Non Belgian beers

[Trappist]

But if the flavour profiles of these experimental novelties begins to become
overwhelmed by the fruit and other additions rather than the beer flavours
then to me it's a no-go. If I want a fruit juice then I will buy a fruit juice!

Viv,
Indeed, beer always needs to have a beer flavor.
If that beer flavor disappears with diluting with fruit juices or other ingredients, it could be more leaning towards a cocktail.
Many times the juice(s) are added before the fermentation  which makes it even more complicated 

But as you wisely say: "Everyone to their own of course."

Cheers,
Filip

[John B]

If I want a fruit juice then I will buy a fruit juice!

Yes indeed Viv! I've been saying the same since those "juicy" "hazy" IPAs started flooding the market. If I want something that looks and tastes like pineapple juice or orange juice then I'll drink a damn glass of juice, thank you!

Cheers! - John

[Jay]

Well I think John and Viv had best look away because over the weekend I opened one of The Veil beers that Linda bought me and my oh my check out this bad boy.

The Veil Crazy Berry Mega Tastee Xtreme - 8% Imperial Smoothie-Style Sour Ale with milk sugar and a purée of the blueberry, raspberry, blackberry, and boysenberry.

Absolutely, insanely, XTREME thick pour....total berry purée. Tart freshly crushed berries, sharp dark fruits, smoothie...utterly bonkers stuff, Ribena for grown ups AND CHECK OUT THAT COLOUR  😋



Cheers
Jay 

[Trappist]

Hi Jay,
Well, if that ain't Xtreme !! It's on the label too
>>> XTREME thick pour....total berry purée.<<
I wonder if you drink it chilled or at room temperature ?
But if it is such a purée, I also wonder if it actually is thirst-quenching ? 
Anyway, what a gorgeous looking beer you show here Jay, and that color !!! Utterly amazing.

Ribena for grown ups ??
I sure don't know anything about Ribena, so needed to look up things ofcourse


DAMN 

Thanks for sharing Jay.....keep'em coming 

Cheers,
Filip

[Jay]

Hi everyone,

At the weekend me and Linda celebrated 27 years together, so an extra special beer was called for and one such bottle has been sat patiently at the back of my stash, ready for such an occasion.

This was just one bottle left from a very fortunate haul of three that Linda bought me 4 years ago, a beer that sold out entirely in just 30 minutes, a beer that has for the past 8 years (and still does) tops the list of beers from the UK on Ratebeer.....the beer was Good King Henry Special Reserve from Old Chimneys brewery.

This was a 2017 release but the label states 2015, the beer is aged for 2 years in oak casks - so brewed in 2015 and released in 2017.

4 years have done ZERO harm to the beer, not a hint of ageing or any diminished flavours whatsoever.
It pours like liquid oil (easily one of the thickest pours I've encountered) all syrupy and inky black with a thin tan coloured ring of head.
Dark bitter 70% chocolate, liquorice, cocoa, old leather, Whisky barrel and the most perfect mouthfeel....insanely and amazingly delicious.



One of the very best beers I've ever had  and I really do mean top 10 territory.

Cheers
Jay 

[John B]

That looks and sounds incredible Jay. You're a stronger man than I to be able to sit on that one for 4 years. a great way to celebrate 27 years with Linda. Congratulations to you both!   

Cheers! - John

[Trappist]

Jay,
What a beer to celebrate 27 years with Linda 
C O N G R A T U L A T I ON S mate!!
I can remember having this beer during a vintage tasting at Bruges beer fest, and can clearly remember that it was a fantastic vintage!
A GREAT beer from the UK.
Cheers,
Filip

[Jay]

Hi everyone,

Opened a stunner of a beer at the weekend, a beer from Manchester legends CloudWater, a beer that was released just a few weeks ago.

CloudWater Insert Hip Hop Reference There - 10% TIPA

Thick juicy pour with a thick juicy appearance...big juicy oranges, ripe peaches, pineapple, papaya and tropical sorbet with green pine needles on the finish....absolutely stunning 👏🏻



Cheers
Jay 

[Trappist]

CloudWater Insert Hip Hop Reference There - 10% TIPA

Looks AMAZING Jay!!!
I always wonder how they keep inventing them special names for them special beers.
I also wonder if beers like that would actually work over here in Belgium. I really have my doubts.
Maybe the English flavor preferences are different to ours ?? Possible.

Cheers Jay, and thank for sharing that special moment.

BTPInt...... Be careful with that crazy beautiful Xmas glass. Don't let that slip out of your hands 

Filip

[Jay]

Hi everyone,

In keeping with the CloudWater theme just look what was waiting for when I got home from work today....

A CloudWater Barrel Project 2021 box set, containing special barrel aged releases and a unique Barrel Project glass.







There are 2 other beers in the box set - from America an Allagash Barrel & Bean, a 9.6% Tripel aged in Bourbon barrels then blended with cold brew coffee.
Also a CloudWater MCI (My Continuous Improvement) the latest release from their MCI range in which they flavour their 11% Imperial Stout in a variety of ways, this being chocolate orange.



The barrel aged beers are the real attraction, the gold lettering can a little tricky to read, they are the following....

Well Rested - 11.3 American Barley Wine aged for a year in Marsala barrels

Based On An Old Fable - 11.4% Blended Barrel Aged Imperial Stout (blend of barrels included Cognac, Bourbon and Ardbeg Whisky dating back upto 6 years)

Beyond Bounds - 11.5% Imperial Stout with Coffee, Cocoa, Vanilla and Tonka aged in Cognac barrels.

Thus We Have Heard - 11.2% as above but aged in Apple Brandy barrels



Quite the magical box of beers, I can't wait to share them here.

Cheers
Jay



 

[Trappist]

Hi Jay,
GREAT box of GREAT beers there ! Manchester really rocks 
And again, how do they invent those beer names ?
It's also great they insert hat beautiful snifter glass. Makes tasting that more enjoyable.
It's strange that this American beer from Allagash is also part of it ? What is the connection ?
Everything else is 11 and more ! What a strong beers !
I notice that two of them have tonka beans as ingredient. That, I needed to look up, as I never heard of that bean before.
https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2010/11/the-tonka-bean-an-ingredient-so-good-it-has-to-be-illegal/65616/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dipteryx_odorata
Needles to say Jay, that you will have an excellent tasty barrel aged Xmas 
HO HO HO
Cheers,
Filip

[Jay]

Hi Filip,

You said it my friend "great beers from Manchester" this little part of England is producing some of the absolute finest beers to come out of the UK 🐝

The 2021 CloudWater Barrel Project consisted of a dozen beers (all listed and described in that blue booklet in my 4th picture) they start with lower ABV sours and fruited beers before climbing into double digits with TIPA's but Linda chose those 4 herself as they were very much to my tastebuds.

She also included the Allagash in the box as it was a Belgian Tripel but one quite unlike any I've had before, seeing as it was Bourbon barrel aged (something I love) and also brewed with coffee...I will open that bottle first and be sure to post it here.

Tonka been has a truly amazing flavour, like your link suggests it has notes of vanilla, cherry and almond and it is utterly delicious and lends itself so perfectly to dark heavy beers.

It's going on great beery Christmas and New Year....I received another box of beers from our favourite Manchester bar Beer Moth, in it was a VERY special beer (again from a Manchester brewery, this time Wander Beyond) a MASSIVE 17.1% Imperial Breakfast Stout (brewed with coffee and maple syrup) then aged for two years in a single Heaven Hill bourbon barrel, just 168 were produced...this I'm saving for my birthday.




Cheers
Jay 

[Trappist]

You said it my friend "great beers from Manchester" this little part of England is producing some of the absolute finest beers to come out of the UK 🐝

Jay,
That last bottle! Wow ! 17.1 vol% ! 2 Years of single Heaven Hill bourbon barrel ageing, Only 168 bottles were made!
Now, THAT is a VERY special beer! and it's made in your neck of the woods. Amazing.


Your birthday simply won't go wrong at all. This looks so promising 



Cheers,
Filip

[Jay]

Hi everyone,

Over the weekend I opened one of the special "barrel series" beers from Manchester brewery CloudWater and opted for their The Edge Of All We Know - a 10.9% Imperial Stout brewed with Coffee, Cocoa, Vanilla and Tonka Bean THEN aged in Turkish Apricot Brandy Barrels.

Wowser, what a beer...

Pours like used engine oil, all inky black and so syrupy it glugs out of the bottle.
Apricot filled chocolate liqueurs, dark cocoa, Turkish Delight, fudge, chocolate brownie batter, Tonka bean, vanilla milk chocolate, espresso beans....absolutely insane 🐝🍻



Cheers
jay 

[Jay]

Another beer I had this weekend just has to be posted.

Around the middle of January one of the UKs most sought after beers is released...it's Putty, the 8% DIPA from Cornish brewery Verdant.

Now this wasn't part of the release, it went on sale from the brewery on the 19th at 10.30am but this slipped Linda's mind and when she checked at 10.50am (just 20 minutes after release) all cans had sold out...however.

She managed to track down some cans for sale online at a couple of bottle shops, one shop allowed 1 per person and the other 2, so a few days later 3 cans (plus others) arrived on our doorstep.

So here we have Verdant Putty 2022



Spanking fresh green hops, orange marmalade, bitter dankness, touches of creamy tropical juice, grassy.

So fortunate to yet again sample the annual release of Putty, proof if ever that the UK is absolutely smashing the DIPA market and loving my Micro Beers glass from one of the bottle shop Linda used.

Cheers
Jay