Blog Tracker
10-11-2021, 09:46
Visit The Beer Nut site (https://thebeernut.blogspot.com/2021/11/for-gram.html)
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg6pkC_S5erA-8j7p28q3BluTASidbcv2egGaFZJEIG68vX_Fe49LJRsFKLUTbZ n7_P5qXehga4fzUNodOnwW852glssxNcBehN1yQC1sbocYFEe_ bHNaykErvXwLj5Gfstbwnzka38UMENtn6500XOOsFx2Lob_xpG v-GFK8jJIEiho9JPaco=s320 (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg6pkC_S5erA-8j7p28q3BluTASidbcv2egGaFZJEIG68vX_Fe49LJRsFKLUTbZ n7_P5qXehga4fzUNodOnwW852glssxNcBehN1yQC1sbocYFEe_ bHNaykErvXwLj5Gfstbwnzka38UMENtn6500XOOsFx2Lob_xpG v-GFK8jJIEiho9JPaco=s2048)From Zwolle, we set off further westwards on Saturday morning for Gramsbergen, a small town about 3km from the border with Germany. G-berg, as nobody calls it, is home to the Mommeriete (https://mommeriete.nl/) brewery, set in a rustic canalside inn, all oak beams and porcelain fireplaces. We missed getting to see it as its normal cosy self since they were gearing up for a beer festival: one organised to celebrate 20 years of the Dutch beer consumers' organisation PINT, onto which was tacked the official 30th birthday bash for EBCU. It was a modest affair, beginning in the the afternoon and finishing at 7pm, and only three guest breweries were in attendance.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjPk36AD1cwFMnE4HLAqPdizuocOVtxsxEF9zFW6bgAiK htYVFVNhlHtN86ZDnxesQigiftDSs1eNV4cOSUNOJr6ags9k3Q qjd7muqzalsAc2O8Vt6Lcpvpe_1zIHzzmROiiGNZS_Y8Ng7bl_ utMhvbIucGgR98u7OO9M1--uRzZnFc2PEKUZA=w164-h200 (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjPk36AD1cwFMnE4HLAqPdizuocOVtxsxEF9zFW6bgAiK htYVFVNhlHtN86ZDnxesQigiftDSs1eNV4cOSUNOJr6ags9k3Q qjd7muqzalsAc2O8Vt6Lcpvpe_1zIHzzmROiiGNZS_Y8Ng7bl_ utMhvbIucGgR98u7OO9M1--uRzZnFc2PEKUZA=s2048)But it was only good manners to begin with the house beers and my first was Vrouwe Van Gramsbergh, Mommeriete's quadrupel. It's a rich brown colour and 10% ABV, all of which suggested something big and wholesome, but perhaps because it was cold on draught it actually proved quite light; refreshing, even. There's a fun and fruity flavour profile showing plump raisins and meadow flowers, finishing on a pinch of grassy bitterness. The base is all easy-going milk chocolate. Perhaps it's just as well that the first beer of the day wasn't a palate-thumper. I appreciate this kind of gentler approach to quadrupel.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhDbjB4XOxpGsD83jTO8i55dVE8p6K9TXeRu7ACtWQPAY xYrmFjw6OrpOcw3zYJ3Nq1HyufgDdVKbud1Ak2iSDFnNgVZMbt xy5Q9_DVqpxAe8Xm8OSghbG_RoDdyocQyZnSzocJpKLjentzTs ffvfoC0xfsEborIXwPcArUw1DcQYw_fDnraXY=w163-h200 (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhDbjB4XOxpGsD83jTO8i55dVE8p6K9TXeRu7ACtWQPAY xYrmFjw6OrpOcw3zYJ3Nq1HyufgDdVKbud1Ak2iSDFnNgVZMbt xy5Q9_DVqpxAe8Xm8OSghbG_RoDdyocQyZnSzocJpKLjentzTs ffvfoC0xfsEborIXwPcArUw1DcQYw_fDnraXY=s2048)De Vrouwe's husband, an imperial stout, was not on the roster, but I did get to try the tripel: Scheerse. This is another easy-going take on a strong style. It's the full 9% ABV and a proper pale golden shade. There's lots of rich honey in the flavour, if not in the mouthfeel, and a minimal but present amount of spicing. I'm always wary of big and flabby esters in microbrewed tripel but this neatly avoided all the usual pitfalls. I love the idea of popping in to your neighbourhood café and being able to enjoy tasty and accessible tripel or quadrupel, brewed on site, like these.
The day's first bock was a smoked one: De Vaandrig. Maybe because it only gets a limited run at a specific time of the year this one didn't seem quite dialled in to me. Though 6.7% ABV it's rather thin, missing the weighty caramel that makes Dutch autumn bock well suited to the season, especially when drinking it outdoors. The smoke, then, is unsubtle -- a raw sort of kippery effect that covers any nuance there may be. It's not a bad beer and was perfectly drinkable, but if it were mine I would be making tweaks to create something richer and more warming.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEibEwah4MMVy3e0oSI5PG5oblJzjZGVIqRlBgFEn4EPtF 2ffoI4zC1PYRegxI9J1v-CvHr6PbRdZTJI-lva-gtMBmL-4_BLQt45YdQinQcSuVVenh8YUfPpixE1mfUw-WfJAnFWZtkvB05cMNcqZZkzSdwirRuuHxF1c_4AMvHTVOBRD6A BWWE=w133-h200 (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEibEwah4MMVy3e0oSI5PG5oblJzjZGVIqRlBgFEn4EPtF 2ffoI4zC1PYRegxI9J1v-CvHr6PbRdZTJI-lva-gtMBmL-4_BLQt45YdQinQcSuVVenh8YUfPpixE1mfUw-WfJAnFWZtkvB05cMNcqZZkzSdwirRuuHxF1c_4AMvHTVOBRD6A BWWE=s2048)It didn't seem like the sort of place that would have a New England IPA in production but we live in strange times. Mommeriete's is called Het Varel and is a not-to-style clear amber colour. Told you it wasn't the right sort of place. Or am I being too hasty? It does taste properly juicy, with a hit of lemon rind for balance on the end. Unfortunately, after the initial thrill it starts to unravel, introducing a savoury character which I thought might be phenolic and tasted of burnt plastic to Reuben. By the end, the glass offered a mix of sweet fruit cordial and caramelised onions, which is not a happy time. Another recipe that needs work, I think, although abandoning it in favour of a clean and sharp west-coaster would be my actual recommendation.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEityAEl6DFMojcticoKhQ3pj2UQduHwDheuQzp25JK8px 2DK2Hx6rKfVw9Zega4Zvs0GrDnSsbCzQ0LAzr853X_EhRU7Yjy zoNikETSnQoh8boGydkDcCGN2d89dM0DgTGOQasBC1k8m1uABo jwylTpbXC70lkhipIWIN8ZXB-wVcY2LOuFonE=w123-h200 (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEityAEl6DFMojcticoKhQ3pj2UQduHwDheuQzp25JK8px 2DK2Hx6rKfVw9Zega4Zvs0GrDnSsbCzQ0LAzr853X_EhRU7Yjy zoNikETSnQoh8boGydkDcCGN2d89dM0DgTGOQasBC1k8m1uABo jwylTpbXC70lkhipIWIN8ZXB-wVcY2LOuFonE=s2048)Finally for Mommeriete, I came late to their strong blonde ale Jonkvrouwe. I seem to have had good luck with blonde ales all weekend because this was another cracker. Though only 7% ABV it has a lovely honey thickness, feeling richer than one might expect. This weighty Belgian-style malt character is balanced by a clean and zingy lemon sherbet. No bells and whistles, nothing fancy, just an extremely well designed and executed blonde ale. With everything else on offer I suspect that this may have been overlooked by many festival-goers but I'm glad I caught it.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjlOkCrx_HsPMJqXAh0FRX7kKxQGcpbXA6aRml844RnhF xgKeGh8WIAojIvRsktRfZbkLUmLOKuH5ieoES6f6ScALM7h1Vq fL5S4oBW9jhPNuWCTOVwA0qXhfzfrq3nn9b5WeBo03pAK693G1 6486LBWpMn1Tp84FX7EKQ8KujKWsTqkmBfqwI=w200-h173 (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjlOkCrx_HsPMJqXAh0FRX7kKxQGcpbXA6aRml844RnhF xgKeGh8WIAojIvRsktRfZbkLUmLOKuH5ieoES6f6ScALM7h1Vq fL5S4oBW9jhPNuWCTOVwA0qXhfzfrq3nn9b5WeBo03pAK693G1 6486LBWpMn1Tp84FX7EKQ8KujKWsTqkmBfqwI=s1675)Our friend from yesterday (https://thebeernut.blogspot.com/2021/11/zwolle-incognita.html), Stanislaus Brewskovitch, he of the strawberry/basil IPA fame, also had a stand. I only tried one from it, a "coffee milk oatmeal stout" called Cappu dei Capi. The first surprise here was the full-on black grain aroma -- almost burnt -- not what one would expect from a lactose-infused stout. It turned out to be not very sweet but with a pleasant light, creamy texture. The flavour really isn't as complex as the title suggests, the coffee flavours staying on a low key and tokenistic chocolate or caramel. This puts in the minimum work to meet the spec, but no more than that.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgIHij2_6N8g1J7bIOn4prLJfW77AwbF3epFS-_A7vVAsmjhxY7BtfmUfQd0CGebXjjaQd-HIdAMvZzeJz9pyd6DnfK3vDRf4p3zk5yKzz9YNOfvE2T4xFS29 y1hixcZokfi76mqbMUtKk1ua-8tFrdfHAHMnCQmkvP8wijN8XGzhtQsWh0SUs=w139-h200 (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgIHij2_6N8g1J7bIOn4prLJfW77AwbF3epFS-_A7vVAsmjhxY7BtfmUfQd0CGebXjjaQd-HIdAMvZzeJz9pyd6DnfK3vDRf4p3zk5yKzz9YNOfvE2T4xFS29 y1hixcZokfi76mqbMUtKk1ua-8tFrdfHAHMnCQmkvP8wijN8XGzhtQsWh0SUs=s2048)The stand next door was Avereest from the neighbouring town of Dedemsvaart. I couldn't pass up a uniquely Dutch historical style when on offer, so started here with Klungel, a kuitbier: 50% oat grist and given a retro-modern twist by using a Scandinavian kveik yeast. Hazy orange in the glass, it has a fresh-squeezed orange and lemon aroma. That becomes dry and slightly astringent grapefruit on tasting, balanced by softer sherbet zing. Though it looks murky it tastes clean and precise, and at only 5% ABV is very drinkable. This fits neatly into an IPA-shaped slot without having any IPA ancestry.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjcX-U8AUiG8Ll-9GCmdJQ0myZQRo4AsXNFnvSU8w6t9jBYzx9eTeHT-kLyZWpLdr9rqMYbZ6vkKKKiXmGBAIFxX8b5qX3c2zM2NQ7JDNS BZ00MbyIJqOIh-5ZUEMLMFZV2vObIwbsecy53U1sf_w24JITDEAMXQ1OayEiiQa-IAYepr3sbNYs=w120-h200 (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjcX-U8AUiG8Ll-9GCmdJQ0myZQRo4AsXNFnvSU8w6t9jBYzx9eTeHT-kLyZWpLdr9rqMYbZ6vkKKKiXmGBAIFxX8b5qX3c2zM2NQ7JDNS BZ00MbyIJqOIh-5ZUEMLMFZV2vObIwbsecy53U1sf_w24JITDEAMXQ1OayEiiQa-IAYepr3sbNYs=s2005)It was back on the quadrupel next, with Avereest's ominously-named PK21, another 10% ABV job. This was much more to style than the one above, albeit not necessarily in a good way. It's extremely heavy and boozy, with hot caramel and fruitcake giving way to chocolate and rum, finishing up on a solvent marker-pen burn. It's definitely a sipper, and a slow one at that. I think perhaps in other circumstances, ie sitting down indoors, this would be an interesting one to savour. Standing out in the cold while eyeing the menu for what to have next is not really its ideal environment.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjFwYdAR7ZMuFjhIlZ5B8jdxqtHoJ6RC6Tl3zQ25qABdR ThcjQJ3ZLhdFYvWMMBDcgaawn-SnaCYKUPHJy8NAuuqaE27EkeQPTg_bbaNfjk2AkKkn1FpnDsO3 pRf9YKpB_U37wrxnVOLGAhfFNVeXXHH_IlDHAS1EPYQ1Ez2biQ IvomN20xxLg=w158-h200 (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjFwYdAR7ZMuFjhIlZ5B8jdxqtHoJ6RC6Tl3zQ25qABdR ThcjQJ3ZLhdFYvWMMBDcgaawn-SnaCYKUPHJy8NAuuqaE27EkeQPTg_bbaNfjk2AkKkn1FpnDsO3 pRf9YKpB_U37wrxnVOLGAhfFNVeXXHH_IlDHAS1EPYQ1Ez2biQ IvomN20xxLg=s1535)Gooische attracted the most attention and, of the guests, had the biggest range on offer. One of them was a grape ale, so I was straight in for one of those: Grape Ale III. This being a less than cosmopolitan part of the world, my server took great pains to explain to me what I was getting into. It seems this wasn't to everyone's taste. For me, it tasted like a work in progress. It's a dark red colour and very wine flavoured -- sweet and spicy with ruby port qualities and hints of raspberry and cherry. The finish is dry but before that it's sugar all the way and that's where it differed from the best grape ales: it needs more attenuation, more maturing time. What's there now is uncomplex, approachable and pleasant, with no off flavours or anything jarring. But I could taste its potential too. I think the brewery is going to a good place if they stick with it.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhqvelNiV3F_sytFmHLH7B2ZmG5k1_yaEuC1MMRGM_BzS VbSImyNlRnJr5pFPteUkUjptJfBynKxO_BkJg7hteuVYao7IR2 ET01CD5Oy7VMmt0Oft1ERCfXmlxeqRCj1OML24gzNlYwyDaHi2 nk1lhcAxjeFj-dgZqpsad8-NR5tk4MapFmsbo=w121-h200 (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhqvelNiV3F_sytFmHLH7B2ZmG5k1_yaEuC1MMRGM_BzS VbSImyNlRnJr5pFPteUkUjptJfBynKxO_BkJg7hteuVYao7IR2 ET01CD5Oy7VMmt0Oft1ERCfXmlxeqRCj1OML24gzNlYwyDaHi2 nk1lhcAxjeFj-dgZqpsad8-NR5tk4MapFmsbo=s2048)Another of my favourite styles? Oh go on then. Zwart looks like a proper schwarzbier but I started to suspect it wasn't going to be exactly my sort of thing when the ABV proved to be 7%. A gently roasted aroma lures the drinker in, to then be hit by a huge tarry bitterness. This only subsides to allow a similarly harsh burnt aspect enter the picture. Usually I can forgive very strongly flavoured beers for just being themselves; this one was too extreme for me, however. Dial it back. Dial it all back.
It must be bock time again. I only had a taster of Gooische Bock and found it a weighty one. Though a perfectly normal 7% ABV it's loaded with hot banana esters alongside the caramel, and missing any of the balancing herbal qualities. This is bock exactly as I don't like it. I'm glad I didn't buy one.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhC8hkcblVKo-yKRnZMTEf30I_FAQFNTtlPLSVgjvmNGCyCXSdnzX7ykAMj5Sse AWpiKcEVIjx_pUERXWafgnYOK5ZDAQvlU3bxldMscOevJAMpo5 iUw59XekR-4aQ60MCN7IgGBhizspsexZc-myjsMXDu7J1L6jlDQb1KTpgck98yGEZLBiw=w122-h200 (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhC8hkcblVKo-yKRnZMTEf30I_FAQFNTtlPLSVgjvmNGCyCXSdnzX7ykAMj5Sse AWpiKcEVIjx_pUERXWafgnYOK5ZDAQvlU3bxldMscOevJAMpo5 iUw59XekR-4aQ60MCN7IgGBhizspsexZc-myjsMXDu7J1L6jlDQb1KTpgck98yGEZLBiw=s2048)Bock also featured in the special beer of the festival. To wish PINT a happy birthday, Gooische blended their autumn bock with a winter bock to create PINT-Robijn, a rich red beer of 9% ABV. It doesn't stray too far from the bock basics though was much more drinkable than the autumn bock on its own -- I suspect that a bit of maturation has been going on and has helped with that. I got a slightly astringent raspberry tartness in with the caramel that balanced it nicely. It wasn't madly complex so I guess worked well as a conversation beer for all the old hands of PINT gathering in the brewery garden.
And with that one chugged it was time to head back west, where the bright lights of the big city beckoned.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEghiguN99rA8JZ_14HRQojcUkqqaaOMHT5dH5JBisNHbZ _wTIEsLE3ANi8V_utwF6IEyPkubw7zlc6sItVFiNTKs20ODFBA CHzOs65fSmZYCJ83-C8-Gdf3SoI3zeGg6k2_sMQXSSXSPiYMnlpdcB9cy837lXWHEiqHUf jFbKv6GDcEEUzxBpw=w640-h328 (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEghiguN99rA8JZ_14HRQojcUkqqaaOMHT5dH5JBisNHbZ _wTIEsLE3ANi8V_utwF6IEyPkubw7zlc6sItVFiNTKs20ODFBA CHzOs65fSmZYCJ83-C8-Gdf3SoI3zeGg6k2_sMQXSSXSPiYMnlpdcB9cy837lXWHEiqHUf jFbKv6GDcEEUzxBpw=s2048)
More... (https://thebeernut.blogspot.com/2021/11/for-gram.html)
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg6pkC_S5erA-8j7p28q3BluTASidbcv2egGaFZJEIG68vX_Fe49LJRsFKLUTbZ n7_P5qXehga4fzUNodOnwW852glssxNcBehN1yQC1sbocYFEe_ bHNaykErvXwLj5Gfstbwnzka38UMENtn6500XOOsFx2Lob_xpG v-GFK8jJIEiho9JPaco=s320 (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg6pkC_S5erA-8j7p28q3BluTASidbcv2egGaFZJEIG68vX_Fe49LJRsFKLUTbZ n7_P5qXehga4fzUNodOnwW852glssxNcBehN1yQC1sbocYFEe_ bHNaykErvXwLj5Gfstbwnzka38UMENtn6500XOOsFx2Lob_xpG v-GFK8jJIEiho9JPaco=s2048)From Zwolle, we set off further westwards on Saturday morning for Gramsbergen, a small town about 3km from the border with Germany. G-berg, as nobody calls it, is home to the Mommeriete (https://mommeriete.nl/) brewery, set in a rustic canalside inn, all oak beams and porcelain fireplaces. We missed getting to see it as its normal cosy self since they were gearing up for a beer festival: one organised to celebrate 20 years of the Dutch beer consumers' organisation PINT, onto which was tacked the official 30th birthday bash for EBCU. It was a modest affair, beginning in the the afternoon and finishing at 7pm, and only three guest breweries were in attendance.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjPk36AD1cwFMnE4HLAqPdizuocOVtxsxEF9zFW6bgAiK htYVFVNhlHtN86ZDnxesQigiftDSs1eNV4cOSUNOJr6ags9k3Q qjd7muqzalsAc2O8Vt6Lcpvpe_1zIHzzmROiiGNZS_Y8Ng7bl_ utMhvbIucGgR98u7OO9M1--uRzZnFc2PEKUZA=w164-h200 (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjPk36AD1cwFMnE4HLAqPdizuocOVtxsxEF9zFW6bgAiK htYVFVNhlHtN86ZDnxesQigiftDSs1eNV4cOSUNOJr6ags9k3Q qjd7muqzalsAc2O8Vt6Lcpvpe_1zIHzzmROiiGNZS_Y8Ng7bl_ utMhvbIucGgR98u7OO9M1--uRzZnFc2PEKUZA=s2048)But it was only good manners to begin with the house beers and my first was Vrouwe Van Gramsbergh, Mommeriete's quadrupel. It's a rich brown colour and 10% ABV, all of which suggested something big and wholesome, but perhaps because it was cold on draught it actually proved quite light; refreshing, even. There's a fun and fruity flavour profile showing plump raisins and meadow flowers, finishing on a pinch of grassy bitterness. The base is all easy-going milk chocolate. Perhaps it's just as well that the first beer of the day wasn't a palate-thumper. I appreciate this kind of gentler approach to quadrupel.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhDbjB4XOxpGsD83jTO8i55dVE8p6K9TXeRu7ACtWQPAY xYrmFjw6OrpOcw3zYJ3Nq1HyufgDdVKbud1Ak2iSDFnNgVZMbt xy5Q9_DVqpxAe8Xm8OSghbG_RoDdyocQyZnSzocJpKLjentzTs ffvfoC0xfsEborIXwPcArUw1DcQYw_fDnraXY=w163-h200 (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhDbjB4XOxpGsD83jTO8i55dVE8p6K9TXeRu7ACtWQPAY xYrmFjw6OrpOcw3zYJ3Nq1HyufgDdVKbud1Ak2iSDFnNgVZMbt xy5Q9_DVqpxAe8Xm8OSghbG_RoDdyocQyZnSzocJpKLjentzTs ffvfoC0xfsEborIXwPcArUw1DcQYw_fDnraXY=s2048)De Vrouwe's husband, an imperial stout, was not on the roster, but I did get to try the tripel: Scheerse. This is another easy-going take on a strong style. It's the full 9% ABV and a proper pale golden shade. There's lots of rich honey in the flavour, if not in the mouthfeel, and a minimal but present amount of spicing. I'm always wary of big and flabby esters in microbrewed tripel but this neatly avoided all the usual pitfalls. I love the idea of popping in to your neighbourhood café and being able to enjoy tasty and accessible tripel or quadrupel, brewed on site, like these.
The day's first bock was a smoked one: De Vaandrig. Maybe because it only gets a limited run at a specific time of the year this one didn't seem quite dialled in to me. Though 6.7% ABV it's rather thin, missing the weighty caramel that makes Dutch autumn bock well suited to the season, especially when drinking it outdoors. The smoke, then, is unsubtle -- a raw sort of kippery effect that covers any nuance there may be. It's not a bad beer and was perfectly drinkable, but if it were mine I would be making tweaks to create something richer and more warming.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEibEwah4MMVy3e0oSI5PG5oblJzjZGVIqRlBgFEn4EPtF 2ffoI4zC1PYRegxI9J1v-CvHr6PbRdZTJI-lva-gtMBmL-4_BLQt45YdQinQcSuVVenh8YUfPpixE1mfUw-WfJAnFWZtkvB05cMNcqZZkzSdwirRuuHxF1c_4AMvHTVOBRD6A BWWE=w133-h200 (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEibEwah4MMVy3e0oSI5PG5oblJzjZGVIqRlBgFEn4EPtF 2ffoI4zC1PYRegxI9J1v-CvHr6PbRdZTJI-lva-gtMBmL-4_BLQt45YdQinQcSuVVenh8YUfPpixE1mfUw-WfJAnFWZtkvB05cMNcqZZkzSdwirRuuHxF1c_4AMvHTVOBRD6A BWWE=s2048)It didn't seem like the sort of place that would have a New England IPA in production but we live in strange times. Mommeriete's is called Het Varel and is a not-to-style clear amber colour. Told you it wasn't the right sort of place. Or am I being too hasty? It does taste properly juicy, with a hit of lemon rind for balance on the end. Unfortunately, after the initial thrill it starts to unravel, introducing a savoury character which I thought might be phenolic and tasted of burnt plastic to Reuben. By the end, the glass offered a mix of sweet fruit cordial and caramelised onions, which is not a happy time. Another recipe that needs work, I think, although abandoning it in favour of a clean and sharp west-coaster would be my actual recommendation.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEityAEl6DFMojcticoKhQ3pj2UQduHwDheuQzp25JK8px 2DK2Hx6rKfVw9Zega4Zvs0GrDnSsbCzQ0LAzr853X_EhRU7Yjy zoNikETSnQoh8boGydkDcCGN2d89dM0DgTGOQasBC1k8m1uABo jwylTpbXC70lkhipIWIN8ZXB-wVcY2LOuFonE=w123-h200 (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEityAEl6DFMojcticoKhQ3pj2UQduHwDheuQzp25JK8px 2DK2Hx6rKfVw9Zega4Zvs0GrDnSsbCzQ0LAzr853X_EhRU7Yjy zoNikETSnQoh8boGydkDcCGN2d89dM0DgTGOQasBC1k8m1uABo jwylTpbXC70lkhipIWIN8ZXB-wVcY2LOuFonE=s2048)Finally for Mommeriete, I came late to their strong blonde ale Jonkvrouwe. I seem to have had good luck with blonde ales all weekend because this was another cracker. Though only 7% ABV it has a lovely honey thickness, feeling richer than one might expect. This weighty Belgian-style malt character is balanced by a clean and zingy lemon sherbet. No bells and whistles, nothing fancy, just an extremely well designed and executed blonde ale. With everything else on offer I suspect that this may have been overlooked by many festival-goers but I'm glad I caught it.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjlOkCrx_HsPMJqXAh0FRX7kKxQGcpbXA6aRml844RnhF xgKeGh8WIAojIvRsktRfZbkLUmLOKuH5ieoES6f6ScALM7h1Vq fL5S4oBW9jhPNuWCTOVwA0qXhfzfrq3nn9b5WeBo03pAK693G1 6486LBWpMn1Tp84FX7EKQ8KujKWsTqkmBfqwI=w200-h173 (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjlOkCrx_HsPMJqXAh0FRX7kKxQGcpbXA6aRml844RnhF xgKeGh8WIAojIvRsktRfZbkLUmLOKuH5ieoES6f6ScALM7h1Vq fL5S4oBW9jhPNuWCTOVwA0qXhfzfrq3nn9b5WeBo03pAK693G1 6486LBWpMn1Tp84FX7EKQ8KujKWsTqkmBfqwI=s1675)Our friend from yesterday (https://thebeernut.blogspot.com/2021/11/zwolle-incognita.html), Stanislaus Brewskovitch, he of the strawberry/basil IPA fame, also had a stand. I only tried one from it, a "coffee milk oatmeal stout" called Cappu dei Capi. The first surprise here was the full-on black grain aroma -- almost burnt -- not what one would expect from a lactose-infused stout. It turned out to be not very sweet but with a pleasant light, creamy texture. The flavour really isn't as complex as the title suggests, the coffee flavours staying on a low key and tokenistic chocolate or caramel. This puts in the minimum work to meet the spec, but no more than that.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgIHij2_6N8g1J7bIOn4prLJfW77AwbF3epFS-_A7vVAsmjhxY7BtfmUfQd0CGebXjjaQd-HIdAMvZzeJz9pyd6DnfK3vDRf4p3zk5yKzz9YNOfvE2T4xFS29 y1hixcZokfi76mqbMUtKk1ua-8tFrdfHAHMnCQmkvP8wijN8XGzhtQsWh0SUs=w139-h200 (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgIHij2_6N8g1J7bIOn4prLJfW77AwbF3epFS-_A7vVAsmjhxY7BtfmUfQd0CGebXjjaQd-HIdAMvZzeJz9pyd6DnfK3vDRf4p3zk5yKzz9YNOfvE2T4xFS29 y1hixcZokfi76mqbMUtKk1ua-8tFrdfHAHMnCQmkvP8wijN8XGzhtQsWh0SUs=s2048)The stand next door was Avereest from the neighbouring town of Dedemsvaart. I couldn't pass up a uniquely Dutch historical style when on offer, so started here with Klungel, a kuitbier: 50% oat grist and given a retro-modern twist by using a Scandinavian kveik yeast. Hazy orange in the glass, it has a fresh-squeezed orange and lemon aroma. That becomes dry and slightly astringent grapefruit on tasting, balanced by softer sherbet zing. Though it looks murky it tastes clean and precise, and at only 5% ABV is very drinkable. This fits neatly into an IPA-shaped slot without having any IPA ancestry.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjcX-U8AUiG8Ll-9GCmdJQ0myZQRo4AsXNFnvSU8w6t9jBYzx9eTeHT-kLyZWpLdr9rqMYbZ6vkKKKiXmGBAIFxX8b5qX3c2zM2NQ7JDNS BZ00MbyIJqOIh-5ZUEMLMFZV2vObIwbsecy53U1sf_w24JITDEAMXQ1OayEiiQa-IAYepr3sbNYs=w120-h200 (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjcX-U8AUiG8Ll-9GCmdJQ0myZQRo4AsXNFnvSU8w6t9jBYzx9eTeHT-kLyZWpLdr9rqMYbZ6vkKKKiXmGBAIFxX8b5qX3c2zM2NQ7JDNS BZ00MbyIJqOIh-5ZUEMLMFZV2vObIwbsecy53U1sf_w24JITDEAMXQ1OayEiiQa-IAYepr3sbNYs=s2005)It was back on the quadrupel next, with Avereest's ominously-named PK21, another 10% ABV job. This was much more to style than the one above, albeit not necessarily in a good way. It's extremely heavy and boozy, with hot caramel and fruitcake giving way to chocolate and rum, finishing up on a solvent marker-pen burn. It's definitely a sipper, and a slow one at that. I think perhaps in other circumstances, ie sitting down indoors, this would be an interesting one to savour. Standing out in the cold while eyeing the menu for what to have next is not really its ideal environment.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjFwYdAR7ZMuFjhIlZ5B8jdxqtHoJ6RC6Tl3zQ25qABdR ThcjQJ3ZLhdFYvWMMBDcgaawn-SnaCYKUPHJy8NAuuqaE27EkeQPTg_bbaNfjk2AkKkn1FpnDsO3 pRf9YKpB_U37wrxnVOLGAhfFNVeXXHH_IlDHAS1EPYQ1Ez2biQ IvomN20xxLg=w158-h200 (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjFwYdAR7ZMuFjhIlZ5B8jdxqtHoJ6RC6Tl3zQ25qABdR ThcjQJ3ZLhdFYvWMMBDcgaawn-SnaCYKUPHJy8NAuuqaE27EkeQPTg_bbaNfjk2AkKkn1FpnDsO3 pRf9YKpB_U37wrxnVOLGAhfFNVeXXHH_IlDHAS1EPYQ1Ez2biQ IvomN20xxLg=s1535)Gooische attracted the most attention and, of the guests, had the biggest range on offer. One of them was a grape ale, so I was straight in for one of those: Grape Ale III. This being a less than cosmopolitan part of the world, my server took great pains to explain to me what I was getting into. It seems this wasn't to everyone's taste. For me, it tasted like a work in progress. It's a dark red colour and very wine flavoured -- sweet and spicy with ruby port qualities and hints of raspberry and cherry. The finish is dry but before that it's sugar all the way and that's where it differed from the best grape ales: it needs more attenuation, more maturing time. What's there now is uncomplex, approachable and pleasant, with no off flavours or anything jarring. But I could taste its potential too. I think the brewery is going to a good place if they stick with it.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhqvelNiV3F_sytFmHLH7B2ZmG5k1_yaEuC1MMRGM_BzS VbSImyNlRnJr5pFPteUkUjptJfBynKxO_BkJg7hteuVYao7IR2 ET01CD5Oy7VMmt0Oft1ERCfXmlxeqRCj1OML24gzNlYwyDaHi2 nk1lhcAxjeFj-dgZqpsad8-NR5tk4MapFmsbo=w121-h200 (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhqvelNiV3F_sytFmHLH7B2ZmG5k1_yaEuC1MMRGM_BzS VbSImyNlRnJr5pFPteUkUjptJfBynKxO_BkJg7hteuVYao7IR2 ET01CD5Oy7VMmt0Oft1ERCfXmlxeqRCj1OML24gzNlYwyDaHi2 nk1lhcAxjeFj-dgZqpsad8-NR5tk4MapFmsbo=s2048)Another of my favourite styles? Oh go on then. Zwart looks like a proper schwarzbier but I started to suspect it wasn't going to be exactly my sort of thing when the ABV proved to be 7%. A gently roasted aroma lures the drinker in, to then be hit by a huge tarry bitterness. This only subsides to allow a similarly harsh burnt aspect enter the picture. Usually I can forgive very strongly flavoured beers for just being themselves; this one was too extreme for me, however. Dial it back. Dial it all back.
It must be bock time again. I only had a taster of Gooische Bock and found it a weighty one. Though a perfectly normal 7% ABV it's loaded with hot banana esters alongside the caramel, and missing any of the balancing herbal qualities. This is bock exactly as I don't like it. I'm glad I didn't buy one.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhC8hkcblVKo-yKRnZMTEf30I_FAQFNTtlPLSVgjvmNGCyCXSdnzX7ykAMj5Sse AWpiKcEVIjx_pUERXWafgnYOK5ZDAQvlU3bxldMscOevJAMpo5 iUw59XekR-4aQ60MCN7IgGBhizspsexZc-myjsMXDu7J1L6jlDQb1KTpgck98yGEZLBiw=w122-h200 (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhC8hkcblVKo-yKRnZMTEf30I_FAQFNTtlPLSVgjvmNGCyCXSdnzX7ykAMj5Sse AWpiKcEVIjx_pUERXWafgnYOK5ZDAQvlU3bxldMscOevJAMpo5 iUw59XekR-4aQ60MCN7IgGBhizspsexZc-myjsMXDu7J1L6jlDQb1KTpgck98yGEZLBiw=s2048)Bock also featured in the special beer of the festival. To wish PINT a happy birthday, Gooische blended their autumn bock with a winter bock to create PINT-Robijn, a rich red beer of 9% ABV. It doesn't stray too far from the bock basics though was much more drinkable than the autumn bock on its own -- I suspect that a bit of maturation has been going on and has helped with that. I got a slightly astringent raspberry tartness in with the caramel that balanced it nicely. It wasn't madly complex so I guess worked well as a conversation beer for all the old hands of PINT gathering in the brewery garden.
And with that one chugged it was time to head back west, where the bright lights of the big city beckoned.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEghiguN99rA8JZ_14HRQojcUkqqaaOMHT5dH5JBisNHbZ _wTIEsLE3ANi8V_utwF6IEyPkubw7zlc6sItVFiNTKs20ODFBA CHzOs65fSmZYCJ83-C8-Gdf3SoI3zeGg6k2_sMQXSSXSPiYMnlpdcB9cy837lXWHEiqHUf jFbKv6GDcEEUzxBpw=w640-h328 (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEghiguN99rA8JZ_14HRQojcUkqqaaOMHT5dH5JBisNHbZ _wTIEsLE3ANi8V_utwF6IEyPkubw7zlc6sItVFiNTKs20ODFBA CHzOs65fSmZYCJ83-C8-Gdf3SoI3zeGg6k2_sMQXSSXSPiYMnlpdcB9cy837lXWHEiqHUf jFbKv6GDcEEUzxBpw=s2048)
More... (https://thebeernut.blogspot.com/2021/11/for-gram.html)