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/