Category Archives: Beer Reviews

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Belgium, Brouwerij ‘t Verzet, Flanders Oud Bruin

Verzet Oud Bruin Cherry

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Brewery: Brouwerij ‘t Verzet
Country: Belgium
ABV: 6%
Style: Belgian Flanders Oud Bruin
Other Notes: Harvest 2015

Brewer Description: (from neck tag in Dutch) Oud Bruin Cherry ontstaat door krieken toe te voegen aan bier dat reed één jaar rijpte op eiken vaten. De rijpe vruchten worden in volle zomer, bij het krieken van de dag, geplukt in Poolse boomgaarden door lokale schonen. De manden, die uitpuilen van blozende vruchten, steken het Germaanse Rijk over om zo uitgepit neer te strijken in Anzegem waar ze aan het bier worden toegevoegd. De suikers uit de zure kersen worden door de wilde gisten omgezet naar complexe aroma’s van onder meer rode wijn, verse kers en amandel. De krieken en het bier tillen elkaar naar een hoger niveau, dat wisten brouwers honderden jaren geleden al. Ervaar zelf dit prachthuwelijk en klink met je vrienden op dit kersverse bruidspaar.

(translated from Dutch to English) Oud Bruin Cherry is created by adding cherries to beer that ripened for one year in oak barrels. The ripe fruits are picked in full summer, at the crack of the day, in local orchards in Polish orchards. The baskets, protruding from blushing fruits, cross the Germanic Empire to settle down in Anzegem where they are added to the beer. The sugars from the sour cherries are converted by the wild yeast into complex aromas of, among other things, red wine, fresh cherry and almond. The cherries and the beer lift each other to a higher level, brewers knew that hundreds of years ago. Experience this marvelous marriage yourself and sound with your friends on this brand new bridal couple.

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

Intro: A corked and caged 750ml bottle, harvest 2015, and with a best before date of April 2026. Poured into a 3 Fonteinen stemmed glass.
Appearance: A clear amber orange brown colour with a half finger beige head that had decent retention while leaving some lacing.
Aroma: Tart, cherry, cherry skin, oak, with hints of almond and vanilla.
Taste: Sour, tart, cherry, oak, lightly vinous, with a dash of vinegar.
Mouthfeel: Acidic but not overly so, light to medium bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: Nice and enjoyable. The cherry and oak comes through nicely, and there is not as much vinegar as in some of the other variations that I’ve tried.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Denmark, Mikkeller ApS x Three Floyds Brewing Co., Wheatwine / Ryewine / Ricewine

Mikkeller x Three Floyds Hvedegoop

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Brewery: Mikkeller ApS x Three Floyds Brewing Co.
Country: Denmark
ABV: 10.4%
Style: Wheatwine
Other Notes: Wheatwine

Brewer Description: (from Three Floyds website) A wheat wine brewed with our friends at Mikkeller.

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

Intro: A 750ml bottle with a best before date of 9th April 2020 (drank before that date, I’m just behind in my reviews). Poured into a snifter glass.
Appearance: A hazy amber brown orange colour with a one finger beige head that had decent retention while leaving nice lacing.
Aroma: Sweet dark fruit, plum, prunes, fig, pineapple juice, caramel, honey, and a splash of lime.
Taste: Sweet and bitter, dark fruit, plum, prunes, fig, pineapple juice, caramel, honey, citrus rind, pine, herbal, oak, lime and a touch bready.
Mouthfeel: Medium to full bodied with soft to moderate carbonation.
Overall: Nice enjoyable sipper with good balance between sweet and bitter.

3 - Indifferent (might buy, probably drink), Beer Reviews, Denmark, Mikkeller ApS x Three Floyds Brewing Co., Wheatwine / Ryewine / Ricewine

Mikkeller x Three Floyds Risgoop

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Brewery: Mikkeller ApS x Three Floyds Brewing Co.
Country: Denmark
ABV: 10.4%
Style: Ricewine
Other Notes: Rice Beer

Brewer Description: (from Three Floyds website) Behold! The fifth collaborative effort of Three Floyds and Mikkeller. This complex ale is just the beverage for canal boat trips in Copenhagen or the brutal Chicago winter. Brewed in Europe and in Chicago, you can look for both editions and the subtle differences in each. Cheers and thanks for supporting craft beer.

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.83
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.7

Intro: A 750ml bottle with a best before date of 1st April 2020 (drank before that date, I’m just behind in my reviews). Poured into a snifter glass.
Appearance: A hazy amber orange colour with a one finger beige head that had decent retention while leaving only sparse mini spotty lacing.
Aroma: Sweet malt, pineapple juice, orange candy, lime peel, caramel, pine, and dried citrus fruit.
Taste: Bitter, citrus rind, citrus peel, fruit tea, caramel, pine, dates, pineapple juice, and a lightly sweet and boozy finish.
Mouthfeel: Medium to full bodied with soft carbonation.
Overall: Not what I expected as it was more bitter that I expected. That’s not to say that it doesn’t work or anything, as despite the bitter and sweetness, it was still an enjoyable sipper.

4 - Good (buy), Against The Grain Brewery x Brouwerij De Molen, Beer Reviews, Stout - Imperial, USA

Against The Grain x De Molen Bo & Luke (Amburana Wood)

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Brewery: Against The Grain Brewery x Brouwerij De Molen
Country: USA
ABV: 13%
Style: American Imperial Stout
Other Notes: 2017 white wax. Amburana wood

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Beats all you ever saw! We have a reputation for being big, bold, and having the gumption to do things others won’t. In your hands is a barrel aged ale that exemplifies just that. We took Kentucky’s beloved bourbon recipe and flipped it upside down by employing rye, barley, corn, and cherry wood smoked malts. Then we aged it on freshly dumped bourbon barrels for three Kentucky months! The resulting beer is dark and smoky with hints of caramel, vanilla, and spice. Hang on to it while you can. This one’s going fast.

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

Intro: A white waxed 750ml bottle with no clear bottled on or best before date, but should be 2017 vintage. Poured into a snifter glass.
Appearance: Dark dark brown to black in colour with an one finger tanned head that had decent retention and left nice spotty lacing.
Aroma: Light roast, chocolate, cocoa, oak, sweet, vanilla, cinnamon, and light smoke.
Taste: Sweet, vanilla, cinnamon, oak, bourbon, chocolate, cocoa, chocolate cake, caramel, and light smoke.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with soft carbonation.
Overall: Nice aroma and flavours with a nice mix of especially vanilla and cinnamon. Smoke was there but a little light compared to the base, while mouthfeel was lighter than expected.

3 - Indifferent (might buy, probably drink), Against The Grain Brewery x Brouwerij De Molen, Beer Reviews, Stout - Imperial, USA

Against The Grain x De Molen Bo & Luke (Tequila Barrel)

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Brewery: Against The Grain Brewery x Brouwerij De Molen
Country: USA
ABV: 13%
Style: American Imperial Stout
Other Notes: 2016 gold wax. Tequila barrel aged

Brewer Description: (from bottle) It beats all you ever saw! This barrel-aged ale uses the staple ingredients barley, rye and corn, plus cherry wood smoked malt to create a huge imperial stout. To top it all off, we barrel age the beer for three Kentucky months! The result is a rich and complex Imperial Smoked Stout with hints of caramel, vanilla and spice.

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.76
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.6

Intro: A gold waxed 750ml bottle with no clear bottled on or best before date, but should be 2016 vintage. Poured into a snifter glass.
Appearance: Dark dark brown to black in colour with a one finger tanned head that had decent retention, and left spotty lacing.
Aroma: Roasty, chocolate, oak, soft sweet notes of tequila, and a touch of smoke.
Taste: Light roast, chocolate, cocoa, oak, and subtle notes of tequila and smoke.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with soft carbonation.
Overall: Not as good as the other 2106 variants (red wine barrel and Islay scotch barrel) as the smoke and tequila were rather subtle, and the body was for some reason, lighter than I’d hope for.