Category Archives: 5 – Excellent (must buy)

5 - Excellent (must buy), Beer Reviews, Stout - Russian Imperial, Surly Brewing Company, USA

Surly Darkness

Tuesday, 2 August 2016 kitch Leave a comment

Brewery: Surly Brewing Company
Country: USA
ABV: 12%??? (as per taplist, but unsure about this as there’s really not much info)
Style: Russian Imperial Stout
Other Notes: 2015 version. Seasonal bottles and kegs (released October). Malt – Pale Ale, Golden Promise, Aromatic, Chocolate, Black, Special B, Medium Crystal, Roasted Barley and Flaked Oats. Hops – Warrior, Amarillo and Simcoe.

Brewer Description: (from website) This massive Russian Imperial Stout brings waves of flavor; chocolate, cherries, raisins, coffee and toffee, finishing with a non-traditional dose of aroma hops.

My rating: 5
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.64
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.5

Intro: A 200ml pour on draft of the 2015 version at Mikkeller Bangkok into a mini stemmed Mikkeller tasting glass.
Appearance: It was pretty much pitch black with a half finger beige head that dissipated fairly quickly, leaving sparse lacing.
Aroma: Chocolate, vanilla, roast and hints of dark fruit.
Taste: Dark fruit, plum, prune, chocolate, roast, vanilla and caramel.
Mouthfeel: Rich, creamy, full bodied with light carbonation.
Overall: This was so good. Really nice aromas and great flavours. It’s a sipper, but the dark fruit, chocolate and caramel works well.

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

Cantillon Kriek

Sunday, 10 July 2016 kitch Leave a comment

Brewery: Brasserie Cantillon
Country: Belgium
ABV: 5%
Style: Belgian Lambic (Fruit)
Other Notes: Ingredients from organic agriculture

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Because of its complex flavour and its acidulous taste, the Kriek Cantillon is a unique and very thirst-quenching beer. The ingredients come from organic agriculture. Beer with evolving flavour. Keep and serve at cellar temperature (12-15 degrees). In order to fully appreciate the fruity taste of the Kriek Cantillon, it is recommended to drink it within one year after buying it. To be drunk preferably within ten years after the bottling date. Beer with krieken.

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

Intro: A 750ml corked and caged bottle bottled on 18th June 2015 (just over a year old) and poured into a Cantillon ballon glass.
Appearance: It poured a slightly hazy dark ruby red colour with a two finger dark pinkish-white head that dissipated fairly quickly and left only sparse lacing.
Aroma: Sweet and tart cherry with touches of strawberry. Lots of oak woodiness and only a hint of barnyard funk.
Taste: Sour, tart, cherry, lemon, oak and just a touch of funk.
Mouthfeel: Dry, light bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: Wonderful, so refreshing and well balanced. I could drink this all day.

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

Cantillon Rosé de Gambrinus

Friday, 8 July 2016 kitch Leave a comment

Brewery: Brasserie Cantillon
Country: Belgium
ABV: 5%
Style: Belgian Lambic (Fruit)
Other Notes: Raspberries (200 grams/litre)

Brewer Description: (from bottle) The Rose De Gambrinus Cantillon is obtained by macerating fresh raspberries in two years old Lambic. Its complex aromas and sour taste make this unique beer an excellent thirst-quencher. Keep at a temperature of 12-15 degrees and serve at 6-7 degrees. Beer with taste evolution. In order to fully appreciate the fruity taste of the Rose De Gambrinus, it is best to drink it within one year after the purchase. To be drunk preferably within ten years after the bottling date.

My rating: 5
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.7
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.5

Intro: A 750ml capped and corked bottle bottled on 26th January 2016, poured into a Cantillon ballon glass.
Appearance: It poured a clear ruby red colour with a one finger pinkish white head that dissipated quickly and left only sparse lacing.
Aroma: Tart and juicy fresh raspberries with a hint of lemon, berry jam, oak and barnyard funk.
Taste: Sweet, sour and tart raspberries followed by lemon juice, oak woodiness and a hint of barnyard funk.
Mouthfeel: Crisp, dry, light bodied with moderate lively carbonation.
Overall: A great raspberry Lambic that I could drink all day. So refreshing with great balance.

5 - Excellent (must buy), Beer Reviews, Crooked Stave Artisan Beer Project, USA, Wild Ale

Crooked Stave Progenitor

Tuesday, 5 July 2016 kitch Leave a comment

Brewery: Crooked Stave Artisan Beer Project
Country: USA
ABV: 6.2%
Style: American Wild Ale

Brewer Description: (from bottle) 1. Dry hopped golden sour ale. 2. Ancestral form from which others are derived.

My rating: 5
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.5
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.4

Intro: A 375ml bottle bottled in May 2015 poured into a Cantillon ballon glass.
Appearance: It poured a hazy golden colour with a big three finger white head and pretty good retention that leaves a nice ring of lacing.
Aroma: Sour, tart and very fruity with citrus grapefruit, lemon rind, orange followed by tropical mango, passion fruit and peach. There’s a hint of funk.
Taste: Like the aroma, its sour and tart. Orange and grapefruit dominate with a hint of lemon, mango and funk in the background.
Mouthfeel: Light bodied with moderate to high carbonation.
Overall: Thoroughly enjoyable fruity and juicy sourness makes it very easy to drink.

5 - Excellent (must buy), American IPA, Beer Reviews, Denmark, Mikkeller ApS

Mikkeller Invasion Farmhouse IPA

Saturday, 2 July 2016 kitch Leave a comment

Brewery: Mikkeller ApS
Country: Denmark
ABV: 8%
Style: American IPA
Other Notes: Brewed and bottled by Anchorage Brewing Company, Anchorage, Alaska, USA

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Farmhouse India Pale Ale bottled with Brettanomyces.

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

Intro: A 750ml caged and corked bottle from Batch #4, bottled in October 2015. Poured into a Mikkeller long stemmed tulip glass.
Appearance: It poured a cloudy golden straw yellow colour with a two finger white head with good retention and left great lacing.
Aroma: Big juicy tropical mango and pineapple, citrus lemon, lemon peel, lime, orange, some brett and funk with a hint of black peppercorn and herbs.
Taste: Quite similar to the aromas with tropical mango and pineapple shouting out followed by lots of citrus lemon and orange, peel and rind. There’s some light farmhouse funk, hay and pepper spice on the finish.
Mouthfeel: Dry, light to medium bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: Brilliant. Brett doesn’t always work, but it works so well in this Farmhouse IPA. Very nice tropical and citrus aromas and taste that worked well together and coupled with the light farmhouse funkiness was very balanced. The 8% abv just did not feel like it was there and I was drinking it like it was a sessionable beer. A must buy beer in my book.

words of another dreamy traveller