Category Archives: Style

Boon x Mikkeller Goût Américain Oude Geuze

Brewery: Brouwerij Boon x Mikkeller ApS
Country: Belgium
ABV: 6.5%
Style: Belgian Lambic (Gueuze)
Other Notes: 100% Boon Lambic. Collaboration between Boon and Mikkeller

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Acetic sting, an off-flavor to us, an acquired taste for others. Such as with this blend of 1, 2 & 3 yr old lambic now, in the past some champagne bottles would be given the name “Goût Americain” (“American taste”) when they were typified by a high amount of volatile acidity. With this in mind, we developed this limited edition both high in acidity while maintaining a delicate balance that is both complex and fruity. Pair this special blend with sharp cheeses or simply as an aperitif.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.99
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.9

Intro: A 750ml corked and caged bottle with a best before date of 19th February 2039. Poured into a Boon stemmed glass.
Appearance: A mostly clear golden colour with a two finger white head that had dissipated quite quickly while leaving only sparse lacing.
Aroma: Funky, barnyard, oak, straw, grass, with hints of apple, lemon peel and apricot.
Taste: Moderate sweetness and acidity, white wine, grapes, oak, straw, lemon, with hints of funk and a touch of sourness on the finish.
Mouthfeel: Dry, medium bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: It was sweeter and less funkier in taste than I expected, but still refreshingly enjoyable with nice fruity notes of grape and lemon.

Moonzen North Cloud Lager

Brewery: Moonzen Brewery
Country: Hong Kong
ABV: 4.5%
Style: International Dark Lager
Other Notes: Brewed with Yunnan Fermented Pu’er tea

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Slip into the shadows of power with this complex black lager brewed with Northern Hops and Yunnan Fermented Pu’er tea. Root yourself in its earthy essence and descend into its darkness.

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.63
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.4

Intro: A 330ml bottle with no clear bottled on or best before date. Poured into a Holy Mountain tulip glass.
Appearance: Dark brown to black in colour with a two finger tanned head that dissipated fairly quickly while leaving some decent lacing.
Aroma: Roasted malts, bready and earthy. Lightly herbal and black tea, with hints of chocolate, smoke and oak.
Taste: Roasty dark malts, lightly sweet, black tea, herbal, earthy, with hints of cacao, chocolate and toasted oak.
Mouthfeel: Light bodied, a little watery, but with moderate carbonation.
Overall: This was not bad, but the mouthfeel was just too watery for me. The Pu’er tea was a nice touch, but a heavier body would have helped this along.

Mikkeller Baghaven Polly 2019

Brewery: Mikkeller Baghaven
Country: Denmark
ABV: 6.8%
Style: American Wild Ale
Other Notes: 2019 vintage, aged 36 months

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Blended Danish Wild Ale aged on fresh kiwi berries and guava.

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

Intro: A 750ml corked and caged bottle, 2019 vintage, bottle 425 of 500, with a best before date of March 2029. Poured into a 3 Fonteinen stemmed glass.
Appearance: A hazy golden colour with a big two and a half finger white head that dissipated quickly and left only sparse lacing.
Aroma: Tart, light funk, fruity, guava, stone fruit, peach, oak and acetone.
Taste: Sour, tart, acidic, guava, stone fruit, peach, kiwi, oak, and a hint of funk.
Mouthfeel: Dry, medium bodied with moderate to high carbonation.
Overall: Nice easy drinking Wild Ale with good tropical fruit notes especially guava.

Brekeriet Purpur (Vild)

Brewery: Brekeriet
Country: Sweden
ABV: 3.5%
Style: American Wild Ale
Other Notes: With cherries and blackcurrant

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Purpur is part of our Vild series, fermented and aged for a long time in oak barrels with mixed house cultures.

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.87
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.8

Intro: A 375ml corked and capped bottle, bottled in August 2018, and with a best before date of 29th August 2028. Poured into a 3 Fonteinen stemmed glass.
Appearance: A mostly clear reddish purple with a slight orange hue and a big three finger pink head that dissipated quickly while leaving only sparse lacing.
Aroma: Lightly tart, Ribena, blackcurrant, grape skin with hints of cherry.
Taste: Sour, tart, blackcurrant, Ribena, grape, with hints of oak, cherry and mixed berries.
Mouthfeel: Light to medium bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: Blackcurrant was quite dominant and so it tasted like Ribena to me. With all the fermentation, barrel aging and applying a cork to the bottle, it seemed like a lot of work for what was a tasty beer, but didn’t feel complex in aroma or flavour.

Brekeriet Rips (Vild)

Brewery: Brekeriet
Country: Sweden
ABV: 3.5%
Style: American Wild Ale
Other Notes: With redcurrants

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Rips is part of our Vild series, fermented and aged for a long time in oak barrels with mixed house cultures.

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.58
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.5

Intro: A 375ml corked and capped bottle, bottled in May 2018, and with a best before date of 2nd May 2028. Poured into a 3 Fonteinen stemmed glass.
Appearance: A clear pinkish golden colour with a one finger white head that settled to a ring around the glass with lots of replenishing bubbles, while leaving some spotty lacing.
Aroma: Tart, mixed berries, acidic, vinegary, with some light leathery funk.
Taste: Much like the aroma, tart, sour, mixed berries, vinegary, acidic, oak, light funk, leather, with a lasting sour and acidic punch.
Mouthfeel: Dry, light bodied with moderate carbonation and an acidic vinegary feel.
Overall: Aromas and flavours were fine and consistent with redcurrant, but the feel was perhaps more acidic and vinegary than I would like it to be. On a side note, the cork seemed like it was going to fall apart on me, and I wasn’t sure it was really necessary for a beer like this.