Category Archives: Style

3 - Indifferent (might buy, probably drink), American Pale Ale, Beer Reviews, Cloudwater Brew Co., England

Cloudwater A•W18 Brewed All Season Pale

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Brewery: Cloudwater Brew Co.
Country: England
ABV: 4%
Style: American Pale Ale
Other Notes: Autumn-Winter 18. Aroma & Flavour – Mango, pineapple and tangerine, with a light, lasting malt character. Body – Light to medium body with spritzy carbonation. Aftertaste – Soft and juicy orange, low bitterness

Brewer Description: (from can) Our season-long Pale Ale is a beer for everyday moments, whether it’s conversation with friends or quiet relaxation after work, and aims to provide balance between bold flavour and easy drinkability. It’s full of rounded flavours of mango, pineapple and tangerine with a soft juicy finish and low bitterness.

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.62
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.6

Intro: A 440ml can, canned on 28th January 2019. Poured into a Lost Abbey teku glass.
Appearance: A lightly hazy golden colour with a two finger white head that had pretty good retention and left some nice fluffy lacing.
Aroma: Pineapple, mandarin peel, soapy, floral with hints of mango.
Taste: Slightly underripe mango, pineapple, citrus rind, lemon zest, with hints of pine and a herbal / floral touch.
Mouthfeel: Light to medium bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: Easy drinking but I’m not big on floral notes.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Cloudwater Brew Co., England, IPA - New England / Hazy Double

Cloudwater A•W18 Brewed All Season DIPA

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Brewery: Cloudwater Brew Co.
Country: England
ABV: 8.5%
Style: New England / Hazy Double IPA
Other Notes: Autumn-Winter 18. Aroma & Flavour – Ripe mango supported by peach and passion fruit, with a light, sweet malt profile. Body – Full-bodied, smooth and juicy. Aftertaste – Soft peach and mango sweetness, very low bitterness

Brewer Description: (from can) Double IPA is a style close to our hearts and one we’ve worked hard to continually refine. This beer is the result of two years’ experience in developing recipes that are deliciously drinkable at a higher ABV, delivering clean and precise flavours. Thick body and sweetness provide the platform to showcase juicy mango, peach and passion fruit.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.08
My ratebeer.com rating: 4

Intro: A 440ml can, canned on 29th January 2019. Poured into a Lost Abbey teku glass.
Appearance: A hazy mango juice orange colour with an almost two finger white head that had decent retention, while leaving some spotty lacing.
Aroma: Super ripe mango juice with hints of peach and citrus zest.
Taste: Bittersweet, grapefruit zest, orange peel, orange, mango, peach and a light spicy peppery finish.
Mouthfeel: Medium to full bodied with moderate to soft carbonation.
Overall: Great aroma full of juice while taste was more bitter citrus than juice. In the end the juice and bitterness were balanced, but my favourite haze’s are all juice.

3 - Indifferent (might buy, probably drink), Beer Reviews, Belgian Strong Dark Ale, Hong Kong, Moonzen Brewery

Moonzen Harvest Moon (Cherry)

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Brewery: Moonzen Brewery
Country: Hong Kong
ABV: 9%
Style: Belgian Strong Dark Ale

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Harvest Moon (Cherry) is a silky and full-bodied Belgian Strong Ale fermented with cherries, French oak and cocoa. With hints of tawny leaves and withered hedges, all perfectly balanced to enjoy on a cozy day.

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.41
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.3

Intro: A 330ml bottle with no clear bottled on or best before date. Poured into a 3 Fonteinen stemmed glass.
Appearance: A cloudy ruby amber brown colour with a two finger beige head that had good retention, but eventually settled to a nice replenishing layer while leaving some curtain like lacing.
Aroma: Booze, cherry, plum, apple juice, roasty, cocoa.
Taste: Boozy, herbal, lemon, grass, oak with some light roast, plum skin, apple juice and cherry.
Mouthfeel: Medium to full bodied with soft carbonation.
Overall: I easily preferred the plum version of Harvest Moon more. In this version, the booze and herbs dominate the flavour while the nice dark fruits I was getting in the plum version were only in the background, almost like an afterthought here.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Belgian Strong Dark Ale, Hong Kong, Moonzen Brewery

Moonzen Harvest Moon (Plum)

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Brewery: Moonzen Brewery
Country: Hong Kong
ABV: 9%
Style: Belgian Strong Dark Ale

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Harvest Moon (Plum) is a silky and full-bodied Belgian Strong Ale fermented with plums and cinnamon. With hints of tawny leaves and withered hedges, all perfectly balanced to enjoy on a cozy day.

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

Intro: A 330ml bottle with no clear bottled on or best before date. Poured into a 3 Fonteinen stemmed glass.
Appearance: A cloudy brown colour with an orange tint and a big four finger beige head that had excellent retention and left some nice sticky lacing.
Aroma: Cola, dark fruit, plum, raisins, cherry, roasted malt, smoked chocolate, floral, lemon, with hints of cinnamon.
Taste: Moderately sweet, dark fruit, plum, prunes, raisins, cola, cherry, herbal, floral, roasted malts in the middle, caramel, cinnamon, light bitter finish, lemon zest and grass.
Mouthfeel: Medium to full bodied with moderate to soft carbonation.
Overall: Loved the aroma, while taste was nice. I easily preferred this plum version more than the cherry version.

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

La Sirène Farmhouse Red

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Brewery: La Sirène Brewing
Country: Australia
ABV: 6.5%
Style: Belgian Saison
Other Notes: Store upright & decant to a wide brimmed glass

Brewer Description: (from bottle) La Sirène Farmhouse Red (Est 2012) is a refreshing Red Ale that has been co-fermented with organic rose flowers to give this acid-forward beer a fresh floral vibe, coupled with nectarine-like yeast characters. Pouring a wonderful red colour & built upon a solid malt backbone, this artisanal ale exhibits vibrant natural acidity courtesy of the indigenous wild bacteria living within our brewery’s walls.

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.61
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.5

Intro: A 375ml bottle, with an enjoy before date of August 2019. Poured into a 3 Fonteinen stemmed Zenne glass.
Appearance: A slightly hazy reddish brown colour with a big three finger off white head that had good retention and left some nice spotty lacing.
Aroma: Lightly tart, candied cherry, yoghurt with hints of toffee and balsamic vinegar.
Taste: Lightly sour, tart, mild fruit, cherry, plum, mixed berries, almost like watery red fruit juice.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with soft to moderate carbonation.
Overall: Nice aroma but taste didn’t quite match. Sour and tartness was good, but the fruit (red fruit, dark fruit, mixed berries), while there, were rather weak. Carbonation was also softer than I’d hope for.