Tag Archives: 2020 vintage

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Belgium, Geuzestekerij De Cam, Lambic - Fruit

De Cam Zjiem Bezen Framboise Lambic

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Brewery: Geuzestekerij De Cam
Country: Belgium
ABV: 5.5%
Style: Lambic – Fruit
Other Notes: 2020 vintage

Brewer Description: (from bottle in Dutch) Fruitlambik zonder hergisting: 600 kilo trosbessen en 400 kilo Frambozen worden samen met 1500 liter lambik vergist op VAT.

(translated to English) Fruit lambic without refermentation: 600 kilos of redcurrants and 400 kilos of raspberries are fermented in VAT together with 1500 liters of lambic.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.27
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.1

Intro: A 375ml corked and caged bottle, 2020 vintage, with a best before date of August 2030. Poured into a De Cam stemmed glass.
Appearance: A clear ruby red colour with a one finger pinkish head that dissipated quickly to a ring around the glass while leaving only sparse lacing.
Aroma: Sweet candied red fruit, raspberry, redcurrants, wood, light funk, with leather notes.
Taste: Tart, light sour, leather, funky notes, candied fruit, raspberry, redcurrants, with hints of wood.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with moderate to soft carbonation.
Overall: Not as complex as some of the other De Cam offerings, but still enjoyable as the candied fruit sweetness and leathery funk balances the tartness such that it’s easy to drink.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Hong Kong, Wild Ale, Yardley Brothers Brewing

Yardley Brothers BUGS: Bourbon Marmalade Wheat Sour

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Brewery: Yardley Brothers Brewing
Country: Hong Kong
ABV: 7%
Style: Wild Ale
Other Notes: 2020 vintage, limited release

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Barrel-aged series. Bourbon Marmalade Wheat Sour aged in oak bourbon barrels.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.37
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.2

Intro: A 330ml bottle, 2020 vintage, bottle 581 of 1000. Poured into a Tilquin stemmed glass.
Appearance: A clear copper colour, with a one finger off white head that dissipates fairly quickly to a ring around the glass, while leaving some decent lacing.
Aroma: Nice restrained bourbon, oak, vanilla, marmalade, honey, yuzu, almost candy like.
Taste: Sweet, whiskey sour, citrus zest, orange, pineapple, yuzu, lime, wheat, oak, with light bourbon notes.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with soft to moderate carbonation.
Overall: It reminds me of one of my favourite cocktails, the whiskey sour, so it was definitely enjoyable and easy to drink for me.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Belgium, De Struise Brouwers, Stout - Russian Imperial

De Struise Black Albert

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Brewery: De Struise Brouwers
Country: Belgium
ABV: 13%
Style: Russian Imperial Stout
Other Notes: 2020 vintage. 72 IBUs. A Belgian Royal Stout from Flanders

Brewer Description: (from website) Black Albert, referring to our smiling King Albert, is one of our biggest flagship beers at De Struise Brouwers. Is a Belgian Royal Stout with untold complex flavours. Saw the light of day for the first time in 2007 and has been in the Top 100 of the best beers in the world ever since. Initially brewed in homage to Christopher & Jennifer Lively’s best American bar “Ebenezer’s Pub“.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.4
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.3

Intro: A 330ml bottle, 2020 vintage, bottled on 18th March 2021, with a best before date of bottled date +5 years. Poured into a De Struise tulip glass.
Appearance: Black in colour with a nice big three finger brown head that had decent retention while leaving some lacing.
Aroma: Roasted malts, coffee, chocolate, cola, with notes of licorice, berries, and caramel.
Taste: Lightly bitter, roasty coffee, dark chocolate, candi sugar sweetness, dark stone fruit, plum, prunes, with notes of berries and maybe licorice.
Mouthfeel: Smooth, creamy, full bodied, with soft carbonation.
Overall: An excellent sipper with alcohol well hidden. Good bitter and sweet balance.