Category Archives: Style

3 - Indifferent (might buy, probably drink), American Brett IPA, Beer Reviews, Evil Twin Brewing, USA

Evil Twin Femme Fatale Brett

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Brewery: Evil Twin Brewing
Country: USA
ABV: 6%
Style: American Brett IPA
Other Notes: Produced and bottled for Evil Twin Brewing at Westbrook Brewing Co., Mount Pleasant, SC

Brewer Description: (from bottle) To take up the challenge and make a 100% true Brett IPA can very easily become a fatal attraction for the Brewmaster. Once you get acquainted with Bretts irresistible, seductive, alluring and very charming nature, it will ensnare you and drive you to the point of obsession to create the desirable tangy, funky, tart flavor in ya mouth.

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.5
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.4

Intro: A 22 fl. oz. bomber with no clear bottled on or best before date. Poured into a Lost Abbey teku glass.
Appearance: A lightly hazy golden orange colour with a big three finger white head that had good retention and left some nice lacing.
Aroma: Citrusy orange juice, orange rind, lemon, tangy, lightly tart and a touch of brett.
Taste: Similar to the aroma, citrusy, orange juice, orange, lemon, lemon zest, tangy, grass, brett with hints of tropical fruit, pineapple.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: Not bad at all, but not as good or complex as the Femme Fatale Blanc that I had just tried a day earlier. Still worth a try though.

3 - Indifferent (might buy, probably drink), American Brett IPA, Beer Reviews, Evil Twin Brewing, USA

Evil Twin Femme Fatale Blanc

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Brewery: Evil Twin Brewing
Country: USA
ABV: 6%
Style: American Brett IPA
Other Notes: Produced and bottled for Evil Twin Brewing at Westbrook Brewing Co., Mount Pleasant, SC

Brewer Description: (from bottle) To take up the challenge and make a 100% true Brett IPA can very easily become a fatal attraction for the Brewmaster. Once you get acquainted with Nelson Sauvin’s fruity and seductive personality, along with Bretts irresistible, overpowering, alluring and very charming nature, it will ensnare you and drive you mad obsessing over how exactly you can create the perfect desirable tangy, funky, crisp, tart flavor in ya mouth.

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.77
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.6

Intro: A 22 fl. oz. bomber with no clear bottled on or best before date. Poured into a Lost Abbey teku glass.
Appearance: A lightly hazy golden colour with a big three finger white head that had decent retention and left some nice lacing.
Aroma: Lots of tropical fruit, apricot, peach, pineapple, grape, citrus peel, grapefruit, funk, brett, and a hint of leather.
Taste: Light sour and tart, lightly bitter, citrusy, grapefruit zest, grape, green apple, funky, brett, and leather.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with moderate to high carbonation.
Overall: Quite nice as the fruitiness balanced out the brett.

3 - Indifferent (might buy, probably drink), Beer Reviews, Belgium, Brouwerij Het Anker, Euro Sour Ale

Het Anker Gouden Carolus Indulgence 2016 – Cuvée Sauvage

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Brewery: Brouwerij Het Anker
Country: Belgium
ABV: 9.8%
Style: Euro Sour Ale
Other Notes: Strong blond ale blended with Lambic from the Zenne valley. Limited Edition 2016

Brewer Description: (from the bottle and booklet around the neck) Gouden Carolus Indulgence [Indulgence, noun, \in-’dәl-jәn(t)s\ something that is done or enjoyed as a special pleasure] is a limited series of beers brewed every year with varying content. These ‘Indulgence’ brews are exclusive delights to be savoured at special moments or shared with special people.

Cuvée Sauvage is the 2nd taste to be produced under this label. Gouden Carolus Cuvée van de Keizer Rood was blended with 2- and 3-year-old Lambic (20%) from the Boon Brewery (Lembeek). This union combines the best of two brewing traditions: full-bodied and subtly flavoured, fruity and refreshingly sour.

The 2-year-old Lambic comes from oak foudre N°21 (9,000L). It offers aromas of apples, citrus fruits and oak.

The 3-year-old Lambic has aged in oak pipes (600L), and contains more volatile acids that give the beer a powerful, full-bodied and vinous taste with a slightly smoked touch.

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

Intro: A 750ml corked and caged bottle, released in Summer ’16, with a best before end 2018 date. Poured into a Lost Abbey teku glass.
Appearance: A slightly hazy golden orange colour with a big almost three finger off white head that had pretty good retention and left lots of nice lacing.
Aroma: Sweet champagne-y, sour fruit, peach, pink lemonade, sparkling apple cider, lemon zest, light oak and hints of funk.
Taste: Moderately sweet, champagne, peach, lightly sour, lemonade, lemon zest, apple, pineapple, Belgian yeast and a mix of spices.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied, moderate to high carbonation and a dry finish.
Overall: Quite nice overall, but I’m unsure of the necessity to make the ABV so high. With its aroma and flavours, I would have preferred an easy drink rather than one that’s more like a sipper.

5 - Excellent (must buy), Abbaye Notre-Dame de Saint Remy Rochefort, Beer Reviews, Belgian Quadrupel, Belgium

Trappistes Rochefort 10

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Brewery: Abbaye Notre-Dame de Saint Remy Rochefort
Country: Belgium
ABV: 11.3%
Style: Belgian Quadrupel
Other Notes: Blue cap. Trappist beer

Brewer Description: (from the Trappist website) Reddish-brown colour, begins with a density of 24.5º Plato and ultimately reaches 11.3% ABV.

My rating: 5
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.83
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.7

Intro: A 330ml bottle, with a best before date of 3rd October 2022. Poured into a Chimay goblet.
Appearance: Dark brown in colour with an almost two finger tanned head that had decent retention but eventually settled to a nice self replenishing cap while leaving nice curtain like lacing.
Aroma: Strong dark fruits, plum, dates, raisin, black currants, caramel, light roast, toasted bread with a hint of clove and bubblegum.
Taste: Lightly sweet, dark fruits, plum, raisin, dates, fig, black currant, candied sugar, caramel with light banana and clove.
Mouthfeel: Creamy, light syrup, light booze, medium to full bodied with moderate to low carbonation.
Overall: Excellent, just so good. This is easily my favourite Trappist Quadrupel out there. It’s just so balanced, tasty and a joy to drink.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Belgian Quadrupel, Belgium, Brouwerij Westvleteren (Sint-Sixtusabdij Westvleteren)

Trappist Westvleteren 12

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Brewery: Brouwerij Westvleteren (Sint-Sixtusabdij Westvleteren)
Country: Belgium
ABV: 10.2%
Style: Belgian Quadrupel
Other Notes: Gold cap. Trappist beer

Brewer Description: Not much info on their website and obviously even less on the bottle.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.22
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.1

Intro: A 330ml bottle with a cap date (bottled +3 years) of 1st September 2019. Poured into a Chimay goblet glass.
Appearance: After a careful pour to leave most of the yeast in the bottle, a clear brown colour with a copper red hue and a just over one finger off white head that had great retention, but eventually settled to a very nice self replenishing cap while leaving great lacing around the glass.
Aroma: Strong fruitiness, apple, plum, dates, fig, toffee with light clove and banana notes.
Taste: Sweet, plum, dates, fig, banana bread, toffee, yeast and a touch of spice.
Mouthfeel: Creamy, medium to full bodied, with moderate carbonation.
Overall: I’m not a huge fan of sweetness, and this definitely leans on the sweet side, perhaps overly so for me. I prefer both Rochefort 10 and St. Bernardus Abt 12 over this. It’s still good, and not by any means bad, but if I had to pick a special Westvleteren beer, it would definitely be a fresh bottle of the Westvleteren Blond, as that is just one of the best Belgian Pale Ale’s ever.