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4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Belgium, Brouwerij Oud Beersel, Lambic - Gueuze

Oud Beersel Oude Geuze Vieille Vandervelden 135 Years

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Brewery: Brouwerij Oud Beersel
Country: Belgium
ABV: 6.5%
Style: Belgian Lambic (Gueuze)
Other Notes: Bottled 20 years before best before date

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Vandervelden 135 Oude Geuze is a blend of 1 year old lambic aged on foeders that were previously used for mainly red Brunello di Montalcino wine and of 3 year old Lambic aged on an old Oud Beersel foeder.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.35
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.2

Intro: A 375ml corked and caged bottle with a best before date of 14th February 2037. Poured into a Cantillon gueuze glass.
Appearance: A mostly clear golden colour with a thin white head that dissipated fairly quickly and left only sparse lacing.
Aroma: Funky, barnyard, musty, green apple, straw, oak, lemon zest and lemon juice.
Taste: Lightly sour, funky, earthy, straw, hay, oak, green apple, lemon, with hints of sweetness, pineapple, grape, and vinous notes.
Mouthfeel: Dry, light bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: Very enjoyable. One of my favourites from Oud Beersel with good aromas and flavours, matched with a good balance between sour and sweet.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Belgium, Brouwerij ‘t Verzet, Flanders Oud Bruin

Verzet Oud Bruin Oak Leaf

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Brewery: Brouwerij ‘t Verzet
Country: Belgium
ABV: 6%
Style: Belgian Flanders Oud Bruin
Other Notes: Harvest 2015

Brewer Description: (from neck tag in Dutch) Oud Bruin Oak Leaf ontstaat door eikenbladeren toe te voegen aan bier dat reeds één jaar rijpte op eiken vaten. Aan de rand van een pittoreske, Meulebeekse vijver werden deze bladeren zorgvuldig met de hand geplukt. De nazomerbladeren geven het bier een houterige smaak en een drogend gevoel in de mond. De wilde gisten die van nature op de bladeren aanwezig zijn, fermenteren de restsuikers in het bier tot een brede waaier aan complexe en vooral organische aroma’s. Geniet van dit unieke bier en laat je door je zintuigen meenemen op een zonnige herfstwandeling in het bos.

(translated from Dutch to English) Oud Bruin Oak Leaf is created by adding oak leaves to beer that has matured in oak barrels for one year. At the edge of a picturesque Meulebeek pond, these leaves were carefully picked by hand. The late summer leaves give the beer a woody taste and a drying feeling in the mouth. The wild yeasts naturally present on the leaves ferment the residual sugars in the beer into a wide range of complex and especially organic aromas. Enjoy this unique beer and let your senses take you on a sunny autumn walk in the forest.

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

Intro: A corked and caged 750ml bottle, harvest 2015, and with a best before date of April 2026. Poured into a 3 Fonteinen stemmed glass.
Appearance: A clear amber orange brown colour with a one finger beige head that had decent retention and eventually settled to a thin replenishing cap, while leaving some decent lacing.
Aroma: Lightly tart, cherry skin, blackberry, mixed berries, oak, woody, dried grass, grape skin, light herbal medicine, and a touch vinous.
Taste: Sour, tart, cherry skin, grape skin, woody oak, dried grass, with a splash of vinegar.
Mouthfeel: Dry, lightly acidic, light to medium bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: Refreshing and enjoyable with good aroma and flavours. Acidity is more balanced here than in some of the other varieties.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Belgium, Brouwerij ‘t Verzet, Flanders Oud Bruin

Verzet Oud Bruin Cherry

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Brewery: Brouwerij ‘t Verzet
Country: Belgium
ABV: 6%
Style: Belgian Flanders Oud Bruin
Other Notes: Harvest 2015

Brewer Description: (from neck tag in Dutch) Oud Bruin Cherry ontstaat door krieken toe te voegen aan bier dat reed één jaar rijpte op eiken vaten. De rijpe vruchten worden in volle zomer, bij het krieken van de dag, geplukt in Poolse boomgaarden door lokale schonen. De manden, die uitpuilen van blozende vruchten, steken het Germaanse Rijk over om zo uitgepit neer te strijken in Anzegem waar ze aan het bier worden toegevoegd. De suikers uit de zure kersen worden door de wilde gisten omgezet naar complexe aroma’s van onder meer rode wijn, verse kers en amandel. De krieken en het bier tillen elkaar naar een hoger niveau, dat wisten brouwers honderden jaren geleden al. Ervaar zelf dit prachthuwelijk en klink met je vrienden op dit kersverse bruidspaar.

(translated from Dutch to English) Oud Bruin Cherry is created by adding cherries to beer that ripened for one year in oak barrels. The ripe fruits are picked in full summer, at the crack of the day, in local orchards in Polish orchards. The baskets, protruding from blushing fruits, cross the Germanic Empire to settle down in Anzegem where they are added to the beer. The sugars from the sour cherries are converted by the wild yeast into complex aromas of, among other things, red wine, fresh cherry and almond. The cherries and the beer lift each other to a higher level, brewers knew that hundreds of years ago. Experience this marvelous marriage yourself and sound with your friends on this brand new bridal couple.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.18
My ratebeer.com rating: 4

Intro: A corked and caged 750ml bottle, harvest 2015, and with a best before date of April 2026. Poured into a 3 Fonteinen stemmed glass.
Appearance: A clear amber orange brown colour with a half finger beige head that had decent retention while leaving some lacing.
Aroma: Tart, cherry, cherry skin, oak, with hints of almond and vanilla.
Taste: Sour, tart, cherry, oak, lightly vinous, with a dash of vinegar.
Mouthfeel: Acidic but not overly so, light to medium bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: Nice and enjoyable. The cherry and oak comes through nicely, and there is not as much vinegar as in some of the other variations that I’ve tried.

4 - Good (buy), Against The Grain Brewery x Brouwerij De Molen, Beer Reviews, Stout - Imperial, USA

Against The Grain x De Molen Bo & Luke (Amburana Wood)

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Brewery: Against The Grain Brewery x Brouwerij De Molen
Country: USA
ABV: 13%
Style: American Imperial Stout
Other Notes: 2017 white wax. Amburana wood

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Beats all you ever saw! We have a reputation for being big, bold, and having the gumption to do things others won’t. In your hands is a barrel aged ale that exemplifies just that. We took Kentucky’s beloved bourbon recipe and flipped it upside down by employing rye, barley, corn, and cherry wood smoked malts. Then we aged it on freshly dumped bourbon barrels for three Kentucky months! The resulting beer is dark and smoky with hints of caramel, vanilla, and spice. Hang on to it while you can. This one’s going fast.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.28
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.1

Intro: A white waxed 750ml bottle with no clear bottled on or best before date, but should be 2017 vintage. Poured into a snifter glass.
Appearance: Dark dark brown to black in colour with an one finger tanned head that had decent retention and left nice spotty lacing.
Aroma: Light roast, chocolate, cocoa, oak, sweet, vanilla, cinnamon, and light smoke.
Taste: Sweet, vanilla, cinnamon, oak, bourbon, chocolate, cocoa, chocolate cake, caramel, and light smoke.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with soft carbonation.
Overall: Nice aroma and flavours with a nice mix of especially vanilla and cinnamon. Smoke was there but a little light compared to the base, while mouthfeel was lighter than expected.

3 - Indifferent (might buy, probably drink), Against The Grain Brewery x Brouwerij De Molen, Beer Reviews, Stout - Imperial, USA

Against The Grain x De Molen Bo & Luke (Tequila Barrel)

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Brewery: Against The Grain Brewery x Brouwerij De Molen
Country: USA
ABV: 13%
Style: American Imperial Stout
Other Notes: 2016 gold wax. Tequila barrel aged

Brewer Description: (from bottle) It beats all you ever saw! This barrel-aged ale uses the staple ingredients barley, rye and corn, plus cherry wood smoked malt to create a huge imperial stout. To top it all off, we barrel age the beer for three Kentucky months! The result is a rich and complex Imperial Smoked Stout with hints of caramel, vanilla and spice.

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.76
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.6

Intro: A gold waxed 750ml bottle with no clear bottled on or best before date, but should be 2016 vintage. Poured into a snifter glass.
Appearance: Dark dark brown to black in colour with a one finger tanned head that had decent retention, and left spotty lacing.
Aroma: Roasty, chocolate, oak, soft sweet notes of tequila, and a touch of smoke.
Taste: Light roast, chocolate, cocoa, oak, and subtle notes of tequila and smoke.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with soft carbonation.
Overall: Not as good as the other 2106 variants (red wine barrel and Islay scotch barrel) as the smoke and tequila were rather subtle, and the body was for some reason, lighter than I’d hope for.