I haven't done this yet but have been planning to do so for a while. Yesterday I was inspired to do so, whilst drinking a glass of Piraat. There are a few breweries which I feel can do no wrong and you need to know who they are. Well, Van Steenberge is one of them!
Of course, it wasn't just Piraat which convinced me; 2 weeks ago I found a glass of Gulden Draak most agreeable but had not yet got round to spilling the beans.
As well as these two, they have a stable of Abbey beers, under the Augustijn name; a couple of Bornem beers (which seem to cover the same territory as the Augustijns, but hey); a Witbier; a Pils; and a Bokbier, called Leute, that has a fantastic glass which must be an addition to any buff's collection. It has a rounded bottom and sits in a specially designed wooden plate. Very cool.
Whilst they're both stand-alone products I get the feeling that they are the brewery's flagship drinks (incidentally they both have ships on their labels!. It's interesting that they haven't decided to brand them the same. Gulden Draak is fantastically presented, wrapped in white with striking black, gold and red detail. It looks like a porcelain bottle and really stands out. Piraat, on the other hand is a fairly bland effort with a sky-blue label and a golden galleon behind the logo. So much so that I nearly didn't bother putting a bottle in my basket. If I wasn't being so rigid in my selection I would have missed out on this hidden gem. Well, lucky ruddy me.
But I guess beers live on their reputation instead of their labels (to some extent) and this one deserves a mighty one. It pours out a very deep gold with an impressive 2-inch head (if desired). Van Steenberge choose to call it a light amber whereas I'd call it a dark blonde. But who cares?
Well me, really. I don't care what you call it but I think they should be commended on this curious hue. It invites you to have a good old peer through the glass and marvel at the shining liquid within. I know I love a good murky beer but this crystal clarity really does it for me. I guess I'm easy.
The aroma isn't way out there but it's seriously good. There's light malt and honey with a lovely fresh hay scent. The alcohol is deep and muscular but completely controlled, allowing you to inhale to your heart's content. It finishes off with gentle hop scent.
The majestic head fades down to a creamy foam covering most of the top. The beer itself is pretty creamy too so it's very easy and pleasant to drink but it's the sweetness that got me. It's comparable to a sweet white wine (but better, of course!) It coats your mouth deliciously leaving plenty of viscous, tasty saliva to contemplate on once its been swallowed.
It's difficult not to like: it's not way out there but it's supremely classy and really shows the pack how it's done.
Gulden Draak is a similar story but in a different style. It's a deep ruby affair, though it doesn't have anything like the head Piraat does. It fades very fast and presents more fizz than it's blonde counterpart. Once the head's settled it has the appearance of coke. That's not the most exciting effect so let's plough on.
Other than the typical malt there are hints of plums in the nose with perhaps the faintest suggestion of liqourice. The main event is burnt toffee which, let's face it, is the kind of aroma to stir up warm fuzzy feelings in all but the most stone-hearted of us. Once again the alcohol is heady and enticing and something to really savour.
There's a typical amber flavour here but a touch of sourness gives it a bit of something special. The fizziness gives it a nice zing in your mouth but it's not to the extent that it's in your face (figuratively speaking, nonwithstanding that it IS literally in your face!). My favourite part about this beer is the trick that it pulls with the aftertaste. It alternates between sweet and bitter and then back to sweet again. Quite an achievement and a treat for saddos like me who like chewing away on nothing once they've swallowed their beer.
If you're a fan of Pawel Kwak, Gulden Draak may not be able to match it's glassware but it certainly trumps it, beer-wise. I'm wholeheartedly recommending this.
In fact, I'm wholeheartedly recommending both of these brews. I'd even go as far to say that, if you're a fan of high-strength beer, you won't find much better.
Piraat (10.5%) - 10
Gulden Draak (10.5%) - 10
http://vansteenberge.com/en
Tuesday 29 November 2011
Thursday 24 November 2011
Falling short
You may not have heard of the Huyghe brewery but if you're into your beer you've probably tried, if not at least heard of Delirum Tremens. Who could resist the ceramic style bottle and those quirky pink elephants? Ok maybe you hate them - it's your choice. I personally think, whilst also being an excellent (and unique) beer, it's a perfect example of how you can position yourself ahead of others in the market. They're out to sell beers after all. What's the harm in trying to charm a few people along the way?
This post, however, is about St Idesbald Dubbel, a different family of beers from the Huyghe cupboard, which couldn't be more traditionally presented. It's clear that they're keen to serve all corners of the market; they bought this 'brand' in 1992, along with 'Campus'. This beer, along with its Blonde, Tripel and Rousse siblings have not a sight of a pink elephant anywhere upon them; a crest with a latin motto enables them to cover the Abbey beer market without rocking any boats.
So how does it match up to its step-sister, the mighty Delirium? Well, it's a mixed bag...
Despite being sat in my fridge for well over 24 hours there was nothing short of an eruption when opened, with both bottles I had. Even when prepared for the second bottle I lost a load of beer, such was the fervent frothing. It was so prevalent that once I'd managed to pour the glass there was still 2 inches of foam left in the bottle. I'm not one to practise my cocktail shaking with bottles before opening so perhaps they added too much priming sugar in this particular batch (sugar added when bottling feeds the small quantity of yeast left in the beer and by-product is carbon gas, i.e. head), but who's to know? Not a great start, though.
Then, in the glass, once again, (i feel like a bloody broken record) the scent is ruined by iron presence in the nose, though not as badly as other previous culprits. However, to stain the aroma so much so soon robs you of one of the simplest pleasures. Yes, it's there to be drunk but a good old whiff whets the appetite beautifully. What's worrying is that I've noticed it's really prevalent in Belgian beers. For a country which I hold in the highest esteem I'm starting to worry if enough breweries have control over their beer. I can't imagine it's anything to do with being out of date because pretty much every example has been a Dubbel, a beer which you would usually associate with improving as it ages.
This is all a bit of a shame really, because St Idesbald is a hidden gem. It has one of the most balanced flavours I've tasted in a while, for a Dubbel. It's pleasingly gritty with sediment simply piled up at the bottom of the glass. The texture is wonderfully light (what do you expect with all that foam) and the finish is lovely and sweet, with just a hint of spice. It gives you something to chew on between sips. On winter nights, it's a charming little late night beer to warm yourself, without being obviously spiced or seasonal.
There are others who do it better (Petrus Dubbel Bruin is a shining example) but after drinking LOTS of Dubbels over the last few months this really is a tasty example, which after initial failings, is a very solid example of how a simple Dubbel can stick to task and still be very enjoyable to drink. Lets hope the iron and foam was just in this batch...
St Idesbald Dubbel - 8.5/6.5 (batch dependant?)
http://www.delirium.be/bier/4/0/st._idesbald.html
This post, however, is about St Idesbald Dubbel, a different family of beers from the Huyghe cupboard, which couldn't be more traditionally presented. It's clear that they're keen to serve all corners of the market; they bought this 'brand' in 1992, along with 'Campus'. This beer, along with its Blonde, Tripel and Rousse siblings have not a sight of a pink elephant anywhere upon them; a crest with a latin motto enables them to cover the Abbey beer market without rocking any boats.
So how does it match up to its step-sister, the mighty Delirium? Well, it's a mixed bag...
Despite being sat in my fridge for well over 24 hours there was nothing short of an eruption when opened, with both bottles I had. Even when prepared for the second bottle I lost a load of beer, such was the fervent frothing. It was so prevalent that once I'd managed to pour the glass there was still 2 inches of foam left in the bottle. I'm not one to practise my cocktail shaking with bottles before opening so perhaps they added too much priming sugar in this particular batch (sugar added when bottling feeds the small quantity of yeast left in the beer and by-product is carbon gas, i.e. head), but who's to know? Not a great start, though.
Then, in the glass, once again, (i feel like a bloody broken record) the scent is ruined by iron presence in the nose, though not as badly as other previous culprits. However, to stain the aroma so much so soon robs you of one of the simplest pleasures. Yes, it's there to be drunk but a good old whiff whets the appetite beautifully. What's worrying is that I've noticed it's really prevalent in Belgian beers. For a country which I hold in the highest esteem I'm starting to worry if enough breweries have control over their beer. I can't imagine it's anything to do with being out of date because pretty much every example has been a Dubbel, a beer which you would usually associate with improving as it ages.
This is all a bit of a shame really, because St Idesbald is a hidden gem. It has one of the most balanced flavours I've tasted in a while, for a Dubbel. It's pleasingly gritty with sediment simply piled up at the bottom of the glass. The texture is wonderfully light (what do you expect with all that foam) and the finish is lovely and sweet, with just a hint of spice. It gives you something to chew on between sips. On winter nights, it's a charming little late night beer to warm yourself, without being obviously spiced or seasonal.
There are others who do it better (Petrus Dubbel Bruin is a shining example) but after drinking LOTS of Dubbels over the last few months this really is a tasty example, which after initial failings, is a very solid example of how a simple Dubbel can stick to task and still be very enjoyable to drink. Lets hope the iron and foam was just in this batch...
St Idesbald Dubbel - 8.5/6.5 (batch dependant?)
http://www.delirium.be/bier/4/0/st._idesbald.html
Monday 21 November 2011
Great Expectations
Congratulations to St Feuillien! Their 'Grand Cru' has been awarded a gold star at the European Beer Star Awards. I think they'll be adding a little bit more gold to their already well-trimmed label. Is this the best beer in Europe right now?
Well, not really. Whilst I'm not taking anything away from St Feuillien for the award, you have take into consideration that a) the European Beer Stars are not the only beer awards, let alone in Europe and b) there are 50 categories in this competition; so 50 Golds, Silvers and Bronzes. There are some fairly specific categories too. This Grand Cru won the 'Belgian-Style Strong Ale' category but there is also a 'Belgian-Style Tripel' category. Yes, 'Tripel' is a specific type, but it's also a strong Belgian ale. Do both need to exist? For Germany, there are a mind blowing 19 categories! That's a hell of a lot of different styles for a country who only allow 4 ingredients in their beer.
So, what's my beef? Well, I feel a little bit duped, really. I saw a notice on Twitter announcing the win and thought 'Cool, I've got this in my fridge' and was looking forward to going home and drinking one of the best beers in Europe this year. So, with expectations so high, does a gold star help a beer or hinder it? I guess initially it helps; I'm a sucker for buying wine if it's won a medal and everyone wants you to buy their product. But are expectations then raised too high? In my case, yes but perhaps I'm alone. Instead of enjoying a hidden gem I found myself trying to work out on what premise this beer had won the award. Then, on finding it a little underwhelming, I find it's one of 150 winners. But hey, it'll work out well for them, I'm sure.
St Feuillien Grand Cru is beautifully packaged in a taller, standard shape bottle rather than the usual squat 'Duvel' style they put their standard beer in. It's ready for a night on the town, for sure. It's a pale, clear (if you keep out any sediment) sparkling beer. The fizz, I found, was sharper than your usual and the head very good.
Aroma-wise, I was searching. Nothing flew out and hit me in the face. It smelled like strong lager. Yes, there were faint hints of green apples in there, we're not talking nothing, but no complex headiness that I'd usually expect from Belgium (and a gold star winner, to boot!) There was a slight bitter aroma, like the smell of a tangerine without the sweetness. Reading this back these do sound like exciting aspects but they were fleeting and boy did I have to try.
Taste-wise, I also found it lacking sparkle. What struck me the most was the absence of any sweetness. While this might not be surprising in a cool, crisp lager that's designed for gulping, a 9.5% supping ale like this needs a little something sweet, in my opinion. In fact, it also lacked any strong bitterness so it was a little bit middle of the road.
So what's going for it? Well, finesse, I suppose. It's incredibly sophisticated and controlled for its very high strength. Apart from a bit of a zing in the nose you could be convinced it's 6.5%. It's a gym instructor in a tuxedo: strength and control in a smart package but a little bit dull when you get to know it.
I suppose I shouldn't complain, I've only myself to blame. Why should I believe hype without checking just what the hype really is? But on sage reflection I still think there are much better Belgian strong ales out there. It goes to show, that even if it is an opinion of a learned collective, an award is still an opinion and the only one you should really trust is your own. Get a clean glass and a bottle opener, sit your bum down and get supping.
St Feuilllien Grand Cru - 6.5
Well, not really. Whilst I'm not taking anything away from St Feuillien for the award, you have take into consideration that a) the European Beer Stars are not the only beer awards, let alone in Europe and b) there are 50 categories in this competition; so 50 Golds, Silvers and Bronzes. There are some fairly specific categories too. This Grand Cru won the 'Belgian-Style Strong Ale' category but there is also a 'Belgian-Style Tripel' category. Yes, 'Tripel' is a specific type, but it's also a strong Belgian ale. Do both need to exist? For Germany, there are a mind blowing 19 categories! That's a hell of a lot of different styles for a country who only allow 4 ingredients in their beer.
So, what's my beef? Well, I feel a little bit duped, really. I saw a notice on Twitter announcing the win and thought 'Cool, I've got this in my fridge' and was looking forward to going home and drinking one of the best beers in Europe this year. So, with expectations so high, does a gold star help a beer or hinder it? I guess initially it helps; I'm a sucker for buying wine if it's won a medal and everyone wants you to buy their product. But are expectations then raised too high? In my case, yes but perhaps I'm alone. Instead of enjoying a hidden gem I found myself trying to work out on what premise this beer had won the award. Then, on finding it a little underwhelming, I find it's one of 150 winners. But hey, it'll work out well for them, I'm sure.
St Feuillien Grand Cru is beautifully packaged in a taller, standard shape bottle rather than the usual squat 'Duvel' style they put their standard beer in. It's ready for a night on the town, for sure. It's a pale, clear (if you keep out any sediment) sparkling beer. The fizz, I found, was sharper than your usual and the head very good.
Aroma-wise, I was searching. Nothing flew out and hit me in the face. It smelled like strong lager. Yes, there were faint hints of green apples in there, we're not talking nothing, but no complex headiness that I'd usually expect from Belgium (and a gold star winner, to boot!) There was a slight bitter aroma, like the smell of a tangerine without the sweetness. Reading this back these do sound like exciting aspects but they were fleeting and boy did I have to try.
Taste-wise, I also found it lacking sparkle. What struck me the most was the absence of any sweetness. While this might not be surprising in a cool, crisp lager that's designed for gulping, a 9.5% supping ale like this needs a little something sweet, in my opinion. In fact, it also lacked any strong bitterness so it was a little bit middle of the road.
So what's going for it? Well, finesse, I suppose. It's incredibly sophisticated and controlled for its very high strength. Apart from a bit of a zing in the nose you could be convinced it's 6.5%. It's a gym instructor in a tuxedo: strength and control in a smart package but a little bit dull when you get to know it.
I suppose I shouldn't complain, I've only myself to blame. Why should I believe hype without checking just what the hype really is? But on sage reflection I still think there are much better Belgian strong ales out there. It goes to show, that even if it is an opinion of a learned collective, an award is still an opinion and the only one you should really trust is your own. Get a clean glass and a bottle opener, sit your bum down and get supping.
St Feuilllien Grand Cru - 6.5
Tuesday 15 November 2011
De Molen at The Craft Beer Co
I discovered De Molen brewery in a little shop in North London called Kris Wines (definitely worth a visit if you can). I was drawn in by it's laughably basic label (surprise surprise): it's a white label with black type - that's it. Each bottle is numbered and batched so you know it's brewed on a very small scale basis.
I was impressed. This is a brewery who really focus on one thing only and do it well. If you're not keen on sediment or haziness this might be one to skip, but if you're taking the time to read this I imagine you're keen to give new things a try!
So, imagine my delight when the Craft Beer Co advertise this smashing festival on Twitter (@thecraftbeerco if you're keen). 10 De Molen beers to sample!! It was enough to get a tube-dodger like me hurtling through the underground to pastures new. Plus the Craft Beer Co seemed like a place I should definitely visit. They have mind-boggling collection of hard-to-find beer; bottled, kegged and casked. The scotch eggs aren't bad either.
I arrived fairly early but having just three beers on offer was a little bit disappointing. It was the second day of the 'festival' after all. But three was better than none, and it wasn't as if I was going to drink 10 beers anyway. Later on they'd eventually got 6 on the go (out of the actual 8 they had) so I shan't grumble. This isn't the sort of establishment I'm going to start criticising. They need to be severely congratulated for bringing such wonderful beers to London. The staff were jolly nice too.
So, what are they like? Well, read on dear follower and ye shall discover.
The first effort was Donder and Bliskem (Thunder and Lightning), a pale, hazy pilsner-type beer. It wasn't heavily aromatic, with pale malt and straw flavours and a clean hop smell. It was only delicately carbonated so was an easy drinker; the head didn't stick around for long. What characterised the beer was its intense bitterness. There wasn't a lot of sweetness in the aftertaste and the bitterness prevailed long after the beer had gone. It's not my favourite sort of beer but a very solid effort and classily finished. It's the sort of drink that would prove very dangerous if readily available on a hot summer's day. Besides, it's best to start slowly and build a head of steam. One doesn't start with smoky stouts, does one!?
I then moved on to Heen and Veer (Outbound and Weather) which De Molen describe as a twist on the Abbey Style Ale, brewed with an unusual yeast strain. In my humble opinion I think it's such a twist it can barely be described as Abbey style. I've never tried a Belgian ale like it, anyhow. It reminded me more of an American craft ale, with plenty of hops involved. This was one of my favourites with an unbelievable scent. Passion fruit flew unashamedly up my nostrils, but it's no one-trick pony. Add plenty of floral notes and pine-like hop and this beer is a party in your nose, no doubt.
It was nice to see a good head follow my sips down the glass, too. Whilst it shared some of the bitterness of the Donder and Bliskem it was properly balanced with good sweetness in the saliva making it much more enjoyable. I detected a hint of honey too, to round it off. As you can tell, I was impressed.
Finally, Hemel and Aarde was drunk (Heaven and Earth), a heavy stout as black as night. Unsurprisingly there was lots of smoky bonfire goodness to sting the nose. Its unique selling point is that it uses peated grain from the Bruichladdich distillery (the world's most heavily peated malt, no less!) and it's definitely present, but not as much as I expected. Whilst you can smell peaty whisky from 10 paces, this one had to be sought in deep inhalations. It was a fine reward for looking like a ponce though. I don't know this for a fact but I'm guessing that perhaps peated malt doesn't contain the enzymes needed for starch breakdown (gotta have sugar to create booze!) so they can only use limited amounts of it in the brew.
The aftertaste was of course very sweet and full of body, but surprisingly short on bitterness, which is a surprise. It was nowhere near the levels of bitterness as seen in the Donder and Bliskem. It goes to show you can roast grain to cinder but it can't match the bitterness of hops! The hops they had used, however, showed themselves politely, and impressively considering the bamboozling levels of flavour flying around. What also impressed me was how it didn't leave syrupy thickness in the mouth for such a strong, dark beer. In fact, as time went on (this weren't no gulpin' beer) it showed it's ale-like qualities, the smoke and peat letting the more delicate flavours have their say before rounding up the show with a flourish.
I did try a couple of others (stolen from other people's glasses), both smoky affairs, and can confirm that this brewery do not make bad beers. Like most other finely crafted, high quality things, these beers are fairly hard to get hold of but I strongly urge you seek them out and you will reap the rewards for your tenacity.
Donder and Bliskem - 6.2% - 8
Heen and Veer - 9.2% - 10
Hemel and Aarde - 10% - 10
http://www.brouwerijdemolen.nl/index.php/en.html
I was impressed. This is a brewery who really focus on one thing only and do it well. If you're not keen on sediment or haziness this might be one to skip, but if you're taking the time to read this I imagine you're keen to give new things a try!
So, imagine my delight when the Craft Beer Co advertise this smashing festival on Twitter (@thecraftbeerco if you're keen). 10 De Molen beers to sample!! It was enough to get a tube-dodger like me hurtling through the underground to pastures new. Plus the Craft Beer Co seemed like a place I should definitely visit. They have mind-boggling collection of hard-to-find beer; bottled, kegged and casked. The scotch eggs aren't bad either.
I arrived fairly early but having just three beers on offer was a little bit disappointing. It was the second day of the 'festival' after all. But three was better than none, and it wasn't as if I was going to drink 10 beers anyway. Later on they'd eventually got 6 on the go (out of the actual 8 they had) so I shan't grumble. This isn't the sort of establishment I'm going to start criticising. They need to be severely congratulated for bringing such wonderful beers to London. The staff were jolly nice too.
So, what are they like? Well, read on dear follower and ye shall discover.
The first effort was Donder and Bliskem (Thunder and Lightning), a pale, hazy pilsner-type beer. It wasn't heavily aromatic, with pale malt and straw flavours and a clean hop smell. It was only delicately carbonated so was an easy drinker; the head didn't stick around for long. What characterised the beer was its intense bitterness. There wasn't a lot of sweetness in the aftertaste and the bitterness prevailed long after the beer had gone. It's not my favourite sort of beer but a very solid effort and classily finished. It's the sort of drink that would prove very dangerous if readily available on a hot summer's day. Besides, it's best to start slowly and build a head of steam. One doesn't start with smoky stouts, does one!?
I then moved on to Heen and Veer (Outbound and Weather) which De Molen describe as a twist on the Abbey Style Ale, brewed with an unusual yeast strain. In my humble opinion I think it's such a twist it can barely be described as Abbey style. I've never tried a Belgian ale like it, anyhow. It reminded me more of an American craft ale, with plenty of hops involved. This was one of my favourites with an unbelievable scent. Passion fruit flew unashamedly up my nostrils, but it's no one-trick pony. Add plenty of floral notes and pine-like hop and this beer is a party in your nose, no doubt.
It was nice to see a good head follow my sips down the glass, too. Whilst it shared some of the bitterness of the Donder and Bliskem it was properly balanced with good sweetness in the saliva making it much more enjoyable. I detected a hint of honey too, to round it off. As you can tell, I was impressed.
Finally, Hemel and Aarde was drunk (Heaven and Earth), a heavy stout as black as night. Unsurprisingly there was lots of smoky bonfire goodness to sting the nose. Its unique selling point is that it uses peated grain from the Bruichladdich distillery (the world's most heavily peated malt, no less!) and it's definitely present, but not as much as I expected. Whilst you can smell peaty whisky from 10 paces, this one had to be sought in deep inhalations. It was a fine reward for looking like a ponce though. I don't know this for a fact but I'm guessing that perhaps peated malt doesn't contain the enzymes needed for starch breakdown (gotta have sugar to create booze!) so they can only use limited amounts of it in the brew.
The aftertaste was of course very sweet and full of body, but surprisingly short on bitterness, which is a surprise. It was nowhere near the levels of bitterness as seen in the Donder and Bliskem. It goes to show you can roast grain to cinder but it can't match the bitterness of hops! The hops they had used, however, showed themselves politely, and impressively considering the bamboozling levels of flavour flying around. What also impressed me was how it didn't leave syrupy thickness in the mouth for such a strong, dark beer. In fact, as time went on (this weren't no gulpin' beer) it showed it's ale-like qualities, the smoke and peat letting the more delicate flavours have their say before rounding up the show with a flourish.
I did try a couple of others (stolen from other people's glasses), both smoky affairs, and can confirm that this brewery do not make bad beers. Like most other finely crafted, high quality things, these beers are fairly hard to get hold of but I strongly urge you seek them out and you will reap the rewards for your tenacity.
Donder and Bliskem - 6.2% - 8
Heen and Veer - 9.2% - 10
Hemel and Aarde - 10% - 10
http://www.brouwerijdemolen.nl/index.php/en.html
Wednesday 9 November 2011
First Impressions Last?
Sight and smell aren't to be underestimated when concocting a brew, smell most of all. Sniffing beer like a ponce is something I try to do surreptitiously (or at least in private) to try and avoid the comparison with winos but hey, I'm only kidding myself. The other weekend I met a chap at Meantime who proudly announced he was going to become the UK's first beer sommelier. There's no going back.
But lets face it, our noses are there to be trusted. If somebody gives you a glass of what looks like muddy water (which some beers do), you might want to give it a sniff to check it's not going to be riddled with cholera. Thankfully, no pathogens can live in booze so once you smell alcohol you can be assured that you're safe. Whether it'll taste good is another matter.
So there's my excuse, anyway. I'm only thinking of my health.
Kapittel Watou Pater is another beer adorned with a picture of monks. But this time it's a whole gang! It's as if they're in a little club where they play bridge and quaff beer and they've kindly posed for a picture for the local rag. Anyway I shan't rattle on about labels too much. Today it's about odour.
I use the word odour specifically, instead of something pleasant like aroma, because this beer don't smell right. Once again, we've got iron filings and loads of it. I may as well be sniffing the beer through a rusty old pipe. All the 'plums, banana bread and sweet burning wood' (their words, not mine) are locked away in a metal box and may as well not be there. Someone more learned than myself should be able to confirm but I think it's the mineral content of the water out of kilter that causes this. Too much calcium if I'm not mistaken...
So I'd basically written off this beer before drinking it. To be honest the first impressions were so poor that it was going to take a lot to change my mind. Saying that, it looked the part; it had the murky charm of Rochefort 6 which is one of the world's greatest beers from, in my opinion, the best Trappist brewery out there. I like lots of micro flotsam in my drink, it reminds you that it's made from stuff of the earth, hearty and good for you. But looks don't amount to much, there's a certain amount of time before you're going to have to drink it.
The first half of the glass was fairly uninspiring but not unpleasant to say the least, but the further I got the better it became. I'm fairly convinced it's because the temperature starts to rise. The warmer it becomes the more you can taste (hence Carling is served extra cold). So as I was was finishing the glass there was plenty going on. It reminded me of a warm, spicy, delicate whisky (Highland Park 18yr to be precise). Where the whisky gets its nuance from nearly two decades in wood, the beer relies on malt and a mix of spices and they finally come through, delivering taste like the postman delivers mail: late.
However, it's just a little too late to save the beer in my opinion. There's just too much enjoyment to be savoured in the first moments of a beer that are ruined in this instance. Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't slap you across the chops if you returned from the bar with a glass for me, I just might hold my nose.
Kapittel Watou Pater - 6.5
http://www.brouwerijvaneecke.be/en/assortiment/kapittel-pater-1
As an addition I not long ago tried Van Eecke's Hommel Bier - it was fine, if not a bit uninspiring but bizarrely tasted horrific when accompanied by food.
But lets face it, our noses are there to be trusted. If somebody gives you a glass of what looks like muddy water (which some beers do), you might want to give it a sniff to check it's not going to be riddled with cholera. Thankfully, no pathogens can live in booze so once you smell alcohol you can be assured that you're safe. Whether it'll taste good is another matter.
So there's my excuse, anyway. I'm only thinking of my health.
Kapittel Watou Pater is another beer adorned with a picture of monks. But this time it's a whole gang! It's as if they're in a little club where they play bridge and quaff beer and they've kindly posed for a picture for the local rag. Anyway I shan't rattle on about labels too much. Today it's about odour.
I use the word odour specifically, instead of something pleasant like aroma, because this beer don't smell right. Once again, we've got iron filings and loads of it. I may as well be sniffing the beer through a rusty old pipe. All the 'plums, banana bread and sweet burning wood' (their words, not mine) are locked away in a metal box and may as well not be there. Someone more learned than myself should be able to confirm but I think it's the mineral content of the water out of kilter that causes this. Too much calcium if I'm not mistaken...
So I'd basically written off this beer before drinking it. To be honest the first impressions were so poor that it was going to take a lot to change my mind. Saying that, it looked the part; it had the murky charm of Rochefort 6 which is one of the world's greatest beers from, in my opinion, the best Trappist brewery out there. I like lots of micro flotsam in my drink, it reminds you that it's made from stuff of the earth, hearty and good for you. But looks don't amount to much, there's a certain amount of time before you're going to have to drink it.
The first half of the glass was fairly uninspiring but not unpleasant to say the least, but the further I got the better it became. I'm fairly convinced it's because the temperature starts to rise. The warmer it becomes the more you can taste (hence Carling is served extra cold). So as I was was finishing the glass there was plenty going on. It reminded me of a warm, spicy, delicate whisky (Highland Park 18yr to be precise). Where the whisky gets its nuance from nearly two decades in wood, the beer relies on malt and a mix of spices and they finally come through, delivering taste like the postman delivers mail: late.
However, it's just a little too late to save the beer in my opinion. There's just too much enjoyment to be savoured in the first moments of a beer that are ruined in this instance. Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't slap you across the chops if you returned from the bar with a glass for me, I just might hold my nose.
Kapittel Watou Pater - 6.5
http://www.brouwerijvaneecke.be/en/assortiment/kapittel-pater-1
As an addition I not long ago tried Van Eecke's Hommel Bier - it was fine, if not a bit uninspiring but bizarrely tasted horrific when accompanied by food.
Thursday 3 November 2011
Good Head
And back to Belgium...
Gouden Carolus is one of those names which pops up fairly often on Belgian beer menus and in well-stocked shops so whilst they don't necessarily class as rare or unheard of their output is varied enough to warrant a look-in. I tried the Hopsinjoor this week as it strays from the pack of standard variants. They claim on their glossy website that it 'completes the taste pallet of the Carolus beers' and whilst that sounds like PR guff they're fairly spot on. It's a little bit something different.
What has struck me over the lasts month or so of constant(ish) Belgian drinking is the lack of the stereotypical head on the beers. Perhaps I've been focusing on the smaller breweries which don't have as refined techniques or going for different varieties which don't offer the sort of bubblage 'Hopsinjoor' had, but the classic image of the giant froth in the balloon glass had started to become a distant memory.
Hopsinjoor has head and has it in spades. I read someone describe this sort of head as 'cauliflower head' but when it falls I think it becomes more resemblant of volcanic craters sat in your glass (and besides that's a much more evocative scene than a vegetable). The bubbles were great to watch through the glass in all their shapes and sizes. As the drink goes down the head sticks to the side of the glass in places and falls away to nothing in others. It's poetry in a cup!
So in between marvelling at the drama of the head I tried make some other observations too. The colour, for a start, is fairly unique too. It's paleness is almost chilly and takes any hint of warmth from what could possibly be called blonde. Whilst it's also fairly cloudy it doesn't quite get to the 'witbier' (i.e. Hoegaarden) levels. There's more light coming through the liquid giving it a pallid glow to add to the poetic mystery. A lot to live up to in the taste!
Aromatically, we're talking hoppy. Let's face it, they state on the bottle they use 4 variants of hops in the beer (though bizarrely on the website they quote 5) but they are more bittering hops than flowery, heady whiffs. The only fruit element came as a peardrop-like suggestion. All in all it's got a fairly delicate nose (like a pretty lady).
The highly carbonated body of the beer is totally expected, due to the frothing mass of head, and one of the characteristics of Belgian fare. The flavour is one of a clean and clinical nature, with virtually no maltiness. The main event here is bitterness! It cuts through the fizz ruthlessly and continues, and then some long after you've swallowed it. The only thing to attempt to counterbalance it is a slight sweet stickiness but it's a fairly weak effort.
But... hops is what they say and hops is whats you get! If you fancy gasping for a drink 3 minutes after you've finished this one then tuck in. You won't find much as bone dry as Hopsinjoor. Perhaps Het Anker (the brewery) played a lot of 'Theme Park' in the 90s and remembered the trick of filling up your food with salt to make everyone buy drinks. It's the perfect drink to get people buying more: this beer is the anti thirst quencher! You can't criticise them too much though because, as I said at the start, they mean what they say with their marketing bumph; it really is completing the set list, this beer.
Gouden Carolus Hopsinjoor - 7.5
http://www.hetanker.be/DeBrouwerij/AlOnzeBieren/GoudenCarolusHopsinjoor/tabid/65/language/en-US/Default.aspx
As an additional note, from Het Anker I really suggest trying the Cuvee van de Keizer 750ml beers. They're very special!
Gouden Carolus is one of those names which pops up fairly often on Belgian beer menus and in well-stocked shops so whilst they don't necessarily class as rare or unheard of their output is varied enough to warrant a look-in. I tried the Hopsinjoor this week as it strays from the pack of standard variants. They claim on their glossy website that it 'completes the taste pallet of the Carolus beers' and whilst that sounds like PR guff they're fairly spot on. It's a little bit something different.
What has struck me over the lasts month or so of constant(ish) Belgian drinking is the lack of the stereotypical head on the beers. Perhaps I've been focusing on the smaller breweries which don't have as refined techniques or going for different varieties which don't offer the sort of bubblage 'Hopsinjoor' had, but the classic image of the giant froth in the balloon glass had started to become a distant memory.
Hopsinjoor has head and has it in spades. I read someone describe this sort of head as 'cauliflower head' but when it falls I think it becomes more resemblant of volcanic craters sat in your glass (and besides that's a much more evocative scene than a vegetable). The bubbles were great to watch through the glass in all their shapes and sizes. As the drink goes down the head sticks to the side of the glass in places and falls away to nothing in others. It's poetry in a cup!
So in between marvelling at the drama of the head I tried make some other observations too. The colour, for a start, is fairly unique too. It's paleness is almost chilly and takes any hint of warmth from what could possibly be called blonde. Whilst it's also fairly cloudy it doesn't quite get to the 'witbier' (i.e. Hoegaarden) levels. There's more light coming through the liquid giving it a pallid glow to add to the poetic mystery. A lot to live up to in the taste!
Aromatically, we're talking hoppy. Let's face it, they state on the bottle they use 4 variants of hops in the beer (though bizarrely on the website they quote 5) but they are more bittering hops than flowery, heady whiffs. The only fruit element came as a peardrop-like suggestion. All in all it's got a fairly delicate nose (like a pretty lady).
The highly carbonated body of the beer is totally expected, due to the frothing mass of head, and one of the characteristics of Belgian fare. The flavour is one of a clean and clinical nature, with virtually no maltiness. The main event here is bitterness! It cuts through the fizz ruthlessly and continues, and then some long after you've swallowed it. The only thing to attempt to counterbalance it is a slight sweet stickiness but it's a fairly weak effort.
But... hops is what they say and hops is whats you get! If you fancy gasping for a drink 3 minutes after you've finished this one then tuck in. You won't find much as bone dry as Hopsinjoor. Perhaps Het Anker (the brewery) played a lot of 'Theme Park' in the 90s and remembered the trick of filling up your food with salt to make everyone buy drinks. It's the perfect drink to get people buying more: this beer is the anti thirst quencher! You can't criticise them too much though because, as I said at the start, they mean what they say with their marketing bumph; it really is completing the set list, this beer.
Gouden Carolus Hopsinjoor - 7.5
http://www.hetanker.be/DeBrouwerij/AlOnzeBieren/GoudenCarolusHopsinjoor/tabid/65/language/en-US/Default.aspx
As an additional note, from Het Anker I really suggest trying the Cuvee van de Keizer 750ml beers. They're very special!
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