't Smisje BBBourgondier

A dark and heavy ale - the strongest that the brewery has ever produced - in which three varieties of malt and two spices are utilised. It is brewed "in honour of" the Burgundian Babble Belt, a well known web-site on the Internet, where beer lovers can exchange all sorts of information.

Had this at Monk's

The ABV is 12.0 and the IBU rating is ??
Style - Quadrupel
Glass to use- Snifter, Tulip, Goblet or Chalice
Delivery 330ml Bottle

Can be cellared for long periods, under the proper conditions.

The Pour - Pours a dark ruby color with no head. No lacing.
Aroma - Lots of dark fruit here, mostly raisins.
Taste -  Thick molasses and dark fruits, wine like, kind of like a sherry.
Mouth Feel - Very dry, hints of a bitter chocolate after taste.
Drinkable - Drinkable but a sipper. 

This beer may pair well with cheese and smoked meats.

This beer gets a Duper rating of A+.
BeerAdvocate Rating =B+
Ratebeer Rating = 93

Thomas Hardy's Ale - Vintage 1994

Scarce, subtle and complex, Thomas Hardy’s Ale is the beer enthusiast’s equivalent of rare cognac. Bottle-conditioned to mature in the bottle like fine wine, this old ale/barley wine will improve with age for at least 26 years (and we’re still counting!). Not for the faint of palate, especially when young and brash, maturity brings an elegance of flavors unmatched by any other beer—if you have the patience to cellar it for at least a decade.

This blog is for the 1994 release which I had at Monk's Cafe' in February of 2011 (that's right a 17 year old beer!).  I will not say how much I paid for it....

Compared with J.W. Lees '97, '98, '99 and 2000 the Hardy's 1994 takes the cake.  The extra five or so years makes a huge difference in a good way.  It was worth every penny! 

The ABV is 11.7 (15.0) and the IBU rating is ??
Style - Old Ale
Glass to use- Snifter, Tulip, Oversized Wine Glass
Delivery 330ml Bottle

Should be cellared for long periods, under the proper conditions. Ah Men.

The Pour - Pours a dark brown color with no head as expected. No lacing but a clear coat on the glass.
Aroma - Lots of dark fruit here, mostly raisins.
Taste -  Up front I get dark fruits, figs, cherries, mostly raisins, then caramel. Very much like a aged wine or sherry.  Hints of a bitter chocolate after taste which was unexpected.
Mouth Feel - Big and bold!  No carbonation, very smooth no burn from the alcohol.
Drinkable - Very drinkable but a sipper.  Don't know the alcohol content due to aging, my guess is 15%. 

This beer may pair well with cheese but just enjoy it without food.

This beer gets a Duper rating of A+.
BeerAdvocate Rating =A
Ratebeer Rating = 99

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Weyerbacher - Insanity

Insanity, first released November 2004, is Weyerbacher's latest creation in the world of cutting edge beers. Insanity is made by aging our perfectly balanced Blithering Idiot Barleywine in oak bourbon casks. This incredible combination creates a melange of flavors such as malt, dates, oak, vanilla, and bourbon just to name a few.

The ABV is 11.1 and the IBU rating is ??
Style - Oak Aged Barleywine
Glass to use- Pint Glass, Snifter, Oversized Wine Glass
Delivery 12oz Bottle

Can be cellared for long periods, under the proper conditions.

The Pour - Pours a cloudy orange/brown color with a tan head that disappears. Good lacing.
Aroma - Licorices, candy, vanilla, and oak tannins, and hints of coconut (strange).
Taste - Same a the aroma.
Mouth Feel - Just the right amount of carbonation and medium body.  Smooth.
Drinkable - Very strange taste that lingers.  It can be a nice drink it you like the odd taste.  I will let it age a bit before trying another bottle.  Cannot taste the alcohol at all, very well hidden.

This beer pairs well with deserts and cheese.

This beer gets a Duper rating of B.
BeerAdvocate Rating =A-
Ratebeer Rating = 98

De Dolle - Oerbier

Oerbier means original, from the spring. This beer has been brewed in small scale (5 gallons). Oerbier is brewed from no less than 6 malts. Poperinge Golding hops in flowers and a special yeast which makes it a little tart, especially with aging. At the brewery we have excellent cellars which have a constant temperature of 8°C and allow Oerbier to age at its best.

After a couple of years Oerbier tastes like it should have been blended with wine … Oerbier has been refermented in the bottle and contains a layer of yeast, having vitamins B. NAT en STRAF on the glasses means WET and STRONG, a warning for the 9.5 vol. alcohol content. The little person on the glasses is the Oerbier man, a simple creature who holds a brewers fork in his right hand, symbolizing the work and science, but looking to the other side, the result of all this, the glass of (Oer)beer. The artwork on the poster is a wallpainting found in Spain, (Altamira) and is considered by art lovers as being the best prehistoric art work (30,000 years BC).
 
I had at the Memphis Tap Room in February of 2011.  The Beer Advocate Brothers were in town for a small bar hopping tour witch started at the Memphis Tap Room. 

The ABV is 9.5 and the IBU rating is ??
Style - Belgium Strong Dark Ale
Glass to use- Snifter, Tulip, Goblet, Oversized Wine Glass
Delivery: 355ml Bottle

Can be cellared for long periods, under the proper conditions.

The Pour - Pours a reddish brown color with a little head. Nice lacing.
Aroma - Dark fruit.
Taste -  Malty with some caramel.
Mouth Feel - Nice carbonation and smooth, medium body.
Drinkable - This is a good dark Belgium though it should be aged a bit more.  

This beer may pair well with cheese and most meats.

This beer gets a Duper rating of A.
BeerAdvocate Rating =A-
Ratebeer Rating = 99

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Thomas Hardy's Ale - 2007

Scarce, subtle and complex, Thomas Hardy’s Ale is the beer enthusiast’s equivalent of rare cognac. Bottle-conditioned to mature in the bottle like fine wine, this old ale/barley wine will improve with age for at least 26 years (and we’re still counting!). Not for the faint of palate, especially when young and brash, maturity brings an elegance of flavors unmatched by any other beer—if you have the patience to cellar it for at least a decade.

This blog is for the 2007 release which I had at the Memphis Tap Room in February of 2011.  The Beer Advocate Brothers were in town for a small bar hopping tour.

The 2007 is still a very young ale, needs to age for another 10 years.   See my blog for the 1994 version of this brew.


The ABV is 11.7 and the IBU rating is ??
Style - Old Ale
Glass to use- Snifter, Tulip, Oversized Wine Glass
Delivery 8.5oz Bottle

Should be cellared for long periods, under the proper conditions. Ah Men.

The Pour - Pours a dark brown color with some head. No lacing but a clear coat on the glass.
Aroma - Mostly raisins and malty.
Taste -  The dark fruit, mostly raisins. Like a sherry or port.
Mouth Feel - Big and bold!  No carbonation, very smooth no burn from the alcohol.
Drinkable - Very drinkable but a sipper.  

This beer may pair well with cheese but just enjoy it without food.

This beer gets a Duper rating of A.
BeerAdvocate Rating =A-
Ratebeer Rating = 99