Category Archives: 5 – Excellent (must buy)

5 - Excellent (must buy), Barleywine - English, Beer Reviews, Birra Baladin, Italy

Baladin Xyauyù Fumé (Islay Whisky)

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Brewery: Birra Baladin
Country: Italy
ABV: 14%
Style: Barleywine – English
Other Notes: 2014 vintage, bottle #1762

Brewer Description: (from Untappd) It represents the complex expression of Teo’s mind in the creation of his couch beers. An high fermented beer after a macro oxidation process and 12 month aging in Scottish whisky barrels from Islay, which give a natural and turbid aroma. The color is deep dark brown with copper notes, in the glass is without cream and gas.

My rating: 5
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.68
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.5

Intro: A 500ml waxed and corked bottle, 2014 vintage, bottle #1762. Poured into a snifter glass.
Appearance: A copper bronze colour, almost syrupy with no head and no lacing.
Aroma: Peat, leather, dark fruit, whisky.
Taste: Moderately sweet, dark fruit, brown sugar, toffee, caramel, light peat, and smoky notes.
Mouthfeel: Medium to full bodied, a touch syrupy, and no carbonation.
Overall: An excellent sipper with good balanced sweetness. Admittedly, there was a worry on my part that this would be overly sweet like the Xyauyù Barrel, but no, it was really enjoyable.

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5 - Excellent (must buy), Beer Reviews, Belgium, Bofkont, Lambic - Fruit

Bofkont Dancing in the Moonlight 2021

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Brewery: Bofkont
Country: Belgium
ABV: 6%
Style: Lambic – Fruit

Brewer Description: (from bottle) 1, 2 and 3 years old lambic with apricots (Ardeche in France) blended together with peaches (Spain) and Riesling grapes (2020) from the Mosel in Germany.

My rating: 5
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.62
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.5

Intro: A 750ml corked and capped bottle, 2021 vintage, bottled on 15th September 2021. Poured into a 3 Fonteinen Zenne stemmed glass.
Appearance: A hazy golden orange colour with a one finger white head that had pretty good retention, while leaving some lacing.
Aroma: Tart, sweet, jammy, apricot, peach, marmalade.
Taste: Sharp, sour, tart, apricot, peach, dried stone fruit, oak, with light white wine notes.
Mouthfeel: Medium to light bodied with moderate to high carbonation.
Overall: My first thought was that I absolutely loved the aroma, but the flavour was overly sharp and acidic. It quickly grew on me though, and by the time I poured a second glass, I really enjoyed the flavours, and found it refreshing.

5 - Excellent (must buy), Beer Reviews, Funky Fluid, Poland, Sour Ale - Smoothie / Soda / Pastry

Funky Fluid Triple Gelato Ice Cream Sour Nero

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Brewery: Funky Fluid
Country: Poland
ABV: 8%
Style: Sour Ale – Smoothie / Soda / Pastry
Other Notes: Raspberry, blackberry, blueberry, blackcurrant, plum, marshmallow, vanilla

Brewer Description: (from can) In this Gelato we decided on a mix of dark fruit – raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, blackcurrants & plums. We added marshmallow & vanilla to round it up. A fruit bomb!

My rating: 5
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.65
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.5

Intro: A 500ml can, with a best before date of 21st April 2023. Poured into a winebar glass.
Appearance: A dark maroon colour with a one finger pinkish purple head that had pretty good retention, while leaving some nice lacing.
Aroma: Sweet, candy like, raspberry, blackcurrant, blackberry, blueberry, vanilla, and cream.
Taste: Sweet, mixed dark berries, blackcurrant, raspberry, blueberry, blackberry, and vanilla.
Mouthfeel: Creamy, full bodied with moderate to soft carbonation.
Overall: The flavours are exactly what I enjoy. Vanilla mixed with a whole bunch of dark berries. Just yum.

5 - Excellent (must buy), Beer Reviews, Belgium, Geuzestekerij De Cam, Lambic - Fruit

De Cam Lambiek Special

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Brewery: Geuzestekerij De Cam
Country: Belgium
ABV: 7%
Style: Lambic – Fruit
Other Notes: 2018 vintage

Brewer Description: (from bottle in Dutch) De gele kruisbes, braambes en krieken werden in hun geheel aan de lambik toegevoegd. Fruit: 45kg per liter spontane gisting lambik.

(translated to English) The yellow gooseberry, blackberry and cherries were added in their entirety to the lambic. Fruit: 45kg per liter spontaneous fermentation lambic.

My rating: 5
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.6
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.5

Intro: A 750ml corked and caged bottle, 2018 vintage, with a best before date of 15th November 2039. Poured into a De Cam stemmed glass.
Appearance: A slightly hazy orange pink colour with a big two finger white head that had pretty good retention while leaving some lacing.
Aroma: Fruity, tart, cherry candy, mixed berries, oak, vinegar, with light citrus zest notes.
Taste: Fruity, tart, a touch sour, gooseberry, cherry, oak, a splash of citrus, and a touch of vinegar.
Mouthfeel: Dry, prickly, medium bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: A good mix of fruit creating a fruit punchy like aroma and flavours that was really enjoyable and easy to drink.

5 - Excellent (must buy), Beer Reviews, Hudson Valley Brewery x Finback Brewery, IPA - Sour, USA

Hudson Valley x Finback Everyday Spirits I

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Brewery: Hudson Valley Brewery x Finback Brewery
Country: USA
ABV: 8%
Style: IPA – Sour

Brewer Description: (from Untappd) Sour DIPA w/ raw wheat, flaked & malted oat, milk sugar, strawberry, peach & vanilla; hopped w/ Citra, Strata & Galaxy. Brewed in collaboration with Finback Brewery.

My rating: 5
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.63
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.5

Intro: A 16 fl. oz. can with no clear canned on or best before date. Poured into a winebar glass.
Appearance: A dark pinkish orange colour with a two finger very slightly pink head that had pretty good retention and left nice lacing.
Aroma: Sweet jammy, strawberry, vanilla, milkshake, with a hint of peach.
Taste: Sour candy, sweet, tart, strawberry puree, vanilla, peach.
Mouthfeel: Medium to full bodied with soft to moderate carbonation.
Overall: Super enjoyable and the kind of aroma and flavours that are among my favourites. Just like sour candy meets strawberry milkshake. Yum!