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

3 - Indifferent (might buy, probably drink), American IPA, Beer Reviews, Stigbergets Bryggeri, Sweden

Stigbergets Muddle

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Brewery: Stigbergets Bryggeri
Country: Sweden
ABV: 7%
Style: American IPA

Brewer Description: Could not find any information on this beer on their website or on the bottle.

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.8
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.7

Intro: A 330ml bottle, batch 599, with a best before date of 19th August 2017. Poured into a Lost Abbey teku glass.
Appearance: A hazy golden straw yellow colour with a one finger white head that dissipated fairly quickly and left some lacing.
Aroma: Mango, pineapple, grapefruit, orange with a hint of pine.
Taste: Generally quite light and short, but there’s mango and peach followed by bitter grapefruit rind and mandarin rind.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with moderate to low carbonation.
Overall: Aroma and taste were nice but was a bit disappointed that the taste was quite light and abrupt, especially when compared to top Stigbergets IPAs like GBG and Amazing Haze.

3 - Indifferent (might buy, probably drink), Against The Grain Brewery, American IPA, Beer Reviews, USA

Against The Grain Pile of Face

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Brewery: Against The Grain Brewery
Country: USA
ABV: 6.5%
Style: American IPA
Other Notes: 65 IBUs

Brewer Description: (from can) Rummaged Delight! In a world where all the skulls are being used up, we are left with nothing but piles of face. But fear not, that’s where the story is truly told! Pile of Face is the institution of American IPA, with all the character and drink-ability you would expect as we celebrate American indulgence!

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.7
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.6

Intro: A 1 pint can with a best before date of xx January 2018 (xx appears to be 19, but its not so clear…). Poured into a Lost Abbey teku glass.
Appearance: A clear copper orange colour with a two finger soapy white lacing that had good retention and left sticky lacing.
Aroma: Citrusy grapefruit, lemon and orange rind coupled with pine, light biscuit malt and fruit tea.
Taste: Sweet-ish biscuit malt, bitter grapefruit, orange rind, pine and light tea.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: A decent drinkable IPA.

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

De Ranke Kriek

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Brewery: Brouwerij De Ranke
Country: Belgium
ABV: 7%
Style: Euro Sour Ale
Other Notes: On base of old Flemish beer, Lambic and sour cherries (25%)

Brewer Description: (from bottle) 70% Belgian Sour Ale fermented with cherries with 30% Lambic added.

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.55
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.5

Intro: A 750ml bottle with a best before date of 26th August 2021. Poured into a Lost Abbey teku glass.
Appearance: A very nice clear ruby red colour with a just under two finger pinkish head that dissipated fairly quickly while leaving only sparse lacing.
Aroma: Sour, tart, funky, vinegar, musty with only hints of cherry.
Taste: Tart and sour, lots of lemon, lemon zest, vinegar and funk with only a hint of cherries.
Mouthfeel: Medium to light bodied with moderate to light carbonation.
Overall: This was ok but the Belgian Sour Ale felt like it overpowered everything else, such that there was hardly any cherry in either the aroma or taste, which was not so good for a Kriek type beer.

3 - Indifferent (might buy, probably drink), 8 Wired Brewing Co., Beer Reviews, Belgian Quadrupel, New Zealand

8 Wired Grand Cru 2011

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Brewery: 8 Wired Brewing Co.
Country: New Zealand
ABV: 11%
Style: Belgian Quadrupel
Other Notes: 2011 vintage. Pinot Noir barrel aged Strong Ale. Brewed with sultanas and funk

Brewer Description: (from bottle) This beer has been made with a little more love, care and attention than most other beers. After brewing this Belgian-inspired ale with a large dose of sultanas, we aged it in Pinot Noir barrels for more than a year. The barrel aging has added some funky sourness to an already very fruity beer, thanks to native micro flora left behind in the wood. If I should describe this beer with one word, it would be “vinous”. In fact, this may be the most wine-like beer I’ve ever tasted. So, maybe calling it “Grand Cru” – a classic wine descriptor – isn’t as preposterous as some wine snobs might claim it to be?

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.81
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.7

Intro: A 375ml bottle, 2011 vintage, and poured into a Chimay goblet.
Appearance: A cloudy dark rusty red brown colour with a just over one finger tanned head that dissipates slowly to a thin replenishing layer while leaving nice curtain lacing.
Aroma: Red wine, grape and raisin with hints of vinegar and tart cherry.
Taste: Tart and sour cherry, vinegar, lots of dark fruit, grape, plum and raisins, vinous red wine with hints of chocolate and a light black coffee bitterness on the finish.
Mouthfeel: Medium to full bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: This was pretty good and definitely complex. However, lately I’ve tried quite a few wine barrel aged beers, and I’m thinking that perhaps it’s not my thing in that I don’t feel wine barrels add anything better to the base beer. It’s solid, but perhaps not “Grand Cru”.

3 - Indifferent (might buy, probably drink), Beer Reviews, Belgian Pale Ale, Denmark, Mikkeller ApS

Mikkeller Årh Hvad?!

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Brewery: Mikkeller ApS
Country: Denmark
ABV: 6.8%
Style: Belgian Pale Ale
Other Notes: Brewed & bottled by Mikkeller at De Proef Brouwerij

Brewer Description: (from Mikkeller blog) Originally created as a tribute to one of Mikkeller’s favourite beers, Årh Hvad is a great accompaniment to cheeses. A Belgian Ale with cloudy amber colour and white head. The taste is a combination of pepper, malt and hops. Årh Hvad finishes with notes of strawberries and nutty malt and a light hopped grapefruit finish.

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.62
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.5

Intro: A 330ml bottle with a best before date of 23rd October 2023. Poured into a Lost Abbey teku glass.
Appearance: A hazy dark orange, copper, amber colour with a huge two finger fluffy off white head that kept growing out the glass with great retention and lots of sticky lacing.
Aroma: Tart berries, brett, funky, grape with hints of white wine and citrusy mandarin, orange on the back end.
Taste: Lightly sour to start with berries, plum, orange, pine, pepper spice and florally with a lightly bitter finish.
Mouthfeel: Medium to light bodied with low to moderate carbonation.
Overall: This was interesting as it was created as a tribute to Orval, and while there are some similarities, I still preferred Orval (which I had side by side) and which I felt had a smoother and better flavour profile.