Category Archives: 4 – Good (buy)

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Belgium, Brouwerij Rodenbach N.V., Flanders Red Ale

Rodenbach Alexander

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Brewery: Brouwerij Rodenbach N.V.
Country: Belgium
ABV: 5.6%
Style: Flanders Red Ale
Other Notes: Matured Ale with sour cherries. Aged in oak foeders

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Rodenbach Alexander is a Sour Ale brewed with fruit. It is a blend of 2/3rd aged Rodenbach (100% 2 year aged beer) with 1/3rd ‘young ale’, macerated with sour cherries. The natural flavor and taste of sour cherries is bringing a perfect match between the sour beer and the red fruit.

My rating: 4+
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.47
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.4

Intro: A 750ml corked and caged bottle. Poured into a Tilquin stemmed glass.
Appearance: A nice clear maroon red colour with a half finger beige head that dissipated fairly quickly white leaving only sparse lacing.
Aroma: Tart, cherry, strawberry, oak, with notes of vanilla and fruit vinegar.
Taste: Lightly sour, sweet, cherry, strawberry, oak, and fruit vinegar.
Mouthfeel: Light to medium bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: Good enjoyable aroma and flavours that is balanced and very fruity. My preference is still Caractère Rouge though.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Belgium, DUST Blending, Lambic - non-Lambic Blends

DUST Pruum Rouge

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Brewery: DUST Blending
Country: Belgium
ABV: 6.7%
Style: Lambic – non-Lambic Blends
Other Notes: #029 Saison / Lambiek blend

Brewer Description: (from bottle) #029 Barrel aged braambes Saison + rode pruim lambiek + 3 dagen gamay skin contact. (Blackberry Saison + red plum lambic + 3 days gamay skin contact)

My rating: 4+
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.4
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.3

Intro: A 750ml corked and capped bottle. Bottled in March 2022. Poured into a Tilquin stemmed glass.
Appearance: A very nice lightly hazy ruby red colour with a one finger pinkish head that had decent retention, but eventually settled to a ring around the glass, while leaving some nice lacing.
Aroma: Light funk, lightly tart, fruity, blackberry, plum, grape skin, lemon zest, with some natural wine vinous notes.
Taste: Lightly tart, oak, woody, blackberry, plum, grape skin, lemon, and a touch funky and vinous.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with moderate prickly carbonation.
Overall: Easily one of my favourite Saison / Lambiek blends from DUST Blending so far, and this is my fifth one. It’s got great aroma and flavours with lots of fruit, wood, funk, and vinous notes that just work well together.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Belgium, DUST Blending, Lambic - non-Lambic Blends

DUST Pruum Jaune

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Brewery: DUST Blending
Country: Belgium
ABV: 6.3%
Style: Lambic – non-Lambic Blends
Other Notes: #030 Saison / Lambiek blend

Brewer Description: (from bottle) #030 Barrel aged abrikoos Saison + gele pruim lambiek. (Apricot Saison + Yellow Plum Lambiek)

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

Intro: A 750ml corked and capped bottle. Bottled in March 2022. Poured into a Tilquin stemmed glass.
Appearance: A hazy golden colour with a one finger white head that dissipated fairly quickly to a ring around the glass, while leaving some lacing.
Aroma: Fruity, tart, apricot, lemon zest, funky, plum, with notes of wood.
Taste: Sour, tart, apricot, plum, grapefruit zest, wood, and some light funk.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: Nice fruitiness with the apricot being more noticeable versus the plum. Combined with the good carbonation, it made for a refreshing drink.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Lervig Aktiebryggeri, Norway, Stout - Pastry Imperial

Lervig Rackhouse Dulce de Leche

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Brewery: Lervig Aktiebryggeri
Country: Norway
ABV: 15.1%
Style: Stout – Imperial Pastry
Other Notes: Rackhouse. Bourbon barrel aged Imperial Stout

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Inspired by the Latin American dessert, this pastry stout offers a creamy, caramel sweetness characterized by toffee, and butterscotch with a subtle vanilla finish. The bourbon flavours imparted by 13 months in the barrels contribute hints of caramel, pecan and nutmeg which complement the dessert forward notes of this decadent beer. Pour over a fresh churro and experience una delicia!

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.28
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.1

Intro: A dark yellow waxed 375ml bottle, with a best before date of 30th May 2027. Poured into a snifter glass.
Appearance: Black in colour with a thin beige head that dissipated fairly quickly to a ring around the glass, while leaving some spotty lacing.
Aroma: Sweet, chocolate, caramel, vanilla, bourbon, with light nutty notes.
Taste: Sweet, chocolate, butterscotch, toffee, caramel, vanilla, bourbon, raisin.
Mouthfeel: Creamy, smooth, full bodied with soft carbonation.
Overall: Definitely sweet, but that was expected, and given this sweetness and the ABV, it was an enjoyable night of sipping with great aroma and flavours.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Lervig Aktiebryggeri, Norway, Stout - Pastry Imperial

Lervig Rackhouse Off The Rack Maple Bourbon 2020

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Brewery: Lervig Aktiebryggeri
Country: Norway
ABV: 14.7%
Style: Stout – Imperial Pastry
Other Notes: Rackhouse. 2020 maple bourbon barrel aged Imperial Stout

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Off the Rack Maple Bourbon was aged for 25 months in Canadian maple syrup barrels that were previously used for bourbon ageing. The rich, velvety texture and bold, complex flavors of our imperial stout are enhanced by the sweetness and woody depth of the barrels, resulting in a luxurious beer. Each sip reveals layers of coffee, toffee, and dark fruit, all balanced by clear maple notes and a smooth, warming finish.

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

Intro: A red waxed 375ml bottle, with a best before date of 13th January 2028. Poured into a snifter glass.
Appearance: Black in colour with a thin beige head that dissipated fairly quickly to a ring around the glass, while leaving some spotty lacing.
Aroma: Sweet, chocolate, coffee, dark fruit, fig, brown sugar, toffee, maple syrup, with notes of vanilla.
Taste: Similar to the aroma, sweet, chocolate, coffee, brown sugar, toffee, fig, maple syrup.
Mouthfeel: Creamy, smooth, medium to full bodied, with soft carbonation.
Overall: An enjoyable sipper, with good aroma and flavours, but perhaps on the verge of being too sweet for my palate.