Category Archives: 4 – Good (buy)

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Belgium, Geuzestekerij De Cam, Lambic - Fruit

De Cam Nectarine Lambiek

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Brewery: Geuzestekerij De Cam
Country: Belgium
ABV: 6.5%
Style: Lambic – Fruit
Other Notes: 2017 vintage

Brewer Description: (from bottle in Dutch) Nectarine Lambiek schuimt niet, doordat hergisting op fles minimaal is om de fruitaroma’s maximaal te proeven. Oude Nectarine Lambiek ontstaat door het samen vergisten van jonge lambiek met een hoeveelheid aromatische nectarinen. De nectarine, Prunus Nuci persica, worden in hun geheel (geen sap) met pit in bewerking gebracht. Het gehalte aan nectarinen bedraagt ongeveer 40 kg per 100 liter lambiek.

(translated to English) Nectarine Lambiek does not foam, because refermentation in the bottle is minimal to maximize the taste of the fruit aromas. Oude Nectarine Lambiek is created by fermenting young lambic together with a quantity of aromatic nectarines. The nectarine, Prunus Nuci persica, are processed whole (no juice) with seeds. The nectarine content is approximately 40 kg per 100 liters of lambic.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.23
My ratebeer.com rating: 4

Intro: A 750ml corked and caged bottle, 2017 vintage, with a best before date of July 2040. Poured into a De Cam stemmed glass.
Appearance: A lightly hazy golden orange colour with a very thin white head that disappeared almost immediately while leaving only sparse lacing.
Aroma: Funky, nectarines, peach, apricot, vanilla yoghurt, oak, dusty, with a hint of lemon zest.
Taste: Light sour, tart, nectarines, peach, yoghurt, olive oil, lemon zest, oak, funky, barnyard.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with soft carbonation.
Overall: Easy drinking with nice aroma, flavours and good funky notes. It lacked carbonation though, and I definitely thought it needed some.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Belgium, Geuzestekerij De Cam, Lambic - Fruit

De Cam Framboise Lambiek

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Brewery: Geuzestekerij De Cam
Country: Belgium
ABV: 6%
Style: Lambic – Fruit
Other Notes: 2017 vintage

Brewer Description: (from bottle in Dutch) Framboise Lambiek schuimt niet, doordat hergisting op fles minimaal is om de fruitaroma’s maximaal te proeven. Oude Framboise Lambiek ontstaat door het samen vergisten van jonge lambiek met een hoeveelheid aromatische frambozen. De frambozen worden in hun geheel (geen sap) met pitjes in bewerking gebracht. Het gehalte aan frambozen bedraagt ongeveer 30 kg per 100 liter framboise.

(translated to English) Framboise Lambiek does not foam, because refermentation in the bottle is minimal to maximize the taste of the fruit aromas. Oude Framboise Lambiek is created by fermenting young lambic together with a quantity of aromatic raspberries. The raspberries are processed in their entirety (no juice) with seeds. The raspberry content is approximately 30 kg per 100 liters of framboise.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.04
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.9

Intro: A 750ml corked and caged bottle, 2017 vintage, with a best before date of July 2040. Poured into a De Cam stemmed glass.
Appearance: A lightly hazy amber orange colour with a one finger beige head that dissipated fairly quickly but left some nice lacing.
Aroma: Tart, jammy, raspberry, oak, lemon zest, with slight notes of funk.
Taste: Lightly sour, tart, jammy, raspberry, rhubarb, lemon zest, oak, light funk.
Mouthfeel: Medium to light bodied with moderate to high carbonation.
Overall: The aroma was good with nice fruity raspberry, but taste while still good, the amount of fruit didn’t quite match the aroma. Carbonation was also on the borderline too high for my palate, and sometimes a bit uncomfortable.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Belgian Quadrupel, Belgium, De Struise Brouwers

De Struise Sint Amatus

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Brewery: De Struise Brouwers
Country: Belgium
ABV: 11%
Style: Belgian Quadrupel
Other Notes: 2013 vintage. 23 IBUs. Bourbon barrel aged quad

Brewer Description: (from website) Saint Amatus is the Woodford Reserve bourbon barrel matured version of Pannepeut. Dark quadrupel (Trappist style).

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

Intro: A 330ml bottle, 2013 vintage, bottled on 21st June 2016. Poured into a Chimay goblet glass.
Appearance: A hazy dark brown colour with no head and no lacing.
Aroma: Malty, dark fruit, plum, prunes, raisin, with notes of caramel and bourbon.
Taste: Sweet malt, moderately sweet, dark fruit, prunes, raisin, caramel, toffee, bourbon, boozy.
Mouthfeel: Sticky, medium to full bodied with soft to moderate carbonation.
Overall: An enjoyable sipper. I preferred this original, over the cask strength version just a bit more.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Belgian Quadrupel, Belgium, De Struise Brouwers

De Struise Sint Amatus Cask Strength Woodford Reserve BA 3 Years

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Brewery: De Struise Brouwers
Country: Belgium
ABV: 11%
Style: Belgian Quadrupel
Other Notes: 2013 vintage cask strength

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Cask strength limited edition. Medium carbonation – WR bourbon barrel 3 yrs.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.02
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.8

Intro: A 750ml bottle, 2013 vintage, cask strength limited edition, bottled on 21st June 2016. Poured into a Chimay goblet glass.
Appearance: A hazy dark brown colour with pretty much no head and no lacing.
Aroma: Sweet malt, dark fruit, prunes, raisin, brown sugar, caramel, bourbon, with a hint of dark chocolate.
Taste: Sweet malt, caramel, slightly burnt sugar, brown sugar, dark fruit, prunes, raisin, bourbon, chocolate, lightly bitter finish.
Mouthfeel: Medium to full bodied with soft carbonation.
Overall: Aroma and flavours were nice, but carbonation was definitely lacking for me. If only it had the ‘medium carbonation’ as stated on the label…

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Belgian Quadrupel, Belgium, De Struise Brouwers

De Struise Rio Reserva St Emilion Wine & Kentucky Bourbon BA

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Brewery: De Struise Brouwers
Country: Belgium
ABV: 10.5%
Style: Belgian Quadrupel
Other Notes: 2012 vintage. Belgian Quadrupel Ale

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Collaboration ale with brew master Ryohei Sugawara from Rio Brewing & Co Japan. Belgian dark golden blond quadrupel with an enormous potential of aromas and flavors, and added complexity due to oak barrel aging. First aging took place in St.-Emilion oak wine barrels from Tour Baladoz. Bourbon barrels from Kentucky were next due to their very special soft roast quality and noble vanilla flavors. Limited edition of 3000 cask strength bottles with medium carbonation.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.18
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.1

Intro: A 750ml bottle, 2012 vintage, limited edition cask strength, bottled on 14th November 2016. Poured into a De Struise tulip glass.
Appearance: A brownish orange rusty colour with a big two finger beige head that had decent retention and eventually settled to a thin cap while leaving nice lacing.
Aroma: Sweet malt, dark fruit, plum, prunes, caramel, with light notes of bourbon, oak, vanilla and vinous.
Taste: Moderate sweetness, brown sugar, dark fruit, prunes, plum, caramel, toffee, bourbon, oak.
Mouthfeel: Medium to full bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: An excellent sipper, with good complexity from the wine and bourbon barrels.