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

3 - Indifferent (might buy, probably drink), Beer Reviews, Cerveza Granizo x The Rare Barrel, Chile, Farmhouse Saison

Granizo x The Rare Barrel Noble Alerce

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Brewery: Cerveza Granizo x The Rare Barrel
Country: Chile
ABV: 7%
Style: Farmhouse Saison
Other Notes: Collaboration with The Rare Barrel

Brewer Description: (from bottle in Spanish) El noble Alerce (Fitzroya cupressoides) es uno de los árboles más longevos del mundo, llegando a vivir sobre los 3.000 años, trascendiendo nuestra concepción del tiempo y espacio. Noble Alerce es una cerveza de fermentación mixta, elaborada en conjunto con The Rare Barrel (USA), y que maduró por pacientes 8 meses en barricas de Alerce de más de 100 años, que previamente fermentaron chicha de manzana y, anterior a eso, cerveza del sur de Chile. Más noble imposible!

(translated to English) The noble Alerce (Fitzroya cupressoides) is one of the longest-lived trees in the world, living for over 3,000 years, transcending our conception of time and space. Noble Alerce is a mixed fermentation beer, brewed in collaboration with The Rare Barrel (USA), that matured for eight months in Alerce barrels over 100 years old, which previously fermented apple chicha and, prior to that, beer from southern Chile. More noble impossible!

My rating: 3-
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.65
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.5

Intro: A 375ml bottle, with a best before date of June 2030. Poured into a 3 Fonteinen stemmed glass.
Appearance: A nice clear golden colour with a one finger white head that had pretty good retention, while leaving some nice lacing.
Aroma: Sweet and tart, fresh cut apple, funk, with some citrus zesty notes.
Taste: Lightly sour, tart, apple, citrusy, with some woody notes.
Mouthfeel: Light to medium bodied with light to moderate carbonation.
Overall: Good look and aroma, but the flavours didn’t quite match up.

3 - Indifferent (might buy, probably drink), Beer Reviews, IPA - Session, Japan, Kirin Brewery Company

Kirin Spring Valley Summer Craft Ale

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Brewery: Kirin Brewery Company
Country: Japan
ABV: 4.5%
Style: IPA – Session

Brewer Description: Galaxy hops.

My rating: 3-
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.16
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.1

Intro: A 500ml can, canned in May 2023. Poured into a winebar glass.
Appearance: A nice clear golden colour, with a two finger white head that had good retention, and left lots of nice lacing.
Aroma: Citrusy lemon lime with some grainy malt notes.
Taste: Lemon and lime zesty, a touch watery, with light bitterness on the finish.
Mouthfeel: Crisp, light bodied, with moderate carbonation.
Overall: The aroma and flavours were fine, if nothing to shout about. But it was definitely refreshing on a hot summer day.

3 - Indifferent (might buy, probably drink), American Double IPA, Beer Reviews, Japan, West Coast Brewing

West Coast Hop Wave

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Brewery: West Coast Brewing
Country: Japan
ABV: 8.5%
Style: IPA – Double
Other Notes: West coast Double IPA. Hops – El Dorado, Ekuanot, Simcoe & Simcoe CRYO

Brewer Description: (from website) Reintroducing one of the Hop Dude’s go-to brews, “Hop Wave” is a West Coast-style double IPA that celebrates our local surf scene, backloaded with veritable waves of El Dorado, Ekuanot and garnished with a touch of Simcoe to deliver the bright tropical fruit and candied orange aromatics the Alchemist craves. Hop Dude cleverly disguised the ABV hit with a medium body, citrus / pine on the nose and that classic West Coast-style bitterness, finishing dry, crisp and super clean. #clearbeer

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.68
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.5

Intro: A 500ml can, canned on 19th June 2023. Poured into a winebar glass.
Appearance: A nice clear golden orange colour with a two finger white head that had pretty good retention, while leaving lots of nice lacing.
Aroma: Orange peel, grapefruit, pine, a splash of lime, and a touch dank.
Taste: Sweet-ish pine, candied orange, citrus zest, grapefruit pith, light stone fruit notes, with a bitterish finish.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: Easy drinking, but sweeter than I hoped, and looking for more bitterness.

3 - Indifferent (might buy, probably drink), Beer Reviews, IPA - Sour, Japan, West Coast Brewing

West Coast The Collective: Peach Cobbler

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Brewery: West Coast Brewing
Country: Japan
ABV: 9%
Style: IPA – Sour

Brewer Description: (from can) Sour DIPA w/ malted wheat, milk sugar, peach purée, vanilla and cinnamon.

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.52
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.4

Intro: A 500ml can, canned on 5th June 2023. Poured into the only glass I had available at the hotel.
Appearance: A murky dark orange colour with a slight pinkish hue, and a one finger white head that dissipated fairly quickly, while leaving some lacing.
Aroma: It’s a bit light, but it’s sweet-ish, peach, pie crust, apple peel, and cinnamon.
Taste: Sweet and a touch sour, peach, apple, plum, with light cinnamon notes.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with soft to moderate carbonation.
Overall: Didn’t really quite come together as I hoped it would.

3 - Indifferent (might buy, probably drink), Beer Reviews, Belgium, Lambic - Fruit, OWA Brewery SPRL

OWA Kaki Lambic

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Brewery: OWA Brewery SPRL
Country: Belgium
ABV: 5.5%
Style: Lambic – Fruit
Other Notes: Brewed at Brouwerij De Troch

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Persimmon.

My rating: 3-
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.42
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.4

Intro: A 375ml orange paper wrapped cap bottle, 2019 vintage. Poured into a Tilquin stemmed glass.
Appearance: A lightly hazy golden orange colour with a thin big bubbled white head that dissipated quickly, while leaving only sparse to no lacing.
Aroma: Persimmon, green vines, raw cabbage, lemon zest, funk, dusty.
Taste: Sour, tart, lemon, persimmon, earthy, acidic, vinegar.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with soft carbonation.
Overall: Persimmon was there, but a bit lost at times, as the aroma was more green and vegetal, while the taste was more sour, citric, and vinegar.