Entries tagged with “Belgian” from Malt & Barley Chronicles

Ommegang brews a variety of bottle-conditioned Belgian-style ales and is even labeled as part of the Duvel family of ales.  Hennepin is its saison, strong farmhouse ale -- a sneaky 7.7% ABV.

Characteristics: Slightly cloudy and pale gold color; light body; medium carbonation; a hoppy opening leads to malty sugars that blossom at proper temperature (about 40F) with a moderating yeasty element throughout.

Minor Gripes: When the balance of yeast, malt, and hops gets out of whack, Hennepin can be a bit of a rollercoaster (like many Belgian ales).

Bottom Line: As long as you don't have anything to do the next day, feel free to enjoy a full 750ml bottle. It's sufficiently easy-going and yet complex to drink over the course of an evening, especially if you can keep the temperature constant.  Just keep in mind that it packs the wallop of three "normal" 12 ounce beers in the volume of two.

Rating: 6.5 / 10

I'd heard about Southampton's brews for some time, mostly from the period "Beers of the Times" feature in the New York Times.  As a fitting preparation for my upcoming move to NYC, I recently managed to score a six-pack of the Double White Ale.

Characteristics: Pale cloudy yellow (when poured properly), full head that dissipates promptly into medium carbonation, medium to heavy body, with a mild yeasty flavor tempered by spices and hops and an orangey tail.

Minor Gripes: There's no warning that you need to swirl the end of the bottle when pouring (or that you should never drink straight from the bottle).  Without the settled spices and yeast, the beer is thin and overly hoppy and dominated by alcohol. And when poured right, you'll never know that

Bottom Line: For those who like the Belgian-style witbiers, the Double White is a tasty addition to the tradition.  It's certainly heavier than the old-school Celis / current Hoegaarden versions, but no less tasty.

Rating: 6 / 10

I first learned about River Horse this past winter at a friend's wedding.  The standard lager and pale ale were decent craft brews, but nothing that hinted directly at this beverage.  It's hardly fair to compare this dark Belgian ale to the more conventional over-spiced winter ale that gets syrupy after about ten minutes.

Characteristics: Dark brown (but still translucent), medium body and carbonation, and a progression of bittersweet chocolate (maybe coffee) and spices with that characteristic Belgian/abbey ale sweetness at the end.

Minor Gripes: That sweetness can be a little overbearing, though it varies with temperature... there's a spot where it all falls apart and then settles back into balance.

Bottom Line: This is a fantastic winter ale... well-balanced, flavorful, smooth.  Thankfully, I should be passing through central New Jersey at least once more before this batch runs out or goes stale.   

Rating: 7.25 / 10