Recent posts
#11
Who is Where? / Re: Lots of trips booked
Last post by Trappist - September 18, 2023, 10:13:54 AMJay,
I never went to Hamburg, but I'm sure you'll have a great cozy time over there.
If this is your first visit, it will be something different from Amsterdam, which you already visited. Another experience.
It is very north located, so could be cold in November. Makes it all that more cozy ofcourse. John has already made the suggestions for that.
The huge Hamburg Beer Guide: https://www.ratebeer.com/places/city/hamburg/116/79/
More than enough to satisfy your beer soul mate
Cheers,
Filip
I never went to Hamburg, but I'm sure you'll have a great cozy time over there.
If this is your first visit, it will be something different from Amsterdam, which you already visited. Another experience.
It is very north located, so could be cold in November. Makes it all that more cozy ofcourse. John has already made the suggestions for that.
The huge Hamburg Beer Guide: https://www.ratebeer.com/places/city/hamburg/116/79/
More than enough to satisfy your beer soul mate
Cheers,
Filip
#12
Who is Where? / Re: Seville
Last post by Trappist - September 18, 2023, 10:02:41 AMQuote from: Jay on September 17, 2023, 03:25:12 PMTo grace the main page would (as always) be just perfect mate
#13
Who is Where? / Re: Seville
Last post by Jay - September 17, 2023, 03:25:12 PMThanks so much for the kind words guys, it's an absolute pleasure to share our travels here on the BBB.
John it's Linda who deserves the real credit for discovering these amazing corners of Europe - she does everything...chooses the location, picks and books the hotel, books flights, researches bars...she just surprises me with news of our next trip away (she booked Seville just a week before we flew out
) here's to our next trip mate in just 10 weeks time to Hamburg.
It's great to see the Albondigas video Filip, like you say it's as much about enjoying local specialties whilst sat amongst locals - this cafe was just around the corner from our hotel, we went for our breakfast and for 2 Cortado (coffees) 2 freshly squeezed orange juice and 2 Tostada Con Tomate it was just 7 euros.
To grace the main page would (as always) be just perfect mate
Cheers
Jay
John it's Linda who deserves the real credit for discovering these amazing corners of Europe - she does everything...chooses the location, picks and books the hotel, books flights, researches bars...she just surprises me with news of our next trip away (she booked Seville just a week before we flew out
) here's to our next trip mate in just 10 weeks time to Hamburg.It's great to see the Albondigas video Filip, like you say it's as much about enjoying local specialties whilst sat amongst locals - this cafe was just around the corner from our hotel, we went for our breakfast and for 2 Cortado (coffees) 2 freshly squeezed orange juice and 2 Tostada Con Tomate it was just 7 euros.
To grace the main page would (as always) be just perfect mate
Cheers
Jay
#14
Beer News / Rochefort 10
Last post by Trappist - September 17, 2023, 11:54:55 AMHi,
A Rochefort 10 was tasted at home yesterday.
Wow, what a great beer and most probably still the best beer in the word (IMHO).
For me, personally, it was a historic tasting
I tell you why ....
Looking at the back label, I noticed a change in ingredients!
Actually, after some research, I found that there is a gradual change in the list of ingredients the last 5 years something.
Although, there is no different recipe!!!! That beer still tastes exactly the same as before, for decades...
The pictures here above do show that gradual changes....
The second last picture shows the label that's been used for decades.
It clearly says 'non malted cereals', which was already a mystery to many beer lovers.
But see, the last picture with best before date of 21.08.2023 (brewed in 2018) mentions 'wheat starch' which explains the non malted cereals
I was extremely surprised that today there is the mentioning of "SPICES" !!
I found one back label on the internet exactly showing the one I had last yesterday.
It had a best before of 23.08.2027 (brewed in 2022)
So, it's really a very recent thing.
More surprised I was that the monks eliminated the ingredient "wheat starch"
I always was nearly convinced that the spice coriander is used in all Rochefort beers, even way before Rochefort Triple was introduced.
But many people believed (even brewmaster Johan Brandt from Smisje) that the spice flavor could come from the yeast profile.
I can remember me an old article published on the internet - way back in time - from an American beer lover visiting the brewery where he mentioned Coriander.
But officially the monks always denied this info to be correct!
(secret of recipe)
The thing is that it's always been a mystery to me if I really taste that coriander, or was it really that yeast profile.
Yesterday, that mystery was solved in one glance on that back label !!
And note that all dark Rocheforts have the same recipe! This means coriander in the 6 and 8 as well.
WAUW !!!!!
Cheers,
Filip
A Rochefort 10 was tasted at home yesterday.
Wow, what a great beer and most probably still the best beer in the word (IMHO).
For me, personally, it was a historic tasting
I tell you why ....
Looking at the back label, I noticed a change in ingredients!
Actually, after some research, I found that there is a gradual change in the list of ingredients the last 5 years something.
Although, there is no different recipe!!!! That beer still tastes exactly the same as before, for decades...
The pictures here above do show that gradual changes....
The second last picture shows the label that's been used for decades.
It clearly says 'non malted cereals', which was already a mystery to many beer lovers.
But see, the last picture with best before date of 21.08.2023 (brewed in 2018) mentions 'wheat starch' which explains the non malted cereals
I was extremely surprised that today there is the mentioning of "SPICES" !!
I found one back label on the internet exactly showing the one I had last yesterday.
It had a best before of 23.08.2027 (brewed in 2022)
So, it's really a very recent thing.
More surprised I was that the monks eliminated the ingredient "wheat starch"
I always was nearly convinced that the spice coriander is used in all Rochefort beers, even way before Rochefort Triple was introduced.
But many people believed (even brewmaster Johan Brandt from Smisje) that the spice flavor could come from the yeast profile.
I can remember me an old article published on the internet - way back in time - from an American beer lover visiting the brewery where he mentioned Coriander.
But officially the monks always denied this info to be correct!
(secret of recipe)The thing is that it's always been a mystery to me if I really taste that coriander, or was it really that yeast profile.
Yesterday, that mystery was solved in one glance on that back label !!
And note that all dark Rocheforts have the same recipe! This means coriander in the 6 and 8 as well.
WAUW !!!!!
Cheers,
Filip
#15
Beer Tastings / Grimbergen Magnus Opus
Last post by Viv - September 17, 2023, 10:29:06 AMGRIMBERGEN MAGNUS OPUS
Limited Edition "Brut" Ale from Grimbergen's new microbrewery in the Abbey,
with an ABV of 8.0%. New brew for me.
Pours a pale golden with a creamy frothy head. Good lacing.
Floral herby hoppy aroma.
It's medium bodied, and nicely carbonated. Refined, complex, balanced, and
good depth of flavour. What a very different flavour! Creamy, spicy, vanilla,
ice cream, tangerine, mango, lime, sherbet, grains, all in a spritzy, fresh
mouthfeel and like lemonade. When coldest it's too sweet, with a taste like
Fanta and Champagne mixed! Then pineapple, elderflower, green apple, a massive
amount of citrus throughout, then some boiled sweets, melon, white wine and
hops. Better when warmed as it becomes more rounded, mellow and less sweet.
Overall very unusual, but I don't think it works very well as it does
unfortunately taste a bit artificial, chemical and industrial!
Cheers!
Viv
Limited Edition "Brut" Ale from Grimbergen's new microbrewery in the Abbey,
with an ABV of 8.0%. New brew for me.
Pours a pale golden with a creamy frothy head. Good lacing.
Floral herby hoppy aroma.
It's medium bodied, and nicely carbonated. Refined, complex, balanced, and
good depth of flavour. What a very different flavour! Creamy, spicy, vanilla,
ice cream, tangerine, mango, lime, sherbet, grains, all in a spritzy, fresh
mouthfeel and like lemonade. When coldest it's too sweet, with a taste like
Fanta and Champagne mixed! Then pineapple, elderflower, green apple, a massive
amount of citrus throughout, then some boiled sweets, melon, white wine and
hops. Better when warmed as it becomes more rounded, mellow and less sweet.
Overall very unusual, but I don't think it works very well as it does
unfortunately taste a bit artificial, chemical and industrial!
Cheers!
Viv
#16
Beer Tastings / Grimbergen Astrum
Last post by Viv - September 17, 2023, 10:27:26 AMGRIMBERGEN ASTRUM
Limited Edition Pale Ale from Grimbergen's new microbrewery in the Abbey, with
an ABV of 6.0%. New brew from me.
Pours a pale golden amber with a good sized creamy frothy head. Great lacing.
Lovely aroma of spicy herby hops, malts and fruit.
Thinnish bodied, and nicely carbonated it's soft smooth, sharp, clean, crisp,
and hoppy, with herbal hops, fruits- papaya, gooseberry, passion fruit, red
apple peel, tangerine, and melon. Plenty of spices and some biscuit. Complex,
layered, balanced and good depth of flavour. It's very dry and bitter in the
finish. Nice brew, ( but does it taste a bit industrial and chemical!?
and I worry that Optimo Bruno is not listed on their website!!! ) but need to
really taste again to confirm that it's simply pretty average for the style,
following on from all the fanfare marketing.
Cheers!
Viv
Limited Edition Pale Ale from Grimbergen's new microbrewery in the Abbey, with
an ABV of 6.0%. New brew from me.
Pours a pale golden amber with a good sized creamy frothy head. Great lacing.
Lovely aroma of spicy herby hops, malts and fruit.
Thinnish bodied, and nicely carbonated it's soft smooth, sharp, clean, crisp,
and hoppy, with herbal hops, fruits- papaya, gooseberry, passion fruit, red
apple peel, tangerine, and melon. Plenty of spices and some biscuit. Complex,
layered, balanced and good depth of flavour. It's very dry and bitter in the
finish. Nice brew, ( but does it taste a bit industrial and chemical!?
and I worry that Optimo Bruno is not listed on their website!!! ) but need to
really taste again to confirm that it's simply pretty average for the style,
following on from all the fanfare marketing.
Cheers!
Viv
#17
Beer Tastings / Cheval Godet Triple
Last post by Viv - September 16, 2023, 11:13:51 AMCHEVAL GODET TRIPLE
Triple from Belgo Sapiens, with an ABV of 8.1%. New brew for me.
Pours a golden blonde with a rocky bubbly creamy head. Good lacing.
Herbal, malty, spicy, floral hoppy aroma.
Medium bodied, and nicely carbonated with a smooth velvety mouthfeel and taste.
Complex, rounded and with good depth of flavour there's lots of malts, hops,
herbals, florals, fruits, and spices. The initial sweetness gives way to the
spices and a more dry bitter finish. Nice brew, but only average for the style.
Cheers!
Viv
Triple from Belgo Sapiens, with an ABV of 8.1%. New brew for me.
Pours a golden blonde with a rocky bubbly creamy head. Good lacing.
Herbal, malty, spicy, floral hoppy aroma.
Medium bodied, and nicely carbonated with a smooth velvety mouthfeel and taste.
Complex, rounded and with good depth of flavour there's lots of malts, hops,
herbals, florals, fruits, and spices. The initial sweetness gives way to the
spices and a more dry bitter finish. Nice brew, but only average for the style.
Cheers!
Viv
#18
Beer Tastings / Cheval Godet Double
Last post by Viv - September 16, 2023, 11:11:37 AMCHEVAL GODET DOUBLE
Double from Belgo Sapiens, with an ABV of 6.7%. New brew for me.
Pours a deep ruby burgundy with a huge rocky bubbly creamy head. Good lacing.
Aromas of malts, caramel and spices.
It's thinnish bodied, and nicely carbonated with a velvety smooth mouthfeel and
taste. It's well balanced, with a fair depth of flavour and complexity and very
easy drinking; there's lots of malts, fruits, caramel, subtle spices and hops
and overall quite sweet with a slightly dry and bitter finish. Nice brew, and
average for the style.
Cheers!
Viv
Double from Belgo Sapiens, with an ABV of 6.7%. New brew for me.
Pours a deep ruby burgundy with a huge rocky bubbly creamy head. Good lacing.
Aromas of malts, caramel and spices.
It's thinnish bodied, and nicely carbonated with a velvety smooth mouthfeel and
taste. It's well balanced, with a fair depth of flavour and complexity and very
easy drinking; there's lots of malts, fruits, caramel, subtle spices and hops
and overall quite sweet with a slightly dry and bitter finish. Nice brew, and
average for the style.
Cheers!
Viv
#19
Who is Where? / Re: Seville
Last post by Trappist - September 16, 2023, 10:24:48 AMQuote from: Jay on September 15, 2023, 05:58:30 PMWe did visit several other bars (the ones listed as "beery") but tbh they weren't anything to write home about - offering several varieties of Cruz Campo BUT that didn't spoil the trip for us, not one iota.Damn right Jay
The real fun came in visiting the many tapas bars, eating and drinking with the locals..
It doesn't always have to be about beer, especially when hitting Spain, not a big beer country after all.
Enjoying the local specialties and joining the locals, that's the thing ofcourse.
Even here on the BBB, it does not always to be about beer too. Wonderful reports like you make Jay are actually massively encouraged.
I always enjoy your beery, but also your un-beery reports over here. thanks mate !!!
Here is a small footage I made 11 years ago, when we hit Seville too.
You see, we had the albondigas without tomato sauce too. seems a local Seville delicacy.
Cheers,
Filip
#20
Who is Where? / Re: Lots of trips booked
Last post by John B - September 16, 2023, 07:01:05 AMGotta love those Christmas markets there. I was lucky enough to visit a fair number of them in various cities during my visits to Germany, and every one of them was a pleasure. Dress warm, and of course there's always plenty of Gluehwein available to make you forget how cold it is out there.
Ch-ch-ch-Cheers! - John
Ch-ch-ch-Cheers! - John