Dinner @ Mekong

Brewer: Trappistes Rochefort

Beer: 10

Style: Quadruple

Tasting notes: (3) Complex and quaffable. Massive, dark, sweet malt, w/ dark fruits alcohol, and wonderful sourish bite at end. A malty Baltic Porter? (2) A complex assortment of tastes. A little sweet, some fruit, a little sour, and some spicy bite at end. (1) A complex medley of cream brulee, sweet belgian candy sugar, brown sugar, hops, sour, funk, orange, and dark fruit. Dangerously quaffable. Would be great with beef and sweet chutney. Better than Orval.

Comments: One of six Trappist brewers and the only one in Belgium.

Dates on which reviewers at Beeradvocate rated it as one of the best beers on the planet: 29 December 2005, 10 March 2007, and 5 March 2009.

Rating: Top 10ish. The rating has varied but the last bottle pushed the beer back into my top 10ish list.

Brewer: Sierra Nevada
Beer: Celebration

Style: IPA

Tasting notes: (4) A bottle @ Mekong. Well crafted but too much pine. (3) A year-old bottle. Some age has improved the taste. Some sweet malt and hops. Still a piney bitter aftertaste that is not my favorite. (2) A fresh bottle. Spicy hops. Too much pine. (1) Well crafted but too much pine.

Dates on which reviewers at Beeradvocate rated it as one of the best beers on the planet: 29 December 2005 (Not 10 March 2007 or 5 March 2009)

Previous review

Rating: Good. It is a well-crafted and highly-regarded beer but does not appeal to my tastes.