Brand UP

Unfortunately due to a illness I have not been able to keep the blog day however I hope to rectify this now starting with probably the best main stream dutch lager. However I fear my nose is not sufficiently in working order hence the choice of beers.

 

 

 

Appearance:

Pale gold with lasting large head

Aroma:

Mainly malt with a touch of floral hop

Taste:

the initial taste is the juicy malt and then a light citrus sweatness which is balanced by the hoppy bitterness. The finish is bitter hops with a maltyness in the background and a vague floral citrus nature
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Overall:

A good lager with a lovely lemon note better than standard dutch offerings but harder to find and pricier too but probably just worth it.

7.5/10

Eggenberg Samichlaus

Today's offering is a Christmas present to me from me love me. The beer is bottled only on the 6th December as Samichlaus is Swiss German for Santa Claus. It once was the strongest beer brewed @ 14% without freeze distillation.

 

 

 

Appearance:

Russet coloured with no head to speak off

Aroma:

Spicy hops, vinous fruit slightly acidic and a hint of malt.

Taste:

Man of man this hits you like a sledge hammer it more like port than beer, sweet fruit and nuts and toffee. The finish is long strong vinous fruit spicy hops and a just a hint of malt and almost like a Metaxa with a nice warming.

Overall:

I am not sure this can be called a beer but it is certainly different and I would like this after a nice meal it is just to intense for a normal beer, hence the 8.0 out 10.0. Try it but do it slowly.

8.0/10

Duyck Jenlain Ambree

Today's offering is a Biere de Garde

 

 

 

Appearance:

Surprisingly it a nice amber with slightly off white head that doesn't last but is being constantly replaced so it stays

Aroma:

Spicy hops with malt and a touch of vanilla comes across the nose.

Taste:

Big round malt which fades to vinous fruits with a touch of vanilla and a pleasant carbonization. The finish is complex starts with spicy hops which fade to a tart fruitiness which is in turn replaced by malt and finally a slightly dry bitterness.

Overall:

A really good light ale (think nice in the summer), the French should be as proud of this as they are their wines.

8.0/10

Brooklyn Lager

Today's offering is an again from the Brooklyn brewery

 

 

 

Appearance:

Slightly cloudy amber with nice white head

Aroma:

Floral hops with a hint of pine and a juicy malt.

Taste:

Malt comes first with a floral sweetness and spicy hops and a tangy pineyness. The finish is long not so strong and is a balance of malt and bitter hops with citrus notes.

Overall:

A really good lager with a nice sweetness and floral hops very moreish. If this was on tap at my local it would be my lager of choice.

8.5/10

Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout

Today's offering is an American Imperial stout and yet another beer I got from Stirchley wines in Birmingham.

 

 

Appearance:

Black with khaki lasting head

Aroma:

The aroma is dark chocolate, roasting coffee and a slight bitterness coming from the hops.

Taste:

Dark burnt grain with a spicy hop and a hint of the chocolate and a vinous fruitness. The finish is liquorice bitter spicy hops and bitter burnt grains and a nice warmth from the alcohol.

Overall:

This is an almost beer but I find the burnt taste over the top and unpleasant personally but if this area could be toned down it would be very nice idea, nice idea better execution needed.

6.5/10

Ommegang Abbey Ale

Today's offering is an American Abbey Ale, with a reference to Duvel on the bottle? and another beerI got from Stirchley wines in Birmingham.

 

 

Appearance:

Deep red brown with a very large of tan head

Aroma:

The aroma has several different facets of stewed pears, spice, malt and a touch of hops

Taste:

Caramel sweetness with toffee overtones, coco powder underpinned by a hint of malt and bitter hops. The finish is strong, very dry, long and very complex containing grape like fruitiness, peppery hops, grain and a underpinned by just the right amount of bitterness with a touch sourness.

Overall:

I understand abbey beer/trappist beers may be hard to find in the US but this ranks as a good as any of the Belgium, Dutch or Austria beers available to me. It is truly wonderful beer and I urge any Americans to try this beer and also anybody else that can find it. For Phil they do also do a crown of Thorns beer.

9.5/10

Lion Dark

Today's offering is a Sri Lankan stout, my first beer I got from Stirchley wines in Birmingham

 

 

Appearance:

Dark brown or black with large lasting tan head

Aroma:

Molasses and a slight acidity with a hint of roasted grain

Taste:

The taste is roasted grains with cappuccino with acidic black treacle. The finish is complex warming, roasted grains, spicy slightly bitter hops and like a sweet liqueur cappuccino.

Overall:

Very different with the acidity almost like a vintage or aged beer. It is very heavy and has a lot of flavour which means can probably compete with spicy tamil dishes.

7.5/10