Boerken
A new Belgian beer always fills me with excitement; sometimes they disappoint (Belgoo) but there are plenty which are seeking new taste frontiers whilst remaining distinctly Belgian. After being disappointed by Bloemen Bier a couple of weeks ago I inadvertently return to De Proefbrouerwij for a glass of Boerken, what could be described as a Belgian nut-brown ale.
It comes in a long-necked bottle with a swing top (my favourite) with the logo printed directly onto the bottle: no labels here. It's a handsome and simple design; the sort of bottle which leaves you wanting to know more.
The best way to discover is to pop open that swinger and get pouring. It's a deep, deep ruby colour without a huge head and the aroma gets it off to a flying start. Without being too wanky I'd say it's a bit like treacle on burnt toast (the sort of burnt toast smell that's nice to wake up to, not the sort that sets the fire alarm off). There's plenty of sweetness involved, too. It's distinctly Belgian but has elements of British classics in there.
The texture is wonderful: not too thin, not too thick. The nuttiness really comes out here and is mixed with a lovely sweet aroma and taste. The aftertaste continues this theme with superb balance. The malt ploughs on through and there is a gentle, sweet hop bitterness.
It's a hefty 9.5% but is such a class act that it goes down very easily and is a real delight. Boerken is the craft beer fan's champion; it combines tradition, progression and oozes class from the first sip to the last. Unfortunately, there's usually a downside and here it's price. At £4.50 per 330ml it's got to be an occasional treat rather than your regular tipple. Maybe that makes it even more worthwhile to savour.
Boerken 9.5
http://www.proefbrouwerij.com/index.aspx?lng=en
No comments:
Post a Comment