Category Archives: My Rating (out of 5)

3 - Indifferent (might buy, probably drink), Beer Reviews, Belgium, De Struise Brouwers, Stout - Russian Imperial

De Struise Black Damnation XXVI – Froggie

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Brewery: De Struise Brouwers
Country: Belgium
ABV: 13%
Style: Stout – Russian Imperial
Other Notes: 72 IBUs

Brewer Description: (from bottle) A massive stout from Flanders matured in Bordeaux wine barrels. Margaux, Pauillac & St.-Estèphe.

My rating: 3+
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.88
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.8

Intro: A 750ml bottle, bottled on 25th July 2018, and a best before date of 24th July 2023. Poured into a snifter glass.
Appearance: Black in colour with a nice frothy one finger brown head that had good retention and left lots of nice lacing.
Aroma: Roasted malts, light char, chocolate, cocoa, raisin, fig, dates, and a touch red wine vinous.
Taste: Roasted malts, bakers chocolate, espresso, light char, licorice, and red wine notes.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with soft carbonation.
Overall: The wine barrels add an interesting dimension to the aroma and flavour, but it’s not among my favourites of the Black Damnation’s. It’s a decent sipper, but I didn’t think it was better than much of the whiskey barrel aged variants.

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!

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Hudson Valley Brewery, IPA - Sour, USA

Hudson Valley The Map

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Brewery: Hudson Valley Brewery
Country: USA
ABV: 7%
Style: IPA – Sour

Brewer Description: (from Untappd) Sour IPA with wheat & oat, milk sugar, lemon & black lava salt, hopped w/ Mosaic & Azacca.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.26
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.1

Intro: A 16 fl. oz. can with no clear canned on or best before date. Poured into a winebar glass.
Appearance: A hazy orange colour with a one finger white head that had pretty good retention while leaving some lacing.
Aroma: Tart, lemon, yellow stone fruit, unripe mango, sour apricot candy, and lemon zest.
Taste: Sour, tart, lemonade, lemon zest, yellow stone fruit, with a touch of salt.
Mouthfeel: Light to medium bodied with moderate to soft carbonation.
Overall: Really easy and enjoyable to drink with good aroma and flavours.

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

Hudson Valley The Territory

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Brewery: Hudson Valley Brewery
Country: USA
ABV: 7%
Style: IPA – Sour

Brewer Description: (from Untappd) Sour IPA with wheat & oak, milk sugar, rhubarb, lemon & elderberry; hopped w/ Mosaic & Azacca.

My rating: 5
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.7
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 hazy dark orange colour with a just over one finger white head that had good retention and left lots of nice lacing.
Aroma: Earl Grey tea, rhubarb, with notes of lemon zest.
Taste: Lightly sour, rhubarb, lemonade, lemon zest, Earl Grey tea, with some mixed berry notes.
Mouthfeel: Creamy, medium to full bodied with soft carbonation.
Overall: I enjoyed this a lot as I love this Earl Grey aroma and flavour that somehow appears, and is quite prominent, and it goes well with the rhubarb and lemon.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Hudson Valley Brewery, IPA - Sour, USA

Hudson Valley Ultrasphere

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Brewery: Hudson Valley Brewery
Country: USA
ABV: 6%
Style: IPA – Sour

Brewer Description: (from Untappd) Sour IPA w/ raw wheat, malted oat, milk sugar, raspberry & vanilla; hopped w/ Citra & Mosaic.

My rating: 4+
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.46
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.4

Intro: A 16 fl. oz. can with no clear canned on or best before date. Poured into a winebar glass.
Appearance: A hazy dark pinkish orange colour with a one finger pinkish head that had pretty good retention while leaving some lacing.
Aroma: Sweet, jammy, raspberry, vanilla, raspberry yoghurt.
Taste: Much like the aroma, sweet and sour, jammy, raspberry, mixed berries, vanilla, yoghurt, and a touch herbal on the finish.
Mouthfeel: Creamy, medium to full bodied with soft carbonation.
Overall: This type of aroma and flavours of raspberry and vanilla, are just my thing. I was worried that it might be too sweet, but there was just enough sour to balance it out, and it drank really easy.