Girardin 1882 Black Label Gueuze

1882 Black Label Gueuze is a great example of the style. Once it was one of my favorite beers. 

BeerAdvocote

Tasting notes 

05 December 2024

The flavor again is more bitter and less tart than I want. It has too much lemon zest and too little lemon cider. The taste did grow on me as I drank the bottle. Maybe my taste buds have changed.

Rating = 6 glasses

2311: Plenty of tart but more bitterness than I remember - too much lemon rind. Left rating unchanged but thought about reduction.

1308: A recent bottle led to a downgrade from 7 glasses. It is really good but not as tart as I wanted or remembered. 

1002: A bottle purchased 4 mn ago. See previous review. Cantillon may be better??

(3) A bottle purchased about 2 years ago. Tart, complex, funky. Less lemon than I remember. Almost quaffable. Still the best. 

(2) Lemon, vinegar, and apple cider. Each sip causes salivation. 

(1) Sour and tart but doesn't take away your breath. Sort of a fizzy lemon cider.

Rating: 6 glasses.

Cantillon Gueuze 100% Lambic

Brewer's notes

Assembly of Lambics of different ages.
Beer with a tangy and fruity taste, woody and delicate aromas, long finish on the palate.
Long-life beer with evolving taste.
Brasserie Cantillon Lambics are called “young” after one year of aging and reach full maturity after three years. Young beers contain the natural sugars necessary for second fermentation in the bottle. The three-year-old beers bring their bouquet and finesse.
Gueuze is the fruit of a complex blend of Lambics of different tastes and ages, preserved in oak barrels. The most important role of the brewer is taste. He will have to taste around ten Lambics from different barrels to finally select five or six. This is how Gueuze 100% Lambic is made, carrying the original character of the beers from Brasserie Cantillon. Each blending vat will give birth to a different Gueuze. The natural elements available to us do not allow us to manufacture a "standard" product.
Arranged horizontally in the cellar, the bottles will remain there for an average of one year to allow the transformation of sugars into carbon dioxide (second fermentation in bottles). The saturation of the beer occurs slowly and naturally. When Lambic becomes sparkling, it is called Gueuze.
In the 18th century, a Benedictine monk, Dom Pérignon, discovered champagne by blending different non-sparkling white wines. A century later, a Brabant brewer mixed several Lambics and caused a second fermentation in the bottle. La Gueuze was born. Until the 19th century, the people of Brussels and Brabançons drank mainly two beers, Lambic and Faro. The appearance of the glass bottle and the contribution of Dom Pérignon will revolutionize the small world of Brussels brewers. Gueuze then became the symbol beer of Brussels.

BeerAdvocate

Tasting notes

December 06, 2024

A recent purchase from Corks and Kegs. Any apple flavor was subdued. Tart with a good dose of bitter lemon zest. It earned a small upgrade in the rating.

Rating = 6.5 glasses

March 8, 2024
The second bottle has about 1.5 more years in the cellar. Similar reaction as below - tart but I wanted more and the apple flavor is not my favorite. Something about Belgium yeasts may be at work. St. Bernardus Abt 12 has a similar note. Downgrading rating to 6 glasses.

Nov. 25, 2022

First of two bottles scored from Corks and Kegs a few months ago. More apple-cidery and less lemon-vinegary and tart than I remembered or wanted. 

Rating: It is still wonderfully complex and refreshing with enough je ne sais quois for 7 glasses but I am downgrading it to 6.5 glasses.

(0911): A bottle at SD21 in NYC. Nice and tart and complex. A tiche milder than I remembered. Girardin rules.

Rating: 7 glasses 

Click here for a previous review. 

Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout

Black Chocolate Stout is one of my favorite beers.

Brewer's Notes: This is the famous Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout. In the 18th century, Catherine the Great, Empress of Russia, ordered a stout to be sent to her from England. This beer was brewed strong and hoppy to survive the sea voyage, and it arrived in perfect condition. Soon "Russian Imperial Stout" became the toast of the Russian aristocracy. Brewed since 1994, our Black Chocolate Stout has itself become a modern classic, heralded the world over. It achieves its dark chocolate aroma and flavor through the artful blending of six malts and three distinct mashes. Properly kept, it will improve in the bottle for many years. This stout is the toast of the winter season in many countries, and there is nothing better to enjoy with chocolate desserts, cheesecake, ice cream, fine cheeses and roaring fireplaces.

Given this beer’s higher ABV and sturdy character, we think it’s a prime candidate for cellaring. Find a cool, dry spot away from light sources, and see how it changes in the years to come. You never quite know what will happen when you age a beer: perhaps the body will smooth out, notes of vanilla, oak, and tannins will come to the front, or hints of leather and soy sauce will make themselves known. No matter what, remember that beer is meant for drinking, so don’t keep it to yourself for too long.

Beeradvocate

Tasting Notes

07 Dec. 2024
I drank a 2021 vintage. It was fantastic, with a nice bite and chocolate flavor. I boosted the rating to 6.5 and thought about 7.

Rating = 6.5 glasses.

Nov. 2023: I recently drank a fresh 2023 bottle and another one-year old 2022 vintage. The fresh bottle was not as good as I remember. I will try another bottle to learn more. The one-year old bottle was a wonderful stout. Plenty of chocolate flavor and pleasant. I didn't detect charcoal bite in either one.

02 Oct. 2022: Drank another bottle from the purchase in late 2021. Still a fine beer with a nice charcoal bite at the finish.

Rating = 5.5 glasses

30 Jan. 2022: This is a recollection of some beer I purchased late 2021. I like the first bottle so much that I went back and bought a 2nd 6-pack. I am back to loving this beer. Loads of chocolaty flavor with a bit of a charcoal bite. Yummy. I think that it is my new favorite imperial stout.

Rating = 6 glasses. 

24 Oct. 2020: I pulled my last bottle from Winter 2019 from the cellar last night. The beer was a delight. Rich, chocolaty, and smooth. The only question was whether the rating was 5 glasses or 6. Given the five previous reviews, I left the rating @ 5.

Rating = 5 glasses

15 May 2020: BBCS has earned its reputation as one of the great Imperial Stouts. Tonight's bottle is dated Winter 15-16, meaning the beer has aged about 4.5 years. The beer is delivers a massive dose of chocolate malts with a little bitter charcoal bite at the end.

BeerAdvocate rates it as Outstanding, the 1,977th best beer overall, and the 117th best Russian Imperial Stout. My last rating = 4 glasses.

Rating = 5 glasses.

12 June 2014: Shared a 2006-07 bottle from my cellar last night. It was wonderful: complex, sweet, chocolate, with a nice mouthfeel. A good sipper. 

Rating = 6 glasses

1101: A year-old 2009-10 bottle. Chocolate malt w/ a flash of charcoal. Very nice. 

1008: A 2006-07 bottle, 4.5 yr. old. Chocolate nose. Almost soy but not, Bitter/sour end. Dry port? 

1004: A 3-yr-old bottle from 2006-07. First sip was bittersweet chocolate and charcoal dust. Sippable and quaffable. Upgraded from 4 glasses. 

1001: A fresh bottle from 09-10. Dark chocolate syrup. Downgraded from 5 glasses. 

0912: A 3-yr. old bottle from 06-07. A delightful, deep, dark, stout. Some port peeking out? Upgraded from 4 glasses.

 

Comments: This beer seems to vary slightly by year and improves w/ age.

Previous ratings: 5, 6, 4, 3, then 4 glasses.

Rating: 5 glasses

0909: A bottle 1.5+ years old. Bitter chocolate with old ale sour taste at finish when cold yielding to bitter chocolate throughout.

Rating: 4 glasses

0811: The Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout I had on tap tonight at Joe's Inn is a really nice beer. BBCS is a big Imperial Stout. Reviewers on BeerAdvocate rated it as one of the top 100 beers on the planet on 29 December 2005. As the name suggests, it has chocolate flavors. I have tasted several vintages of BBCS with mixed reactions. The most recent release seemed too hot. On tap, the beer was flavorful and balanced. I don't know if the difference is draft v. bottle or 2008-09 v. 2007-08; but, I think that the tap makes the difference. Chocolate is the predominate flavor but coffee and smoke rear their heads, too. Joe's Inn is a neighborhood restaurant in Richmond, VA. It sells BBCS as a seasonal item for $3.50 a pint. At this price the beer is a great deal. It was fantastic w/ a hamburger. Oliver Garrett, the brewmaster of Brooklyn Brewery, is a big advocate of pairing food and beer. His book, The Brewmaster's Table, is a classic. For a sample of his thoughts, click here.

3 Floyds Alpha King

 

Alpha King is a great pale ale brewed by 3 Floyds.

Brewer's notes: The first beer we ever brewed at 3 Floyds back in 1996, Alpha King is a bold and assertive American Pale Ale, utilizing seven different malts to create both balance and complexity. Spotlighting Centennial hops, the beer that started it all features a slight caramel sweetness and pronounced citrus hoppiness.

BeerAdvocate: A bold yet balanced American Pale Ale with slight caramel sweetness and aggressive citrus hoppiness. This is our flagship beer.

68 IBU

Tasting Notes

19 July 2024

The 5th of a six-pack I purchased on a recent trip to Indy prompted me to reiterate what a great beer Alpha King is. Hoppy enough to be an IPA but retains the balance and sweetness of a true pale ale. It may be the best pale ale I have tasted. Northern Hemisphere Harvest Ale may rival it. 

Rating = 6 glasses

08 Oct. 2020

I am revising the rating.

Rating = 6 glasses.

13 Sept. 2020

Alpha King is a fantastic pale ale. It balances malty sweetness with subtle hop bite to create a flavorful, complex beer that is good enough to savor but begs to be gulped. It is more English (sweet and balanced) than American (hop-forward). It paired wonderfully with a Tex-Mex carnita burrito covered in enchilada sauce.

Rating = 5 glasses. I need to try another Zombie Dust to decide whether the best rating is 5 or 6.

Stone IPA

Brewer's Notes: One of the most well respected and best-selling IPAs in the country, this golden beauty explodes with citrusy flavor and hop aromas, all perfectly balanced by a subtle malt character.

The IPA That Launched Generations of Hop Fanatics
First Release: August 1997

By definition, an India pale ale is hoppier and higher in alcohol than its little brother, pale ale—and we deliver in spades. Now one of the most well-respected and best-selling IPAs in the country, this golden beauty explodes with citrusy, piney hop flavors and aromas, all perfectly balanced by a subtle malt character. This crisp, extra hoppy brew is hugely refreshing on a hot day, but will always deliver no matter when you choose to drink it.

Packaging Notes: the iconic west coast style IPA.

BeerAdvocate

Tasting Notes

July 2024: Ditto as below.

April 2020: Loads of crisp hops bitterness balanced enough for one sip to invite a gulp. A wonderful beer and a great example of the style. 

August 2023: I noticed that I have not updated my review of Stone IPA in over three years. It has become my go-to IPA and one of my favorite beers. At $17.99 for a 12-pack, it is a standard in my refrigerator. I am officially upgrading the rating from 5 glasses.

Rating = 6 glasses. 

Topling Goliath TG Pils

TG Pils is an interesting take on a Bavarian style pilsner.

Brewer's notes: Our Pilsner is brewed with simplicity and results in the harmonious confluence of meticulously executed old-world traditions and ingredients. Our iteration of the Hochkurz mash schedule meant we’d be executing six different temperature rests, each of which carries a specific focus in mind; and while this is significantly more labor intensive than a current-day single infusion mash, the difference in the end result speaks for itself. An egg-white foam rests atop a crisp, clear, golden beer, with just a hint of Hallertau Mittelfruh hops coming through in the finish.

BeerAdvocate: Pilsner brewed with simplicity and true to old-world traditions and ingredients. Egg white foam on a crisp, clear, golden and mostly crushable beer. Floral, fruity and slightly herbal hints from Hallertau Mittelfruh hops.

Tasting notes
2403: I drank #5 from the 6-pack. Not as good as #4.

Rating = 2.5 glasses.

I drank #5 from the 6-pack. The lemony flavor is not present and the beer is good.

Rating = 3 glasses.

February 2024: I write after my second or third can. The beer is nice. It has a lemony finish that may be what other people call grassy. I like it but will not be putting it into my refrigerator on a regular basis.

Rating = 2.5 glasses

Huyghe Delirium Nocturnum

Delirium Nocturnum is a strong dark Belgian ale. 

Tasting Notes

2403: I drank a bottle with some age on it. I liked it. A lot.

Rating = 5 glasses.

2311: Ditto as below.

Rating = 4 glasses

1910: The flavor is difficult to describe. It has brown sugar and sour (chestnuts) flavors. 

0903: A bottle @ Mekong w/ L.A. Smooth and tasty. Nice caramel malt with apple butter and hints of spicy hops.

Rating = 4 glasses.

Downgraded from 5 glasses.

Parkway Raven's Roost

Raven's Roost is a fine Baltic Porter. 

Beer Advocate

Brewer's Notes
With a robust and roasty aroma, Raven’s Roost Baltic Porter has notes of chocolate, caramel and toffee. Searching for the perfect porter?

Quoth the raven, “Nevermore.”

Tasting notes
February 24: I keep buying the beer and I keep liking it. Enough flavor to be interesting and easy to drink. I delightful dark beer that doesn't try to impress or overwhelm foods. I am upgrading the rating a titch.

Rating = 5 glasses. 

March 23: Rating = 4.5 glasses.

Three Ring Hi-Wire Keller Pils

Keller Pils is an unfiltered version of a German Pilsner.

Beer Advocate: The ONE rater likes it. 

Tasting Notes
Feb. 2024: Ed likes it: nicely balanced, easy drinking, and flavorful. The unfiltered haze adds a titch of bohemian to the brew. I could see keeping this in my refrig as a regular - $11.49 for a 4-pack of 16-oz. cans. 

Rating = 4.5 glasses. I may revise in either direction with a second can.

3 Fonteinen Oude Kriek Intens Rood

Intens Rood is a delicious "imperial" kriek.

Beeradvocate: "Made from 40% cherries."

Label notes: "Sour cherries were macerated on young peeted lambik and partly on two-year old straight lambik in a stainless steel tank. We blended with young and three-year old (!) lambik. 55% of the blend is old lambik and the final fruit intensity is 567 grams of sour cherries per liter. .... Ingredients: water, barley malt (60%), wheat malt (40%), sour cherries, old hops.

Tasting notes
February 2, 2024. I drank a bottle given to my by BG when she and SJ visited us for dinner. Wow! I really liked it. It is tart and the cherries give an additional punch of sour in the finish. Initial tartness stimulates the salivary glands. Some vinegar pops through, too. The cherry flavor is definitely noticeable but  does not overwhelm the taste. I liked it so much that I went to the beer store to buy another bottle. (I also picked up a bottle of Oude Kriek, Rodenbach Vintage 2018, and De Ranke Kriek).

I am giving it a rating of 7 glasses after one tasting.

Postscript. Having tasted Oude Kriek, I am downgrading the rating to 6.5.

Rating = 6.5 glasses.

3 Fonteinen Oude Kriek

Brewer's Notes: 3 Fonteinen Oude Kriek is the result of macerating hand-picked whole sour cherries on young lambic for at least four months, in a proportion of one kilogram of fruit per litre of lambic. The kriek lambic is then blended again with more young lambic to obtain a minimum intensity of 35% fruit, and is bottled immediately afterwards. These bottles are then stored in our cellars for at least five months so that the kriek lambic can develop into a beautiful, traditional, and refined Oude Kriek. With a pleasant tartness and organic notes of almond and cinnamon as it warms in the glass, 3 Fonteinen Oude Kriek, will age perfectly but may lose some of the vibrant red colours and forest fruit aromas. This unfiltered and unpasteurised lambic is all-natural with no artificial juices, syrups, or sugars added. Traditional Lambic is living, cultural heritage rooted in the Zenne valley!

Tasting Notes

Feb. 2024: Simply fantastic. Tart, vineous, with a touch of cherry. I think that it is better than Intens Rood.

Rating = (still) 7 glasses

Aug. 2022: See Feb. 2022. I am hooked. Bottle dated 06/02/2020 which I think means 06 Feb. 2020. 

Rating = (still) 7 glasses

Feb. 2022: Wow. Tart + Sour Cherry + a titch of vinegar and je ne sais quoi. 

Rating = 7 glasses, upgraded from 6.

Oct. 2019: Oude Kriek is a great example of the style: lambic that sits atop sour cherries in oak barrels, is blended with more lambic, bottled, and referments in the bottle. Sort of gueze with a dash of tart cherry flavor. The color is dark pink. The flavor is complex: tart with hints of sugar, cherry, and other fruit flavors. Yummy. A rare find obtained by the good folks at Corks and Kegs.

Rating = 6 glasses, and may be knocking on the door for 7.

Rating = 7 glasses

de Garde The Kriek

A weak attempt at making a wild ale taste like an Oude Kriek.

Beeradvocate: "A Spontaneous Wild Ale Aged in Oak Barrels for Two Years with Montgomery & Morello Cherries."

Label notes: A sponteneous wild ale with tart cherries aged in Oak barrels for two years.

de Garde

Tasting notes
February 3, 2024: I picked up a bottle based on the reviews on BeerAdvocate and its price - $9+ for a 375 ml bottle. I was buying three other sour beers and felt expansive. The beer is not bad but was a disappointment. It lacked punch and excitement. It had plenty of carbination. It was a cloudy pink color. The flavor was a titch bland for a wild ale and a little sweet. OK, but not what I want. 

Rating = 2 glasses. 

de Dolle Oerbier

Oerbier is a Belgian Strong Dark Ale. It is deep and rich, with lots of dark fruit flavors.

Beer Advocate

Brewer's notes: 

Oerbier, brewed in Esen by De Dolle Brouwers, is dark due to the mixture of different types of malt and hours of cooking time. Only 'Golding' bubble hop from Poperinge is used and all our beers are bottled with secondary fermentation.

Slightly Fresh Acidity

The name refers to the originality and purity of the beer. The specific gravity of the wort is 1078, the alcohol percentage 9%. Oerbier has a slightly fresh acidity due to the yeast and lactic acid bacteria.

The best-before date is imposed by law: one year after bottling, this is also mentioned on the capsule. The beer will experience a slight taste evolution and will become vinous. Samples of the first brew, which are still perfectly drinkable, are kept in the brewery.

Store in a cool cellar

It is the first beer of De Dolle Brouwers and officially dates from 1980. It was brewed in prototype by two students in a copper wash bowl. Previous attempts with English ready-made kits turned out not to meet the strict beer requirements of the two brothers.

Preferably store this beer in a dark, cool cellar and pour at 12°C in a type of wine glass. There are special Oerbier glasses for sale in the brewery. This beer is for sale per 6 bottles or per 20, every Saturday and Sunday between 2 pm and 7 pm.

Tasting Notes

2401: A glass on draft at Can Can while dining at the bar with L and ML. It was delightful and, as before, deep and rich with lots of dark fruit flavors. I thought about increasing the rating to 5.5.

1310: It is deep and rich, with lots of dark fruit flavors. Rating = 5 glasses.

Rating = 5 glasses.

Eggenberg Samichlaus

Samichlaus is a delicious Doppelbock. It is so strong I would call it a Triple Bock.

Beer Advocate: The once strongest beer in the world is back! Brewed only once a year on December 6. Samichlaus is aged for 10 months before bottling. This beer is perhaps the rarest in the world. Samichlaus may be aged for many years to come. Older vintages become more complex with a creamy warming finish. Serve with hardy robust dishes and desserts, particulary with chocolates, or as an after dinner drink by itself. Brewed under the exclusive licence of Feldschlösschen-Hürlimann-Holding, Switzerland.

Brewer's notes: This is brewed only once a year, on December 6th, in a complex process Strong beer is a rarity. It can age in bottle for many years and gains complexity. Red-brown shimmering, complex aromas of dried plums, malt and caramel.

Tasting notes
2401: Another glass at Can Can with L and ML. Sweet toffee goodness. Let's up the rating to 6.5.

2312: I had a glass on draft last night while dining with L and E at Can Can. I sampled the beer years ago but could not find my notes. Well, I was blown away; the beer is better than I remember. It is deep and dark and malty and delicious. It paired well with a good cheeseburger. It reminded me of Alesmith Private Stock and Bells Third Coast Old Ale - a strong ale with loads of flavor and complexity. I want more and will buy some when I see it. It impressed me more than BFM Abbaye De Saint Bon-Chien which I rate as 7 glasses. I need more tastes to go that high for Samichlaus. 

Rating = 6.5 glasses.