Chester's Beers of the World: September 2011

Thursday, September 22, 2011

LA VACHE FOLLE IMPERIAL MILK STOUT (CANADA)

Ultimately jet-black in colour with a coffee-coloured cream head, this milk stout offers rich notes of dark chocolate, coffee, brown sugar and toffee on the nose and palate.

9.0% Alc./Vol. (500 ml bottle)

Official webpage here.

LA CHI ORIENTALE (CANADA)

This is a straw-yellow coloured wheat beer with a strong ginger aroma and floral hops on the palate.

5.5% Alc./Vol. (341 ml bottle)

HOP CITY BARKING SQUIRREL LAGER (CANADA)

Medium-bodied and burnt-orange in colour, this lager has a bold and somewhat bitter hop taste.

5.0% Alc./Vol. (473 ml can)

Official website here.

GRANVILLE ISLAND ENGLISH BAY PALE ALE (CANADA)

This pale ale has a rich maple syrup colour and an aroma of breads, malts and burnt sugars with roasted caramel notes. With a caramel-inflected taste, it has a very light hoppy profile.

5.0% Alc./Vol. (341 ml bottle)

Official website here.

DERNIERE VOLONTE (CANADA)

A Belgian-style blonde ale with a distinctly happy finish. Its taste is a blend of creme, coriander and citrus complemented by hops and spicy yeast.

6.5% Alc./Vol. (341 ml bottle)

Official website here.

CORNE DU DIABLE (CANADA)

An India Pale Ale with a bitter, citrusy palate.

6.5% Alc./Vol. (341 ml bottle)

Official website here.

CENTRAL CITY RED RACER IPA (CANADA)

Orangish-gold with a complex nose of hops, citrus and malt simultaneously, this India pale ale’s taste is bitter yet hoppy, starting with a citrus palate which fades into a malt profile.

6.5% Alc./Vol. (355 ml can)

Official website here.

BLUEBERRY ALE PUMP HOUSE (CANADA)

Golden-orange in colour with an aroma of fresh blueberries and sweet flavours on the palate.

5.0% Alc./Vol. (341 ml bottle)

Official website here.

BLANCHE DU PARADIS (CANADA)

Spicy and slightly tart, this Belgian-style wheat beer is flavoured with coriander and orange peels.

5.0% Alc./Vol. (341 ml bottle)

Official website here.

APHRODITE (CANADA)

A rich, decadent, strong stout flavoured with whole cocoa nibs and vanilla beans.

6.5% Alc./Vol. (341 ml bottle)

Official website here.

WITTEKERKE WIT (BELGIUM)

This wheat beer is cloudy, coriander-spicy with citrus all of the way through.

5.2% Alc./Vol. (250 ml bottle)

Official website here.

WESTVLETEREN 12 -- “GOLD CAP” (BELGIUM)

This is the rarest of the rare: the Trappist monks who brew it limit customers to one case each. It pours a muted brown colour with a fluffy, off-white head. The lightly toasted dough aroma exudes swells of dark fruit with raisins, fresh plum and a touch of alcohol. It opens like liquid bread splashed down the tongue with a light candy sweetness that strums the taste buds. Like the aroma, plum and raisin soon emerge, adding sweet depth to the flavour before spicy, warming alcohol tingles in the back. Balanced and velvety, “Westy 12” coats the tongue just as quickly as it evaporates after the swallow.

10.2% Alc./Vol. (330 ml bottle)

Official website here. Eponymous webpage here. Below is an image of the Trappist Abbey of Saint Sixtus of Westvleteren where the brewery is located.

WESTVLETEREN 8 -- “BLUE CAP” (BELGIUM)

A dark hazelnut brown ale with a heady aroma of fruit (citrus, raisins, blueberries – you name it, it’s in there!) and lots of deep, sweet malt. On the palate, there are flavours of various fruits, sweet maltiness and a hint of toffee.

8.0% Alc./Vol. (330 ml bottle)

Official webpage here.

WESTVLETEREN 6 -- “GREEN CAP” (BELGIUM)

This is a blonde ale that starts with a big grain nose and is followed by a very serious hop palate.

5.8% Alc./Vol. (330 ml bottle)

Official webpage here.

SPARTA PILS (BELGIUM)

Pale yellow in colour with a mild, fruity nose of grain and hops, this pilsner’s palate is creamy with light hop notes.

5.2% Alc./Vol. (250 ml bottle)

Official webpage here.

ST. LOUIS GUEUZE FOND TRADITION (BELGIUM)

This gueuze beer is a hazy, light-orange in colour with a lemony, earthy, and peppery-spiced nose. The palate is of sour lemon.

5.0% Alc./Vol. (375 ml bottle)

Official interactive website here (follow through to “the basement”).

PALM (BELGIUM)

This amber ale has a light malt nose and palate.

5.1% Alc./Vol. (330 ml bottle)

Official website here.

LA CHOUFFE (BELGIUM)

This strong pale ale is spicy, aromatic and amber-orange in colour.

8.0% Alc./Vol. (750 ml bottle)

Official website here.

KELLER PILSNER (BELGIUM)

This gold-coloured beer with an aroma of roasted malt is creamy with light hoppy notes.

5.0% Alc./Vol. (500 ml can)

KASTEEL DONKER (BELGIUM)

Chestnut-brown with a rigid taste, this beer is very sweet and situates dark fruits like plum, raising, prune and fig against a malt backing. It also features notes of molasses, brown sugar and Belgian yeast.

11.0% Alc./Vol. (330 ml bottle)

Official interactive website here (follow through to “the basement”).

HOOGSTRATEN POORTER (BELGIUM)

This porter is medium dark brown in colour with a nose of sweet malt. The palate is semi-sweet with undertones of toffee and caramel.

7.2% Alc./Vol. (750 ml bottle)

Official website here.

BUSH DE NUITS (BELGIUM)

Aged in a red burgundy barrel, this strong dark ale has a semi-sweet nose and palate.

13% Alc./Vol. (750 ml bottle)

BUSH (BELGIUM)

This is a barleywine that is copper in colour with a candy, fruity nose and palate.

12% Alc./Vol. (250 ml bottle)

Official website here.

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

BOKRIJKS KRUIKENBIER (BELGIUM)

This strong pale ale is golden orange in colour with a light, frothy, egg-white coloured head. On the nose, one will discover typical Belgian yeast, candied apricots and orange peel. This offering is mild and mellow to the palate.

7.2% Alc./Vol. (750 ml bottle)

Official website here.

BACCHUS FLEMISH OLD BROWN (BELGIUM)

A typical Flemish beer of the style known as Sour Red, Flemish Burgundy or Old Brown, this beer is aged in oak casks and somewhat resembles a limbic. It has a pleasant wine-like flavour and a slightly acidic aftertaste. Its wrapped bottle is a homespun touch.