Recent posts
#1
Beer Tastings / Gouden Carolus Festiva
Last post by Viv - November 26, 2023, 10:17:26 AMGOUDEN CAROLUS FESTIVA 
8th (2022) Annual One-Off brew from Het Anker, with an ABV of 9.3%. New brew for me.
Pours a crystal clear deep golden blonde with a sizeable creamy bubbly head
which dissipates quickly but leaves a residual throughout but little in the way of
lacing.
Fresh crisp floral herbal hoppy malts spicy aroma.
It's medium to full bodied, with a fizzy Champagne-like effervescent light and
soft filling mouthfeel. Complex, rounded and with excellent depth of flavour
there's lots of herbals, florals, spices, hops, malts, grains and fruity citrics.
As it warms, although probably best drank quite chilled, the champagne like
qualities and tastes become foremost with cream, butter, honey, toast and caramel.
Another superb top quality brew from an outstanding brewer!
Cheers!
Viv
8th (2022) Annual One-Off brew from Het Anker, with an ABV of 9.3%. New brew for me.
Pours a crystal clear deep golden blonde with a sizeable creamy bubbly head
which dissipates quickly but leaves a residual throughout but little in the way of
lacing.
Fresh crisp floral herbal hoppy malts spicy aroma.
It's medium to full bodied, with a fizzy Champagne-like effervescent light and
soft filling mouthfeel. Complex, rounded and with excellent depth of flavour
there's lots of herbals, florals, spices, hops, malts, grains and fruity citrics.
As it warms, although probably best drank quite chilled, the champagne like
qualities and tastes become foremost with cream, butter, honey, toast and caramel.
Another superb top quality brew from an outstanding brewer!
Cheers!
Viv
#2
Beer Tastings / Winter Master
Last post by Viv - November 25, 2023, 09:20:53 AMWINTER MASTER
Winter beer- barley wine- from de Meester, with an ABV of 12.0%. New brew for me.
Pours an amber ruby, with a good sized creamy frothy head. Some lacing.
Herbal floral spicy hoppy aroma.
Medium to full bodied, and nicely carbonated. Complex, rounded and good depth of
flavour. Smooth, rich, luxurious taste and texture, and very easy drinking. It's
sweet and yet dry and subtly bitter, with an abundance of spices including clove,
pepper and allspice, lots of herbals, florals, malts and hops. And there's also
grains, strong citric fruits, marmalade and apricot jam. Warming effect on the
stomach, hence a winter fireside sipper. Yet another outstanding brew from this
top brewery, who now have an incredible number of excellent brews to their name,
as well as contract brewing for others such as Brambrass.
Cheers!
Viv
Winter beer- barley wine- from de Meester, with an ABV of 12.0%. New brew for me.
Pours an amber ruby, with a good sized creamy frothy head. Some lacing.
Herbal floral spicy hoppy aroma.
Medium to full bodied, and nicely carbonated. Complex, rounded and good depth of
flavour. Smooth, rich, luxurious taste and texture, and very easy drinking. It's
sweet and yet dry and subtly bitter, with an abundance of spices including clove,
pepper and allspice, lots of herbals, florals, malts and hops. And there's also
grains, strong citric fruits, marmalade and apricot jam. Warming effect on the
stomach, hence a winter fireside sipper. Yet another outstanding brew from this
top brewery, who now have an incredible number of excellent brews to their name,
as well as contract brewing for others such as Brambrass.
Cheers!
Viv
#3
Food Pairings / Re: Kings - Brugge
Last post by John B - November 24, 2023, 06:49:32 AMThanks for clearing that up Filip.
Cheers! - John
Cheers! - John
#4
Food Pairings / Re: Kings - Brugge
Last post by Trappist - November 23, 2023, 08:33:22 PMHi John,
Tree trunk ?? Ah, you mean "boomstammetje".
That's a description for a tree trunk shaped minced pork & minced veal meat sausage with cheese, coated with bread-crumbs, topped both ends with dried parsley, giving that tree trunk with bark image.
https://dagelijksekost.vrt.be/gerechten/boomstammetjes-met-snijbonen
Very popular here in Belgium and also in Holland.
Yes...... delicious !!!
Cheers,
Filip
Tree trunk ?? Ah, you mean "boomstammetje".
That's a description for a tree trunk shaped minced pork & minced veal meat sausage with cheese, coated with bread-crumbs, topped both ends with dried parsley, giving that tree trunk with bark image.
https://dagelijksekost.vrt.be/gerechten/boomstammetjes-met-snijbonen
Very popular here in Belgium and also in Holland.
Yes...... delicious !!!
Cheers,
Filip
#5
Food Pairings / Re: Kings - Brugge
Last post by John B - November 23, 2023, 05:59:26 PMLovely Filip! Nice to have a place like that nearby, and yet not full of tourists.
One question though ...
I clicked on the link you provided to their website, and was looking at their lunch menu. Under "Daily Special" for Tuesday November 21 it lists "Tree trunk" as being the entree. What the heck is Tree trunk?
Cheers! - John
One question though ...
I clicked on the link you provided to their website, and was looking at their lunch menu. Under "Daily Special" for Tuesday November 21 it lists "Tree trunk" as being the entree. What the heck is Tree trunk?
Cheers! - John
#6
Food Pairings / Kings - Brugge
Last post by Trappist - November 23, 2023, 12:42:36 PMHi,
So shocked and sad I was when I noticed a couple of months ago that Kings (formerly called De Kingsclub) here in Bruges went bankrupt.
About 3 weeks ago we went there, and indeed the place was shut down with the message bankrupt on the entrance door.
But see, last Sunday the place was open again, as if nothing has changed.
This place is not really a beer pub to be precise.
They offer about 30 quality beers at reasonable prices.
Normally we always go for their precious Gouden Carolus Whisky Infused from tap, from which you always get about 40cl. @ minimum
(€4.80)
But that day the tap was dry, but they still had the Gouden Carolus tripel from tap, which was a great relief.
I like this place because it has that local feeling (no tourists), easy free parking, no need for reservation, and great affordable tasty comfort food too.
It is quite some relaxing Sunday afternoon time spending, just outside the busy Bruges' centre.
Also: Friendly staff (as usual).
Starting with an excellent unspoiled Karmeliet tripel.
Unspoiled because ABInBev hasn't changed the original recipe after the take over from Bosteels brewery.
This is one of the ultimate best triples from Belgium!
Gouden Carolus triple from tap and a gorgeous Trappist Rochefort 10!
Gouden Carolus triple from tap is always such a fresh experience.
A beer that has it from that fresh spiciness (coriander included), actually quite similar spicy to the Karmeliet triple.
From tap it comes with that delicious looking creamy head. A surplus factor
After the foam settles, one gets that beautiful lace looking foam remainings (see picture), decorating the inside of the glass. Just beautiful!!
As said, they didn't have the Gouden Carolus Whisky Infused from tap, but this beer easily replaces that.
What a great Trappist beer folks!
Coriander spiced, as today we are 100% sure of
11.3 vol% strong, and having such a malty sweet'n spicy perfumy flavors, so hard to copy!!
Most probably the best beer in the world IMVHO
Needless to say that the food is excellent.
Katrien had a lasagna and I had their normal spaghetti.
Tasty satisfying comfort food at it's upper best folks!
For more details about Kings, feel free to visit their website at https://kingsbrugge.be/
Cheers,
Filip
So shocked and sad I was when I noticed a couple of months ago that Kings (formerly called De Kingsclub) here in Bruges went bankrupt.
About 3 weeks ago we went there, and indeed the place was shut down with the message bankrupt on the entrance door.
But see, last Sunday the place was open again, as if nothing has changed.
This place is not really a beer pub to be precise.
They offer about 30 quality beers at reasonable prices.
Normally we always go for their precious Gouden Carolus Whisky Infused from tap, from which you always get about 40cl. @ minimum
(€4.80)But that day the tap was dry, but they still had the Gouden Carolus tripel from tap, which was a great relief.
I like this place because it has that local feeling (no tourists), easy free parking, no need for reservation, and great affordable tasty comfort food too.
It is quite some relaxing Sunday afternoon time spending, just outside the busy Bruges' centre.
Also: Friendly staff (as usual).
Starting with an excellent unspoiled Karmeliet tripel.
Unspoiled because ABInBev hasn't changed the original recipe after the take over from Bosteels brewery.
This is one of the ultimate best triples from Belgium!
Gouden Carolus triple from tap and a gorgeous Trappist Rochefort 10!
Gouden Carolus triple from tap is always such a fresh experience.
A beer that has it from that fresh spiciness (coriander included), actually quite similar spicy to the Karmeliet triple.
From tap it comes with that delicious looking creamy head. A surplus factor
After the foam settles, one gets that beautiful lace looking foam remainings (see picture), decorating the inside of the glass. Just beautiful!!
As said, they didn't have the Gouden Carolus Whisky Infused from tap, but this beer easily replaces that.
What a great Trappist beer folks!
Coriander spiced, as today we are 100% sure of
11.3 vol% strong, and having such a malty sweet'n spicy perfumy flavors, so hard to copy!!
Most probably the best beer in the world IMVHO
Needless to say that the food is excellent.
Katrien had a lasagna and I had their normal spaghetti.
Tasty satisfying comfort food at it's upper best folks!
For more details about Kings, feel free to visit their website at https://kingsbrugge.be/
Cheers,
Filip
#7
Beer Tastings / Re: La Corne Quadruple
Last post by Trappist - November 23, 2023, 11:11:34 AMHi Viv et al.
Finally had this beer!
Available these days amongst the new seasonal Xmas beers.
Wow, what a great quadrupel.
Sweet, malty, oaky, woody, spicy, and that boost of 12 vol%.
A beer to sip with care and high satisfactions.
Notice the change of label, which I truly like
Cheers
Filip
Finally had this beer!
Available these days amongst the new seasonal Xmas beers.
Wow, what a great quadrupel.
Sweet, malty, oaky, woody, spicy, and that boost of 12 vol%.
A beer to sip with care and high satisfactions.
Notice the change of label, which I truly like
Cheers
Filip
#8
Beer Tastings / Fagnes Brune
Last post by Viv - November 20, 2023, 10:55:33 AMFAGNES BRUNE
Double from des Fagnes, with an ABV of 7.5%. Last tasted in 2014.
Pours a deep ruby burgundy, with a large creamy frothy head. Good lacing.
Malty spicy aroma, with chocolate and coffee.
It's medium bodied, and perfectly carbonated. Good level of complexity,
rounded, and with a pretty good depth of flavour. Rich, creamy and
smooth texture and taste. Malts, dark chocolate, mocha, cocoa powder,
caramel, coffee, fruity, with banana, raisin sultana and date. Dried
figs. Slight initial sweetness gives way to a longer dry and bitter
finish. Wow, this brew has been massively improved since my last
tastings! Great stuff now!
Cheers!
Viv
Double from des Fagnes, with an ABV of 7.5%. Last tasted in 2014.
Pours a deep ruby burgundy, with a large creamy frothy head. Good lacing.
Malty spicy aroma, with chocolate and coffee.
It's medium bodied, and perfectly carbonated. Good level of complexity,
rounded, and with a pretty good depth of flavour. Rich, creamy and
smooth texture and taste. Malts, dark chocolate, mocha, cocoa powder,
caramel, coffee, fruity, with banana, raisin sultana and date. Dried
figs. Slight initial sweetness gives way to a longer dry and bitter
finish. Wow, this brew has been massively improved since my last
tastings! Great stuff now!
Cheers!
Viv
#9
Beer Tastings / Fagnes Blonde
Last post by Viv - November 20, 2023, 10:49:01 AMFAGNES BLONDE
Blonde from des Fagnes, with an ABV of 7.5%. Last tasted in 2011.
Pours a deep golden blonde, with a large creamy frothy head. Excellent lacing.
Hoppy floral spicy aroma.
It's medium bodied, and has a fizzy carbonation level creating a soft filling
mouthfeel. Quite complex, rounded, and fair depth of flavour. There's plenty of
hops, with a malt-base, in a crisp fresh smooth delivery, and plenty of spices,
herbals, fruit, caramel, honey and coriander. Tons of grains too in a slightly
bitter dry finish. Overall light and refreshing! Nice brew! Much improved since
last tasting!
Cheers!
Viv
Blonde from des Fagnes, with an ABV of 7.5%. Last tasted in 2011.
Pours a deep golden blonde, with a large creamy frothy head. Excellent lacing.
Hoppy floral spicy aroma.
It's medium bodied, and has a fizzy carbonation level creating a soft filling
mouthfeel. Quite complex, rounded, and fair depth of flavour. There's plenty of
hops, with a malt-base, in a crisp fresh smooth delivery, and plenty of spices,
herbals, fruit, caramel, honey and coriander. Tons of grains too in a slightly
bitter dry finish. Overall light and refreshing! Nice brew! Much improved since
last tasting!
Cheers!
Viv
#10
Beer Tastings / Vandekelder Barley Wine
Last post by Viv - November 20, 2023, 10:39:20 AMVANDEKELDER BARLEY WINE
Barley Wine from Vandekelder, with an ABV of 10.0%. new brew for me.
Pours a deep ruby burgundy, with a creamy frothy head. Some lacing.
Aroma of spice, dark chocolate, praline, mocha, malts and burnt malts.
It's full bodied, and perfectly carbonated. Great complexity, nicely rounded,
and great depth of flavour as you would expect from the style and ABV. Lots of
layered hops, malts, burnt malts, dark chocolate, cocoa powder, baking powder,
caramel, barley, mocha, and spices including clove and pepper. Fantastic brew!
Cheers!
Viv
Barley Wine from Vandekelder, with an ABV of 10.0%. new brew for me.
Pours a deep ruby burgundy, with a creamy frothy head. Some lacing.
Aroma of spice, dark chocolate, praline, mocha, malts and burnt malts.
It's full bodied, and perfectly carbonated. Great complexity, nicely rounded,
and great depth of flavour as you would expect from the style and ABV. Lots of
layered hops, malts, burnt malts, dark chocolate, cocoa powder, baking powder,
caramel, barley, mocha, and spices including clove and pepper. Fantastic brew!
Cheers!
Viv