Belgian Beer Board

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#1
Beer Tastings / Blue Monk Special Reserve
Last post by Viv - June 04, 2023, 08:53:45 AM
Recently tasted again; last tasted 2019.

Bottled 2016.

Some head, no lacing, but a low level of carbonation.

Malty and spicy, with some brandy aroma.

Thinnish, but still slick and oily, with lots of complexity,
depth of flavour, and much in the way of coffee, dark chocolate,
caramel, and brandy. Sweetish.

Very drinkable, and overall pretty good actually for a 7 year old
bottle.

Cheers!


VivBLUE MONK SPECIAL RESERVE 2016.JPG
#2
Beer Tastings / Sint Amatus 12
Last post by Viv - June 04, 2023, 08:45:14 AM
Sint Amatus 12

Recently tasted again, my last tasting was 2014.

This one was bottled in 2013.

It's flat, with virtually no carbonation.

Aroma of brandy, rum, malts.

Sharp, tangy, puckering, thin bodied, lots of malts, brandy rum, chocolate, caramel. Unfortunately at 10 years old this has not aged
well.

Cheers!


VivSINT AMATUS 12 2023.jpg
#3
Chit Chat / Re: Festbier LIDL
Last post by Trappist - June 03, 2023, 09:13:40 AM
Quote from: John B on June 02, 2023, 05:37:25 PMTons and tons of them, and for the most part they're all very similar to each other.
Hi John,
And that's just the main big problem! There is no search to new flavors!!
Beer is made from a recipe, and too frequently, too many breweries are using that same recipe. (you can actually easily find them on the internet)
But beer is so much more fun if every brewery would have it's unique beer with it's unique recipe.
I had some great memories from that US brewery Hair of the Dog. Now, That's an American brewery that gives me that wow feeling.
Unique brews, tasty, heavy, American hoppy, but they are just so outstanding and so unique, hardly copy-able.
If every brewer would do that same effort, we would have a damn rich variety of beers worldwide!
Once the brewery got it's perfect recipe! Let's say a Gulden Draak, they should actually stick to that recipe and never change it, although some tweakings can be tolerated, but not too much ofcourse.
Brewing that same IPA over and over is IMHO a sign of their weakness and not be capable to brew something more tasty, more unique, more succesfull at the end.
Cheers,
Filip

#4
Chit Chat / Re: Festbier LIDL
Last post by John B - June 02, 2023, 05:37:25 PM
Quote from: Trappist on June 02, 2023, 03:34:24 PM...But too much of that same IPA's really is not the way to go I think.

I agree with you 100% Filip. Certainly there are other styles of beer being made, but they're getting harder to find. The vast majority of beers you will find on the shelves of your common store and easily available will be those "hazy" "hoppy" "juicy" IPAs. Tons and tons of them, and for the most part they're all very similar to each other.

Cheers! - John
#5
Chit Chat / Re: Festbier LIDL
Last post by Trappist - June 02, 2023, 03:34:24 PM
Quote from: Viv on June 02, 2023, 08:27:09 AMI'll stick with the reliable, traditional, solid brews thank you!
That's definitely my strategy too Viv.
Great authentic constant quality, that exists aready for decades, and from which you can be sure it will always taste exactly the same.
That's actually the key to a success formula. Orval is just that perfect example. Only 1 beer, but such a unique tradiional beer. Less = More.
I don't say that there shouldn't be room for experiments, because that sure would eliminate new beers that could become that same success story as Orval.
But too much of that same IPA's really is not the way to go I think.
Cheers,
Filip


#6
Beer Tastings / Re: Nice collection of Punaise...
Last post by Trappist - June 02, 2023, 03:26:13 PM
Quote from: Viv on June 02, 2023, 08:32:56 AMTo already have barrel aging brews they must have been established for a while now.
Hi Viv,
Yes, Koekoekbrouwer(ei) already exists for a while by now.
But they do have the experience of barrel ageing through brewmaster Dirk De Meester from bry De Meester who already makes barrel aged beers for years.
That is what you get when you are a cuckoo brewery :)
Cheers,
Filip
#7
Beer Tastings / Re: Nice collection of Punaise...
Last post by Viv - June 02, 2023, 08:32:56 AM
Hi Filip,

Great lineup!

There are a number of breweries/brewfirms that just launch into the market
with a good number of brews, whilst others concentrate on just one and then grow from there as the name becomes well-known. Must be a financial reasoning behind this.

To already have barrel aging brews they must have been established for a while now.

I must get some of their beers, if I can source them.....

Cheers!

 
Viv
 
#8
Chit Chat / Re: Festbier LIDL
Last post by Viv - June 02, 2023, 08:27:09 AM
Hi Filip,

Germany does have many great beers, and quite a variety of styles too.

These days they are perhaps being overlooked because of all the noise
coming from the States, who seem to be driving all the rage of milkshake ipas, pastry stouts and fruit sours, etc. And the barrel aging too. What
nonsense next I wonder!

I'll stick with the reliable, traditional, solid brews thank you!

Cheers!


Viv



 
#9
Beer Tastings / Re: Nice collection of Punaise...
Last post by Trappist - June 01, 2023, 10:33:01 AM
Hi,
A small update.



I finally got me the whole collection!



BUT!!! at this point, already a new beer has been launched, i.e. the Juicy White!
The life of a Belgian beer lover can be so damn tough  ::)

Cheers,
Filip

#10
Chit Chat / Festbier LIDL
Last post by Trappist - June 01, 2023, 10:16:13 AM
Hi,
German beer is in the picture now.
When we did our shopping at supermarket LIDL here in Bruges, I noticed this box, which was sold at €5.00.



To my surprise, it contains a 90cl. can of German festbier, and also a one litre massive heavy German glass mug!
Now, that's a glass I always wanted to have, so no hesitation, buying that box was first priority :)

Apparently brewed by Privatbrauerei Eichbaum Mannheim for Lidl Europe. But, I'm not really 100% sure if that is the case.
Untappd already mentions two other breweries. And those are microbreweries!
Quote Untappd: "Brewed by Frankenthaler Brauhaus , Mauritius Brauerei, Privatbrauerei Eichbaum"
The first two are micro breweries and the latter being a macro brewery, so I think it will be brewed at the latter.



I really expected a blond pilsner, but see, it pours amber colored.



I must say that I was very well surprised when tasting the beer.
It is such a velvety soft beer. Nearly no carbonation, and drinks so smooth.
Tastes very malty, like you would eat the finest bread. Liquid bread if you want :)
Actually reminds me of the Keller beers we had a short while back in Germany.

Wauw, not at all bad this beer!!!

Cheers,
Filip