Category Archives: 4 – Good (buy)

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, German Rauchbier, Germany, Schlenkerla (Heller-Bräu)

Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier Märzen

Thursday, 29 December 2016 kitch Leave a comment

Brewery: Schlenkerla (Heller-Bräu)
Country: Germany
ABV: 5.1%
Style: German Rauchbier
Other Notes: 30 IBUs

Brewer Description: (from website) Bamberg’s speciality, a dark, bottom fermented smokebeer, brewed with Original Schlenkerla Smokemalt from the Schlenkerla maltings and tapped according to old tradition directly from the gravity-fed oakwood cask in the historical brewery tavern.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.25
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.1

Intro: A 500ml bottle with a best before date of May 2017. Poured into a Lost Abbey teku glass.
Appearance: A clear dark amber colour with a two fingered tanned head that had decent retention and left nice lacing.
Aroma: Smokey, bacon, ham and toast.
Taste: Smoked meats especially ham and charcoal-ly upfront before giving way to sweet-ish caramel malts and a touch of fruit.
Mouthfeel: Creamy, medium bodied with moderate to low carbonation.
Overall: A very nice smoked beer with lovely smoked ham aromas and taste balanced with a touch of sweetness.

4 - Good (buy), Avery Brewing Company, Beer Reviews, Stout - Imperial, USA

Avery Tweak

Wednesday, 28 December 2016 kitch Leave a comment

Brewery: Avery Brewing Company
Country: USA
ABV: 17.5%
Style: American Imperial Stout
Other Notes: Batch No.2. Stout with Coffee added, aged in Bourbon Barrels

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Our very own Parker, of the cartoon and cat loving variety, created this cult classic character back in our 17th season. Appearing in several episodes under another stage name that was deemed inappropriate, our executive producers and editors decided that a name change and further character development – a 4-month hiatus in bourbon barrels – were necessary to satisfy our most ardent and demanding viewers.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.34
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.1

Intro: A 12 fl oz bottle, Batch #2, bottled on 25th January 2016. Poured into a snifter glass.
Appearance: A dark brown to black colour with a one finger mocha head that had decent retention and left sparse spotty lacing.
Aroma: Very nice cocoa, chocolate fudge, espresso coffee, vanilla, raisin, cherry and bourbon.
Taste: Sweet plum, prunes, raisin, bittersweet chocolate, vanilla, molasses, coffee and strong but not overpowering bourbon.
Mouthfeel: A little bit thin at medium to full bodied, with low carbonation. Definitely some boozy heat, but its not overdone.
Overall: A very nice Coffee BA Imperial Stout that’s not overly sweet and has great aromas and taste. At 17.5% ABV, you get the boozy heat, but it’s still a very nice sipper.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Denmark, German Berliner Weisse, Warpigs Brewpub

Warpigs Varg Taß

Friday, 23 December 2016 kitch Leave a comment

Brewery: Warpigs Brewpub
Country: Denmark
ABV: 3.6%
Style: German Berliner Weisse

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Dry hopped Berliner Weisse.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.41
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.3

Intro: A 750ml bottle with a best before date of 7th July 2017. Poured into a Lost Abbey teku glass.
Appearance: A hazy golden yellow colour with a big three finger white head that had dissipated fairly quickly but left nice lacing.
Aroma: Tangy and lightly tart citrus and tropical fruit aromas. Lemon zest, lychee, peach, apricot and red berries.
Taste: Sour and tart lemon juice, cranberry and sour berries.
Mouthfeel: Crisp, dry, light bodied with high carbonation.
Overall: Wonderfully refreshing and great to drink.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Belgium, Brouwerij Hof Ten Dormaal, Euro Sour Ale

Hof Ten Dormaal Zure Van Tildonk 2014

Thursday, 22 December 2016 kitch Leave a comment

Brewery: Brouwerij Hof Ten Dormaal
Country: Belgium
ABV: 6%
Style: Euro Sour Ale

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Zure Van Tildonk is an original Belgian Sour Ale from the farm brewery Hof Ten Dormaal. With this beer, we strived to create a special, spontaneously-fermented beer via traditional methods using ambient yeast from our farm in Tildonk. Each batch of Zure Van Tildonk is carefully aged in our cellars at the Engelburcht Monastery for several months prior to release.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.14
My ratebeer.com rating: 4

Intro: A 12.7 fl oz bottle with a best before date of July 2017. Poured into a Cantillon ballon glass.
Appearance: A slightly hazy golden colour with a just over one finger white head with decent retention and great lacing.
Aroma: Sour, funky and bretty with some nice fruity lemon, apricot and a hint of vinegar.
Taste: Sour, tart and lemony. Light oak and sweetness on the finish with a touch of berries.
Mouthfeel: Crisp, light bodied with high carbonation.
Overall: It’s nice and refreshing.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Belgium, Lambic - Fruit, OWA Brewery SPRL

OWA Sakura Lambic

Wednesday, 14 December 2016 kitch Leave a comment

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

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Sakura is cherry blossoms in Japanese. The lambic which is matured in wooden barrel, and after matured with leaves of cherry blossom. Not added perfume, pigment, even yeast. Lambic brewed in Belgium by special wild yeast, and sakura is the Japanese national flower. Sakura lambic is the first marriage of Belgian proper beer and Japanese representative flower.

(from website) A perfect beer to enjoy before a meal. Sakura means cherry leaves in Japanese. The leaves are steeped in salt for several months producing a highly perfumed aroma. In Japan, Sakura are also enjoyed as special sweets during spring time.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.09
My ratebeer.com rating: 4

Intro: A 375ml corked, capped and paper wrapped bottle, 2015 vintage, with a best before end date of January 2018. Poured into a Cantillon ballon glass.
Appearance: A clear golden orange colour with a one finger white head that slowly settled to a thin layer with sparse lacing.
Aroma: Sweet fruity cherry, almond, apple and cinnamon. Also some wood with a light funk in the background.
Taste: No idea what cherry blossom is supposed to taste like but this is lightly sour with cherry, apple, wood, citrusy orange and a hint of cinnamon.
Mouthfeel: Light bodied with high to moderate carbonation.
Overall: Taste could be more sour, but its still nice. I definitely preferred this Sakura Lambic much more than its Yuzu counterpart. I’m also surprised that there is not more floral element in either the aroma or taste though considering that cherry blossom is used.

words of another dreamy traveller