Beer - #479 - Leffe - Radieuse

Belgium, beats, bingo and brainwork

Strong and generous amber-coloured abbey beer. 

Amber-Coloured with delicate hints of citrus and coriander seeds. 

Brewed by InBev Belgium in the style that is Belgian Strong Ale and they hail from Leuven, Belgium

8.5% ABV of beer, in a 330 ml bottle, 2.21 standard drink units in this and 255 calories.

This beer combines a very complex taste palate and the fruity flavours of banana, citrus fruit, coriander and cloves, with a mild sharpness.

[caption id="attachment_9691" align="alignleft" width="300"] Went the matching top[/caption]

Leffe Radieuse is an amber-coloured beer, rich in flavour and deliciously refined. Its complex taste is particularly enjoyed by true connoisseurs. It is a beer to drink instead of complex wines, with sophisticated and complex cuisines.

An emblem of age-old tradition, Leffe Radieuse’s amber hue reflects its magnificence. Its character is elegantly balanced out by notes of orange rind, coriander seeds and roasted malt. The distinct bitter flavour shows bold signs of a beer that knows how to conquer the heart of a connoisseur.

Incredibly rich and wonderfully full-bodied. However, only in a Leffe chalice will this beer truly relinquish all of its eccentricity.”

A beer that has a bit of a swagger in the description, but on investigation may or may not meet that. But if you don't set a bar how do you know. What's the worst that can happen?

Nice presentation, purple foil over the cap makes for something a bit different.  Familair fruity aroma on opening, and a lively hiss.

Rich brown colour on the pour, small and disappearing head but a fantastic aroma of sweet malts.

Over carbonated if you want me to instantly judge. High alcohol astringent in this too, all at the front in a bit of a clash with whatever the fruits or malt things are trying to do.

Lightly bitter it's not intrusive, it does come together more as it warms slightly and ends up a mellow and rich beer that compliments the snack age that I rustled up, being mostly the home made pate and the rest of the camembert cheese from yesterday.

This though, for me, not the beer of the description, which I'd sum up as "talk's a good game" or "good on paper not so flash in the glass"  I don't this is complex, and I don't get many of the hints of things that I was expecting or might enjoy. I like the Leffe beers otherwise and I don't really have a bad thing to say about this, but it would be my 3rd pick after the blonde, and the sweeter bruin.

The pdubyah-o-meter rates this as 7 a of its things from the thing.

The double dip review

1. Am I enjoying it? Not as much as I wanted to hang read their own descriptors.


2. Would I have another? I probably would.


3. Would I share with a friend on a porch and set the world to rights? It is a posh looking beer, and I'd be impressed if someone brought me one over.

What's the best track for a great beer? Blue Oyster Cult of course , Don't fear the reaper, I found the longest version I could in some weird hope that you might listen to it all. It does occur to me that reading time v drinking time are not the same... ah what the heck, I listened to it 3 times.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ClQcUyhoxTg

BELGIAN STRONG ALE

Belgian Strong Ales can vary from pale to dark brown in color, darker ales may be colored with dark candy sugar. Hop flavor can range from low to high, while hop aroma is low. The beers are medium to full-bodied and have a high alcoholic character. Types of beers included here include tripels, dubbels and ultra-strong abbey ales.

Beer - #478 - Moa - St Josephs Tripel

A realisation, records, randomising and ruminating.

Moa St Josephs is a classic Belgian Tripel. Strong spice, caramel and banana ester characters create complex flavours and aromas which are heightened by its extended bottle conditioning period. The combination of bittering hops, malt and candy sugars compliment the high alcohol content and integrate into a very approachable and drinkable Tripel.

This is beer that I have drunk and I thought that I'd written about, turns out yes I have drunk it and no not for this diary. I'm now looking forward to this, the Moa St Josephs Tripel.

Brewed by Moa Brewing Company in the style that is of Abbey Tripel and they are based Blenheim, New Zealand

Beautifully presented 375ml bottle, cork and cage too, with beer that is 9.5% ABV, and 285 calories. and 2.8 standard drink units in this bottle to round that out.

[caption id="attachment_9682" align="alignright" width="300"] Mini Champagne, cork- cage, custom bottle[/caption]

Moa St Josephs is brewed in the traditional style of a classic Belgian Tripel. Strong spice and clove characters create complex flavours and aromas which are heightened by its extended bottle conditioning, with a combination of malt and candy sugars complimenting the high alcohol content produced by the Belgian ale yeast. Best served at 8°C in a goblet after gently rolling the bottle to distribute the sediment signature. 

Moa St Josephs is a true abbey style tripel with strong clove and spice flavours apparent with a noticeable fruit ester profile. Smokey phenolic characters can be detected. The bitterness is designed to be complimentary rather than dominant. Moa St Josephs is a complex beer that has no added herbs or spices, and is best served at approximately 8˚C in a tulip glass. 

Love the presentation, it makes it a real occasion beer. And I like the Belgium style, so I should be happy as this unfolds. From memory of drinking this I should just be happy.

Fantastic sweet malt aroma initially that fades. Orange golden pour that you need to work at to make cloudy as desired by the brewer, head is light but persistent.

Chewing-gum aroma is there but it's not prominent.

Full sweet mouthfeel of beer, lots of sweetness. But it's tempered by the bitterness at the top.

The pdubyah-o-meter rates this as 8 a of its things from the thing. It's a style that I like to enjoy and although this isn't a jaw dropping example it is very good and very enjoyable.

So, to summarise, I would have thought more aroma, slightly fuller body, tad more sweetness and more alcohol at the end would make this overly much better.

Not that you need alcohol astringent, but it is by some measure a feature of the style. I'd really like a fuller/fluffier mouthfeel than this gives, it's as if the malts have been held back for a reason. You can pick the typical Belgium style aromas and notes on the palate, but you have to go looking for them a bit.

It's not as good as I remember it being, or it's in someway different than I remember, bearing in mind that a lot of beer has been drunk between, and I've had a few good beers since. Perhaps my own benchmark has changed, again. Or of course I don't remember drinking it, as mentioned, and came in with rose tinted glasses in hope.

The double dip review

1. Am I enjoying it? Yes, I am because for its faults it isn't all bad.


2. Would I have another? Yes, I'd be keen to go again, it's an occasion beer for any occasion.


3. Would I share with a friend on a porch and set the world to rights? Yes, I'd be happy to share and share this, they make it in a a proper sized bottle too for the grand occasion.

The new Johnny Marr  album is a whole level much better than the last effort, so I thought.

This is "Easy Money" off that new Album "Playland"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_P5iSG_APE

ABBEY TRIPEL

Like other abbey ales, Tripels are strong, yeasty-malty beers. But they are also pale, and have a notable hop profile. Hop bitterness may be higher than a typical abbey ale, up to 35IBUs. But the finish is where the hops really shine, as tripels should finish fairly dry. Otherwise, maltiness is still essential to the style, and the assertive yeast note typical of all abbey ales will be more apparent in tripels, since they do not have the rich dark malts to distract the palate. Alcohol flavours feature more prominently in Tripels that in just about any other style.

Beer - #476 - Emerson’s - Dinner Bell Belgian Table Beer

Table beer, Turntable music, tables of numbers and around the table chatting.

Belgian Style Table Beer

The man in the shop was dead keen that I pick up the Emerson’s Dinner Bell Belgian Table Beer, this had taken the place of the JP 2013 that I drank recently, and I noticed it immediately. Not a lot of this around apparently, mostly because this is a limited release from the brewer.

This is low ABV at 3.2% so a beer for day drinking,  96 calories a serve, the bottle contains 1.26 standard drink units.

Brewed by Emerson’s Brewing Company (Lion Breweries - NZ (Lion Nathan Co.) in the style that is  Saison, and Emerson are in Dunedin

[caption id="attachment_9675" align="alignleft" width="300"] Dinner is in the Oven, close enough....[/caption]

A Brewers Guild of NZ Awards Trophy winner in 2013, and fermented 100% with a strain of Brettanomyces (“Brett”), Dinner Bell was described by the judges to epitomise the Belgian Table Beer Style.

The aroma has a complex breadiness, with a hint of sourness and tartness that is attributed to “Brett”.

The body is light and slightly fruity with an almost lemony crisp, dry finish.

 

Light yeasty sweet and sour aroma on opening, which I expected.

Pale almost champagne colour pour, with a little head, but it's well carbonated and looks lively in the glass.

Sour and thin are the first two words to come to mind in the first sup.  The Aroma hints a something slightly more. The tartness is the drink, and without a lot of body you end up with what is a very good cold tart refreshing drink. I’m being a but harsh as there is some lemon and citrus flavours in this that round it out. For an afternoon on a picnic yes, for casual ad-hoc drinking this is ok.

It is a beer that needs a thing to go with it though.

So I got up and got me some cheese, a Camembert from the "Over the Moon" company. Sorted.

Next time I check I've managed to drink the most of the beer, the food interaction really brings out the strengths of this as a drink, it tempers the flavours and still retains it's own palate without mussing up the food palate. For that it's very clever.

The pdubyah-o-meter rates this as 8 a of its things from the thing. It seems to punch above it weight and yet it seems to also at the same time punch light. It is a bit of an enigma.

The double dip review

1. Am I enjoying it? Well clearly I drank it all in a thrice so yes.


2. Would I have another? Yes I could easy go another, this is a casual drinking beer that is quite enjoyable, As low ABV beer goes this is a bit of a good one.


3. Would I share with a friend on a porch and set the world to rights? Yes I would, you could even star the afternoon and into dinner with it, not sure  that you could go a whole party though, might bet a little lacking at some point, a feature and nature of the beer not a slight upon it.

The Turntable hosted some vinyl music,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5nqKYP--o7M

and although I've been tardy and haven't brought anything new of late that doesn't mean that what I have isn't good enough. So with that I decided to play music from Fat Freddy's Drop, a New Zealand band, this is the track "Shiverman" from the album " Dr Boondigga And The Big BW"

It's  Electronic, Funk / Soul, Jazz, Reggae  Soul-Jazz, Reggae, Dub, Neo Soul. Or something.

no matter what though it is very very good.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5nqKYP--o7M

SAISON

Fruity esters dominate the aroma. Clarity is good with a large foamy head on top. The addition of several spices and herbs create a complex fruity or citrusy flavor. Light to medium bodied with very high carbonation. Alcohol level is medium to high.

Beer - #471 - Emerson’s - JP (2013 - Belgian Stout)

The one where I'm late to a beer, contemplate an old fashioned working week, fluff the maths and ponder sharing.

I looked this one up especially - Emerson’s JP (2013 - Belgian Stout). I'm getting more picky, this week at least.

A big roasty stout fermented with three Belgian yeasts. Luscious and complex with a satin smooth finish.

Brewed by Emerson’s Brewing Company (Lion Breweries - NZ (Lion Nathan Co.) in the style that is best described as: Foreign Stout and they are in Dunedin, New Zealand.

As a 500ml bottle, 8% ABV, making it 3.15 standard drinks, so about 240 calories a serving size or 320 isn in the bottle.

Belgian Stout. A big roasty stout fermented with three Belgian yeasts. Luscious and

[caption id="attachment_9575" align="alignright" width="300"] It was the last one in the shop[/caption]

complex with a satin smooth finish.

The annual JP release is in honour of the late Professor Jean-Pierre Dufour, formerly Dean of Food Sciences at the University of Otago. Belgium born JP, as he was affectionately known, was an icon in the international brewing industry and a valued friend of The Emerson Brewing Company.

Each vintage varies in beer style, flavour and aroma – each brew reflecting one of the many beer styles for which Belgium is renowned.

This is no longer produced by the brewery and I got the last one off a shelf. This may not eld well. This may end fantastically.

The brewer recommends that this is "serve un-chilled", which is no use since it's been in the fridge for a few hours. I'll do this in two pours perhaps. It hasn't therefore started well.

The coldness may have kept the aroma quiet as there isn't a lot op opening, sugary floral perhaps, but very light.

Pour is really dark, for a moment I expected it to be light colour, because I'm not that attentive? or anticipation.

Head, as you can see it somewhat extravagant in the glass. I deliberately left a pour to see if it changes later with warming. It's not a science experiment though, I don't have high hopes.

That head is really really thick and persistent.

Familiar Belgium esters, and this really does finish dry, with the edges of the tongue taking the brunt of that. Lovely malty caramel note at the front too, this is a well conceived and structured drink of some class I think. Or I'm being lyrical about things since it's not in brew, last one etc.

Picking a note of orange? Lovely sweetness. This really does have the complex and familiar notes and tastes of a Belgium ale, and then it also has dark roasted chocolates too, intriguing beer.

That head is really persistent.  As it warms you begin to get a sense of the alcohol astringent in this, which is a surprise and also not so.

This really becomes a better beer as it warms, and I've been taking my time, as you can see from the wordage. It gets fuller, the bitterness fades, the head persists!, the dry finish doesn't it all becomes a bit marvellous.

The pdubyah-o-meter rates this as 9 a of its things from the thing, wherein I get all morose and contemplative about it deserving a 10. I think that I'm enraptured of its rarity, at least now, I love the way it changed from bitter and noisy to full, fruity and layered. I don't want to set a bar too high, or talk myself into something that handicaps me. What I am going to do is regret not finding this earlier and being able to follow up with redux review. For now though I'm happy that this was so close to joining the 10-club

The double dip review

1. Am I enjoying it? This is a remarkable beer that starts well and strides away to greatness


2. Would I have another? Would that I could, if I see one I'm bagging it.


3. Would I share with a friend on a porch and set the world to rights? Yes because it would show you what a true friend I am.

More old things then with the music, this is a band called Working Week who were at their peak in 1985, this is a track "Inner City Blues" from the Album "Working Nights"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H5mtH3_439s

I've listened to worse, and I'm note that this'll be making a regular appearance on the music machine. Didn't age well.

FOREIGN STOUT

Foreign Stout began with the beer that would become Guinness Foreign Extra Stout. This was a stronger, extra-hopped version of the basic Guinness Extra Stout, brewed to survive long journeys overseas. The classic FES still exists in a few different forms, but many of the original destination countries (Jamaica, Sri Lanka, etc.) now have their own, locally-produced versions. Foreign stout occupies a position between basic stout and imperial stout. It is sweeter than a basic stout, but not as robust as an imperial. It is less fruity and less hoppy as well. Foreign stouts are sometimes made with local grains and adjuncts sugar is not uncommon. Alcohol ranges from 6-8%

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Beer - #424 - Townshend - Divine Intervention

Townshend Divine Intervention - a collaboration beer (with Southstar Brewing). Calm down. Also A Belgium IPA\Belgium ale

Brewed by Townshend Brewery as their take on the  Belgian Ale style and they are in Upper Moutere, New Zealand.

Brewers note on their website has this though as a Pale Ale, despite the label saying otherwise. One of those things. 

All that but a 500ml bottle, (16 fl oz>, of beer that is 7.8% ABV, making it 3.1 standard drinks in NZ,  and 234 calories a serve.

A strong and heavily New Zealand hopped Belgian Pale Ale. This is a collaboration series beer with Kieran Haslett Moores' brewing arm Southstar Brewing Co. The beer is named in loving memory of Jeff Hennaman from Slayer who died last year. (We are both huge Slayer fans.)

Don't expect a Slayer video clip either.

Beer - #423 - Celt Experience - Ogham ‘Oak’ Exotic Belgium Tripel

It's all on with this then, a Welsh Beer in the Belgium Abbey style - Celt Ogham ‘Oak’ Exotic Belgium Tripel

Brewed by Celt Experience in their take on the style that is : Abbey Tripel and they are in the place that has a cheese named for them, Caerphilly, Wales

This is a 330ml bottle of crafted beer which carries 8.5% ABV, 255 calories, 35 IBU, which would be English Bitter or Stout kind of bitter, and 2.21 standard drink units in NZ

"Exotic Triple brewed with Belgium Yeast with Orange and Cinnamon flavours's"

Each batch is brewed with fresh ‘tripel’ yeast borrowed from a secret location in Flanders. The beer has a complex flavour combining resinous bite from the American hops, spicy esters from the belgium yeast and fruit and cinnomon twists from the belgium fruits and spices. All finished with supreme British malt and candy sugar…

Belgium Yeast, Orange Peel and Cinnamon - check their video piece 

I am looking forward to this.

Beer - #335 - Renaissance - Odyssey Wit Beer

Ok, I have to call it a night sometime, and I want to go out on a high  - Renaissance Odyssey Wit Beer it might be.

Small 250ml bottle of a 5.2% ABV beer, 1.2 standard drinking in NZ (330 ml being a standard drink volume)... 156  calories. They all mount up the calories, I've seen the chore list tomorrow, I consider it pre-loading...

Brewed by Renaissance Brewing this is in the style of a Belgian White (Witbier), and they are in Blenheim, New Zealand last I looked

 Odyssey Wit beer is brewed the traditional Belgian style. Delightfully refreshing, almost everything about Wit beer is a bit different, from the beginning of the brewing process when a high proportion of wheat, both malted and raw, provides crispness. Coriander and orange peel are added during the boil to harmonise the flavours. The addition of spices harks back to the days before hops, when spices or ’gruit’ were used instead. Lastly, special yeast is used to give a unique hazy white look and a spicy refreshing flavour. Serve with summer BBQ or antipasto.

I got so sqiffy I changed my eyes to the external distanc assisted versions. If only I could afford lasik or hadn't thought so many bad things as a teenager.

 The opening

Well, It is getting late, the table is crowded and so I went with what was to hand for a glass.

Lots of orange, and that's all I have to say about that.  Poured flat, and I tried to high pour to make a head, but alas it looks like lucozade in the glass a bit unappealing.

Unappealing to look at and to hold to the light.

The Taste.

Well....

Lets move straight to the pdubyah-o-meter then, which rounds on 5 this to be a  on the scale of things.

The Conclusion

I Didn't like it, it was flat, insipid looking and disappointing, It didn't have an aroma  and that carried to the palate where it delivered no length, carry, finish middle or low or high notes..

Shocker. What then the 5 - average. Oath it's average. It isn't poor, it isn't undrinkable, well it nearly is, but it isn't tart, difficult, over yeasty or over anything. It's just not much,

Smaller bottle = better beer - yeah - na.

The Three Point Turn

Am I enjoying it?  Nooooo.
Would I have another?  Noooo

Would I share with a friend on a porch and set the world to rights? Noooo

 

 

It was that kind of evening where you thought you might be 18 again. For me this was a bit of Yazoo, but to could have also been Bronski Beat..

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Yod7jc8U94&w=420&h=315]

Bronski Beat....  bonus point if you get the link between the two.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xuz94ZIPfJk&w=420&h=315]

 

BELGIAN WHITE & WITBIER

Belgian style wheat beers are very pale, opaque, with the crisp character of wheat, plus the citric refreshment of orange peel and coriander. Ingredients sometimes also include oats for smoothness, and other spices such as grains of paradise. Serve with light cheeses or mussels.

 

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Beer - #334 - Saison Dupont - Vieille Provision

A little bit fancy! Saison Dupont - Vieille Provision Brewed by Brasserie Dupont This is in the style of a  Saison and they hide their light  in Tourpes-Leuze,

Belgium Saison Dupont is a world classic beer and the yardstick for one of Belgium’s most important beer styles. It is the most admired AND imitated Saison in the world. A strong, vital yeast is key to full attenuation and thus to the style. Saison Dupont is straw colored with a dense creamy head. The nose is alive, like fresh raised bread, estery with citrus and spice notes. Full-bodied and malty, it sparkles on the palate and finishes with a zesty hop and citrus attack. Incredibly compatible with food!

Or after all the food and the last beer (laugh maniacally) of the night.... Focus Philip! .... this is a  330ml bottle of an 6.5% ABV beer, 1.69 standard drinks, under 200 calories.

Really dry aroma, can you have that? Lemons...

Totally lively pour, lots of head, light orange golden pour, again I should think this through more...

I was expecting more yellow golden. Lots of the yeasty esters that you might expect from this, lots of head- as you can see,

I still have the thing. This is sharp at the back of the palate, not a comfortable thing, slightly sour, but it seems to be balanced by the sweetness that's the up-front of this. All said though  this isn't a beer with presence or clout, or presence, and that in itself is a bit disappointing. I might have expected something 'bigger' or more 'in-your-face" because just because.

The pdubyah-o-meter though being it's usual predictable self would stretch to 7 something like a  on the scale of things.  Sever- makes that 'good' which is stretching it a little, but I'll leave that to the 3-point-turn

1. Am I enjoying it?  Not really, it's thin and lacking


2. Would I have another?  Nooooooo, not like this


3. Would I share with a friend on a porch and set the world to rights?  I think that there would be a diplomatic incident of Brobdingnagian proportions if I turned up with this.

[caption id="" align="alignright" width="46"] Cover of Sound + Vision[/caption]

And so I shall sit right down musically  when it it went to the pack, but not really...David Bowie - Sound and Vision....

I remember this for a young love thing, Battersea park, a drive in a Ford Fiesta and being really wet from the rain. It's a long story .

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRc2_-BCljQ&w=420&h=315]

Beer - #318 - Tuatara - Ardennes

I'm a simple man, but Tuatara Ardennes, strikes me as being something Belgium related, of course.

Brewed by Tuatara Brewing Company this is in the style of a  Belgian Ale and they do that in the metropolis that to me an you is known as Paraparaumu, New Zealand.

500ml bottle (Pint-ish) of a 6.5% ABV beer, or 2.5 standard drinks to me and you, 195 calories a servings.

Tuatara Ardennes is a strong, Belgian-identified ale. There’s no missing the strong bit – 6.5% alc/vol should be fairly self-explanatory – but the Belgian half of the equation is the result of our obsession with the style. In creating his own version we've named it after the Ardennes yeast that gives it all those spicy orange notes. We were also fairly obsessed with making it drinkable, so drinkable in fact that we may have to redirect your attention to the 6.5% alc/vol bit. Avoid heavy machinery.

They say.

I have to cook on the BBQ I hope that at least on of the things works out ok for me

Thats fairly yeasty and a bit sour on opening, vinegary. Very pale, and I was surprised by that, I was expecting darker, or different. No head, at all. But it looks fairly well carbonated.

Aroma settles to more yeast, which would be what you might expect.



Pours a great golden colour, and has a decent head, but this is very carbonated on the tongue. To the nose this is a Belgium style yeasted beer, and the sourness of the up front note is of Belgium. But that's all there is.

Does look nice in the glass though.

So where are we at? This is a beer that is made to, at least, smell and initially taste like a Belgium style beer. Which for me it does.

What else does it do?

Frankly not a lot. And honestly as it warms it gets more 'iffy' the warmth that you'd expect from the malts appear to be a bit off centre, and they clash with the sourness. It's a challenge.

This might make for a fairly decent domestic beer, but it's hard to look past the way that it appears to have rapid changes of personality. The over-riding sourness makes this less than a winner, but not by much

The pdubyah-o-meter - the arbiter of arbitrary- says 7 - which is ok, makes this beer that you shouldn't avoid or skip on, it's ok at what it is an what id odes it's just, again, not setting a benchmark or bar that other beers would beed to meet or beat.

Smells like Belgium beer should, tastes like a Belgium beer should, but that shouldn't be all of it, or perhaps they're showing off and it is, As an extension of their Dubbel and Tripel this is nice rounder.

Musically , the Vinyl gave away to the iPod and some Elbow, and this on the loudness.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dELKUivJo4w&w=640&h=360]

Belgian Ardennes

is one of the great and versatile strains for the production of classic Belgian style ales. This strain produces a beautiful balance of delicate fruit esters and subtle spicy notes; with neither one dominating. Unlike many other Belgian style strains, this strain is highly flocculent and results in bright beers.

BELGIAN ALE

Belgian-style ales seldom fit neatly into classic beer styles, but this category represents those "session" ales (in Belgium this means under 7% abv!) that do not fit other categories. Colour ranges from golden to deep amber, with the occasional example coming in darker. Body tends to be light to medium, with a wide range of hop and malt levels. Yeastiness and acidity may also be present.

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Beer - #317 - Chouffe - Houblon Dobbelen IPA Tripel

Beer with the longest name award contender "Chouffe Houblon Dobbelen IPA Tripel"

Brewed by Brasserie d’Achouffe (Moortgat) in the style of an Abbey Tripel and they do that in Achouffe, Belgium

330ml bottle of a 9%ABV beer, in NZ thats 2.34 standard drinks, 59 IBUS, and 270 calories.

59 IBU is somewhat more than a Stout and a skerrick less than a IPA.



This is very highly rated

A unique marriage between the English tradition of IPAs, the new American revolution of Imperial IPAs and the classic Belgian way of brewing. Houblon Chouffe, although very much hopped as it is, showcases the unique balance between a very strong IPA and a very special Belgian Tripel exclusively created for this ale (Big malty body,  distinct dryness, expressive estery fruitiness). - IBU: 59, Original Gravity: 1092



So, I know it's early for me on a Saturday, but I was beer free on Friday for a thing, and so I've made myself a dispensation.

Familiar fruity type aroma on opening, slightly sour. Orange golden poor with a small head, which is persistent, aroma settles to a sweeter flatter note.

I thought that this tasted more sour than hop bitter. I enjoyed the nice malt though but this isn't enough to carry it to a long finish. Nice  mouthfeel though, great lacing and the head is still in order.

You can tell it's a Belgium beer, that's not in question, the take on an IPA is something else, it certainly elevates the profile away from the malts into the bitterness.

It isn't a bad beer to start with.

I would though have enjoyed this more with some food accompaniment to accentuate it and help it shine more.

The pdubyah-o-meter rates this in its arbitrary way, as it does, and this time it stops at 7 on the scale of things. 7 is good but this doesn't rock my boat or lead me to thinking that "why didn't they think of this before?" thinking.

As it warms in the glass it does get somewhat harsher on the finish, and all in all a mixed bag.

A bit like the music for this, which today is on vinyl machine behind me, and the album being flipped  is "New Orleans Funk - 1960-74" This is one of the arbitrarily chosen tracks.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LvRd8DiZ7Mc&w=480&h=360]

ABBEY TRIPEL

Like other abbey ales, Tripels are strong, yeasty-malty beers. But they are also pale, and have a notable hop profile. Hop bitterness may be higher than a typical abbey ale, up to 35IBUs. But the finish is where the hops really shine, as tripels should finish fairly dry. Otherwise, maltiness is still essential to the style, and the assertive yeast note typical of all abbey ales will be more apparent in tripels, since they do not have the rich dark malts to distract the palate. Alcohol flavours feature more prominently in Tripels that in just about any other style.

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Beer - #308 - Townshend - Ned's Head Flaunders Red

Townshend - Ned's Head Flaunders Red.... Get on the bandwagon. It might be clearer next beer.

Brewed by Townshend Brewery This is styled as a  Sour Red/Brown ad they do this trick in Upper Moutere, New Zealand

A Special Release, this sour wee drop will pop your top and leave your mouth dancing. But don't be fooled into thinking this is a shock value beer, it’s full body and malty base stops you from completely loosing your head, and is in fact a highly pleasurable experience! It’s loosely based on a Flanders Red style beer from Belgium, or there abouts! It’s a tangy, slightly wild red ale brewed in the Flemish tradition.

So a Sunday 500ml bottle,  6-5% ABV, which would be 2.4 standard drinks, and at 195 calories a serve.

Sour beer.

Squirty beer as this gushed all over the place on opening including me and the keyboard. Not a good start.

So Aroma on opening - fizzy foam up the nose. A shocker.

So highly carbonated and that early release doesn't appear to have dampened it down as it pours with a fluffy off brown aerated head.  The aroma is 'sour'.

Colour is murky brown, muddy and cloudy. Because sediment. Because light orange on dark orange in mini font makes that clear.

No points for the label. Call me old may eyes as you will.

This isn't my first sour beer experience,  but this isn't like the others I had. The sourness is a thing, and probably very clever, but there isn't anything to support this or carry it as a thing across the palate. For that then I think that this is a bit thin and ultimately not that enjoyable.

The pdubyah-o-meter says 6, but leaning more towards above average than just average.  I wish there was something fuller in the taste of this, a warmer underneath something to fill it out,  and although this is 6.5% beer it's not that apparent in drinking it.

SOUR ALE/WILD ALE

Sour ale is a broad spectrum of wild ales, from the fruity and acetic Flanders Red Ales and Oud Bruins, to the experimental ales gaining popularity in the United States which use lactobacillus, brettanomyces and pediococcus in new and wild ways.

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Beer – #307 – Brouwerij Huyghe – Delirium Tremens

The night clearly is drawing in - next up is from the Brouwerij Huyghe – Delirium Tremens.

Brewed by Brouwerij Huyghe this is the Belgian Strong Ale and they make this in Melle, Belgium

[caption id="attachment_6696" align="alignleft" width="300"] Selfie[/caption]

The allusion to pink elephants and the choice of names is not due to chance. With a particular character, the unique taste of results from the use of three different kinds of yeast. The result is a finish of peppery bitterness without aggression. The gray bottle hides a mystery awaiting discovery by the none faint of heart.

Launched on December 26th 1989 @ 9% abv. Abv reduced from 9% to 8.5% in 2003.
The particular character and the unique taste of "Delirium Tremens" result from the use of three different kinds of yeast. Its very original packing, which resembles cologne ceramics, and the colourful label contribute to its success. 
In 1997, Stuart A. Kallen nominated Delirium Tremens as "best beer in the world". A gold medal during the "world beer championships" in Chicago (1998) confirmed that worldwide recognition.

Clearly not the best beer in the world.

The small 330ml bottle, contains only 8.55% ABV of a beer that is 255 calories a serve. making this 2.21 standard drinks.

Similarly presented in the painted bottle, to look like pottery, and with the blue foil. It looks great.  Pink elephant in attendance.

Sweet sour aroma on opening, lively carbonation as this gets all excited in the bottle. It has been sitting warming for a while, it should be ok though.

Wildly fluffy head on the pour, and it surprised me with how pale it was, but all that subsides to a more normal light fluff, and leaves some decent lacing.

Aroma is more settled and remains towards the sour, but not without a sweet undertone.

Its lovely and sweet to drink, with a bitterness that carried with a  lovely mouthfeel of fluffiness, all of which sounded like poetic nonsense.

I'd finished writing about this before I'd finished the beer. It really is a very full beer. I like the word full, it gives you the idea that when you sip you get a cheeks full of action. This is a very robust beer, and the flavours are not diminished by time or warmth.

The pdubyah-o-meter, which I may have overlooked in previous published versions, mostly due to beer, for this, then, is an 8. How would I be able to rate this higher and 8 is as low as I think I'd go based on the units of beer consumed on empty tummy.

In a scenario where you're  a quaffing away on things, and then this is plied before you, and then you stop to thin about it, and frankly this is a bit of a finisher. Despite is nice balance and delivery of the flavours and profile this really is a beer that made me feel 'full" both of tummy and in the buzz.

Not a bad way to be, but to much to soon. said MrsPdubyah scornfully.

 

BELGIAN STRONG ALE

Belgian Strong Ales can vary from pale to dark brown in color, darker ales may be colored with dark candy sugar. Hop flavor can range from low to high, while hop aroma is low. The beers are medium to full-bodied and have a high alcoholic character. Types of beers included here include tripels, dubbels and ultra-strong abbey ales.

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