Fantome de Noel

Okay, here we have the special Christmas beer that I stash away at the back of my cupboard and forget about until the 24th - reserved as our youngest says "for Santa" (well the big guy deserves the best)

So here we have Fantome de Noel...and my was I (sorry Santa) looking forward to this particular seasonal offering from brew-master Dany Prignon.

The trademark 750ml green bottle opens with that characteristic ear ringing POP! but no drama follows  (read my last post) it just calmly sits there in the bottle.
Fantome de Noel pours a clear, deep garnet red that is topped by a large, creamy, tan coloured head that slowly fades to a lasting thin cap.

Inviting aroma of dark morello cherries (or should that be cranberries) crisp green apples, subtle spices (clove and coriander) sweet dark sugar and roasted malts before a light musty hay note on the finish.

Taste again is dominated by the dark fruits (deep tart cherry) but there's also ripe pear and banana coupled with a sharp citric edge.
Hints of cocoa can also be found before an almost pine like sharpness compliments the dry/carbonated finish.

Is this beer really 10% ABV?......my that's some hiding - it drinks as easy as a 5% Hefeweizen.

Yet again, another outstanding example of true farmhouse brewing from Dany.......and I still have another of his beers stashed away - not another Noel but a bottle of...............         

Canaster Winterscotch

The time is right to open what is undoubtedly one of my favourite styles of Belgian beer, namely Christmas beers - there's something magical about their dark, richly spiced, high ABV content that so appeals to my taste-buds.

So here we have a beer from De Glazen, a brewery founded in 2004 by Jef Van den Steen and Dirk De Pauw, who both met in the late 80's whilst working at the town hall of Erpe-Mere.
Together they started experimenting in home brewing in a small 50 ltr kettle, but keen to brew better beer they enrolled on a three year training course at the CTL institute in Gent.

Now qualified brew-masters they had ideas of a brewery of their own - and so after much searching the installation was eventually set up in the newly built property at the Glazentorenweg in Erpe-Mere (hence the name of the brewery)
In 2002 Dirk and Jef were joined by Mark De Neef, head librarian in Aalst and in 2004 the business was born.

Okay so on with the beer - firstly a word of warning this is a VERY lively beer, I'm always gentle when opening beer, especially ones with a cork and cage but this one really took me by surprise - after (oh so gently) removing the cork a massive three inch brown volcano erupted from the bottle, completely depositing the contents of it's neck into the strategically placed jug I had sat the beer in (you live and learn) luckily I had also taken the bottle out of its paper wrapper or the would of been ruined for the photo.

Any way drama (and fountain) over Canaster pours a very deep, dark, chestnut brown, topped with an enormous, foamy, tan coloured head. As you can expect the pour was extremely carbonated so patience whilst decanting.

Aroma is full of candied dark fruits (raisins and dates) sweet caramel, roasted malts with plum bread notes, there's also gentle spicing and a pleasing alcohol waft on the finish.

Magnificent taste is crammed with rich dark fruits, sweet buttery caramel, doughy - bready yeasts and a slight bitter note is there before a spicy liquorice laden finish.

Without doubt a fantastic beer BUT a word of caution - is very much one to open with care, it's contents are eager to escape........oh a don't forget the jug.  

Fantome Magic Ghost

In an earlier post I excitedly reviewed a beer (and brewery) seldom seen in pub menus or on store shelves - that beer was Fantome Saison.

Yes I have another of Dany's weird and wonderful Saisons to sample, this time the intriguing Magical Ghost - a beer that in keeping with Dany's "brew with nature" philosophy is brewed the green tea (and other magical ingredients I guess)

Now on with the pour and YES! it's GREEN.....absinthe green, a natural colour coming no doubt from the green tea used in the brewing process - a green beer may sound alarming but the subtle pale kiwi colour is very attractive (we're not talking a shitty, chemical alcopop dayglo here)

That magical lime green beer is topped by a huge trademark white bubbly head that eventually settles down to a constant finger width covering.

Aroma was as expected, being crammed with floral, grassy, herbal notes also tart and citric with a crisp green apple fruitiness and a deep, bready finish - at the same time there's a malty sweetness.

Taste follows with a tart, herbal bitterness (is that dill?) then sharp, green fruits (apples, kiwi and grapes) along with that fresh cut grass and a strong citric backbone with a long, lingering finish.

Yet again Dany delivers another unique beer and one quite unlike anything I've tried before.

Yes his beers are old school, true artisnal brewing that push my sweet, dark, triple loving taste-buds to the extreme - but that's why Fantome excites me.     

Forestinne Gothika

Time for another beer from Falmignoul brewery Brasserie Caracole, this time one from the Forestinne range - a beer brewed by Philippe Golinvaux and Michael Vermeren.

This intense beer pours black - jet black, and is topped by a thick, dense, creamy, tan coloured head that really lasts, it just sits there as you work your way through.

A powerful aroma hits you the second you uncap the bottle, pouring the beer and the air fills with intense liquorice aromas.
Lift the glass and get a lung full....WOW! Instantly you get powerful liquorice coupled with bitter dark cocoa, then you get a toffee like sweetness - great start.

Taste follows that fantastic aroma, initially you get sweet caramel then roasted malts, dark sweet fruits (plums and figs) sprinkled with a delicate spice note before finishing with a coffee bean like bitterness.

Weighing in with a relatively healthy 7.5% ABV this beer really does pack a flavour punch.......bloody lovely.  

Struise St Amatus 12

Now for a beer that since its introduction a couple of years ago has been high on my "to try" list.
So during the last Bruges beer festival I paid a visit to the Struise shop situated on the Burg and (along with a few other bottles) purchased myself a couple.

The label on the bottle has a church window design and features all 4 brewers (Peter, Urbain, Carlo and Phil) portrayed as saints - the reason behind this....well a Canadian reporter called them a set of self promoting bastards, so they thought "we'll show him" and put themselves on the label, and to top that portray themselves as Gods at the same time.

Also the name - St Amatus was a Benedictine monk and the hometown of the Struise brewery (Oostvleteren) is the only parish to patron St Amatus as a saint.

On with the beer, like many on offer from Struise what we have here is a dark beer whose ABV hits double figures (10.5%) so it pours that characteristic deep, dark mahogany (almost black) with a ruby /  plum like hue topped by a huge coffee coloured head that quickly falls to a thin cap.

Powerful aroma of liquorice, a heavy dose of deep dark fruits, rich and roasted malts, black coffee and a sweet, dark muscovado sugar finish - intense and heavy stuff indead.

Taste can only follow that heady aroma.....and it does - initially you get sweet, rich, roasted malts then loads of dark dried fruits (raisins, prunes and figs) also a hint of tart cherry, lots of caramel / toffee sweetness (almost molasses like) the finish has faint touches of spice and tobacco leaf.

So yes another great beer from them self promoting bastards.    

Smisje Dubbel

Lets continue with another from Smisje and also another beer that featured heavily on my bar bill during that fantastic mid-week break to Bruges......again this also no longer features in the current line up so talk about indulging.
And IF you're going to indulge in obsolete Smisje beers then where better than Bruge's NO1, iconic, beer fanatics haunt 't Brugs Beertje - talk about perfect timing because it appeared that bar owner Daisy had some kind of Smisje promotion going on with lots of beers Johan no longer produces being offered, to say I was in heaven is putting it mildly.

We were also lucky enough to share quite a few with local Bruges inhabitant and good friend Filip Geerts and his wife Katrien (Filip btw is simply one of the most dedicated Belgian beer fans I know, his passion for the subject is infectious and the website he runs...easily the webs NO1 on the topic  belgianbeerboard. If I can portray just a fraction of that enthusiasm on here then I'll consider my blog a success)
Between us quite a few of Johans finest disappeared forever that night, with both Smisje Dubbel and Guido featuring heavily.

This outstanding beer pours a rich, rusty, chestnut brown - lighter in colour than some Dubbels but attractive non the less.
Sitting proudly on top is a huge, compact, frothy, tan coloured head and my does it last - right down to the last drop.

Aroma is of rich dark malts, ripe fruits and sweet sticky dates (this beer is brewed with honey and dates) there's also a hint of bakers spice...intriguing and addictive.

Taste is packed with candy sugar combined with that typical musty honey note. Dark fruits (dates) appear and build as the beer warms, again a subtle use of spices keeps the taste-buds guessing (allspice berries?)
Warming alcohol is felt on the finish along with a light bitterness from the hops.

For the style...unique - lighter in colour, sweeter and with more alcohol, but hey I for one certainly ain't complaining.
My only problem is....................................can I land it lucky a 2nd time come February.

Smisje Guido

Well there's a new look for my blog (things may change slightly but I think it reads better) so lets kick off this new look with an absolutely cracker.

Time then for another beer from what is undoubtedly one of my all time favourite breweries - Smisje (now Smiske) and being a Smisje beer sadly this is one of the beers that brew-master Johan no longer produces (still we never give up hope for a revival.......you hear me Johan)

Guido takes its name from the 19th century Flemish writer and poet Guido Gazelle, who's statue stands proudly in his birth town of Bruges...........aaahhh Bruges.

Johan is well known for brewing his beers with distinctive fruits and herbs and Guido is no exception, here honey and raisins give this beautiful brown ale its unique character.

Guido pours an attractive hazy chestnut that is topped by a 2 finger width khaki coloured head that sits there as you indulge in yet another of Johans masterpieces.

Aroma is of rich malts, floral honey sweetness and caramel like demerara sugar - FANTASTIC !
Then the deep dark fruits emerge (figs, dates and of course raisins) then you get a barrel aged tawny port depth (possible woody tannins and a hint of leather) along with that a heady alcohol waft comes through as well but this just enhances all the above wonderful scents - truly a beautiful smelling beer.

As you'd expect from a beer brewed with honey and raisins the initial taste is sweet (but never over the top) deep molasses coupled with smooth honey (yes it's there) then in a repeat of the aroma dark, dried fruits - raisins most definitely but also plums and figs then a morello cherry sharpness before finishing with sweet caramel malts......the perfect balance.

Hands down one of Johans finest moments in brewing, the beers in my collection are amongst my most prized.

      

La Corne Tripel

Now then Belgium has a well known tradition for producing a unique glass for each beer, most do the job perfectly well (what more could you ask of a glass) yet a few are honestly just all show - a case of the container being better than the contents.....some however miss the mark on both counts.

Any new visitor to Belgium who stumbles upon a bar will inevitably pose with one of these glasses for that "look at how wacky I am" shot, and more often than not the glass and beer held aloft will be a Kwak (during our last visit to Bruges a table of 6 guys sat behind us all ordered Kwak, did the glass determine their choice ? )
Produced by the same brewery that brings us that outstanding beer Tripel Karmeliet , Kwak is (as far as taste goes) very much in its shadow - its saving grace that much photographed coachman's glass in which it is served  (time to own up, yes I do own a kwak glass but have used it maybe 3 times - a real pain to clean and dry)

Just as a quick side note there is a far worse glass than this, possibly the most useless glass title going to Leute Bokbier  - a round bottomed glass that sits in a wooden ashtray.......why?  The only time I tried this beer I spent the entire time holding the glass upright, it's that unstable - the beer is nothing to write home about either.

And so all this rambling brings me to my next beer and no prizes for guessing that it's one that is served in yet another wacky glass, the beer in question La Corne Tripel BUT I'm pleased to report that in this instance both glass and beer didn't disappoint.

Firstly the glass, what we have here is a horn shaped glass that is sat on a wooden frame (Kwak similarities yes) but here the glass is held in place by a leather strap and it's that little leather strap that holds the glass firmly in place, making the vessel totally use-able (no Kwak of Leute wobble here)

La Corne Tripel pours a hazy deep amber that is topped by a compact yet fluffy head, served in its own glass this is a really attractive beer.

Aroma is bready and yeasty with a sweet caramel note, also a light citrus edge along with a floral / herbal twang, alcohol is also there on the finish - a very promising start.

Taste is dry and malty (almost earthy) yet also packed with an apricot / citrus fruitiness, mildly sweet, spicy and well carbonated with a definite bitterness in the finish.

Both glass and contents top notch, a match made in heaven.               

Boerken

Brewed at de Proef brewery to an original recipe from the Den Ouden Advocaat cooperative, they also brew the sister beer Boerinneken (meaning little farmers wife) Boerken therefore as you'd expect means little farmer (as pictured on the bottle) a bottle that unusually features a swing-top (Grolsch type) cap.

Boerken pours a deep, dark ruby red, topped with an impressive, light beige, creamy head that just sits there whilst you work your way through the beer.

Very malty upfront on the aroma, coupled with lots of dried fruits (ripe plums and cherries) caramel sweetness then a yeasty finish.

Taste is again rich and malty (like brown bread) with hints of brown sugar, dark fruits (raisins) then a hit of chocolate before finishing with a light oaky bitterness.  

Piraat 10.5% ABV

May as well continue the Van Steenberge  tasting, this time with possibly their most well known beer and one with a nautical theme...Piraat (others include the Boucanier range)

This beer was possibly the first big hitting, high ABV Belgian I ever tasted - from that moment on my taste-buds changing forever (and for the better)

This mighty beer pours a beautiful light amber that has the slightest haze, this is topped by one enormous full foam head that slowly, slowly falls.

Aroma is spicy, bitter and malty - yes there's a healthy alcohol waft but this just accentuates the enticing bouquet.
Citrus fruits (sharp orange zest) and spicy cloves before a sweet, candy sugar finish.

Taste is rich and malty with intense citrus notes coupled with clove and coriander spices, bitter hops in the finish balance out the alcoholic sweetness.

First tasted around 18 years ago - loved it back then and love it today, simply an iconic Belgian beer.  

Gulden Draak 9000 Quadruple

A recent incarnation of one of my favourite dark beers, a beer that takes its name from the golden statue that adorns the top of the bell-tower of Ghent.

Gulden Draak

To give it its full name Gulden Draak 9000 Quadruple (the 9000 refers to the Ghent postal address) was launched amid much hype and publicity back in October of last year - and to talk about publicity around the same time brewery Van Steenberge came up with a great idea to generate massive free advertising.

They launched a competition to find a Gulden Draak Ambassador for each country. Entrants were encouraged to collect votes via Facebook, forums etc - the person with the most votes from each country won, was elected as Ambassador and in return received a special package.

So I entered...........and WON!!! yes folks I am the UK Ambassador for Gulden Draak.

Well enough of the self promotion and on with the beer, GDQ pours a lovely chestnut brown, unusually light for a Quadruple (akin to La Trappe Quad or Urthel Samaranth) and is topped by the trademark towering, tan coloured creamy head.

Fantastic aroma of sweet malts, alcohol, caramel (almost burnt sugar) spicy yeast, floral notes (herbal and grassy) and crisp orchard fruits - other fruits such as sweet ripe peaches are also evident, as is that unique Belgian bubblegum aroma that I'm so fond of...........simply divine.

Taste......WOW! another winner from Van Steenberge. Big and bold with caramel sweetnes at first then biscuity, doughy malts coupled with dark fruits (cherries and red grapes) though not as heavy as other Quads - more berry like than dried fruits.
A slight tartness from green apples and pears cut through along with just the right amount of clove spicing. Mild hops and a warming alcohol note finish things off perfectly.

Thick, sweet and syrupy yes........delicious YES.

Prearis Quadrupel

Next a beer that in April of last year was crowned "best hobby beer of Belgium" an entry from Vliegende Paard Brouwers in Oedelem - it triumphed over more than 100 entries.
The beer is now brewed in Lochristi by giants De Proefbrouwerij.

Prearis pours black...jet black (yet if held to the light has a slight ruby tint) sitting proudly atop is a tight, creamy, thick beige head that really lasts the duration.

Aroma is intense - dark bitter chocolate, full on roasted malts, sweet burnt sugar and rich dark fruits before finishing with spicy hops and a faint woody note.....a great start indeed.

Taste - WOW...this came as a shock, I was expecting the typical Quad flavours but to be honest the beer shared more in common with a Stout!
It has intense roasted malt flavours coupled with unsweetened cocoa, a coffee bean like bitterness, mixed spices (liquorice for sure) and dark dried fruits.

Delirium Tremens

Launched in 1989 Delirium Tremens is one of many beers from brewery Huyghe, located in Melle on the outskirts of Ghent.
Instantly recognisable it is packaged in a bottle that is painted to resemble Cologne ceramics and wears a label that features pink elephants, dancing crocodiles and performing dragons - DT stands out on any shelf.

With an exterior like that the contents must stand up...and indeed they do as in 2008 it was named "Best beer in the World" at the World Beer Championships in the USA.

This mighty beer pours a hazy, golden yellow, topped with a crowning , thick, white, rocky head - beneath the beer is effervescent, alive with tiny yeast particles.

Aroma is full of bready / yeasty notes, crisp orchard fruits (apples and pears) coupled with tropical banana, hints of pepper spice and fragrant floral hops in the finish.

Taste follows with sweet, doughy / bready yeast, floral grassy hops, crisp orchard fruits (but also peaches) and a clean lemon barley bitterness on the finish.

No doubt a beer that stands up to the crazy packaging and one with a word of caution - Delirium Tremens is Latin for shaking frenzy (often referred to as the DT's) and is caused by an acute withdrawal from alcohol.

Pius X

Created in 2003 by the son of "local Bruges history" chairman Chris Weymeys - Pius X is still brewed 3 times a year, a co-operation between brewmaster Wim Saeyens from De Graal and locals Kristof and Nicholas.

This magnificent and mighty beer pours a really attractive murky deep amber, topped by a dense, thick, rich and creamy white head that ever so slowly fades to thin covering.

Beautiful sweet caramel aroma coupled with biscuity malts, warming spices and fresh aromatic herbal notes.

Taste follows the aroma with full bodied sweet caramel malts, honey, a nice alcohol warmth, a good dose of  spicing is also evident (ginger and clove) also present are balanced, aromatic earthy hops in the finish.

An outstanding beer and one that will reward the hunt......a massive thank-you to Filip.

Bitter Sweet Symphony

Now for a beer with an American influence, Bitter Sweet Symphony is a collaboration between Belgian brewers Gaverhopke and from the States, Tired Hands Brewing Company - the recipe American, the brewing Belgian.

Pours a bright hazy amber, topped by a huge creamy, fluffy white head that slowly fades to a thin cap - from the start this is one great looking beer.

Lovely aroma of sweet caramel malts, bready Belgian yeast, light floral hops and a sweet citrus (grapefruit) finish.

Tasting only confirms just how much this beer lives up to its name - bitterness comes in the shape of dry grassy - straw like hops, biting citrus notes combined with a fruity (peach) edge.
Sweet malts with touches of caramel provide the perfect symphony.

Fantome Saison

Now for a beer (and brewery) that has so far escaped me, each year during our annual pilgrimage to the Bruges Beer Festival my eyes would scan shelves and bar menus - searching for any bottles from this much sought after brewery, yet each year Fantome evaded me.
The reason for this scarcity? well the vast majority of Fantome is exported so finding it, even in its country of origin can often prove fruitless............NOT this year though.

Fantome was founded in 1988 by current owner and sole brewer Dany Prignon using equipment from the original brew house of Brasserie d'Achouffe. The brewery housed (as it still is) in a stone farmhouse in the small village of Soy.

Another reason that contributes to its scarcity is the fact that the brewery is only capable of brewing a single 750 ltr batch at any one time and this perhaps only once a week. Beers produced are variations on the Saison (farmhouse) style with many seasonal / annual bottlings often many brewed using herbs and spices.

Now on with the beer - carefully removing first the cap then slowly the cork a very loud POP sounds (all Fantome are housed in 750ml  green bottles secured with both a cork and cap) after that I was expecting a gusher but no it just sat there in the bottle.
So slowly (and with much eager anticipation) I poured my first glass...Fantome Saison is a very lively beer, even slow careful pouring produces a huge, compact, bubbly white head that sits proudly atop a hazy, pale orange beer - only slowly falling as you savour each drop, any refilling of the glass instantly produces a rim filling head.

Aroma is tart and citrus, barnyard straw, sharp orchard fruits (crisp green apples) and also a faint tropical pineapple note. Subtle hints of spices (cloves) and a slight floral bouquet on the finish.

Taste follows with again orchard fruits (pears and peaches) grassy wet hay, a lovely balance of honey sweetness and lemon tartness coupled with a musty, bready, malty character before finishing with a subtle barvyard sourness.

All in all a beer that was no where near as sharp as I was lead to believe - complex, intriguing and totally artisnal yes. Come next year and the 6th Bruges Beer Fest my first stop will be that very same shop......this time for 2 bottles.



http://www.fantome.be/    

De Graal Tripel

Next up a beer from De Graal (Dutch for "the grail") a modern brewery that was founded in 2002 by brewmaster Wim Saeyens and is located in Brakel, in an area affectionately referred to as "the Flemish Ardennes"

De Graal Tripel pours a murky, hazy amber that is packed full of suspended yeast particles, topped by a thick pure white foamy head that slowly, slowly fades...almost lasting the duration, this is one great looking beer.

Pungent fruity aroma...lots of citrus (oranges and lemons) and more fruit with a definite banana waft, spices also make their presence known with ginger heat coming through and the orange notes of coriander before finishing with a strong malty backbone.

Initial taste is sweet and again citrus (zesty orange) but also a fruity, peach like smoothness is very evident before bitter/grassy hops cut through coupled with a spicy, clove edge - both providing the perfect balance, the finish is dry and warming with a lasting bitterness.

A great Tripel that may not be as full bodied as others in this style but non the less deserves a return visit.......and soon.  

Dulle Griet

As is pictured on the label Dulle Griet (Mad Meg) is the name of a wrought iron medieval super gun that was built in the first half of the 15th century and now proudly sits close to the Friday market square in the old town in Ghent.
The canon itself takes it's name from a figure of Flemish folklore (Dull Gret) a peasant woman who is depicted in the 1562 oil painting by Flemish renaissance artist Pieter Bruegel the Elder.

History over on with the beer, Dulle Griet pours a murky, deep, reddy brown, with a nice thick, creamy, tan coloured head that hangs around, slowly fading to a constant cm covering.
Gorgeous aroma that is packed to the rim with sweet caramel malts, dark raisins, toffee, roasted coffee and a slight spice note on the finish.

A cracking start for this Dubbel beer that packs a middle of the road punch with 6.5% ABV.......and I'm pleased to say it continues in the taste with an instant coffee / cocoa whack then dark fruits (raisins and prunes) along with bready malts and a slight nutty sweetness........a great beer no doubt.



  http://www.scheldebrouwerij.nl/

Tsjeeses

There's just time I think to squeeze in one last Christmas beer so lets make it a good one..... in fact lets make it a cracker.

Tsjeeses is the winter beer from West Flanders brewers Struise - the beer itself takes its name from brewmaster Urbains "blasphemous" outcry as he sampled one too many....."TSJEESES" (Dutch for Jeseus) "what a beer" and from that moment a name and indeed label was born.

Tsjeeses pours a very hazy deep amber topped by a huge, creamy, tan coloured  head that just sits there and lasts and lasts, eventually falling after a few sips to a generous finger width cap.

Exceptional aroma that is rich in caramel malts, sweet fruits (apricot and pear) more though, candied oranges but also a peach like perfume.
Spices are evident - clove and nutmeg along with a faint oak mustiness, alcohol appears as the beer warms.

Taste follows the aroma (that's not a bad thing) being full of bready malts, marmalade sweetness, fruity - citrus (lemon and orange) a butterscotch rounded note fills the palate with no hops detected just a slight alcohol glow as the beer warms.
A very smooth beer that is perfectly balanced and far, far too easy to drink..........Tsjeeses what a great beer.