Maredsous Tripel

It's Friday!  *Commence Happy Dance*

Tonight I'm drinking Maredsous Tripel, brewed by Maredsous Abbey, who licenses their name to Brouwerij Duvel Moortgat.  I've seen this beer in the past, and I believe it used to be named under a number system (Maredsous 6, 8, and 10), and this would've been the '10'.  A lot of Belgian breweries use this system, and it seems to be most commonly organized by alcohol strength.  But it looks like Maredsous moved away from the number system and now just calls it the Tripel.

The label is pretty basic, with a little description on the back.  The color of the beer is dark golden, slightly hazy and holds a massive layer of web-laced foam.  The aroma is full of that signature belgian yeast funk.  Plenty of light fruits, cloves, pears, maybe even a little pineapple.  Oh, alcohol is also in there.  The first taste is a bit different than I expected......lots of pale, pils maltiness laced with a tangy belgian yeast flavor.  Alcohol is a heavy hitter in the middle, along with peppery cloves.  The middle and into the finish brings an odd flavor that's hard to describe - it's a bitter, bubbly, fruity sweet champagne-ish-ness - not in a good way.  Mouthfeel is dry, with heavy carbonation.

Overall Rating:  This turned out to be a real let-down for me.  I'd pick an Orval or a Gulden Draak over this any day of the week.  Something just seems off, the bitterness holds a vegetal, medicinal yuck that's not good.  Possibly a bad bottle?  Hard to say.  C

Flat Earth Brewing - Bermuda Triangle Tripel

Tonight I've picked out a 22oz bottle of Bermuda Triangle Tripel from Flat Earth Brewing in St. Paul, MN.  Flat Earth is a small brewery founded back in 2007 that's become quite popular here in the Twin Cities.  Back in the early days of World of Beercraft (Dec. 2010), I reviewed their Cygnus X-1 Porter, and in August I enjoyed a bottle of Northwest Passage IPA.  This is my first seasonal specialty from Flat Earth, and it's a big one.  Brewed with belgian grains, candied sugar and orange blossom honey, this tripel comes in at 9.1% alcohol.

The beer is a bright, clear straw golden color with a thin layer of bubbly foam that has fair retention.  The aroma screams belgian, with a potent combination of farmhouse belgian yeast-funk, fruity esters (pears and apples primarily), and some alcohol-infused cotton candy.  Peppers and cloves are also present in there.  The flavor starts off with a very bready, grainy mouthful of pale malts.  Grassy, herbal, farmhouse flavors come in and out within this malt-forward beginning.  Then comes a big wave of spices, followed by those fruits that were in the aroma - mainly pears, some apple, maybe a hint of banana?  The mouthfeel is just right, nicely carbonated and dry at the finish.  Where's the alcohol?

Overall Rating:  This is probably my favorite Flat Earth beer I've had to date.  Great, balanced brew, and the alcohol is well-hidden.  Definitely a good belgian-style beer to try for those of you in the Twin Cities area.  A-

Great Divide - Belgian Style Yeti

Alright Great Divide, step away from your brew kettle and come over to the corner here with me.  We need to have a chat... People love your Yeti stout, we get it.  Its creamy, smooth, full of flavor and easy to drink.  In fact, we even reviewed it and thought it was great!  But here is where you and I are at a bit of an impasse.  You have taken this Yeti and made, last time I counted, at least 751 different iterations of a brew that does fine as a stand alone stout.  How is one supposed to keep track of all the flavors???  Its like trying to keep track of the different flavors of Jelly Belly's - IT CANT BE DONE!!!  But here I am, crawling back like an addict.  What's next Great Divide... a blueberry infused, whiskey barrel aged Yeti with vanilla bean extract???  (Side note - please don't do this... I was just joking around... I beg you!)

I had always thought the yeti is a mythical creature - a cryptid if you will.  And yet, I have found three species of the yeti in the last few months!  My most recent blurry photo of this beast is of Belgian origin.  Great Divides Belgian style Yeti is created by adding a Belgian yeast strain to the Yeti base brew at fermentation.  Simple enough, right?  Well, as is with almost all Belgian yeast strains, the yeast is where a majority of the flavor comes from.  Spicy, clove, and banana are all flavors you can find in Belgian style brews.  Lets see if these flavors are imparted on this Yeti beast.

This Belgian Yeti is dark and thick.  Light has no chance at breaking through.  A soft, milk chocolate colored foam hangs around the edges of my mug.  The smells are very unique.  You get the chocolaty and roasty from the stout intertwined with that distinct Belgian spice.  I like it!  The flavors are bold, and there are plenty of them to go around.  The base Yeti is full of roasty, coffee and bittersweet chocolate essence.  Then, as the base Yeti lingers, the Belgian spices come through with some black peppercorn, clove, and candied fruit.  Some molasses sweetness starts to become noticeable as this Belgian beast warms.  The 9.6% ABV is hardly a factor.  If anything, its there to make sure the overall flavor is not too sweet.

Overall - Of the three Yeti's I've experience since writing these reviews I'm going to say I like this Belgian style Yeti the best.  This is a huge beer packed full of flavor.  There is a lot going on here.  Roasty, spicy, chocolaty, coffee-ee... its the epitome of a bold RIS.  And yet, its not too sweet either!  I had originally said I liked the espresso oak aged Yeti the best because the additional flavors toned down the sweetness of the base Yeti.  This Belgian style does the same and adds another dimension of flavor.  Give this species a try!

Dave's BrewFarm - Matacabras

Tonight I'll be drinking a Belgian Strong Ale called Matacabras, from Dave's BrewFarm in Wilson, Wisconsin.  This is a small, energy-sustainable brewery that makes 'wind-brewed' beer.  Just what in the hell does 'wind-brewed' mean?  Well, this brewery pulls most of it's power from an onsite wind turbine.  The site of the farm has a constant, unwavering wind, so it only made sense to take advantage of it and avoid those sky-rocketing energy costs we've seen over the last decade.  The beer brewed at Dave's BeerFarm is sold primarily in Wisconistania, with some of their most popular concoctions appearing occasionally in the Twin Cities.

Matacabras, which means "goat-killer" in Spanish, is one of the breweries most popular brews.  It's a Belgian Strong Ale with about 8% alcohol.  The label on the bottle states, "Named after Spain's famed "goat-killing" northerly wind, this tempestuous brew has a maelstrom of flavors swirling within it.  Robust American hops and rye make this deep, dark ale an experience to savor."  It depicts a picture of a goat swirling in the wind...pretty hilarious label.

The beer is a dark, hazy reddish amber color with a fluffy honey-hued head.  Didn't sound like it was well-carbonated when I popped the cap, but after the pour it looks like carbonation is good.  The aroma is complex - a bit of sweetness up front, with bananas and apples.  Also a hint of cloves, and some big spiciness (cinnamon sticks).  The flavor hits immediately with wave of spiciness.  That is followed by ANOTHER wave of spiciness.  After two spicey frontal assaults, things give way to some sweet caramel malts.  Bananas also come through here, along with some candied dark fruits that add a sugary sweetness to the finish.  The mouthfeel is chewy, and the alcohol is completely masked.

Overall Rating:  This best way to describe this belgian brew is - explosive!  Really an impressive brew from Dave's BrewFarm - if you're in the WI/MN area, you should definitely go pick up a few bottles.  I'll be keeping my eye out for more brews from these guys.  B+

Ommegang - Belgian Pale Ale

Tonight I'm going to try another brew from Brewery Ommegang - the Belgian Pale Ale.  Steve reviewed Three Philosophers last night, and he's had all the fun with this brewery so far with the Abbey Ale and Rare Vos, so I decided I better hurry up and grab one while I can!  By the way, slightly off topic, but I would just like to reiterate what he mentioned yesterday - we don't have access to Russian River's Pliny the Elder here in MN, so if you're interested in a trade, we are IN!  To say we're desperate to try that brew would be an understatement...

Now, back to the focus of tonight's review, the Belgian Pale Ale.  This is a year-round offering from Ommegang that is primary fermented and bottle-conditioned using their very own special yeast.  It's brewed with 5 specialty malts, and "generously" hopped with Columbus, Celeia, and Cascade.  6.5% alcohol, a nice change of pace from the slew of big 9-10%er's I've been reviewing lately!

The label definitely has Duvel influence behind it - kind of boring, but it does include a great quote from Spinoza, "All things excellent are as difficult as they are rare."  The head on this brew is absolutely massive, I actually had to make an emergency move to keep it from overflowing out of the glass, close call.  Fluffy, white, and leaves a plateau in the middle that recedes relatively quickly.  The aroma is full of lemon-lime peels and a sweet belgian yeast funk.  Fresh-cut honey-crisp apples, and a hint of banana bread in the background.  Flavor starts off with big, crisp apples and pears.  Yeast funk dances around the palate for a while, but it's balanced out by a biscuity, firm malt base.  Pale malts, along with some of those piney cascade hops come next, and the finish leaves a spicy note that carries it's weight with the aggressive carbonation.

Overall Rating:  This is a great BPA!  Refreshing and delicious, I'm glad I bought a 4-pack because this bottle is already gone and I'm not done yet!  Go pick one up, great summer-time brew.  

Ommegang - Three Philosophers

Tonight I have the pleasure of reviewing one of the best beers crafted in America according to the Homerbrewers Association and the readers of their publication, Zymurgy.  Brewery Ommegang's Three Philosophers ranked tied for 29th alongside four other competitors.  The top beer on the list, three years running, is Russian River's Pliny the Elder.  They don't distribute out here so if you can get this brew out where you live Dunz and I would happily do a brew trade in order to experience what so many others are raving about.  There are a lot of other brews on that list that we have already reviewed.  Check out the list and compare our thoughts to see if their ranking on the list is warranted!

If you look close enough you can see my
cat in the background, playing a kitty version
of Wheres Waldo.

Brewery Ommegang has one of the bigger presences within the States when it comes to authentic European and Belgian brews.  We reviewed their Rare Vos and Abbey Ale and thought both were great.  The Abbey Ale post has a good background of the breweries origins and how they got to where they are today.

Three Philosophers is an authentic Belgian quad blended with a cherry Kriek with an additional 2% cherries added to accentuate the flavor.  Very unique, I doubt there is another beer on the market like it within the U.S.  The bottle reminds us to pour the beer slowly so as to not disturb the yeast on the bottom but vigorous enough to create a "luxurious head and release the sumptuous bouquet".  Ommegang does a great job at getting you in the mindset to enjoy their beer.  They don't want you to just drink the beer, they want you to have a great overall experience.

Ommegang's Belgian blend is a deep mahogany color with a sandy tan head.  With a robust 9.4% ABV the head recedes rather quickly and forms a thin tan lacing around the circumference of my glass.  The first smell is of dark candied fruit and Belgian spice.  Hints of alcohol come through with some black licorice tip-toeing throughout.  The flavor is where the Kriek's role comes in.  Smooth and creamy, dark candied black cherries blend together with an intense malty spice that you only find in well crafted Belgian brews.  Some alcohol warmth plays nicely with a subtle carbonation to accentuate the flavors all the way through to the finish.

Overall - If you enjoy Belgian brews you cannot pass up Ommegang's Three Philosophers.  Originally, I had thought the Kriek would play a larger role here but the quad that its blended with does a nice job taking center stage and allowing the cherry Kriek to play a supporting role.  It adds an additional layer of complexity that keeps you coming back for another sip.

Avery Brewing - Collaboration Not Litigation Ale

Tonight I'll be drinking a blended Ale - two belgian brews, one from Avery Brewing, and the other from Russian River Brewing.  The owners, Vinnie and Adam, realized that they both had a Salvation beer in their line-up.  Instead of fighting over the naming rights, they decided to collaborate and bring the two salvations into one bottle......Collaboration not Litigation!  Thus, this little belgian strong ale was born.

The label on the bottle lists Batch #5, bottled in Jan. 2011, 8.91% ABV.  

I'm pouring this into my snifter glass - the beer is a hazy, dirty mahogany brown. The aroma is full of belgian yeast-funk, very sweet apple cider, hint of bananas and cloves.  Also some booze-prunes hiding in there.  That's right, booze-prunes.

The flavor first brings a wave of warm, sweet caramel malts.  Light woody, vanilla flavors join the party with the malts.  After a moment, the beer remembers that it's a belgian and brings a jumbalaya of cloves, spices, and burnt bananas.  All of it is super dry, in spite of the full body and delicate carbonation.  The dry banana spice lingers stubbornly for quite a while.   

Overall Rating:  Rich and delicious!  The belgian characteristics are subdued - not overpowering, but pleasant.  A+ for drinkability - the alcohol is well hidden and this beer goes down smooth.  Give it a try if you can find a bottle.

Boulevard Smokestack Series - The Sixth Glass Quadrupel Ale

This evenings review is of a brew from Boulevards Smokestack series.  We reviewed one of their beers as one of our first reviews back in December.  We are now back to revisit this series from a Belgian perspective as opposed to a deep, dark, stout view point.  Boulevards website is a great resource of knowledge for all of their beers.  Not only do they have your standard beer geek stats but they have an ingredients listing for each of their brews.  This evenings beer happens to have some brown sugar in it which I would have never been able to guess.  Hooray for full disclosure!

The aroma is one that Belgian beer lovers will recognize.  Strong dark fruit aromas waft out of my Pilsner glass.  Yes, I'm using a Pilsner glass because a) I thought it would be appropriate for an aromatic brew like this and b) I need to do the dishes...  The white, foamy head on this ale lingers and remains full even after resting for 10 minutes.  I'm pretty sure its not going to go away at this point.  Additional aromas are prominent right before my first sip such as caramel and toasted bread.  My first impression... fantastic.  Easily recognizable as a Belgian brew.  I'm not one to claim an expertise in Belgian beers but I could easily be fooled by this one in a blind taste testing.  Boulevard really hit this one out of the park.  Remnants of the yeast used to bottle condition this quad float throughout my glass.  The hazy amber color reiterates its origins along with its malty, bready and dark fruit (maybe figs or plums?) flavors.  The overall presence of this beer is one to remember.

Overall 4.9/6.0 - Easily an enjoyable Belgian brew.  One that has the malty body and flavor profile to live up to its quadrupel origin.  I'm happy to report that its aroma is able to back up its flavor which many craft beers these days have trouble accomplishing.  Generally I'm a little hesitant to try a "craft" series of beers from a well established brewery just because I have a bias towards the smaller guys in the industry.  But this one is certainly worth the money.  If you are a Belgian beer lover and don't mind a slight sweetness and alcohol warmth throughout the finish of your beer then this one is certainly for you!

Lagunitas - Little Sumpin' Wild Ale

So I'm sitting here watching the news, and it sounds like the Koreans are doing their typical mumbo-jumbo posturing chest-thumping again today.  I'm so sick and tired of these little turd countries babbling back and forth at one another.  They are like brothers that share a bedroom - they talk shit to each other, every once in a while one punches the other.  They do everything they can to be annoying.  Grow up, Korea.

Watching the news is dangerous for me....it gets me all riled up.  Time to focus on this beautiful bottle of beer.

This is a limited release Lagunitas brew - 72.51 IBU, 1.082 OG, 8.85%  and fermented with the Westmalle Yeast strain.  Westmalle is a trappiste brewery located in Belgium, operated by monks since 1794.  There is a lot of history behind Westmalle - we'll definitely review some of their brews in the future.  Anyway, back to this little sumpin' wild....it pours into a pint glass a clear gold-amber color with nice frothy white head that leaves a light lace. 

The aroma is fantastic - fresh hops and orange citrus, almost tropical.  The first sip is a bit of caramel malt and some nice bitterness.  Again, the hops have a freshness to them, grassy and kind of oily, but this is balanced nicely with a fruity sweetness that I think probably comes from that Westmalle yeast.  There's also a bit of spice towards the end, accompanied by a dry warmth.  The carbonation is nice, and the beer has a crisp medium body that goes down smooth. 

Overall Rating:  Good (3.1 out of 6.0)  I enjoyed this beer - the combination of hops, fruityness, and caramel malt backdrop worked well together.  The sweetness does catch up to you towards the end of the pint, not necessarily a bad thing but, not a good thing either.  It's a pretty unique beer and I recommend everyone, especially those of you that enjoy Belgian style ales, give it a try.