Category Archives: Style

2 - Maybe (likely wouldn't buy, might drink), Beer Reviews, Belgian Strong Pale Ale, Bierbrouwerij De Koningshoeven B.V., Netherlands

La Trappe Isid’or

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Brewery: Bierbrouwerij De Koningshoeven B.V.
Country: Netherlands
ABV: 7.5%
Style: Belgian Strong Pale Ale
Other Notes: Trappist beer

Brewer Description: (from bottle) La Trappe Isid’or with it’s harmonious taste starts as a fruity flavour and then shifts to malty caramel; a perfect balance between complexity and simplicity.

My rating: 2
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.46
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.2

Intro: A 330ml bottle with a best before date of July 2020. Poured into a La Trappe goblet glass.
Appearance: A dark copper amber colour with a one finger beige head that had good retention and eventually settled to a nice thin replenishing layer while leaving lots of nice lacing.
Aroma: Dark fruit, prunes, plum, fig, raisin, Belgian yeast, caramel and a touch herbal.
Taste: Sweet, dark fruit, plum, prunes, fig, raisin, followed by banana, clove, toffee and caramel.
Mouthfeel: Creamy, medium bodied with soft to moderate carbonation.
Overall: Looks great and aroma was nice too. But it was sweet, too sweet for my liking. The sweetness was so strong that sipping it was the only way for me, and even that was too much at times.

3 - Indifferent (might buy, probably drink), Beer Reviews, Denmark, Stout - Imperial, To Øl

To Øl Goliat Sherry Oak Chips Edition

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Brewery: To Øl
Country: Denmark
ABV: 10.1%
Style: American Imperial Stout
Other Notes: Brewed & bottled by To Øl at De Proef Brouwerij, Belgium

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Imperial coffee stout matured with sherry oak chips.

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.78
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.6

Intro: A 375ml bottle with a best before date of 25th October 2021 (I think, as the year was not clear). Poured into a snifter glass.
Appearance: Dark brown to black in colour with a slightly more than one finger dark beige head that had good retention and left lots of nice lacing.
Aroma: Strong roast, coffee, milk chocolate, alcohol booziness, light caramel and a touch herbal at the end.
Taste: Sweet, boozy alcohol forward, light roast, light coffee, light chocolate, molasses and a hint of herbs.
Mouthfeel: Full bodied with soft carbonation.
Overall: The boozy alcohol and sweetness overpowered much of the other flavours, hiding much of the roast, coffee and chocolate that I enjoy.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Denmark, Stout - Imperial, To Øl

To Øl Goliat Maple Beacon Edition

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Brewery: To Øl
Country: Denmark
ABV: 10.2%
Style: American Imperial Stout
Other Notes: Brewed & bottled by To Øl at De Proef Brouwerij, Belgium

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Smokey imperial coffee stout matured with bourbon oak chips.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.04
My ratebeer.com rating: 4

Intro: A 375ml bottle with a best before date of 14th May 2021 (I think, as it’s a bit dark). Poured into a snifter glass.
Appearance: Dark brown in colour with a one finger brown head that had pretty good retention and left lots of nice spotty lacing.
Aroma: Sweet, chocolate, chocolate milk, light roast, light biscuit, brown sugar, a splash of bourbon and maybe a hint of smokiness too.
Taste: Strong roastiness, light char, smokey, moderately sweet, chocolate, chocolate milk, coffee, bourbon, oak.
Mouthfeel: Creamy, medium to full bodied with moderate to soft carbonation.
Overall: An enjoyable sipper although perhaps the name deceives as I have no idea where the maple comes in as I don’t get it in the aroma or the taste. Beacon or bacon? maybe, I get from the smokiness. I’ve noticed that I’ve rated this higher than the original Goliat, but to be fair, it’s been so long that I can’t really compare, but this was enjoyable.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Denmark, Lambic - Fruit, Mad Beer

Mad Sur

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Brewery: Mad Beer
Country: Denmark
ABV: 5%
Style: Belgian Lambic (Fruit)
Other Notes: Brewed and bottled by Mad Beer at De Proef Brouwerij, Belgium

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Spontan ale brewed with yuzu.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.36
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.2

Intro: A 750ml bottle with a best before date of 18th June 2024. Poured into a 3 Fonteinen stemmed glass.
Appearance: A lightly hazy copper amber colour with a one finger white head that had pretty good retention and left lots of nice lacing.
Aroma: Sour, tart, yuzu, citrus peel, vinegar, oak, lightly herbal, funky.
Taste: Sour, tart, funky, yuzu, lemon tea, lemonade, floral, herbal, vinegar, oak, with a hint of mint.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: Nice and refreshing with a good balance of funk, sour and yuzu citrus.

3 - Indifferent (might buy, probably drink), Australia, Beer Reviews, Farmhouse Saison, La Sirène Brewing

La Sirène Reserve Saison

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Brewery: La Sirène Brewing
Country: Australia
ABV: 7%
Style: Belgian Saison
Other Notes: Avant Garde Collection. 2016 vintage. Barrel-aged vintage Saison – rustic, vinous, wild. Oak 3.5/6, fruity 3.5/6 and funk 4/6

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Reserve Saison is composed of a blend of our classic Saison vintages that have been aged in Burgundian barriques & hogsheads since 2015 and 2016. The Reserve Saison displays generous oak character & balance with ethereal yet rustic notes of the indigenous wild yeast residing within the walls of our brewery. The Reserve Saison is the ultimate expression of our site and house style, imparting a sense of place, time and season to this wild ale.

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.94
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.8

Intro: A 375ml bottle, batch no. 230313, bottled on July 2018. Poured into a 3 Fonteinen stemmed glass.
Appearance: A lightly hazy golden orange colour with a big two finger white head that dissipated fairly quickly to a thin layer and left nice curtain lacing.
Aroma: Light funk, brett, lightly vinous, grape, some stone fruit, peach, apricot, lemon peel and a touch of lime soda.
Taste: Sour, light funk, brett, vinous, grape, oak, lemon, lime and a bit pithy.
Mouthfeel: Light bodied with high spritzy carbonation.
Overall: Nice Saison with lots of citrusy notes on the finish.