probably drink), Beer Reviews, Belgium, Brouwerij Hof Ten Dormaal, Wild Ale

Hof Ten Dormaal Zure van Tildonk Barbera

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Brewery: Brouwerij Hof Ten Dormaal
Country: Belgium
ABV: 7.5%
Style: Wild Ale

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Our Barbera is a special, annual release. We age this beer for 8 months on barbera grape must, giving it a distinct and complex tannic quality. The end product is an original, hand-crafted product from our family to yours without compromise. Fam. Janssens.

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.64
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.5

Intro: A 330ml bottle, with a best before date of September 2028. Poured into a Tilquin stemmed glass.
Appearance: A hazy dark amber orange colour with a very thin head that disappeared almost immediately, and pretty much no lacing.
Aroma: Tart, red wine grape skin, vinous, oak, yoghurt, with light citrus zest notes.
Taste: Sour, tart, redcurrant, unripe grapes, grape skin, fruited vinegar, caramel, oak.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with soft carbonation.
Overall: Aroma was quite good, but was hoping for more carbonation and less vinegar.

3 - Indifferent (might buy, probably drink), Beer Reviews, Belgium, Gueuzerie Tilquin, Lambic - Fruit

Tilquin Oude Reinette Étoilée À l’ancienne

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Brewery: Gueuzerie Tilquin
Country: Belgium
ABV: 6.8%
Style: Lambic – Fruit
Other Notes: 2022-2023

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Beer of spontaneous fermentation, the Old Reinette Étoilée Tilquin is made from the fermentation of 390g of apples by liter of lambic. Unfiltered and unpasteurized, this beer is refermented in the bottle.

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

Intro: A 750ml corked and caged bottle, with a neck label of 2022-2023, and a best before date of 6th January 2033. Poured into a Tilquin stemmed glass.
Appearance: A hazy golden orange colour with a one finger white head that had good retention and left some nice lacing.
Aroma: Funky, sulphury apple cider, apple peel, white grape skin, wood, and a touch dusty.
Taste: Sour, tart, apple, apple peel, green vines, gooseberry, funky, hay, wood.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: It drinks easy, and while aroma was pretty good, the flavours were fine but not amongst my favourite.