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

Blanche De Bruxelles

Blanche De Bruxelles

Style: Wit Beer

Alcohol Content: 4.4%

From: Quenast, Rebecq, Belgium

Purchased from: Beer Wall, Bruges, Belgium
http://www.brasserielefebvre.be/en/page/3/home

If you live in the UK, no doubt that you would of heard that the river Thames broke its banks last night and flooded the surrounding area. Whilst this is no surprise given the amount of rain we have had over the previous months, it does however impact the lives of people living in the area. My office has been noticeably quieter today, as more and more employees choose to work from home. It times like these that make me feel grateful that my friends and family are safe. For those that know me well, I live close to Staines Upon Thames and my grandparents live in rural Somerset. Both these areas have been greatly affected by the recent floods, but luckily they are far enough away for the water to cause any meaningful damage. But with this in mind, I dedicate this blog entry to those that are not so fortunate. My thoughts are with you during this difficult time.

The origins of the Lefebvre brewery, located at Quenast (in the Brabant region of Wallonia, the French speaking district of Belgium) in the valley of the Senne, goes back to 1876. In this year, Jules Lefebvre, gamekeeper, farmer, inn keeper and brewer, inaugurated his new brewery. Pubs were opened around the neighbouring porphyry quarries so that the numerous workmen, made thirsty by stone working, could come to refresh themselves. Even in 2014, the brewery is still a family affair with no less than six generations have passed though the brewery over time. They have expanded and diversified to include lines such as Belgian Framboises and the subject of this review, the famous Blanche De Bruxelles.

Colour: Pours a bright yellow will a dense brilliant white head. The head will slowly dissipate down to a heavy dusting of foam in the glass. It looks like a Classic Belgian wit beer, good start!

Aroma: A beautifully sweet, lemon meringue like nose with underlying biscuit and a little floral touch from the Styrian Goldings and Hallertauer hops. Coriander and orange peel added during wort boiling lends a slight but unobtrusive spiced nose. As the drink warms, the tart lemon intensifies followed up by hints of creamed wheat.

Body: A smooth medium body that will slightly clog the back of your throat. This is due to the addition of wheat, curaçao orange peel and coriander during the creation of this beer. The mouthfeel is one of pure silk which leaves you wanting more and more.

Taste: The initial flavour is almost like lavender, until the citrus re-asserts itself. The flavours of tart lemon can initially overpower the palate until the creamed wheat finish silkily washes the mouth. The additional curaçao orange peel and coriander blends perfectly with the mild hops to round of this drink. Perfect for any fish much like these salmon noodles Emma cooked for me. Yum yum!

Similar to: http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2013/11/nogne-o-blonde.html

Different to: http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2013/12/tiny-rebel-full-nelson.html

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

Einstok Icelandic White Ale

Einstok Icelandic White Ale

Style: Wit or White Ale

Alcohol Content: 5.2%

From: Akureyri, Iceland

Purchased From: A wine shop in Brighton. Can quite remember the name

http://einstokbeer.com/

The Einstock brewery is located just 60 miles south of the Arctic Circle in the fishing port of Akureyri, Iceland. There, the water flows from rain and prehistoric glaciers down the Hlíðarfjall mountain and through ancient lava fields, delivering the purest water on earth and the perfect foundation for brewing deliciously refreshing craft ales.

From the land of the Vikings!

Colour: Once poured into the glass you are presented with a very pale yellow almost white liquid (as the name suggests). On the pour, you will get a luscious white head that is very bubbly. This will completely disappear after a couple of minutes. No foam is left in the glass at all which is quite strange for a beer of this style.

Aroma: Very faint grassy and gassy aromas are given off by this brew. In fact, the aromas given off by this beer are very similar to those given off by Duvel which i reviewed earlier in this blog. Smelling deeper you can pick up very faint notes of coriander and lemon peel. I must admit this is not the most inspiring beer i have ever smelt. It just feels as if its missing something for my taste.

Body: This beer is quite light which i was not expecting from this wit beer. There is a very low level of
carbonation which makes this beer very drinkable. There is not a hint of stickiness at all.

Taste: Rather surprisingly for a wit beer i can taste a mix of apples and pears (and before you ask that's not my attempt at cockney rhyming slang). There is also a mix of pine and grassy notes followed by a mildly acidic aftertaste on the palate. As these flavors are very delicate, this is not a beer that's going to punch you in the face. Its a easy drinking beer that would go very well with your roast dinner on a Sunday.

Similar to: http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/duvel.html
Different to: http://beefsbrewery.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/skinners-heligan-honey.html

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