Category Archives: 4 – Good (buy)

4 - Good (buy), American IPA, Beer Reviews, Brasserie Artisanale du Luberon, France

Artisanale du Luberon L’été Indien IPA au thé

Tuesday, 9 August 2016 kitch Leave a comment

Brewery: Brasserie Artisanale du Luberon
Country: France
ABV: 7.5%
Style: American IPA
Other Notes: 55 IBUs. Malts – Pilsner, Cara and Munich. Hops – Nugget and Cascade.

Brewer Description: Not much information found on this beer except that it was first released in July 2016.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.84
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.8

Intro: A 330ml bottle with a best before date of December 2017 and poured into a plastic cup (it was all they had at the hotel).
Appearance: It poured a hazy copper amber colour with a one finger off white head with good retention and nice lacing.
Aroma: A bit light, but quite nice when it did come through. Malty caramel, black tea, pine, with hints of berries.
Taste: Caramel, pine, tea and berry sweetness.
Mouthfeel: Creamy, medium bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: This was pretty good and I especially liked the berriness. I would get this again.

4 - Good (buy), American IPA, Beer Reviews, Modern Times Beer x Garage Project, USA

Modern Times x Garage Project Blam! Blam!

Tuesday, 2 August 2016 kitch Leave a comment

Brewery: Modern Times Beer x Garage Project
Country: USA
ABV: 7%
Style: American IPA

Brewer Description: I could not find much information about this beer online or anywhere else.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.3
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.2

Intro: A 200ml pour on draft at Mikkeller Bangkok into a mini stemmed Mikkeller tasting glass.
Appearance: It was a hazy golden orange colour with a one finger off white head that had good retention and nice lacing.
Aroma: A complete fruit bomb of grapefruit, mango, peach and apricot.
Taste: Very nice bitterness, grapefruit rind and peel, orange, mandarin, honey and caramel.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: Like a Northeast IPA with the absolutely wonderful haze. Very nice fruity aroma and good bitterness. A great collaboration with Garage Project.

Blam! Blam! is the glass on the right in the photo below. Just for additional info, the glass on the left is the 18th Street Cherry Gose.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Belgian Witbier, Crooked Stave Artisan Beer Project, USA

Crooked Stave St. Bretta Late Spring Citrus Wildbier

Tuesday, 12 July 2016 kitch Leave a comment

Brewery: Crooked Stave Artisan Beer Project
Country: USA
ABV: 5.5%
Style: Belgian Witbier
Other Notes: Seasonal Citrus: Tango Mandarin

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Artisan ale brewed with citrus fermented in oak foeders.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.87
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.8

Intro: A 375ml bottle bottled in April 2015, poured into a Cantillon ballon glass.
Appearance: It poured a cloudy golden colour with a huge three finger white head with good retention and leaves nice thick lacing.
Aroma: Strong tangy citrus mandarin, lemon and floral aromas with only a hint of oak and brett.
Taste: Citrus peel, orange, mandarin, flower petals, oak, pepper spice and some brett.
Mouthfeel: Creamy, light to medium bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: This was nice and refreshing. I would prefer a bit less of the floral element, but it was not a deal breaker.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Belgian Dubbel, Belgium, Brouwerij Westvleteren (Sint-Sixtusabdij Westvleteren)

Trappist Westvleteren 8

Monday, 11 July 2016 kitch Leave a comment

Brewery: Brouwerij Westvleteren (Sint-Sixtusabdij Westvleteren)
Country: Belgium
ABV: 8%
Style: Belgian Dubbel
Other Notes: Blue cap. Trappist beer

Brewer Description: Not much info on their website and obviously even less on the bottle.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.32
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.2

Intro: A 330ml bottle with a sell-by date that has unfortunately rubbed off. Poured into a Chimay goblet glass.
Appearance: It poured a dark brown colour with some small sediment bits despite a careful pour. There was a one finger beige head that had pretty good retention and eventually settled to a nice thin but puffy cap and nice curtain like lacing.
Aroma: Strong dark fruits of plum, prunes, raisin, fig with hints of dark cherry and toffee.
Taste: Like the aroma, there is lots of dark fruit with raisin, dark cherry and prunes dominating. There’s also some plum, fig, brown sugar and a touch of alcohol that’s not overpowering.
Mouthfeel: Creamy, medium bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: It’s a very nice Dubbel. Great dark fruit flavours and very balanced. Interestingly though, after trying both many times, I am still leaning towards enjoying Westmalle Dubbel just that slight bit more.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Epic Brewing Company, Fruit Beer, USA

Epic Lil’ Brainless Raspberries

Wednesday, 29 June 2016 kitch Leave a comment

Brewery: Epic Brewing Company
Country: USA
ABV: 5.2%
Style: Fruit Beer
Other Notes: 100% pure raspberry puree (no preservatives)

Brewer Description: (from can) Lil’ Brainless Raspberries is an easy drinking canned version of our big, bold 22 oz. bottle of Brainless Raspberries, crafted especially for those who seek bright, fresh, and real raspberry flavours in a convenient size. We brew exclusively with natural raspberry puree, which gives this beer its unique pink color as well as hints of raspberry bubble-gum, sweet fruit jam, and a pleasant dryness that makes this beer perfect for easy going affairs, indoors or out.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.99
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.9

Intro: A 12 fl. oz. can with no canned on or best by date. Poured into a Mikkeller pint glass.
Appearance: It poured a clear pinkish-red copper colour with a one finger slightly off white head that dissipated quickly but left some light lacing.
Aroma: Sweet raspberry juice with some strawberry jam and a hint of grape juice.
Taste: Similar to the aroma with raspberry juice and strawberry jam front and center. Lightly sweet and tart.
Mouthfeel: Light bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: I enjoyed this. It was light, refreshing, juicy and easily drinkable as I finished it pretty quickly. A nice fruit beer. I would have this in my fridge during the summer.

words of another dreamy traveller