October 12th, 2008 beckel
This lovely little bottle was found while browsing the shelves of The Four Firkins. Brewed by Brewery De Regenboog (Rainbow in Dutch) in Assebroek-Brugge, Beligum. From the very small amount of information I can find about this brewery it appears it was started in 1995 by Johan Brandt who had a great passion for brewing and started making beer once a week with a capacity on only one barrel. As of 1999 he was brewing twice a week producing 1.5 barrels, as of 2006 according to B. United International Inc. (De Regenboog’s importer) he was trying to find an upgraded facility where he could produce 6 barrels at a time. It wouldn’t surprise me if he has had success as beer advocate/rate beer have many beers attributed to De Regenboog and I was able to get this all the way over in Minnesota. ‘t Smisje Plus is their Imperial IPA and I am excited to try this small batch brew, on to the fun part. Holy carbonation, upon opening this beer and watching the first drops hit the side of the glass, this beer creates a massively carbonated head the beginning of which fades very rapidly the rest settling more slowly, forcing me to pause many times during my pour to not over flow my glass with white foam. As the head settles you can see the delicious hazy orange color of this beer completely opaque and unfiltered, almost looking a bit like peach or apricot juice. This brew has a very nice aroma, smelling a bit more sweet than I expected with very nice malt aromas and some apricot like fruity aromas you may be used to detecting in Belgian Ales. Some alcohol is present in the nose but very little bitterness. Wow, this beer has flavor. Here are the bitter hop flavors I was looking for, rather intense initially but as you let this beer flow onto your palate your taste buds will do a 180 over to sweet smooth slightly floral almost fruit like flavors. Bitter flavors definitely linger in the after taste but even though this beer is 10% ABV the complex balance of this beer makes it rather unnoticeable to me. This beer makes me think about how much I appreciate the differences between beers made in varying parts of the world. The Belgian yeast and malts create a wonderful contrast between the bitter hop flavors in this beer producing a lovely drinking experience. The mouthfeel of this beer is meduim, with out a particularly heavy body making this a drinkable but intense ale. This is very obviously a Belgian influenced Imperial IPA so if you enjoy a good Belgian Ale and don’t mind a few bitter flavors you will likely dig this beer. Not the perfect beer for a hop head but still a worth beer for any lover of artisan beer, you will certainly enjoy its unique attempt at the style particularly if you are used to the American counterparts. Give it a shot and ride your bike.
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October 3rd, 2008 beckel
This month The Session is being hosted by Bathtub Brewery and Melissa and Ray have come up with a rather interesting topic: Beers and Memories. I knew a day would come when I felt it was the perfect opportunity to talk about a beer that I admire dearly yet have avoided blogging about. Duvel is a Belgian Strong Ale and is likely the staple for this style. Brewed by Duvel Moortgot in Puurs, Belgium since over a century ago this beer has far too much history to summarize. I chose this beer for The Session this month because though I’ve never been to Belgium (unfortunately) this beer always reminds me of my second trip to Europe. Though perhaps it would seem more appropriate to make this post about Heineken or any number of other mass produced and popular beers of Europe it is not so. While riding trains from The Netherlands to France and particularly the Chunnel from France to the United Kingdom I experienced the convenience of having alcoholic beverages available on a long trip. Though the food was decent the beer was spectacular. When riding through the Chunnel there are a number of hours where you can’t even look out the windows because all you see is the black of the tunnel walls, not to mention the fact that you are under water. This didn’t particularly frighten me, but it was very strange so I decided the most logical thing to do was to have a few beers and have a rest. Reconizing the name and bottle from the very few occasions I had tried it prior Duvel seemed like the logical choice for a drink, the 8.5% ABV also helped me make up my mind as it was only a Dollar or I suppose more accurately a Euro and change more expensive than a boring and light Heineken. Not only was it lovely to have a deliciously flavorful Belgian Ale to enjoy during the ride but after two beers it made it very easy to rest my eyes. Ever since that day I have become a sucker for Duvel and for a long while drank it quite regularly. Sadly it has been quite some time since I have purchased this ale, so tonight will be well deserved particularly as the price of this beer seems to continue to rise, oh well it will always be worth it to me. Though Surly Furious was the beer that got me into American Ales my second trip to Europe and Duvel were what got me to really appreciate beer and its flavors, particularly Belgians so it will always have a special place in my heart.
This wonderful beer pours a nice golden color that doesn’t have any sediment but seems slightly hazy depending on the light. Head is pure white and will overwhelm you if you do not pour carefully. Head is tight, thick and sticky and will not dissipate quickly likely leaving residue on the side of your glass that will eventually harden quite intensely. This beer simply smells like what I think of when I hear the term Belgian Golden Ale, sweet, malty and alcoholic with hints of nice spices rounding it off wonderfully. People claim to find many flavors in this beer, and I don’t doubt them. Though I mostly notice smooth caramelized malt sweetness, hints of bananna and other spices come out regularly. Though this beer is smooth there is no doubt you will notice it’s slightly bitter alcohol content, but at 8.5% ABV what do you expect. With a medium body and surprisingly light mouthfeel I find this beer very drinkable even though it is carbonated a bit heavily. If you like Belgian Ales particularly blondes but don’t mind the increased alcohol content you will certainly enjoy this beer. Perfect with fish or chicken this beer will compliment a meal very nicely, not to meantion help balance the alcohol out. Give it a shot and ride your bike.
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July 22nd, 2008 beckel
Orval is one of the 7 Trappist monasteries that produce beer and a foreign one to me. First produced in 1931 in the Gaume region of Belgium, this beer is sure to be an experience. Pours with massive head that is quite impossible to disturb as a proper Belgian beer should. Color is a lovely orange red, not hazy but not penetrated by light either. Aroma is almost like a wine, full scent of alcohol and fermentation. This beer has a complex flavor, lots of smooth malt sweeps over the palate accompanied by bitter and almost sour citrus flavors. The bitter and tart flavors are most notable in this beer but the malt and yeast manage to balance this 6.9% ABV beer quite well. Probably a beer you want to sip on but its mouthfeel is amazingly light. The yeast doesn’t stand out as much as it did in the Chimay Trappist beers I’ve had but it is still an unquestionably unique drink with some flavors not present in most beer. If you like different and complex beers you should certainly give this one a try, though you will probably like it more if you prefer a sour beer or are a fan of fermented fruits. Trappist ales are always unique and I’m glad I got the chance to try this one. Give it a shot and ride your bike.
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