Tag Archives: belgium

3 - Indifferent (might buy, probably drink), Beer Reviews, Belgian IPA, Belgium, Brasserie d'Achouffe

d’Achouffe Houblon Dobbelen IPA Tripel

Wednesday, 12 October 2016 kitch Leave a comment

Brewery: Brasserie d’Achouffe
Country: Belgium
ABV: 9%
Style: Belgian IPA

Brewer Description: (from website) Houblon Chouffe was brewed for the first time in 2006. It is an Indian Pale Ale, characterised by a harmonious balance between a pleasant fruitiness and pronounced bitterness by using three types of hops. Houblon Chouffe is an unfiltered beer which is refermented both in the bottle and in barrels.

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.88
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.7

Intro: A 330ml bottle with a best before end date of November 2016 and poured into a d’Achouffe tulip glass.
Appearance: It poured a cloudy pale blonde colour with a big three finger white head that had great retention and left nice lacing.
Aroma: Belgian yeast and banana along with pear, apple and a hint of pine.
Taste: Pine, bitterness and lightly spicy followed by light banana and honey sweetness.
Mouthfeel: Dry, crisp, medium bodied with moderate tingly carbonation.
Overall: A nice solid brew that hides the alcohol well.

3 - Indifferent (might buy, probably drink), Beer Reviews, Belgian Witbier, Belgium, Brouwerij Timmermans-John Martin N.V.

Timmermans Tradition Blanche Lambicus

Wednesday, 5 October 2016 kitch Leave a comment

Brewery: Brouwerij Timmermans-John Martin N.V.
Country: Belgium
ABV: 4.5%
Style: Belgian Witbier

Brewer Description: (from website) There is no other beer like Timmermans Tradition Blanche Lambicus anywhere in the world because it is the only white lambic beer. By adding spices such as coriander and dried orange zest, a light, fruity beer is created. It is subtly spicy and deliberately made cloudy. Should ideally be drunk from an authentic stoneware pot.

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.71
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.6

Intro: A 375ml corked and caged bottle with a cork date of 2015 and best before date of 10th May 2017. Poured into a d’Achouffe tulip glass.
Appearance: It poured a cloudy golden yellow colour with a two finger bubbly white head that dissipated quickly but left great lacing.
Aroma: Lightly funky, candy sweetness, orange, orange peel, lemon and hints of mango and pineapple.
Taste: Orange peel and honey sweetness is surrounded by a touch of lemon, light sourness and light funkiness.
Mouthfeel: Crisp, light bodied with moderate to high carbonation.
Overall: It’s overly sweet in my opinion, but has a nice aroma. The taste is actually fine but I would have preferred it if the sweetness was toned down or even soured.

1 - Poor (never again), Beer Reviews, Belgium, Hanssens Artisanaal, Lambic - Fruit

Hanssens Experimental Raspberry

Tuesday, 20 September 2016 kitch Leave a comment

Brewery: Hanssens Artisanaal
Country: Belgium
ABV: 6%
Style: Belgian Lambic (Fruit)

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Ale fermented with raspberries and matured in oak barrels.

My rating: 1
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.02
My ratebeer.com rating: 2.7

Intro: A 12.7 fl.oz. bottle bottled in April 2016 (notched in label) and poured into a Cantillon ballon glass.
Appearance: It poured a clear cherry red colour with an orange pinkish hue, with no head and no lacing.
Aroma: Raspberry, strawberry, berry gummy candies, grape jelly and some light funkiness.
Taste: Sour, extremely sour, overly and harsh acidity, vinegar, funkiness and light fruity raspberry that is largely hidden in the background.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied, no carbonation and a short but sharp harsh acidic burn.
Overall: It smells great but beer with no carbonation is not my thing. In addition, it was harsh and overly acidic such that it was almost undrinkable.

5 - Excellent (must buy), Beer Reviews, Belgium, Brasserie Cantillon, Lambic - Fruit

Cantillon Blåbær Lambik

Thursday, 8 September 2016 kitch Leave a comment

Brewery: Brasserie Cantillon
Country: Belgium
ABV: 5%
Style: Belgian Lambic (Fruit)
Other Notes: 400 litre barrel with 100kg of bilberries added

Brewer Description: (from 2015 bottle) 10 years ago, shortly before we opened Ølbutikken in Copenhagen, Denmark we approached our friends at Cantillon and asked them if they would make a special beer for our little store. 50 bottles came out of that first batch. 10 years later we make the same beer once a year and this is the 10th Anniversary vintage. We are happy about our continued friendship with Jean and his family and are excited about every years new batch! Enjoy! Jeppe Jarnit-Bjergsø.

My rating: 5
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.72
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.6

Intro: A 375ml bottle at Himmergiet of the 2015 Vintage. Poured into a mini wine glass.
Appearance: It poured a slightly hazy ruby red dark purple colour with a one finger pinkish purple head that had good retention and sparse lacing.
Aroma: Blueberry, tart, funk, some acidity and lemon.
Taste: Blueberry, sour, tart and light funk.
Mouthfeel: Light bodied with moderate to high carbonation.
Overall: Wow, this was just special. One of the best Cantillon offerings I’ve tried along with the Lou Pepe Framboise. It’s just too bad I missed the 2016 release in Copenhagen by two days as I would have loved to open another bottle.

5 - Excellent (must buy), Beer Reviews, Belgium, Brouwerij 3 Fonteinen, Lambic - Gueuze

3 Fonteinen Oude Geuze Cuvée Armand & Gaston

Wednesday, 7 September 2016 kitch Leave a comment

Brewery: Brouwerij 3 Fonteinen
Country: Belgium
ABV: 6%
Style: Belgian Lambic (Gueuze)

Brewer Description: (from bottle) (in French) Assemblage de jeunes, mi-vieux et vieux lambic, brassés par 3 Fonteinen. Cent pour cent naturel, authentique, spontané et un peu têtu, mais toujours élégant et plein de caractère. La Pure Passion, comme Armand et Gaston l’ont toujours fait.

(English translation) Blend of young, middle-aged and old lambics, brewed by 3 Fonteinen. One hundred percent natural, authentic, spontaneous and a bit stubborn, but always elegant and full of character. The Pure Passion, as Armand and Gaston have always done.

My rating: 5
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.67
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.6

Intro: A 375ml bottle at Himmergiet, bottled on 7th October 2015 and best before 26th October 2035. Poured into a mini wine glass.
Appearance: It poured a slightly hazy golden orange colour with a one finger off white head that had pretty good retention and left nice lacing.
Aroma: 3F funkiness, sour, tart, barnyard, leather and lemon citrus.
Taste: Sour, tart, apple, farmyard, oak, grape, grapefruit and lemon juice.
Mouthfeel: Crisp, light bodied with high carbonation.
Overall: Another amazing gueuze from 3F. Perfect mouthfeel with wonderful matching aromas and taste. Must buy if you can find it!

words of another dreamy traveller