De Struise Pannepot Reserva, 2007. Vieillie 14 mois en fûts de chêne français. Belle robe marron foncée aux reflets cuivrés, mousse marron léger, rapidement dissipée.
Tout est écrit dessus... Les 10% d'alcool ne se ressentent pas à la dégustation. Le caramel, les fruits secs sont effectivement très présent, et le vieillissement en fûts de chêne également, quoique discret. La finale est assez longue et plaisante dans sa légère amertume rafraîchissante. Très bonne bière, qui doit pouvoir gagner à être gardée encore quelques années en cave.
Guinness Foreign Extra Stout
Même si la photo n'est pas terrible, on voit que l'on est assez loin de la Guinness Draught, celle servie en canettes métalliques. La Foreign Extra Stout conserve la même amertume caractéristique, mais développe plus d'arômes de café et cacao, ainsi que de légères touches sucrées. Inutile de préciser que je préfère de loin cette version.
"Paradox Islay" de Brew Dog. Une bière vieillie en fûts de whisky écossais, de l'île d'Islay donc. On retrouve parfaitement ce qui caractérise ces whiskies, avec des relents de tourbe fumée, mais sans que le goût de cette bière soit unidimensionnel comme c'est parfois le cas avec les plus fumées.
Mikkeller Beer Geek Breakfast ; Norgne Saison.
Une Westvleteren de 2002.
Tout est sur l'étiquette... C'est bien sûr au bar Akkurat, à Stockholm, que j'ai pu déguster cette bière. Bue juste après une Westvleteren 12 de 2001, elle lui a largement tenu tête... j'oserais peut-être même dire que j'ai pu préférer celle-ci !
Que dire ? Une bière impénétrable, maltée aux forts arômes de café, de caramel, et des tonnes d'autres saveurs probablement dues au passage en fût. C'est fort, c'est sucré : c'est un nectar qui se déguste lentement, très lentement.
Westvleteren 8
La simple vue de la capsule me fait glousser de plaisir !
Robe brun foncée, mousse légère et agréable. Evidemment, ça a goût de fruits séchés, de caramel, c'est finement sucré. Mais ce que je préfère dans cette bière, c'est ce goût de levure unique, bien équilibré, et qui la rend, à mon goût, préférable à la Rochefort du même calibre.
Mikkeller It's Alive!
Les ingrédients, en danois.
Ce bouchon en plastique fut particulièrement difficile à extraire. Une bière qui se mérite, donc.
Mais ça valait le coup : arômes de fruits exotiques, bière plutôt douce et maltée, fruitée, sur l'attaque, se prolongeant sur une très nette amertume, qui persiste longuement en bouche. Très bien !
Vetters 33 au Plan B.
The Evil Twin Soft Dookie. Vanillée, un peu d'acidité inattendue pour une Imperial Stout.
Mikkeller Beer Geek Breakfast, brassée avec de l'avoine et du café. Chocolatée, sèche au début, s'adoucit sur la fin où le café prend le desuss. Mikkeller Beer Geek Brunch Weasel : brassée avec un ajout de café de civette. Elle a plus de corps que la Breakfast, et l'arôme de café me paraît mieux intégré, plus rond, rendant cette bière plus immédiatement appréciable.
Urthel Samaranth : une quadruple belge plutôt traditionnelle et bien faite. Urthel Hop It : finalement moins houblonnée que ce à quoi je m'attendais. J'ignore quels produits ont été employés mais a priori pas d'Amarillo ou de Cascade car les arômes et saveurs qui y sont associées n'étaient pas présents. Bien équilibrée, fruitée. Urthel Saisonnière : pas de souvenir... Globalement les Urthel m'ont toutes parues très équilibrées, agréables à boire, mais manquant peut-être un peu d'éclat dans le cadre d'une dégustation à côté de monstres à l'américaine. Ca n'est pas forcément un défaut.
3 Fonteinen Straffe Winter Un lambic assez particulier, avec adjonction de sucre candi avant fermentation, et usage de différents malts. On se rapproche d'un faro, en moins doux, et plus malté. On retrouve toutefois des notes d'acidités et de fermentation lactiques habituelles. Une grande réussite !
Founders Breakfast Stout Je suis un grand fan du Porter de Founders. Cette Stout est également bien faite. Riche, mais sans être trop sucrée, on y décèle très nettement les ingrédients ajoutés : café, chocolat et avoine. Ca n'est toutefois pas un rouleau compresseur de saveurs extrêmes, et se boit donc plutôt bien pour une bière de ce type.
Une IPA noire qui ne m'a pas laissé un souvenir impérissable. Chocolat et houblons sont les saveurs les plus présentes.
Une très grande bière ! Rien d'étonnant, il s'agit après tout de la brasserie De Molen. Tout ce que j'aime dans le malt avec ses arômes de caramel et de fruis séchés, équilibré avec la touche végétale du houblon, le tout sans sucrosité excessive.
BrewDog Abstrakt:03 Une ale vieillie 2 ans en fûts de whisky avec des fraises et des framboises. Déjà, c'est une horreur à ouvrir, le bouchon en caoutchouc étant indéboulonnable. On a dû utiliser un tire bouchon pour l'extraire ! Et une fois ouverte, même après 2 semaines en "cave", elle jaillit comme rarement j'ai vu une bière le faire, résultat un quart du liquide aura fini sur la table... A part ces problèmes techniques, c'est une bière intéressante, avec de l'acidité, soutenue par les notes boisées et fruitées conférées par son mûrissement. L'alcool est facilement discernable, et la finale un peu rude.
Nøgne Ø Imperial Stout Une expression très classique du genre.
Amager+Mikkeller Kølle Un barley wine sombre, sirupeux et très houblonné. Pas désagréable, mais ne m'a pas laissé le désir d'en reboire.
Amager Hr. Frederiksen Une Imperial Stout brassée avec 8 malts différents. Fortes saveurs de café, du corps et une certaine sécheresse en bouche. L'alcool (10.5%) est bien dissimulé.
Encore un super Bock de la part de De Molen et Revelation Cat. Cette bière très maltée est complétée par des saveurs herbales et florales dues aux houblons employés. Super !
BFM 13 En collaboration avec la brasserie japonaise Kiuchi. La base me semble différente des autres BFM que j'ai goûtées (à peu près toute la gamme...), et le gingembre est particulièrement présent. Un peu trop à mon goût, et peut-être également trop de douceur, surtout pour une bière à 5,5°. Ceci dit, celle-ci faisait partie d'un batch connaissant des problèmes de jaillissement (voir le verre de gauche). A retester prochainement.
3 fonteinen Oude Geuze 2006 : une expression très classique de la gueuze, dont les saveurs acides ont été adoucies par le temps, lui conférant un bel équilibre.
Brew Dog Hardcore IPA. Comme son nom l'indique, c'est une IPA qui tape fort, à la fois en alcool et en amertume. Assez unidimensionnelle, elle est parfaite dans le genre pour qui a une envie de houblon à assouvir.
Jolly Pumpkin Oro de Calabaza. La confirmation que Jolly Pumpkin est une brasserie géniale. Leurs bases de bière sont bonnes, mais c'est surtout leur processus de maturation en fût bien maîtrisé qui les distingue de la concurrence. Ici, une belle bière légèrement épicée et fruitée, et élégamment aigrelette.
Une ale noire aux relents de Saison, aux goûts plutôt neutres. En finale, les arômes boisés et amers dominent. Agréable, sans plus.
Dark Horse 4 Elf Winter Warmer: this winter ale is very good, with malty spicy flavors. I still prefer De Dolle Stille Nacht in the same vein. Very very good nonetheless.
Toccalmatto Surfing Hop. Toccalmatto is sometimes referred to as a "hop king", and it shows. This IIPA has the perfect hop aroma and flavors, which were perfectly balanced with a strong malt backbody. Excellent bodymouth, too.
Aren't they good at marketing? Even my hamster loves this 4-pack of different single-hop IPAs which share the same base
If I shaked, it was more of anticipation than out of drunkness, as I had not tasted them yet. Bramling X was the most neutral, with Citra and Nelson Sauvin being more on the citrus-side. Finally, Sorachi Ace developped more piney flavors. All were good, not particularly great, but fun.
Panil definitely is one excellent brewery! This spontaneous Barley Wine develops a huge head, with beautiful lacing. Aroma is oaky and bretty. Taste is sour and sweet, with a touch of oakness too. Beautiful, even if not really a "Barley Wine".
This is one for the books. I love Jolly Pumpkin, I love Saison beers, even more so when they're properly aged. A bit funky on the nose, as it should be, it tastes heavenly good. Its earthiness just a tad counterbalanced with very light floral hints of rose and hibiscus. A work of art, really.
Souther Tier Iniquity. An IBA as they call it. While piney hops on the nose and very few roasted malts noticeable, its Stout-like flavor comes a bit unexpected. A smooth beer, that finishes on hops notes with little bitterness, with very-well hidden alcohol. Great.
Short's Brewery Soft Parade: very nice slightly tart ale, with lots of fruity flavors. Drinks almost like a soda, great for summery weather!
Cigar City Sea Bass: a very good sour Saison, exhibiting a lot of carbonation, with some good fruity flavors and a nice balance with the sweetness. Dry finish.
Unexpected unblended lambic. Tart, lemony, sweet... very good.
A letdown. Everytime I opened my beer stash, I saw this bottle and wondered when I would open it. It didn't survive to my own hype. Strong, sweet and fruity, this is a nice beer, but it may need more time in the cellar before being tasted again.
Emelisse Triple IPA: nose is on the tropical side with lots of mango and citrus, and some maltiness. Taste is exactly what you could expect from the aroma. Then, hops steal the show, leaving a massive bitterness aftertaste that lasts forever. Good but a bit one-dimensional.
HaandBryggeriet Fyr og Flamm: their rendition of DeMolen Vuur&Vlam (not tasted). Very high carbonation, but for a reason (glass?), its lacing was unimpressive. Piney and bready flavors, carbonation is a bit too high for me. Good, not great.
See how lively it is?
Struise Ignis&Flamma: another rendition of De Molen Vuur&Flam. This one is highly carbonated too, and you can feel this is a similar recipe. Still, there is something definitely Belgian in this beer (probably the yeast), more spicy than the Haandbryggeriet version. I liked this one better, but that's a close call.
Brooklyn Brown Ale: a very classic beer, that does what one expects from the style. A malty caramelly well-rounded beer.
Pr. Frit Briem 1809 Berliner Style Weisse: impressive beer that aims to recreate an old recipe. Some tartness and lemony flavors, well balanced with lingering sweetness. Refreshing and surprising. Thanks to Erzbierschof for sharing.
Top secret (not really) new beer from an Italian brewery. It was awesome (for real). I won't say more, as the AISE is probably already on me (not at all, I'm just lazy). Thanks to Erzbierschof for sharing.
Short's Brew Imperial Carob Stout: I guess the name describes it all. This is well balanced with a round chocolatey taste coming from the carob. Incidentally, its taste is not unlike Grado Plato Chocarrubica, with maybe a bit more complexity thanks to the aging. All in all, a very good beer. Thanks to Erzbierschof for sharing (also not pictured: a very fine 2007 Orval...)
The Evil Twin Before, During and After Christmas: double IPA, very beautiful color, good balance between piney, citrusy hops and malt sweetness. Excellent. Thanks to Erzbierschof for sharing.
Nøgne Ø Dugges Sahti: lots of honey and juniper, some herbal notes. Quite sweet and maybe a bit cloying. Interesting, but can't compare with a genuine Sahti, as I've never tasted any.
Short's Brewing Imperial Soft Parade: the perfect fruit beer. Complex, well balanced and drinkable.
Öufi Märzen: I believe it was a bit too old. Malty as it should, but there was not much more to it.
Hacker-Pschorr Hefe Weisse: a good hefeweizen, but nothing exceptional. Banana flavors, malty and sweet.
Öufi Orbi: tastes of roasted malts, but not quite like coffee yet. Some sweetness, light bodied. OK.
HaandBryggeriet Nissefar: a Christmas beer that doesn't taste like a Christmas beer. It develops a great chocolate taste with a fine dry and hoppy finish.
Lost Abbey Angel's Share 2008: maybe one of the best beers I've ever tasted. Aroma is very oaky. Taste is sour, oaky, with a touch liquorice, some vanilla and lots of umami. There is a very pleasant alcohol burn that lingers on like with a good whisky or cognac. Very very complex, yet totally drinkable and enjoyable. I will probably remember the first time I had this beer for a long time, and will only regret seeing it disappear from the surface of the Earth...
Lost Abbey Angel's Share 2009: one can taste the similarity with the 2008 version, but differences are huge too. This one is not sour at all, and tasted a lot more of liquorice. It was less complex and not as drinkable as the 2008 by far.
Lost Abbey Angel's Share Bourbon Barrel: closer to the 2009 version, but more refined and rounded, less extreme. Much more pleasant, but not as good as the 2008.
Lost Abbey Cuvée de Tomme 2009: bretts, oak and cherries may very well be what heaven is made of! Fantastic!
Emelisse Imperial Russian Stout: a very good textbook Imperial Stout.
BrewDog Paradox Grain: sometimes I believe BrewDog could stop brewing anything else than Paradox and Hardcore IPA and I'd be just as happy. This Paradox is particularly fantastic, as it had picked a lot of vanilla from the bourbon barrels. It's big, bold and easy to like.
BrewDog Paradox Smokehead: this one is less enjoyable. I love Islay whiskies, but I find this one to be too unidirectional. Lots of smoke, yes, but it makes for a less complex and satisfying beer. I prefer the Islay Paradox to this one.
BFM Abbaye de Saint Bon-Chien 2010: I loved the 2008 and 2009. I was waiting for this one, and I must say I'm a bit disappointed. It's still a great beer, really, but not as awesome as the previous versions in my opinion. Maybe it's more subtle than the previous ones. Less sour than the 2009, but it still retains the oak and fruity flavors that make it so good.
Cigar City Humidor Series IPA: I know it's becoming recurrent here, but this is a fantastic beer. Maybe my favorite IPA right now. In fact, it's very different from any other IPA I've ever tasted. Sure, there's passion fruit, some bitterness... But the cedar wood aging gives it much unexpected flavors and more pepperiness, that is not unlike what some good cigars taste like.
The Bruery Autmun Maple: it really tastes of what's on the label. Liquorice, spices. It's a bit sweet, but not cloying at all, which I feared given the ingredients.
That beer is really showing off.
Mikkeller 黑 (black): I had already had it on tap at Mikkeller's bar and found it excellent then. I can see what happened there. This beer is darker, richer and sluttier than any other one I've ever tasted. So I like it very much, but probably not for the good reasons. Black, sweet and fantastic body, it also finishes quite bitter. Basically it's like Imperial Stout on steroids. Let's wait another decade before opening the other ones, there will be fireworks.
Stillwater Stateside Saison. A spicy, yeasty and quite dry saison with a touch of coriander. Very good.
Left Hand Imperial Stout: sweet and chocolatey, oily mouthfeel
Traquair House Ale: good caramel and bitterness notes from the malts
Stillwater Cellar Door: it was better on tap at Beer Temple in Amsterdam. The bottled version is still excellent, but I thought there was too much spiciness for my taste.
Brasserie de la Senne Equinox: I tend to forget that Belgian beers can be exciting. Not really a surprise, as Brasserie de la Senne always deliver.
Flying Dog Gonzo Imperial Porter: I can't say I have drank much of the Flying Dog range, but I am still amazed by their consistency. I (intentionally) "forgot" this one for 18 months, and it was excellent, with lots of choclatey roasted malts and a nice hoppy finish.
Port Brewing Older Viscosity: another legendary beer from Port Brewing/Lost Abbey. This one exhibits some of the aroma I like so much in the Angel's Share, with all the usual characteristics of a good, solid, porter and some sourness. Hope I'll be able to drink it again and again in the future...
De Dolle Stille Nacht: this beer is really one of a kind, as it lends itself to aging like (almost) no other. Fresh batches are very good, but any vintage I've sampled has been really interesting. This 2006 bottle could have easily been kept several more years.
Port Brewing La Cruda Porter: a good robust porter with some bitterness. OK, not great.
Cigar City Jai Alai IPA: the Humidor Series IPA may be one of my favorites IPA. This is the original, non cedar-aged version. It's equally good, or, put more bluntly, absolutely phenomenal.
Cigar City Guava Grove: Belgian-ish strong ale brewed with guava. Of course, esters come forward, but it has the usual Cigar City complexity that I just can't put my finger on. Very good.
BFM & Terrapin Cuvée Délirante: this is a Barley Ryne, ie a Barley Wine brewed with Rye. This is for the technical part. I don't take tasting notes, and I had already sampled this one month earlier, but I remember saying to myself "OK, let's buy 24 more of them". It's that good. Maybe even better.
The Stillman's Darach Mor: a brown ale matured in a Scottish single malt whisky cask from Islay, which, of course, gives it very prominent phelonic notes. It's smooth and smoky, and more subtle than what I expected.
Port Brewing Mongo IPA: a nice fruity, dry and quite bitter IPA. Well done, but nothing revolutionary either.
The Stillman's Darach Mor 20: quite close from the 10 in character. A little bit more rounded maybe. Still very good.
Birra del Borgo Duchessa. Sweet and caramelly maltiness, some fruit... OK, not great.
Same as the previous one, blended with 15% of Cantillon Lambic. And now we're talking. Unexpectedly (for me), it's much closer to a regular lambic than to the Duchessa. The signature lemony tanginess from Cantillon pairs nicely with the maltiness of the Duchessa. Some welcome bitterness, too.
Uncorking a Hanssen gueuze from 1960-70 (alledgedly). At least the bottle is quite dusty, and you can see the level of liquid is quite low.
Also, there is some mold on the cork, which also had shrunk on itself on the dry end.
Of course, there's no carbonation at all. Not a problem. To our surprise, while the gueuze had been mellowed out by the years (how many exactly, we'll never know, but we're counting in decades here), but there still was some tartness, and a slightly bitter finish, some wood too. Not very complex but a nice experience. However, the more it oxygenated, the more it delivered strange mushroomy aromas.
Russian River Pliny the Elder. A classic. This one was 6 months old. I remembered some more fruity/floral notes. Now it was almost entirely piney/resinous. Still a very well-crafted and tremendously enjoyable DIPA.
