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an exception

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While there are Christmas beers happily floating around by now, there aren’t actually that many. It’s almost the same as official Oktoberfest beers. I guess it’s time to bend my Calenbeer rules and make an exception to my black beer standard, but with a Belgian beer that you could possibly sneak in with it’s seasonal brethren. Westmalle, a classic of the widely available Belgian exports, shows off its stuff with a Trappist Triple, in a uniquely collared bottle. Although the label is fairly simple, the fact of being Belgian lends a certain festive flair to the beer, so it should be welcome in the ranks.

The triple is supposed to be light, but it seems surprisingly so to me, one of those lemony straw colored beers. The head would make a pilsner proud, at least for a few minutes. The aroma is at once sharp and citric and mellow and bready. It feels like a tangy Belgian aroma more than anything. The taste starts out with a full round bitter, melting into a wheaty tang at the back of the tongue, and sweeping down the throat pithy bitter again. It’s almost medicinal, with a hearty bitterness that gives you the sensation that it’s good for you. Sometimes sweeter notes peek through, slightly lemon candy and slightly clover juice.

Supplier: Hop Hop Hurrah
Price: €3.75

one moment

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I’m still on my quest for shade and shadows, and Hop Hop Hurrah…does not have a whole lot of that actually. They have much more bright and saucy stuff, and a good selection of sodas and non-alcoholic beers, for the family oriented gathering I would guess. It’s not completely devoid of stouts and porters, though, Drunken Bros was in the fridge and a couple of super special barrel aged bottles were on high shelves. They were a little too special for my solo Calenbeer journey. In the end, Dougall’s fit the bill with their lovely Session Stout. At about half the alcohol of Bocq’s Christmas beer, it’s a good step back for a little breather before plunging deeper into the dark.

Warm dark brown color and fluffy beige head, along with a slightly smoky stout aroma. There’s also a tiny bit of musky hops. Or is that something they managed to pull out of the highlighted malt? It has a grungy flavor, earthy, bitter, a little bit salty. It’s a pretty standard stout on the face of it. The bitterness gives it strength, but it’s a light liquidy example of its type. It’s one of those especially clean stouts, the ones you can drink without paying attention if you feel like it. Very appropriate for a session beer. At the same time, it has character and subtle pride in itself that comes through over the tongue. The simplicity almost makes it a palate cleanser, but it doesn’t have the snap or astringency that you might want for that particular job; instead, it’s a pleasant interlude, a quiet moment of reflection. Who doesn’t need one of those once in a while?

Supplier: Hop Hop Hurrah
Price: €2.75

happy surprise

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Another step into the lighter side with a specifically Christmas beer. Belgian, of course. And more than 8%, so that’s one for the Christmas party. I don’t think I’ve had the pleasure of Bocq before, although I might have just forgotten, since I don’t go for Belgian beers as a general habit. I have definitely not tried Gauloise, even if I have had some other bit of brewing from them.

Dark ruddy brown liquid and barely beige fluffy head, festive looking and smelling. It has a very bright and cidery aroma, with hints of lemon and melon. The look makes me expect cinnamon or ginger, but I can’t pick it out. The taste is almost shockingly alcoholy, even knowing the strength of the beer ahead of time. It has a sort of liquid metal feel to it, slippery and moveable, but with a noticeable heft. Although there is a bit of a tang upfront, there isn’t the typical Belgian aftertaste, which I appreciate. I expected a little more of a warming effect, either from the strength or from the psychological idea of a Christmas beer, but it turns out to be a light touch, just a joy for the palate without burying you. As a final secret gift, there is cinnamon if you let the beer warm up a little more. As seasonal beers go, it’s a triumph!

Supplier: Labirratorium
Price: €2.85

striking

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It’s not a stout, not an especially Christmasy beer, the label doesn’t even have much going on. But I couldn’t resist a dunkel bock called…Don’t Call Me Uncle. I thought there was something about “drunk uncle” in there too, but it seems I made that part up. I’m a little surprised that this German style was made by an Irish brewery, but then that’s the magic of craft beer – all styles belong to everybody.

It’s a lovely golden brown with a reasonable amount of head and a fresh, orchardy scent. It has the round, sweet malt of a bock, and a little bit of green apple tartness. Although the flavor is what I expect, this beer feels like a lighter version of a bock, with everything feeling light and airy instead of earthy. It’s an interesting balance of summery brightness with a wintery aura. Smooth, a drink for a conversation, but with enough personality to be the center of attention.

Supplier: Be Hoppy
Price: €6.50

no black outs

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The veritable god of Spanish stouts is Laugar. They have a whole line of them, with variations of barrel aging and other special ingredients that put most stouts of the world to shame. Sure, there are delicious pastry and chocolate stouts, but when those are excellent they are exceptionally excellent, while Laugar’s stouts are each and every one a delight. Black Tundra is a “simple” Russian imperial stout, so no super extra added processes, but I am confident that it will be absolutely satisfying.

It has the tactile, almost visible scent that Laugar’s extra-heavy stouts often have. It smells a little plummy, a little like medicinal alcohol. It’s a fruit cake giving off all the vapors of its liquor. It’s a much earthier flavor than you might think from a sniff, more whisky than rum in there. It has a definite body, leaning into melted Jello, but in spite of the obvious ABV it’s smooth and not hard to swallow at all. It’s a very stable and resistant beer, holding onto the same feeling and taste from start to finish. There’s no weird aftertaste or texture build-up, as long as it’s the feel that you enjoy it’s an enjoyable beer all the way to the bottom of the bottle. And for me, that’s exactly what it is. Can’t go wrong with a Laugar stout!

Supplier: Labirratorium
Price: €5.45

mother of beers

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Now this looks like a beer I should have had a few weeks ago! Still, better late than never. Of course the can was what caught my eye first, but it is also a desired imperial stout, and from Sibeeria! The design should tip you off to the specific type of stout therein. That’s right, Mexican hot chocolate! I think it will definitely be…Padrísimo.

It pours like a heavy stout, not quite liqui-gel but getting there. I manage to get a nice head of dark beige foam this time, and while it settles down to a much more unassuming level, it still looks like it will do the job. As I have been learning, if anyone knows how to make beer head work, it’s the Czechs. It’s surprisingly un-aromatic, with just a whiff of smoky fire lurking. Getting deep down into the glass, it seems like there’s a little chocolate in there too. The first sip is pure stout, just a little bitter and earthy, but that rolls back to reveal the chili infused chocolate. It’s only a touch of spiciness, a lot like the chocolates with chili bits. You get more spice in the aftertaste than in the mouthful itself. The chocolate part is lighter than I would expect; usually these types of stouts have a darker, baking chocolate character, but this one puts milk chocolate in mind. It’s a sweet middle-taste, lightening the touch of the heavy stout before letting the tickle of the chili follow everything down. The combination of a lighter chocolate and the uplift of chilis makes this stout a very easy drinker and happy company rather than the limelight seeker that some strong-flavored or higher alcohol beers can be. Está padre, de verdad.

Supplier: Más Que Cervezas
Price: €8.20

let down

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Another pre-holiday holiday, so maybe it’s a good time to break out another seasonal beer. St. Peter’s has a safe place among beers, so it seemed like the way to go rather than another Belgian. There are plenty of days left to give another one a chance. Christmas Ale has a more festive label than their standard beers and promises some festive flavors as well.

Similar in appearance to Delirium, but less explosive. There’s kind of a fruitcake aroma to it, happy and light. But, there’s something else in there too, something dark and … peppery? It definitely has a stronger flavor than Delirium, but it’s a weird, kind of dishwatery flavor. Is the Christmas ale off? It certainly doesn’t have the spicy tastes that the label says, and there is that bit of cardboard that isn’t a great thing for a beer’s preservation status. It feels like it’s trying to come back from the poor first impression, throwing a little apple cider into the mix, but it just doesn’t come up to expectations. Kind of sad, but maybe we should be more used to disappointments these days.

Supplier: Más Que Cervezas
Price: €4.99

wake up

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It seems to me that the stouts are getting more and more extravagant, which means they are also getting more and more expensive. I guess if you want something special you better be ready to shell out. I also guess since it’s the end of the year we can treat ourselves a little bit. And if anything’s a treat, it’s a flavored imperial stout, something like vanilla, coffee and maple all together. Latvian Arpus and Michigander Transient have made something that appears gentle and subdued on the label, but might turn out to be quite the flavor bomb.

Another next-to-headless pour. Maybe I’m letting things get a little too cold. Somehow the aroma is frosty, even though it’s clearly the vanilla and maple promised on the can. It’s one of those very dark brown beers, not terrifying black, like overdone syrup. The taste is a maple explosion, with a good floor of pancake. It’s really like drinking breakfast, although there’s no scrambled eggs or breakfast sausage in the beginning. It is pretty heavy on the sweet side, without any of the savoriness or even saltiness some of the other pastry stouts have brandished. If there’s any change in the flavor over time, it’s that it gets a little more sour after a while. It still feels slick and unburdensome, much softer than you would expect from the advertised elements. Maybe I should have kept this one for a little while longer, getting closer to the end of the season with a greater emphasis on the sweet and sugary to keep your engines burning. Oh well, I’m sure I won’t be without tasty beers over the month, extra sweetened or not.

Supplier: Be Hoppy
Price: €9.50

oh, what dreams await

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Well, here we are on St. Nicholas Day, or Our Lady of the Holy Constitution as it might be thought of in my country of residence. Seems appropriate to get something more seasonal on such a date. Of course, I could have dug out another chocolate stout, and even left it in a shoe on the windowsill overnight. Somehow that didn’t seem quite as fitting as a known Belgian name – Delirium Christmas. As famous as Delirium is, I have never in fact tasted it. Not the tremens, not the Christmas beer, nothin’! I guess there was always something I felt more comfortable with. Well, in spite of my commitment to dark December stout, I feel like I should accept a few Christmas themed beers, and damn if that elephant isn’t festive.

This one was a little over excited, fizzing all over as soon as the cap came off. Still enough for a nice glass, though. The aroma is sour, appley, slightly woody. After settling a little there’s more bread than wood. It’s a rich coppery brown, so distinctly lighter than my last few days, but it certainly smells weightier. The flavor is delicate but definitely oaky. I was expecting more of a tang from it, being a Belgian beer and all, but it really doesn’t leave much behind. It’s heavy as you sip, but once the swallow starts it drifts off without a fuss. I’m almost disappointed, having expected a real heavyweight, but it’s undeniably cozy. Towards the end of the glass, it has started to roughen up, not letting you drink mindlessly, which is certainly better in the long run. One can go down alright, but trying for more could be a dangerous decision. You could end up feeling like you got run over by an elephant.

Supplier: La Buena Cerveza
Price: €4.15

from the café

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This was another one that I couldn’t just leave behind. Sachertorte pastry stout? Fuck yes, Frontaal! You might imagine that some Austrian brewers or even Bavarians were behind this, but it’s the Dutch Frontaal Brewing Company. Calling it Piece of Cake #1 makes me think there’s a whole series that I should be looking for. Beer for thought, indeed.

Small explosion but no disaster, head accumulates but then dies back quickly, good dark beige to it promises cake. This beer has more of a marzipan aroma than the one that claimed to have it, along with a touch of bread and wood. It has a much richer flavor than the first few stouts, although not quite as layered as Dead Barrel. It definitely gives the sensation of liquid cake, with a little chocolate, nuttiness, and perhaps just a whisper of ginger. It feels like it ought to have to little bit of spice to balance out the sweetness, but it really doesn’t. It’s a heavy battery baked good in a can. Maybe all that weight will keep your thoughts from wandering too far.

Supplier: La Buena Cerveza
Price: €6.75

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