Tuesday 10 January 2012

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.