Steenbrugge Dubble Bruin

On a dreadful afternoon after an equally onerous class my classmate and I ventured into Antwerp to find a new beer to taste. We scoured the internet to find an establishment that was open in the early afternoon and to our luck we found one in the theaterbuurt; Cafe Kulminator.

The 30 year old establishment emanated an exclusive atmosphere as visitors could only be admitted by ringing the doorbell, which at that moment was broken. After what felt like an eternity waiting in the rain, the owner noticed us peering through the window and slowly shuffled her way towards the door.

Upon entering it was almost as if we were transported to another time. Huge wooden beams, large wall fixtures and plant overgrowth gave the cafe the feel of an medieval tavern. When we inquired for the beer list the owner presented us with what could only be described as a beer encyclopedia.

Thirty minutes had passed and we finally selected our beers. Steenbrugge dubble bruin would be my salve for the miserable afternoon weather.

Steenbrugge had a distinct flavour reminiscent of prunes and the carbonation was flatter than I was expecting. The rich malty character coupled with the unique mix of spices called "gruut" was welcoming and blended nicely with the rich fruity character of the beer. My best guess is that the hop variety used was creating the prune sensation. What I couldn't determine was where the sourness was coming from. It added a nice complexity that further balanced the sweetness from the hop. 

I found the mouthfeel to be quite smooth and mellow. There was a full-bodied character to the beer, but somehow despite all these good qualities the beer tasted as though it was lacking spirit. I understand the irony of this statement as the beer was both 6.5% and an abbey beer.

Overall I enjoyed the steenbrugge dubble bruin beer, but I can't say I would go out of my way to have it again.

Rating: 2.75/5

Cusquena Quinoa Beer, a Taste of Peru?

After a whimsical evening drinking some of the finest cocktails Antwerp has to offer, my wife and I were feeling peckish. Thankfully there was a rustic burrito hovel to satiate our hunger just around the corner; Pick & Mex.

Out of the corner of my eye I spotted a beer with a unique label. It turns out, it was a beer from Peru made from quinoa. Despite having a healthy amount of libations earlier, I felt obligated to drink this peculiar ale. May I introduce to you the beer of the moment. CUSQUEÑA, a 6.5% blond beer.

The first thing that struck me about this Lima beer was the bitterness. The bitterness is akin to a long awaited departure; it's bitter sweet.  The incorporation of orange and peach notes cut the bitterness and add a freshness to the flavour profile.

The mouthfeel was unremarkable. While this normally would be an indictment against the swill, in this instance it was okay. There were so many new sensations present that a remarkable mouthfeel might have only served as a distraction rather than a unifying quality.

The blend of corn, barley and quinoa created a lighter, sweet, malty flavour. Personally, I welcomed the complexity of the quinoa malt, but I can see how others may find this characteristic off-putting.

Cusquena is an excellent beer for pairing with red meet or a carb heavy meal, but it is not what one would consider an easy drinking beer by any stretch of the imagination. The selection of grains used in this brew gives the beer it's unique character and if you are able to find cusquena I highly recommend trying it.

Rating: 3/5 a complex yet balanced effort.

 

Thinking about the Planet of the Apes book, with some special beers

 I bought the Planet of the Apes book online, science fiction is not my thing, I like reading history more, but it caught my attention because I only paid 5 euros. So during the week I was immersed in reading, imagining the captivating Nova and Ulysse Mérou and his travel companions, fleeing from the clutches of the apes.

To free my imagination, I have gone to drink a few beers, so I went to drink three special beers for their flavor and their origin. I must say that they all surprised me.

The first beer was a Steenuilke , fabulous. They gave me their bottle and their glass. the beer is very foamy, blonde in color, quite a unique tasting beer, a subtle blend of malt, fruit and herbal flavours. Its bottle is amber in color, 33 cl, has 6.5% Alc. Vol, is produced at the De Ryck Brewery is a brewery in Herzele in East Flanders, Belgium. and has won awards at the "European beer Staar".

Pierre Boulle's book was first published in French "La Planète des singes" and was first made into a film in 1968, a time when great science fiction productions flooded the cinema such as "2001: A Space Odyssey", "Star Wars (1977). The company that financed the film was 20th Century Fox.

I ordered a second beer, the Crianza beer produced by Brasserie de la Senne in Brussels. Just something new quite original. This beer is a family of Flemish-Red and Flemish-Brown beers. The beer comes in a 33 cl amber bottle, has an alcoholic strength of 7.4%, low foam, with pleasant flavors of fruits, spices and wines.

I'm still curious to keep trying specialty beers, so I've ordered a beer Pühaste , Now if I go at the speed of light crossing towards Betelgeuse. This beer is very soft with a 4% alcoholic strength, it was brought to me in a 33 cl aluminum can, it is a beer produced in Estonia, A lime Gose, It has a fruity aroma. Malts: Pilsner, Wheat, lactose, Hops: Magnum.

I only have one concern with the book. Why did Ulysse take Nova and not Zira?

Een kruidig zomer cadeautje

Op deze fijne lente dag mijn vriend en ik maak een kleine viering omdat we 2.3 Nederlands afronden🥳.

 Voor onze viering hebben we de nieuwste bier van De Koninck proberen, Lost in Spice Unfiltered.

Eerlijk de bier was een beetje zoals sinaasappelsap. Er was zacht kruiden zoals kardemom, citroen, gembre en koriander dat een complex aroma maakt. De schuim was delicaat en het verdweed snel na gieten. Deze pale ale was ongefilterd, welke voegd ronder voller volmondig.

Het is makkelijk om te drinken, maar let op! Het is een 6.5% bier maar je kan niet het smaaken. 

Lost in Spice offert een saprijk volsmaakt maar het voelde niet zoals ik een bier drinken was. Voor sommige mensen zou dit een voordeel maar voor mij zou ik liefst  meer bier charakter in de smaakt. 

Beoordeling: 3/5 een goed zomer bier.

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