Tag Archives: belgium

3 - Indifferent (might buy, probably drink), Beer Reviews, Belgium, Brouwerij 3 Fonteinen, Lambic - Fruit

3 Fonteinen Druif Muscaris

Leave a comment

Brewery: Brouwerij 3 Fonteinen
Country: Belgium
ABV: 9.1%
Style: Lambic – Fruit
Other Notes: Blend°16, Season 20/21

Brewer Description: (from bottle) This Druif features the Muscaris variety, a crossing between Solaris and Muskateller. This rather young variety originates from the Freiburg region in Germany and combines an intense muscat bouquet with a higher sugar density than other Muscat varieties (especially when harvested slightly late). Anyhow, we put the must with fifteen-months old lambik on a small oak foeder. The lambikken that we used for blending, was a three-year old lambik (and makes up more than 10% of the total volume). The final fruit intensity is 469 grams of Muscaris grapes per litre of Druif. 100% 3 Fonteinen.

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.95
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.8

Intro: A 750ml corked and caged bottle, blend°16, season 20/21, bottled on 19th January 2021. Poured into a 3 Fonteinen stemmed glass.
Appearance: A lightly hazy golden orange colour with a very thin white head that dissipated quickly to a ring around the glass, while leaving some lacing.
Aroma: Candy-ish sweet, white grape, muscat, grape gummy candy, with light tart notes, funk, and a touch vinous.
Taste: Sour, light tart, funky, vinous, muscat, grape skin, grapefruit, orange, oak.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with soft carbonation.
Overall: Good and interesting grape muscat aromas. But flavourwise, it had some strong notes of grapefruit and orange along with the vinous grape, with the citrus being somewhat ‘spicy’, almost cocktail like. And while this was fine, it wasn’t among my favourites.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Belgium, Brouwerij 3 Fonteinen, Lambic - Fruit

3 Fonteinen Pruim Mirabelle

Leave a comment

Brewery: Brouwerij 3 Fonteinen
Country: Belgium
ABV: 7.4%
Style: Lambic – Fruit
Other Notes: Blend°11, Season 20/21

Brewer Description: (from bottle) This Pruim features the Mirabelle, sourced at Hoenshof in Limburg. We macerated the entire plums for almost five months with two young lambikken from three different barrels. We blended with some more young lambik right before bottling. The final fruit intensity is 518 grams of Mirabelle plums per litre of Pruim. 100% 3 Fonteinen.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.36
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.3

Intro: A 750ml corked and caged bottle, blend°11, season 20/21, bottled on 6th January 2021. Poured into a 3 Fonteinen stemmed glass.
Appearance: A hazy pinkish orange colour with a very thin white head that dissipated quickly to a ring around the glass, while leaving some lacing.
Aroma: Lightly sweet and tart, plum, plum skin, guava, pineapple, lime peel, lemon, damp wood.
Taste: Sour, tart, juicy, plum, apricot, guava, sour pineapple, lemon, lime zest, with light funky notes and damp wood.
Mouthfeel: Medium to light bodied with soft carbonation.
Overall: I haven’t tried the actual Mirabelle plum, but I think I would love it. I’ve now had multiple beers that have used the Mirabelle, and I have fully enjoyed each and every one of them and this was no exception. Just great flavours and so easy to drink. I would prefer a bit more carbonation though.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Belgium, Brouwerij 3 Fonteinen, Flanders Oud Bruin

3 Fonteinen Nocturne

Leave a comment

Brewery: Brouwerij 3 Fonteinen
Country: Belgium
ABV: 7.1%
Style: Flanders Oud Bruin
Other Notes: Blend°2, Season 19/20. Number of bottles – 604

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Nocturne is a blend of 3 Fonteinen brewed dark full malt beers and traditional lambic. Spontaneously fermented. Matured in oak barrels. Extended bottle ageing. Unfiltered. Unpasteurised.

On the 30th of March 2018, we brewed a fully barley malt beer wort, with pilsner, pale ale, cara and roasted chocolate malt. We left this beer to age for almost two years on oak barrels. Prior to bottling, we blended the beer with some young lambik. Nocturne is our take on a Vlaams Oud Bruin – a Vlaams-Brabants Oud Bruin if you will. This beer is fully spontaneously fermented and all-natural without any addition of caramel sweetener or colouring. (yet, #notlambic). 100% 3 Fonteinen. # of bottles: 604.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.25
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.1

Intro: A 750ml corked and caged bottle, blend°2, season 19/20, bottled on 6th November 2019, and with a best before date of 26th October 2039. Poured into a 3 Fonteinen stemmed Zenne glass.
Appearance: A dark amber dark brown colour with a one finger beige head that had good retention and left some nice lacing.
Aroma: Tart, red berries, cherry, cranberry, malty, light roast, with a hint of caramel, vinegar and lemon juice.
Taste: Sour, tart, red berries, cranberry, cherry, plum, oak, dark malt, light roast, light funk, and light vinegar notes.
Mouthfeel: Dry, medium bodied, with moderate carbonation.
Overall: A rare not lambic from 3 Fonteinen, but it was good. It’s a well made Oud Bruin that was really enjoyable on a hot spring night.

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

De Struise Black Damnation XXII – Willy

Leave a comment

Brewery: De Struise Brouwers
Country: Belgium
ABV: 13%
Style: Russian Imperial Stout
Other Notes: Bottle 1184/2000, 2012 vintage

Brewer Description: (from bottle) A massive stout from Flanders aged in Clynelish Wilson & Morgan barrel.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.18
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.1

Intro: A 750ml bottle, number 1184/2000, 2012 vintage, bottled on 24th March 2017. Poured into a snifter glass.
Appearance: Black in colour with a slightly less than one finger brown head that had decent retention and left some nice spotty lacing.
Aroma: Roasted malts, boozy, whiskey, chocolate, licorice with notes of dried dark fruit, prunes.
Taste: Roasty, chocolate, whiskey, boozy, licorice, dark fruit, raisins, prunes.
Mouthfeel: Medium to full bodied with soft carbonation.
Overall: It’s quite boozy, but the roasty and whiskey flavours work well together, and it was an enjoyable sipper.

3 - Indifferent (might buy, probably drink), Beer Reviews, Belgium, De Struise Brouwers, Stout - Russian Imperial

De Struise Black Damnation XXI – Black Mes Senior

Leave a comment

Brewery: De Struise Brouwers
Country: Belgium
ABV: 13%
Style: Russian Imperial Stout
Other Notes: Bottle 1313/2000, 2012 vintage

Brewer Description: (from bottle) A massive stout from Flanders, matured in Caol Ila and Lagavulin barrels.

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.85
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.6

Intro: A 750ml bottle, number 1313/2000, 2012 vintage, bottled on 25th March 2017. Poured into a snifter glass.
Appearance: Black in colour with a very thin brown head that dissipated quickly while leaving only sparse spotty lacing.
Aroma: Roasted malts, dark chocolate, chocolate cake, whisky, light peaty notes, brown sugar, molasses, and prunes.
Taste: Bitter, roasty, dark chocolate, burnt brown sugar, whisky.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with soft carbonation.
Overall: This was surprisingly thin compared to all the other Black Damnation that I’ve tried, and considering the Lagavulin barrel, there was a lot less peat than expected, especially in the flavour. It just didn’t work as well as the other variations in my opinion.