Alengrin

The blonde version of an alleged recreation of a ‘historic’ beer already brewed in the early twentieth century by the current owner’s great-grandfather if I am correctly informed – with that ‘original’ one being a dubbel and this ‘golden’ one being a present-day addition to the range. Snow white, large-bubbled, rather loosely knit, opening and irregular head on an initially clear, deep and pure yellow golden beer, turning misty and a tad peachy with sediment. Aroma of red apple, green pear, white bread, grass, dry cereals, old potatoes and vague background DMS (overcooked white cabbage). Sweet onset, ripe pear, red apple, light banana, quite sharply carbonated; smooth cereally pale malt sweetishness with honeyish residual sugars on top, balanced by a gentle grassy hop bitter tail. The sweetness dominates, though, and given the lack of inspiration or creativity here we can put this one away as just another pointless addition to the already vast ocean of interchangeable Belgian blondes and tripels, most of them justifying their existence by acting as ‘streekbieren’. Another entrepreneur cashing in on the beer hype by emphasizing story and package (label and name), rather than the beer itself.

Tried on 27 Apr 2022 at 13:49

Alengrin (10989) reviewed Willy Tonka Chocolate Crave Long Boil from Brasserie Atrium 1 year ago

Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7.5 | Flavor - 7.5 | Texture - 9 | Overall - 8.5

Superstrong pastry stout with tonka beans by Atrium, the ‘tropical’ specialist in contemporary Belgian brewing, sampled at ZBF. Yellow-beige, moussy, stable, membrane-lacing head on a jet black robe. Intense nose of very pronounced tonka beans, marzipan, cinnamon, milk chocolate, brown rum, cocoa, chocolate sauce, hints of clove, dried fig and latté macchiato. Sweet, dense onset, candied dates, medium carbonated, with very full to almost viscous mouthfeel; deep and intense toffee- and dark chocolate sauce-like maltiness fills the mouth, thoroughly aromatized by the tonka beans, adding sweet-perfumey, nutty and spicy aspects of almond, hazelnut and cinnamon. Slight toasty and hoppy bitterish notes in the end too, toasty especially, but remaining mild enough not to interfere with this beguiling tonka aroma display. Obviously warming, rum-like alcohol ensues, but the tonka never seems to go away… I have rarely had a strong sweet stout with such an amount of that enticing tonka, and if anyone in Belgium had to realize this idea, it surely was going to be Atrium. Cheers Valéry, this one really convinces.

Tried on 27 Apr 2022 at 13:47

Alengrin added a new beer Willy Tonka Chocolate Crave Long Boil by Brasserie Atrium
1 year ago

7.6

Alengrin (10989) reviewed Sweet Virginia from BrewTous' 1 year ago

Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7.5 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8

NEIPA by a new craft brewery in Bütgenbach in that charming small region in eastern Belgium where the native language is German – strange that I did not find this one back in late December when I was in that region. Sampled at ZBF. Snow white, moussy, opening head on a hazy, warm ‘old golden’ blonde beer. Aroma of green mango, lemongrass, yuzu, carambola, dough, rainwater. Fruity onset in a clean way, halfripe mango and pineapple with a dash of sweet guava, moderately fizzy but okay for the intended style, soft and smooth mouthfeel. Doughy and white-bready malt core, soaked in a ‘green’ fruitiness of mango, carambola and lots of citrus (yuzu, lime). Very well done for such a young brewery – this is a style often misunderstood and made either too sweet or too bitter, but this one balances nicely in between. Perhaps a tad more tropical fruitiness, making it more dominant of the citrusy character, would even improve this one, but I am in any case very pleasantly surprised that a hitherto unknown Belgian microbrewery is capable of creating a very credible New England style IPA.

Tried on 27 Apr 2022 at 13:45

7.6

Alengrin (10989) reviewed Experimental Fruit Series #3 - Physalis from Gueuzerie Tilquin 1 year ago

Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7.5 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8

One of several quite exotic fruit lambics tried out by Tilquin earlier this year for the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the company; sampled at ZBF. Open, loose, snow white, bubbly head, quickly gone; hazy apricot-yellow blonde robe. Aroma of indeed Cape gooseberries (the ‘physalis’), white yoghurt, moldy old lemons or stale lemon juice, haystack, dry straw, bread crust, green apple. Crisp, tart onset, lots of Cape gooseberry acidity but also a softening sweetish touch hidden within the sourness, a tad peachy; near to flat carb, supple body. Bready core, dried by yoghurty and tart green-fruit-like acidity but remaining fresh and crisp. Lemony, sourdoughy and slight woody notes in the end, but remaining very elegant. Juicy and refreshing, the chosen fruit works surprisingly well here so let us hope this one makes it into a bottled version some day…

Tried on 27 Apr 2022 at 13:36

Alengrin updated a beer: Experimental Fruit Series #3 - Framboise - Draft Version brewed by Gueuzerie Tilquin
1 year ago