St. Bernardus Wit

St. Bernardus Wit

Style: Wit

Alcohol Content: 5.5%

From: Watou, West Flanders, Belgium

Purchased from: Beer Boutique, Putney, United Kingdom
http://www.sintbernardus.be/

Time flies when you're having fun and this year is no exception. I can scarcely believe that one year ago I was boozing it up in Bruges, constantly thinking when would be the best time to ask my girlfriend to move in with me. Whilst we have yet to return to Belgium, we are both busy planning our next holidays to Budapest and Chicago respectively. Naturally, we are also researching which beers we plan to try, however, whilst Chicago is awash with breweries, I am currently finding it hard to locate an independent brewery to visit in Budapest. If anyone knows of one please let me know by leaving a comment below.

The subject of this review is a little Belgium flash back, St.Bernardus Wit. Originally a Trappist brewery, the monks of the refuge Norte Dame de St. Bernard decided to stop brewing on their site in Watou, West Flanders in 1936. Seizing an opportunity, local business man Evarist Deconinck decided to start brewing the the monastery's old beer recipes under licence for the next thirty years. An additional thirty years was agreed in 1962 but by 1992 the remaining Trappist monasteries (six in Belgium and one in Holland) decided that the qualification of a Trappistbier could only be given to beers brewed within the walls of a Trappist monastery. The licence was not renewed and the brand was renamed St.Bernardus.

Who's this cheeky chap?

Colour: Pours a hazy, straw yellow with a slight orange hue. As with most Wit beers, a luxurious, brilliant white head oozes from the depths of the glass. Quite frankly, this look like the archetypal wheat beer, brilliantly inviting and I can't wait to have a sip.

Aroma: Not every beer has to overpower you senses. Some can be so soft and delicate, that it just makes you relax and enjoy the pleasure of drink. St.Bernardus Wit is no exception. Playful notes of spicy coriander and citrus fruit dominate the nose from start to finish. As the drink warms, the sour lemon aroma intensifies, drowning out all other scents.

Body: Slightly thinner than I was expecting, but this beer slides down a treat with not one hint of clogging nor bitterness at all.

Taste: Full of tart lemons from start to finish. The sour lemons will tickle your taste buds and the taste certainly stay with you even after you swallow the beer. The coriander will linger in the background like the KGB waiting patiently to wipe you out. The warming sensation nips away at your tongue from time to time and helps to cut through the sharp lemons. The sour edge will intensify as the drink warms but it never threatens to dominate. In short the beer is perfectly balanced, ensuring not one flavour overpowers the other. The perfect refresher for a Wit beer first timer and best enjoyed with spicy food.

Similar to: http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/erdinger-uriweisser.html

Different to: http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/by-horns-diamond-geezer.html

For the latest news on reviews follow me on twitter @beefsbrewery or like me on Facebook at Beefsbrewery

Lagunitas IPA

Lagunitas IPA
Style: India Pale Ale

Alcohol Content: 6%

From: Petaluma, California, USA

Purchased From: Purchased from: Beer Boutique, Putney

http://lagunitas.com/

Over the past few weeks, my liver has taken one hell of a pounding. Two beer festivals and one craft beer night later, I am constantly finding myself reaching for a daily Paracetamol. Whilst I enjoy drinking the beer at the time,  I'm also starting to feel the effects more the day after. I guess my metabolism is not the same as it once was or perhaps it’s the fact that I'm drinking stronger beers more often. After looking through my beer cupboard, I noticed the average ABV was 8%.  Lordy, I can remember a time when the highest beer I ever drank was a 5 percent Carlsberg Export. That being said, the pain is worth it. After two years of blogging  my curiosity and enthusiasm to discover new beer styles has yet to waiver. No Pain, No Gain as they say.

Founded in 1993 by Tony Magee in Lagunitas, California, the brewery quickly outgrew its original home and a year later moved to Petaluma, California.  Maintain that rapid momentum, Lagunitas has almost quadrupled its output between 2004 to 2010, rising from 27,000 barrel per annum to 106,000 per annum during this period. In 2012, Lagunitas announced plans for a new Chicago based brewery with a barrel capacity of 600,000 per annum whilst also investing 9.5 million dollars in order to  increase production at their Petaluma site to a similar level. The Chicago brewery finally opened its doors in April 2014, complete with an onsite tap-room. Great news considering I will be heading over to the States for my 30^th birthday. Cheers all!

Colour: Pours a warm orange/copper, complete with a bubbly white head. This head lingers for the duration, lacing the glass perfectly on every sip.

Aroma: Hints of perfectly blended kiwi, mango and lime present themselves instantly. It's almost like an exotic fruit salad that has been drizzled in sweet honey. The citrus notes slowly mellow to give way to delicate hints of earthy resinous hops. The perfect perfume for an IPA.

Body: Lordy, this drink is oh so smooth it's almost like you are drinking a pint of pure velvet. The carbonation is perfectly balanced against the sweetness of the hop oils to ensure a refreshingly pleasurable drinking experience.

Taste: Hints of beautifully fresh mangos are promptly followed by notes of a dry, hobnob biscuit. Hints of smooth honey and warming alcohol will become more prominent as the drink warms. These flavours add to the refined smoothness of this beer and the mildly bitter aftertaste helps to round out the flavour perfectly. In my opinion, this is one of the most polished IPAs on the market. Perfectly balanced in all areas, ensuring that both novices and beer connoisseurs go home happy. Great stuff!

Similar to: http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2014/02/the-celt-brewing-experience-seven.html

Different to: http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2013/11/alken-maes-judas.html

For the latest news on reviews follow me on twitter @beefsbrewery or like me on Facebook at Beefsbrewery

Goose Island Honkers Ale

Goose Island Honkers Ale

Style: Bitter

Alcohol Content: 4.3%

From: Chicago, USA

Purchased from: Ray Wines
http://www.gooseisland.com/

OK first thing I should tell you before you read is that I love Chicago. I went there way back in 2005 and I have always wanted to go back since. Personally, I think that Chicago is much better destination to visit than New York. It has the hustle and bustle of the East coast but has the laid back charms of the West coast. When I started reading more about beer, I was excited to learn that in Chicago, the craft beer movement is flourishing. I just wish I had been 21 at the time so I could actually enjoy all they had to offer. Must go back for a taste at some point!

The brewer Goose Island was first opened by John Hall in 1988. John had be travelling around Europe for a number of years and found that there was an amazing range of beers on offer. He found difficultly finding some of these beers in the United States, so he took matters into his own hands and created Goose Island. The company now has an amazingly diverse range of ales on offer including some seasonal beers. On March 28, 2011, Goose Island announced that it will sell its 58% stake in Fulton Street Brewery LLC (the legal name of Goose Island Brewing) to distribution partner Anheuser-Busch. The remaining 42% stake, owned by Craft Brewers Alliance LLC, is also to be purchased by Anheuser-Busch.

Honkers not Yonkers!

Colour: Once poured you are presented with a rich copper ale with a very minimal head. After the head dies down there is a small amount of foam left in the glass which clings to the side of the glass like a baby clings to their mother. This drink is also bottled conditioned so due to slight hint of yeast being present the ale is slightly cloudy.  

Aroma: As a rule of thumb, for me i find bitters often lack in smell. So i am pleasantly surprised to find aromas of sweet Elderflowers and lime or lemon notes. These aromas come from the blend of super Stryian and Styrian Goldings hops used in the making of this brew. If you get your nose right in there you will also be able to pick up notes of sweet, slightly burnt caramel.

Body: Traditionally, bitters tend to on the more heavier side of the beer spectrum. However to my amazement, this beer is a hell of a lot lighter than a standard bitter. For me the mouth feel reminds me more of an English  IPA. Traditionally English IPA's are know to be more fruity than there heavily hopped counter parts so this beer sips down a treat. There is no clingy after taste and it will continue to refresh you with every drop.



Taste: Now for the important bit; the tasting.On your first sip you will notice how fruity this beer is. There are no hints of bitterness at all. The predominate flavors are those of Elderflower and big hints of lime and lemon. There are also very suttee notes of bread and earth.To be honest, why this is labeled as a bitter i do not know. However, if this is Goose Islands take on a quintessential British classic then give me more.

Similar to: http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/brakspear-bitter.html
Different to: http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/adnams-southwold-spindrift.html

For the latest news on reviews follow me on twitter @beefsbrewery

Goose Island 312 Urban Wheat Ale

Goose Island 312 Urban Wheat Ale

Style: Wheat Ale

Alcohol content: 4.4%

From: Chicago, USA

Purchased from: Tesco

OK first thing i should tell you before you read is that i love Chicago. I went there way back in 2005 and i have always wanted to go back since. Personally, i think that Chicago is much better destination to visit than New York. It has the hustle and bustle of the East coast but has the laid back charms of the West coast. When i started reading more about beer, I was excited to learn that in Chicago, the craft beer movement is flourishing. I just wish i had been 21 at the time so i could actually enjoy all they had to offer. Must go back for a taste at some point!

The brewer Goose Island was first opened by John Hall in 1988. John had be travelling around Europe for a number of years and found that there was an amazing range of beers on offer. He found difficultly finding some of these beers in the United States, so he took matters into his own hands and created Goose Island. The company now has an amazingly diverse range of ales on offer including some seasonal beers. The 312 gets its name from the telephone area code for downtown Chicago and is part of Goose Islands Urban Ale line. Now i will admit, that i have tried the 312 several times before down at the Pigs Ear in Richmond. But recently Tesco's have began stocking the 312 along with the Goose Island India Pale Ale.    

Colour: Pale yellow, straw like hue. When i think of wheat beers; i often think of German Weiss beers which due to there unfiltered nature they are extremely cloudy. The interesting thing about the 312 is that it is also unfiltered however the colour is extremely pale.

Smell: As soon as you pour a 312 you are hit with floral and citrus notes. As this is a wheat beer a large head is created when you pour. I accidentally got a bit to close to the head and ended up with a nose full of froth. However, this allowed me to pick up a very sour undertone to the flavor; which is certainly stronger than any thing that i had smelt before. I felt as if i had just been hit in the face with a lemon meringue or key lime pie.

Body: Very fine bubbles on the pour that stay with you thought out the drink. It also has a creamy texture to it which can be rather odd at first but as you get use to it the drink goes down a treat.

Taste: On the pallet you are smacked with a taste of Elder flower with a bitter lemon finish. It does taste a bit sour but it is not over whelming. These taste dances around your mouth while you enjoy every sip. It's a bit like Mel and Kim in the Video for Respectable. Good song (don't judge me) but interesting dance moves. There is no bitter finish to this beer due to the Liberty and Cascade Hops they use. It would go down very nicely whist having a picnic in Hyde Park. Your perfect summer time ale.

Summer in a Glass

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