Goliath Tripel

Now I may as well stick true to my words, so here we have another outstanding beer from Brasserie des Geants - this time as hinted their sublime Goliath Tripel.

Goliath was the first beer produced by des Geants back in 2000 and like their other beer Urchon, Goliath takes its name from local sources.

Goliath (pronounced Gouyasse in the local dialect) is the lead figure in the annual 'Ducasse' festivities - Gouyasse btw is also an alias for this beer.

Goliath pours a hazy deep orange with a towering bubbly white head that slowly collapses, leaving behind a rocky glass clinging covering.

Wonderful classic Tripel aroma that explodes with sweet malts, crisp green apples and pears that are combined with tropical fruits. Then you get sweet honey notes before a spicy yeast bite and gentle hop bitterness.

Taste only backs up that fantastic introduction with citrus fruits (orange and lemon) sweet bready malts that are almost biscuit like, there's a nice dose of clove and pepper spicing, then floral bitter hops and again sweet honey notes are there on the finish.

No doubt, a truly well made Tripel.

URCHON

First brewed in 2002 by Brasserie des Geants and located in Irchonwelz, situated in the multiplicity of Ath, a Walloon province of Hainaut.

Ath is also known as the 'City of Giants' after the 'Duccasse' festivities that take place each August when huge figures representing Goliath and Samson (amongst others) are paraded through the streets - Goliath btw being the name of another of des Greants beers (my next review maybe)

Back to Urchon which takes its name from the breweries location at Irchonwelz - 'Irchon' for urchin or hedgehog and 'Welz' for the place across the river, the brewery is located on the River Dende.

Now for the pour, Urchon is a lovely deep ruby red colour and is topped with a massive light tan coloured head that slowly collapses, leaving behind lots of lacing.

Lovely aroma of spicy malts, rich caramel (almost toffee) dark fruits (raisins and plums) and a fantastic bitter cocoa finish that almost borders on becoming leather?

Taste follows with bready malts, roasted nuts, red berries, sweet caramel, liquorice spicing with a malty, chocolate bitterness on the finish.

WOLF 9

The Wolf brewery was founded in 2003 by Peter Van der Borght when he decided to follow his hearts dream and brew his own beer, being joined a while later by three friends and so in 2008 Wolf brewery was founded, being formally called Lupus (Latin for wolf, canus lupus)

Wolf 9 poured much darker than I expected (why I was expecting a paler beer I don't know) and so an incredibly deep amber beer filled my glass and was topped by a huge, creamy, light tan coloured head that really lasts and lasts.

Lovely aroma of sweet bready malts, deep musty banana notes, deffinate anise spicing and a light hop touch on the finish.

Initial taste was raisin bread (malty with a dark, dried fruit edge) then you get a lovely caramel sweetness that coupled with the fruit gives it an almost marmalade flavour.
Again the spices are there (clove and anise...maybe even gingerbread) before slight bitter hops balance things out nicely.

My first taste from the Wolf brewery and I look forward to sampling the blond 7 and dark 8.