SMISJE WOSTYNTJE

Like my previous entry from Smisje (Catherine) this is also a beer that sadly is no longer brewed, so each time one is tasted it's one crossed off forever.

Originating in 1995, the brewery was set up by former printer and home brewer Johan Brandt, Smisje started life as De Regenboog (the rainbow) the name of his former printing business and was located in the West Flanders town of Assenbroek, a suburb of Bruges. His first commercial beer was simply called 't Smisje (little blacksmith) the name of a local landmark blacksmiths house near the breweries original location.

In 2008 the brewery relocated to the village of Mater in Oudenaarde, East Flanders and with that move came a new name Smisje. Despite its small size Smisje kept a handful of beers in regular production but also a large variety of seasonal and commissioned brews - many of which feature honey, flowers, berries and spices, largely due to the fact that Johan is also a keen bee keeper.

Smisje Blonde - brewed with linden blossom
Honingbeer - brewed with honey
Sleedoornbier - brewed with sloe berries
Vuuvre - brewed with coriander and orange peel
Wostyntje - brewed with Tourhout mustard seeds
Guido - brewed with honey and raisins
BBBourgondier - brewed with valerian root and lemon balm

In 2010 it was announced that Johan would be discontinuing all the current line up and focus on a new hoppy blonde called Smiske, the only beer that would be saved is the Christmas brew now called KerstSmiske.


So now I open one of my two remaining bottles of Wostyntje, when will I open my last remaining bottle...I don't know, will I see it again on our next visit to Bruges.....I hope so.

Pours a hazy bright amber topped off with a huge, creamy, long lasting white head (like the Catherine it took 3 pours to fill the glass)
Interesting aroma of malts, bread, fruits, spice (mustard?) with a slight sharp hoppy finish.
Taste starts with yeast and sweet candy sugar then you get the mustard spice filling the mouth, along with it the heat - but more in the background, not smack you in the face (no this isn't a beer with a dollop of Colemans stirred in) the mustard is perfectly balanced, any more would render the beer undrinkable.


http://www.smisje.be/    

AFFLIGEM TRIPEL

This abbey beer is brewed by Affligem in the Flemish village of Opwijk, abbey beers differ from Trappist beers in the fact that they are made by commercial breweries under licence from an existing abbey or they may take the name of an abbey ruin for their beer - until the First World War the Affligem beers were in fact brewed at the Affligem monastery.


Pours a hazy amber with a small bubbly white head that quickly fades to a lasting thin ring.
Beautiful Tripel aroma of clove and banana but also yeasty with a sweet buttery caramel edge and a faint citrus finish.
Taste is initially fruity (tart apples/pears) and straw like then sweet caramel is detected with a crisp light bitterness cutting through to provide the perfect balance, the finish is long and dry........a cracker.






http://www.affligembeer.be/ 

SMISJE CATHERINE

Where as my previous entry from Oudenaarde brewery Smisje (the Xmas release Kerst) is a beer I'm glad to say that brew master Johan is continuing to produce - sadly however this is one that is no longer, lost during the transition from Smisje to Smiske.
Many others from the Smisje line up also disappeared...but I'm happy to say a lot of which I have safely stored away waiting for that special moment when I open them.

Right on with the tasting and my was this a lively one, pours a hazy dark brown with a slight red hue topped with a ferocious tan coloured head - so lively that i could only pour a third of the bottle in the glass before the towering head was threatening to overspill, the remaining contents took another two slow pours to empty into the glass - even then the head took a full 5 minutes to settle.

Aroma is oaky roasted malts, brown sugar, dark fruits, hops and spices . Taste is caramel fruity raisin, roasted liquorice, molasses and a bitter coffee note in the finish.
Classed as an Imperial Stout I feel that it's not quite roasted enough and maybe a little too sweet to be labelled so, but then seeing as Stouts aren't really my thing lets class it as an Imperial Belgian Dark Ale - that way this beer makes sense.          

http://www.smisje.be/

TRAPPISTES ROCHEFORT 10

Up for review next is another Trappist beer, brewed inside the  Abbey of Notre-Dame de Saint-Rémy near the town of Rochefort in the province of Namur, close to the Ardennes.
Just three beers are produced, all brewed in accordance with the trappist laws, the monk at Rochefort are perhaps the most secretive about the brewing process and the brewery is not open to the public, in fact the water for the beers is drawn from a well located inside the monastery walls.


Now to try, Rochefort 10 pours a hazy dark brown with a tan coloured head that slowly fades to a thin constant covering.
Aroma is simply beautiful, sweet chocolate cake, toffee, dark fruits, slight spice hit ... this could almost be pureed Christmas cake in a glass, a beer that I could happily sniff all night.


Taste ...well with an aroma like that you know you`re in for a treat, sweet chocolate, caramelised roasted malts, again rich dark fruits, ( definite raisin ) then a slight spice/anise finish, it`s so smooth and well balanced, for a beer with 11.3% alcohol, it truly is one of the great Quads.    


http://www.abbaye-rochefort.be/




     

LA CHOUFFE

Brasserie d' Achouffe based in Achouffe was founded in 1982 by brothers-in-law Christian Bauweraerts and Pierre Gobron as a hobby, however in 1984 Pierre decided to quit his job and concentrate on the brewery, joined 4 years later by Christian.
The gnome on the label of their beers (and the breweries logo) was the idea of Christian who had seen the image on a painting used by a local charity to raise money for the victims of a storm, Pierre agreed to the idea and asked a colleagues daughter to design a gnome drawing for the brewery - by coincidence Chouffe is local dialect for gnome and is almost the name of the home of the brewery.

Pours a hazy copper with a large bubbly creamy white head, amazing crisp floral aroma combined with sweet spices and citrus fruits.

Tasting backs up the aroma with fantastic citrus/spice notes ( cloves most definitely ) hops are in there as well with the 8% alcohol giving a smooth warmth. A brewery that never fails to deliver and for a beer that carries their name........it's a stunner.




http://www.achouffe.be/en

ST BERNARDUS ABT 12

Now for a beer with a bit of history and one that is often confused with my previous entry and mistaken as a Trappist - an easy thing to do because until recently it used to be.

A quick history - shortly after WWII the Trappist monastery of St Sixtus decided to stop the commercialisation of their beers but would continue to brew for their own consumption (and sell to the public at the gates of the monastery)
They contacted local Watou cheesemaker Evarist Deconinck and asked if he would brew their Trappist beers, he agreed and from that day on he brewed under contract the Sint Sixtus beers.

In 1992 however the contract was discontinued in order to adhere to the new definitions of a Trappist beer, to put it simply
*the beer must be brewed within the walls of a Trappist abbey and be brewed by the monks (or under their supervision)
*the purpose of the brewery must not be for financial profit

As a result the words St Sixtus were forbidden on all labels and glasses and instead changed to St Bernardus (also the picture of the monk changed) The monastery of St Sixtus once again took on the role of brewers of their beers and continue to brew the official Trappist beers - many will be familiar with their chart topping beer Westvleteren 12.

Pours murky dark brown with a reddish hue if held to the light, topped with a large off white head that slowly fades to a thin covering.

Aroma is sweet and slightly burned like demerara sugar, chocolate malts then fruity with banana yeasty notes.
Taste is like dense fruitcake with chocolate toffee edge, faint hops are also in there and a malty bready finish - despite the high ABV it's extremely well hidden.....one to sip because it's far too easy to knock back.







http://www.sintbernardus.be/ 

WESTVLETEREN 12

No Belgian beer blog  would be deemed complete if it didn't contain what is without doubt Belgiums most wanted, most hunted, most desired beer - the infamous Westvleteren 12.

Brewed by the monks at the Trappist Abbey of St Sixtus, situated near Poperinge in West Flanders - they make just three beers, one blonde and two dark, all sold in plain bottles with no labels , each identified by its coloured cap.

Westvleteren Blonde - Green cap 5.8%
Westvleteren 8 - Blue cap 8%
Westvleteren 12 - Gold cap 10.2%


As with all other Trappist breweries, beer is sold to financially support the monastery and for local charitable causes - no advertising is done except for a board outside stating what  beers are available daily.
Sales of the beer are by appointment only (though each person visiting the abbey-owned cafe In de Vrede can purchase six bottles from the gift shop and sample the beer from the bar) Buyers are limited to just two cases of beer per month (for the 12 just one) and these must be ordered on the "beer phone" beforehand, the monks will not sell to individuals chancing their luck who just turn up at the abbey - the reason is to eliminate reselling, the abbey is very much against any resale of their beer, likewise no wholesalers or pubs are supplied with their beer.

Now it's time to taste, carefully uncapping and pouring this piece of heaven produces a hazy dark brown beer with a creamy tan coloured head that slowly fades to a constant ring. Aroma is amazing, even pouring the beer wonderful aromas fill your senses, smooth chocolate, rich dark autumnal fruits and warming alcoholic spices with a sweetness that suggests creme brulee - a beer i could happily sit and sniff all night.

Taste starts caramel sweet with figs, plums and cocoa but then a roasted depth that borders on tobacco appears, creamy smooth and with almost no hint of alcohol...magnificent. Flavours are perfectly balanced and the mouthfeel lightly carbonated - this is a Quad by all others will be judged.

Rated as the worlds best beer and subsequently the worlds most sought after, it is a beer that can rightly wear that crown.


 http://www.sintsixtus.be/eng/home.htm