Tag Archives: belgium

3 - Indifferent (might buy, probably drink), Beer Reviews, Belgium, Hanssens Artisanaal, Lambic - Fruit

Hanssens Very Special Old Red (V.S.O.R.)

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Brewery: Hanssens Artisanaal
Country: Belgium
ABV: 6.5%
Style: Belgian Lambic (Fruit)
Other Notes: Fruit: 7% blackberries, 13% sour cherries, 3% strawberries, 17% raspberries

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Fresh strawberries, black berries, raspberries and sour cherries – 7 months macerated in lambic oak barrels.

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.49
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.3

Intro: A 375ml corked and caged bottle, bottled on 16th November 2018. Poured into a 3 Fonteinen stemmed glass.
Appearance: A hazy dark red colour with an orange hue, with a thin off white head that left no lacing.
Aroma: Tart, cherry, strawberry, raspberry, acetone, with musty, damp and balsamic notes.
Taste: Sour, intense sour, cherry, raspberry, oak, acidic, balsamic vinegar.
Mouthfeel: Sharp, acidic, medium bodied with soft carbonation.
Overall: A few bottlings of Hanssens have had strong sourness and harsh acidity, and after the first sip I thought that this was going down that similar route. But thankfully things improved somewhat after that first sip, and I think that the berries somehow toned down the acidity to a slightly more acceptable level.

2 - Maybe (likely wouldn't buy, might drink), Beer Reviews, Belgium, Brasserie Fantôme, Farmhouse Saison

Fantôme Dark Forest Ghost

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Brewery: Brasserie Fantôme
Country: Belgium
ABV: 6%
Style: Belgian Saison

Brewer Description: Not much information I could find, but I guess it’s the dark Saison version of Forest Ghost.

My rating: 2
My beeradvocate.com rating: 2.76
My ratebeer.com rating: 2.7

Intro: A 750ml corked and capped bottle with no clear bottled on or best before date. Poured into a Holy Mountain tulip glass.
Appearance: A lightly hazy amber copper colour with a two finger beige head that had decent retention while leaving some nice lacing.
Aroma: Fruity berries, a strong herbal kick, apple, damp wood, and black pepper.
Taste: Apple peel, herbal bitterness, straw, hay, earthy, orange pith, black pepper.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: In one word, ‘strange’. Aroma was strange but it definitely grew on me. Taste was weird, but while it improved slightly with more sips, it didn’t improve enough for me to enjoy.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Belgium, Brouwerij Alvinne, Wild Ale

Alvinne Cuvée Sofie Duindoornbes-Zilverbes

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Brewery: Brouwerij Alvinne
Country: Belgium
ABV: 8%
Style: American Wild Ale
Other Notes: BXL Beerfest 2017 limited edition

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Barrel fermented and aged blond sour with sea buckthorn berries and silverberries. Limited edition for BXL Beerfest.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.99
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.9

Intro: A 750ml bottle, 2017 limited edition for BXL Beerfest, with a best before date of August 2022. Poured into an Alvinne teku glass.
Appearance: A lightly hazy copper orange brown colour with no head and no lacing.
Aroma: Sour, lightly tart, plum skin, grape, oak, funk, with notes of acetone.
Taste: Sour, plum, grape, mixed berries, lemon, oak, with vinous notes and hints of funk and red wine vinegar.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with soft carbonation.
Overall: I don’t know what sea buckthorn berries or silverberries tastes like, but this was an enjoyable sour with lots of fruity notes.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Belgium, Brouwerij Alvinne, Wild Ale

Alvinne Wild West Barrel 58

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Brewery: Brouwerij Alvinne
Country: Belgium
ABV: 6%
Style: American Wild Ale
Other Notes: 2016 vintage. Alvinne limited edition, single cask, 400 bottles. French Oak from Pineau de Charentes

Brewer Description: (from bottle in Dutch) Barrel 58 is een uniek project waar we enkel zelfgeplukte bessen toevoegen aan Wild West rechtstreeks op het eiken vat. Passie, toewijding en kennis… Barrel 58 5 maand gerijpt op een Pineau de Charentes barrel. Sleedoorn (Moen), braambessen (Gavere), bosbessen (Vlaamse Ardennen).

(translated to English) Barrel 58 is a unique project where we only add self-picked berries to Wild West directly on the oak barrel. Passion, dedication and knowledge… Barrel 58 matured for 5 months on a Pineau de Charentes barrel. Blackthorn (Moen), blackberries (Gavere), blueberries (Flemish Ardennes).

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.39
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.3

Intro: A 500ml bottle, 2016 vintage, with a best before date of December 2021. Poured into an Alvinne teku glass.
Appearance: A lightly hazy rusty orange brown colour with a one finger white head that dissipated fairly quickly and settled to a thin layer.
Aroma: Tart, sour, mixed berries, vinous, oak, with a splash of vinegar and acetone.
Taste: Sour, tart, mixed berries, vinous, grape, oak, and lemon.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with soft carbonation.
Overall: Very nice and balanced with great complexity and enjoyable berry notes.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Belgium, Brouwerij Alvinne, Wild Ale

Alvinne Cuvée Sofie Kriek Framboos

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Brewery: Brouwerij Alvinne
Country: Belgium
ABV: 8%
Style: American Wild Ale
Other Notes: 2017 vintage. Alvinne limited edition, single cask, 350 bottles. 2012 French Oak from Gevrey-Chambertin

Brewer Description: (from bottle in Dutch) 65% Schaarbeekse krieken, 35% frambozen. 5 maand gerijpt op een Bourgognevat. Frambozen geteeld en geplukt door leerlingen van SBSO ‘T Vurstjen, Evergem. Schaarbeekse krieken uit Neerbeek-Brakel.

(translated to English) 65% Schaerbeek cherries, 35% raspberries. Aged for 5 months in a Burgundy barrel. Raspberries grown and picked by students of SBSO ‘T Vurstjen, Evergem. Schaerbeek cherries from Neerbeek-Brakel.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.19
My ratebeer.com rating: 4

Intro: A 500ml bottle, with a best before date of January 2022. Poured into an Alvinne teku glass.
Appearance: A reddish orange brown colour with a less than half finger off white head that dissipated quickly while leaving some nice lacing.
Aroma: Juicy, cherry, raspberry, oak, with notes of nail polish and vinegar.
Taste: Sour, tart, cherry, raspberry, oak, tannin, a touch vinous, and touches of vinegar.
Mouthfeel: Dry, medium bodied with moderate to soft carbonation.
Overall: An enjoyable balanced sour.