Alengrin
Gent, Belgium MemberOptions
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Alengrin (10989) reviewed Raglan Road Imperial Stout from Brehon Brewhouse 6 days ago
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7
Imperial stout from the country where it originated in the 18th century, aged on whiskey barrels from said country, thanks Craftmember for sharing. Greyish pale beige, moussey, shred-lacing, breaking yet retaining head on a very dark chocolate brown beer, as good as black in fact, with misty mahogany edges. Aroma of walnut paste, soft Irish whiskey, coffee grounds, deep-fried parsley, toffee, young oak wood, burnt potato chips, dried thyme, mocha ice cream, chewing gum somewhere, almond, nutmeg. Restrained in sweetness yet rounded, with a touch of raisin and a light hint of smoked prune or chewing tobacco somewhere, softishly carbonated with full, rounded body. Some black olive-like umami (even a whiff of beef stock) lingers over a smooth toasted pecan-, bitter chocolate- and brown bread crust-like middle, with again that vague smoky (pipe tobacco) touch at the back coming from the whiskey but very softly so; coffee grounds-like roastiness plays a part as well, but not too emphatically, while gentle woody tannins add dryness without becoming outspokenly astringent. Warming whiskey in the finish as can be expected, but like the other barrel features (the wood itself), kept relatively subdued and in that sense remaining well in balance with the actual beer. Opens gradually upon warming – one for the lovers of more restrained ‘oldskool’ imperial stouts.
Alengrin (10989) reviewed Wine Cider Lambic from Geuzestekerij De Cam 6 days ago
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7.5 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7.5
New blend of lambic with cider and Riesling grapes by De Cam, an experiment in mixing different ‘species’ of alcoholic beverage reminiscent of what Boerenerf has done multiple times; 75 cl bottle shared with Craftmember and Goedele. Egg-white, moussey, open ring, dissolving and eventually vanishing, on a hazy straw blonde robe with greenish tinge. Aroma of strong ‘squeezed’ Granny Smith apple, indeed sweet white grape, armpit sweat, withering grass, green gooseberry, yellow plum, apple vinegar, white yoghurt, damp earth, wet wood, stale lime juice, some goat stable funkiness. Tart, fruity onset, lively with lots of actual green apple and white grape, the latter balancing the tartness a bit, though sharper gooseberry- and unripe plum-like lambic acids prevail; mild carb, smooth bready base under slick and vinous dry cider and softer Riesling features – very juicy, yet with a lot of fruit skin and seed tannins (and thus astringency) as well. Lactic sourness from the lambic is very pronounced, perhaps even more so than the apple and grape features, though both remain very recognizable; woody and funky elements come in later, with sweaty and earthy Brett funkiness becoming quite strong. Lots of wry green apple and grape skin astringency in the end, but vividly fruity as well; the Riesling aroma lingers for a long time. Conceptually not really my personal cup of tea – I prefer ‘regular’ fruit lambic regardless of which fruit was used – but admittedly very tasty, with a rougher, funky side that is much more outspoken than in similar blends I had from e.g. Boerenerf. Highly drinkable and refreshing due to its tannins and fruitiness.
Alengrin
added a new beer
Wine Cider Lambic
by
Geuzestekerij De Cam
6 days ago
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7.5
New version of the melon lambic Tilquin has already produced in 2021 for a Fruit Extravaganza event that year; this year’s edition is actually a blend of meerts with young lambics and I the omission of the variety ‘Charentais’ this time also seems to imply that this year’s edition was made with at least one different melon variety. From tap at De Geus van Gent. Egg-white, quite dense and creamy, stable head on a hazy straw blonde robe with warmer apricot tinge. Aroma of lemon zest, yuzu, some melon but much more subtly so than in the 2021 version, green gooseberry, sorrel, damp hay, wet wood and a touch of ‘putteke’ (sewer water) warming up. Crisp, lemony tart onset, bit puckering even with unripe green plum and crushed green gooseberry; a thin layer of melon lies on top, adding more aromatic fruitiness. Fizzy, minerally carbonation piercing through a bready core, severely dried by lactic tartness and lemony acidity, in which the acids are probably enhanced by the added fruit; more unripe and green melon notes retronasally but never becoming as outspoken as in the 2021 version and frankly, if I had not known melon was used here, I would have had a really hard time identifying it. Woodiness and funky Brettanomyces elements, along with the return of that ‘putteke’, appear in the finish, but the fruity, lemony, even somewhat sharp acidity remains the star of the show. Certainly a vibrant, pungent fruit lambic in its own right, but far less melon-forward than what I recall from the 2021 version with specific ‘Charentais’ melons – too bad actually, I was really looking forward to revisiting that experience. In any case a different lambic for sure.
Alengrin
added a new beer
Experimental Fruit Series - Melon - Draft Version
by
Gueuzerie Tilquin
6 days ago
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8
Tilquin has created different batches of yellow or red peach lambic before, but for this year’s Fruit Extravaganza opted for white peaches instead, the (at least in Belgium) less familiar, more flattened varieties with white flesh; this is actually already the second batch of white peach lambic made by Tilquin, a first edition was created in 2021. From tap at De Geus van Gent. Snow white, dense and creamy, medium thick, closed head on a hazy straw blonde robe with somewhat khaki tinge. Aroma of indeed white peach – in any case far less sweet ripe peach than the previous versions with other peach variaties, raw cucumber, sweat, green gooseberries, wood sorrel, lime juice, wet leather, peach kernels, wood. Dryish, crisp onset, tart and very low in sweetness compared with the yellow or red peach lambics I had so far (and not just by Tilquin) – but the white peach aroma is certainly there, adding brightness, elegance and liveliness. Strong lactic tartness with severely drying effect is reinforced by the acids from the fruit, through a bready ‘heart’ surrounded by sour but bright fruitiness and, in the end, dried further by peach kernel and wood tannins. Lemony sourness lingers, no doubt strongly reinforced by the peach acids. Very crisp, quite acidic and sleek, with light funkiness and only slender fleshiness – especially compared to the previous ones, where more outspokenly sweet peach varieties were used, adding more fruit sweetness; still, in itself, elegant and delicate, though.
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8.5 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8
Created for this year’s Fruit Extravaganza event but again a slightly tweaked reiteration of a recipe done before in 2021, namely lambic with purple figs. From tap at De Geus van Gent. Creamy, medium thick, snow white, dense, slowly opening head on a hazy orange-glowing peach blonde robe. Aroma of stale orange juice, (over)ripe persimmon but I guess this represents the purple figs, green tomato, ‘horseblanket’, wet oak wood, redcurrant, sour grapes, lemon, damp hay. Acidic onset, lemony and crisp, with the lambic’s natural green apple-, lime- and gooseberry-like fruitiness greatly enhanced by a vivid sweet-sourness from the figs, which are in that sense clearly present without dominating; spritzy, sharp carbonation, drying yet fruity lactic acidity pushing through a bready core with tannic finish from the fruit peel and wood, lots of bright, farm fresh sour berry effects radiating in the end, even encompassing a citric, summery colour. The fig does not push through in a very recognisable way at least aromatically speaking, but what happens here instead, is even more beguiling: the added fruit amplifies the natural fruitiness of the lambic and does that to such a bright, colourful and refreshingly sunny degree that it made this one the best of the evening for me. Truly stunning, I would love to see this one come out bottled!
Alengrin (10989) reviewed Buffalo Grand Cru (2014) from Van Den Bossche 3 weeks ago
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 7.5 | Texture - 7 | Overall - 8
Aged bottle of this wine barrel aged Flemish stout, the first vintage of which came out in 2012; had this young too, but the 2014 vintage - at ten years of age - was significant enough to briefly do a 'batch rating' of it. From a 75 cl bottle shared by Erwin P. at Rock Circus in Ghent. Still producing moussey, pale grey-beige foam, opening and dissolving; murky chestnut brown robe with dark brown-beige glow. Lovely 'old' and maderised aroma: very old caramel candy, medium dry sherry, tawny port, oxidized red wine, balsamico, old brown bread, black cherries, tea, dark plums, some wood. Sweet onset, dried plum, medlar and fig jam, softish carb with very smooth, creamy mouthfeel; rounded caramelly and toffeeish malts, 'Koetjesreep' and hints of brown bread and hazelnut, under strong sherry- and madera-like oxidation, old red wine in a most noble and elegant way. Very mild wood and hop notes but the oxidized dark malts really get all the credit here. I was not as impressed by this when it just came out, but after ten years of ageing, it has admittedly acquired a lovely portorisation, even accentuating the basic sweetness a bit. Surprisingly good after ten years.
Alengrin (10989) reviewed Barebones from Blackout Brewing 3 weeks ago
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8
Whisky-barrel aged barleywine by the Hop Hooligans in Romania, a brewery which has astounded me with high-level craft beers more than one time in the past years, at Blackout Brewing, another Romanian craft brewer with a firm reputation - this cannot go wrong. Medium thick, tiny-bubbled, cream white head quickly opening under influence of the alcohol but retaining as a thinnish ring around the edge; initially clear deep and pure warm amber with reddish shine and disparate sparkling, turning misty with sediment. Intense bouquet of candied orange, vanilla-exuding oak wood, Grand Marnier and indeed actual single malt Speyside whisky, Sultana raisins, marmalade, caramel candy, wet toast, almond, biscuit, fig liqueur, dry white pepper and something solventy (varnish). Clean, sweet onset, candied fig and yellow raisins, marmalade, orange zest, mildly carbonated with very oily and vinous yet smooth mouthfeel, a tad syrupy even but perfectly fit for the style. Biscuity, almondy, caramelly, smooth maltiness under liqueurish sweetness and warming, increasing Scotch whisky, together combining into an almost Drambuie-like effect, while vanilla from the oak wood (and the whisky itself) rises up retronasally. Candied sugariness, biscuit, oak wood and whisky all work together in creating a warming, soothing, liqueurish and only slightly solventy finish. As powerful and intense as it is elegant and streamlined: very ‘classic’ for a barrel aged English style barleywine, yet postmodern at the same time. The perfect nuances have been attained here.