Belgium Beer Tour pt. 3 – When In Bruges…

A must see movie!

A must see movie!

Until the year 2009 I don’t think I had even heard of the city of Bruges. Then I watched Martin McDonagh’s outstanding movie “In Bruges” starring Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson as two hitmen hiding out in the city after a hit gone wrong. It’s a great film with excellent performances and lots of dark comedy which I always enjoy. The film also does a fantastic job of showcasing the beauty of the city. I’ve been intrigued with going to the city ever since.

Fast forward to 2014 and the time has finally come to see this historic city and all it has to offer. Perhaps more importantly, this city happens to be in Belgium. That means an opportunity to find more bars and beers to check out as we make our way around the country. As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, when I’m traveling with the wife, sightseeing comes first and beer drinking comes in second. Normally I’m able to make this concession work to the best of my ability but with limited time in Bruges, I wasn’t able to check every box off the list that I had in mind. 2014-01-21 13.37.45

So let me get the disappointing part of the trip out of the way first: I didn’t make it to De Halve Maan, the only family owned brewery in the city, before it closed for the day. They close early during the winter months so if you travel during the spring and summer I don’t think you’ll have the same issue. But I was able to drink several of their beers at other establishments around the city and I have concluded that it is worth a visit if you have the chance, especially the tripel. Here is the address for any who want to visit – Huisbrouwerij De Halve Maan 26 Walplein 8000 Bruges.

Two other local bars really caught my attention, first up is…

 ‘t Brugs Beertje – 5 Kemelstraat, Bruges 8000.

Classy glass

Classy glass

This is a small bar populated mostly by locals and they are very serious about the beers they serve. How serious? Well, when I asked for the bottle list I was handed a one-inch thick binder. Holy cow they have a lot of beers here. The draft list was pretty impressive as well, but if you take the time to pour through the pages of the binder you can find some true gems. Including Orval aged 6 months, 9 months or 12 months if you feel like conducting some research. They open late in the afternoon but happily pour beers till midnight allowing you plenty of opportunity to dive into the immense offerings. The folks working the bar are very friendly, especially after ordering the Orval which I think impressed them a little bit. Small, cozy and not touristy in the least, this is a top bar in Bruges.

 Le Trappiste – 33 Kuipersstraat, Bruges 8000

Laying bricks!

Laying bricks!

From what I leaned at the bar, Le Trappiste is something of a franchise type bar. The original location is in the U.K. with the purpose of bringing the great beers of Belgium to the people of England. Normally franchise bars are not my favorite thing, but the Le Trappiste in Bruges is one of the most impressive bars I’ve been to in just about any country. Set in an 800 year old brick cellar, this bar not only features the best of traditional and long running brewers of Belgium, they are also pouring the some of the best beer from all the up and coming brewers of Europe. The brick cellar is one of the coolest and most unique locations for a bar I’ve ever seen. Sitting inside surrounded by impressive brick work arches and knowing this building has existed for almost a century was something I’ve never experienced before. When you add in a delicious beer, I’m in heaven. The place just oozes with atmosphere and ambiance. This bar is also the second in Belgium, but first in Bruges, that I was able to find that carried the super rare Westvleteren XII. The staff there is super nice and very knowledgeable on all the beers they happen to be pouring, and in the case of our bartender, very knowledgeable of the beer industry in Europe in general. It’s a great spot that I can’t recommend enough.

These are three spots I recommend, I also recommend checking out the film, but please try to be a better tourist than Colin Farrell’s Ray character from the film.

bad tourist

bad tourist

Cheers,

Tom

Respect.

Respect.

the Binder

the Binder

Big Board

Big Board

Belgium Beer Tour pt. 2 – Bar crawling in Brussels

It's kind of a big deal.

It’s kind of a big deal.

Brussels has quite a few fun historical sites that make the city worth a visit, the medieval town square where the Grand Palace sits being the biggest and most impressive. It’s also home to more chocolate shops in a two mile square radius than I’ve ever seen before. The chocolate is pretty damn impressive so if you ever feel the need to take a breather from your own beer adventure in the city, I’d recommend indulging your sweet tooth for a while. After spending some time playing tourist around the city it was time to resume our beer adventures, and this time we went to a place that my wife was actually more excited to go to than I was.

Delirum Café – Impasse de la Fidélité 4, Brussels, Belgium 1000

My wife is sort of obsessed with Delirium, not only for the beer but for the pink elephant logo as well. To say that she was excited to be here was an understatement. Before coming to Belgium she was already a fan of Tremens and the Noel that Brewery Huyghe releases for the holidays. Introducing her Nocturnum and Red was something of a spectacle to behold2014-01-18 15.49.53

The Delirium Café is something of a frat party having sex with a chaos demon. I don’t mean that in a bad way. Like a bar at the end of the universe, this is a place where people from everywhere come together to get drunk as one. The United Nations should take a page from these guys. You can easy walk around and hear a dozen different languages being spoken as well as finding every other American who happens to be in the city at the same time as you. The crowd slants a little towards the younger side, but not so much that someone in their 30’s or 40’s would feel out of place. It’s crowded and noisy and people tend to swarm the bar for their beer orders, but there are plenty of bartenders that are able to accommodate most people in a quick and orderly fashion. Seating is available all over this big, sprawling location, with tables all around and booths made from old industrial boiling kettles. There is bar seating available as well, although it does come with some risk. Yes, you can get the bartenders attention quickly, but the odds of a press of patrons attempting to smother you so they can place their order are also possible.2014-01-18 15.52.39

The draft list is about 15 beers deep with a pretty worldly selection available, however, if you want to be impressed, you have to take a look at the 2,000 plus bottle list that is also available to choose from. Aside from the Delirium beers, I was able to indulge in Gulden Draak and damn is it good from draft. It’s a safe bet to say that you’ll easily find whatever beer fits you mood. If however the idea of potentially dealing with a ridiculously crowded bar is off putting to you, I’d also like to mention that you can visit the “Little Dilirium Café”, located just a few streets over at Rue du Marché aux Fromages, 7-9 Brussels, Belgium 1000 which has a slightly less chaotic environment and where we had the opportunity to engage with our bartender and several of the very friendly locals. Also, as if my wife wasn’t already in love with Delirium, we now also have four glasses in our home with their name emblazoned all over them.

Moeder Lambic –  Fontainas Plaats 8, 1000 Brussels, Belgium

Moeder Lambic is simply amazing. This is a beer bar that is helping to change the beer culture of Brussels. They were the first bar to refuse to sign contracts with Duvel, insisting that they would not be yet another pawn of corporate brewers. They sell legitimate Belgian craft beer and the rest of the draft board is a wonderful selection from across Europe and even parts of the U.S. Words fail me when it comes to describing how impressed I was with the place. The staff is very knowledgeable about every beer they sell and are eager to answer your questions and even make a recommendation or two if you ask for one, which my wife does constantly.2014-01-18 19.58.27

There is also a great feel of community at Moeder Lambic, it was a full house when we entered but they quickly seated us at a booth shared by another couple. At first we thought this was a little strange, but being friendly Americans we were able to quickly strike up a conversation with our butchered version of French and their better attempts with English. This made for a fun portion of the night as they were able to help us assemble a tasty meat and cheese board that complimented the beers we drank marvelously.2014-01-18 19.09.01

They have 46 taps at your disposal as well as a bottle selection that hovers around the 200 mark. The atmosphere is fun, modern and very cool. I couldn’t get enough of this place and I recommend it wholeheartedly if you are lucky enough to spend some time in the city.

The last bar that I’d like to share with you is something from a time vortex…

 Au Bon Vieux Temps – Impasse Saint-Nicolas 4 Brussels, 1000 Belgium2014-01-19 13.51.55

In my mind, I’m not sure it gets much better that visiting a 300 year old Gothic bar in the heart of the city off of a dark and scary ally. While it’s possible, according to my wife, that I spent far too much time trying to actually locate this place, I can say with all honestly that it was worth it. Saying it’s a little tricky to find is something of an understatement, although in my defense, trying to locate a small bar in a foreign country certainly adds a degree of difficulty to my efforts. You need to pay attention because the first and only thing you’ll see is a non-descript sign pointing you though an archway that could easily send you back in time or a parallel dimension. Next you walk through a dark ally, with only a few lights pointing you towards your destination. The stained glass windows will probably make you think you have found some sort of old church rather than a bar but once you walk trough the tiny doorway, you find yourself in a bar where time has seemingly stood still. Beautiful wood paneling along the wall, with tables both big and small available to any groups or couple who make their way inside. This bar is essentially the polar opposite of the Delirium Café. Instead of big crowds and lots of noise you get a much more subdued and classy environment in which to enjoy the beers of Belgium. I also found this bar to be more populated with locals then many of the spots around the GranPalace. What also helps to distinguish this bar from all of the others in Brussels is the fact that they stock, on a regular basis, the very rare Westvleteren XII trappist quad, from the monks at Saint Sixtus. It’s a tasty beer and well worth the effort if you have the time to indulge. Being an ‘old school’ bar, they don’t have any draft beers, just a very nice selection of Belgian beers, a mix of trappist ales and other less rare Belgian style ales. 2014-01-19 12.38.39

These three bars represent what I would personally consider the cream of the crop. However, when in Belgium, it’s pretty hard not to find a bar with some pretty decent beers to select from. One thing you may notice is that some bars will prominently feature signs and logo from one specific beer. From what I was told, these are bars that are essentially owned by that brewery, which is something that is illegal in the U.S. My personal stance is that I avoided going to any such establishment but to each their own. I’d much rather find the locally owned, small business and give them my money. While waking the streets you will also find several very nice bottle shops such as “de Bier Temple” and “250 Beers Belgium” which can easily provide you with any souvenir bottles that you might want to bring home…unless of course, you have some other bottles in mind that you’d like to bring home with you….

Westy XII!!

Westy XII!!

That’s what we call a ‘teaser’

Cheers,

Tom2014-01-19 14.14.33

Belgium Beer Tour pt.1 – Cantillon Brewery

Cantillon

Cantillon

Waking up early on a Saturday morning in Paris, France the wife and I grab our bags and make our way to the Paris Gare du Nord train station. Gare du Nord is the station for all trains heading north. If geography is not your favorite subject you might not realize to the Northeast of Paris is the small, yet beer rich country of Belgium and we had made arrangements to take a small break from our time in Paris so we could indulge our palates on all the tasty libations that this wonderful country had to offer.

We ride the high speed Thalys train to Brussels, which is only a 90 minute train ride. After arriving at the Midi station, which is the center of the city, we take a quick two stop ride on the metro and drop our bags at our small but very cute bed and breakfast in the middle of the tourist area. From there it’s a relatively short twenty minute walk through some of the more…colorful…parts of Brussels. Not that we ever felt unsafe at any point but it always pays to be aware of your surroundings.

The tasting area.

The tasting area.

Located in the middle of a nondescript street in a rather unassuming building is the  Brouwerij Cantillon, Rue Gheude 56 Straat Bruxelles 1070 Brussel, www.cantillion.be. Cantillon is a very unique brewery, opened in 1900 by Paul Cantillon, this brewery is still owned and operated by the family that started it. They are very proud of that and it’s this pride, I believe, that has lead to the maintaining of such high standards for their products. I suppose what you might be thinking, if you aren’t familiar with the Cantillon name, is that it’s simply a brewery that makes beer. You would be correct, but that doesn’t tell you the whole story. Cantillon is home to one of the oldest and most rare styles of beer that you’ll find, the lambic.

So what the hell is a lambic? I’m glad you asked. A lambic style beer starts like most other beers with the same traditional ingredients, water, wheat, barley and hops, but where lambics change the game is in the fermentation process. Using the original methods employed by brewers for thousands of years, the beer is exposed in large vats to what is known as wild yeast, which in this case is a broad range of wild airborne fermenting agents that are specific to the room in the brewery where it takes place. Scientists have found over 100 different strains of yeast in lambic beer and legend maintains that the specific microorganisms required for production of lambics are only to be found in this particular region of Belgium. This specific environments has not been altered in the one hundred plus years that the brewery has existed, one example of this is that while touring the facility you may notice cobwebs and possibly even spiders. All of these elements and others help create the environment necessary for Cantillon to create the beers that they do.

The goods

The goods

If the open fermentation stage is not enough to separate what they do at Cantillon from others breweries, I’m guessing this part will. After initial fermentation it’s time to age the beer, for years, so that it can be turned into what is called “Guezue”. A master brewer will take 1,2, and 3 year old lambics and blend them together to create the Guezue and at a certain point, to be determined by the brewer, they will add fruit. A lot of fruit. For example, 500 litres of 2-year old Lambic will have 150kg (which is 330 lbs)of fruit added to its barrel. The fruit will soak for a minimum of three months as the beers takes in the fruits color, taste and sugars. Then when the time comes to bottle it, about 1/3 of the bottle gets a hit of 1-year old lambic to aide in the secondary fermentation process which then creates a Kriek style beer. To clarify, Guezue is the blended lambic, while adding the fruits is what makes it a Kriek.

To say it’s a complex operation is a bit of an understatement, but there is true artistry behind what they do at Cantillon. While not a large scale brewery by any means, they are dedicated to quality control and preserving the traditional methods of creating the styles that come from lambic brewing, like the Geuze and Kriek varieties. It’s these old school methods that distinguish them from other, more large scale lambic brewers who take short cuts to speed up production of lambics such as adding artificial sugars. Cantillon looks down on this practice and it’s one of the reasons why the brewery is also considered a museum. So if you end up in Belgium and your spouse is hassling you about all the beer you are drinking just tell her/him that your next stop is a cultural museum.

I'll take the whole crate please.

I’ll take the whole crate please.

Barrels full of goodness

Barrels full of goodness

Ageing a few bottles

Ageing a few bottles

 

Here is a list of some of the beers available and what fruits are added to them.

Gueuze – 1,2,3-year old lambics artfully blended together.

Kriek – 2-year old lamic in which Schaerbeek (sour) cherries are soaked.

Rose de Gambrinus – Kreik but with raspberries

Vigneronne – Lambic with Muscat grapes.

Saint-Lamvinus – Black merlot grapes.

Fou’foune – Bergeron apricots.

Grand Cru Bruocsella – A 3 year old lambic that does not undergo secondary fermentation, considered a missing link between beer and wine.

So damn tasty!

So damn tasty!

I have visited a lot of breweries over the years but Cantillon has to be one of the most unique and for that it is definitely worth your time when you happen to be in Brussels. I highly recommend taking the tour while there. It’s self guided, unless you happen to make prior arrangements to go as part of a group, but they provide you with a lot of information and send you on your way without making a guide a necessity. It’s not often you have the opportunity to visit a brewery that’s been around for over 100 years.

That said, if you happen to have a good bottle shop around you, you might be able to sample some without having to dust off your passport. Hopefully, I’ve done a decent job explaining the process of lambics, but if you have questions I’m happy to try and answer them, or better yet, just try the beers for yourself. I found them to be light and refreshing with excellent flavors. The beers do not exceed 5%ABV so it on the lighter side for most of us hopheads, but they are a class act at Cantillon and their recent ranking on ratebeer.com as one of the 100 best breweries in the world is well deserved.

 

Cheers,

Tom

a great logo!

a great logo!

 

Finding a dark corner to drink in the City of Lights

Paris, France is a city known for dozens of delights in the culinary world. It’s a land of baguettes, croissants, es cargo, and mouthwatering pastries that can stretch your waistline just by looking at them. The cheeses are simply some of the best I’ve ever had and they pair the wide variety of cheese very nicely with any one of a hundred wines that are grown and fermented across the region. It’s impossible to visit and not find something to satisfy the foodie that lives in all of us and usually takes control of us while on vacation. But how does a beer lover satisfy his or her need for biscuit-like malt flavors and some form of hops that we are all in love with?

There is a way.
Of course when you are in  Paris, or anywhere in France, you truly owe it to yourself to seek out wine from area and sample it. Just about every local we spoke to was more than happy to point us in the right direction on the extensive wine lists that are found in just about every restaurant, cafe and bistro you walk in. However, that doesn’t mean there isn’t beer to be found in France. Craft Beer is a little harder to find, but I’ll get to that later.
Just about all the cafes and restaurants will offer a limited selection of beers, mostly on draft and mostly beers from the InBev family which, if you are like me, you will avoid with every fiber of your being. Luckily with neighbors to the north like Belgium, it isn’t too much strain to find something that isn’t owned by a giant corporation that cares little for quality and craftsmanship of their beers.
Now as much as I would have preferred to spend my time in Paris like the Beer Hunter Michael Jackson, I had to spend much of my days there being a tourist and photographer for the wife. Not that I minded too much. Well, maybe a little if I’m being honest. It was after one of our tourist adventures that I finally managed to do a little beer hunting of my own. After crossing the river Seine back to the left bank we walked the winding roads of the 5th arrondissment (district), not too far from where the Pantheon stands, I found a bastion of craft beer and it was noteworthy.
If a smiling beer face doesn't make you want to drink I don't know what will.

If a smiling beer face doesn’t make you want to drink I don’t know what will.

BREWBERRY – 18, Rue du Pot de Fer 75005 Paris www.brewberry.fr
Brewberry is basically a bottle shop with cold beer on hand that can be consumed on the premises while snacking on a tasty cheese board and other delectable delights. It can also be described as something of a beer cellar, as you walk down the steps and enter you get the feeling that you have entered into the basement of a good friend who knows good beers and hordes them all. If you don’t know what a basement is, I’d recommend meeting someone not from California to help fill you in. The walls are lines with shelf after shelf of fantastic beers, most are organized by style, but it’s easy to find your way around and get what you are looking for. In the center of the room are several tables for you and your friends to sit and enjoy your beverages. This is where craft beer lives in Paris.
There is a little bit of home on these shelves.

There is a little bit of home on these shelves.

Having been open for just about three years, Brewberry has in that time carved out a nice niche for themselves in a city of wine lovers. The staff is very friends as was the mix of locals and ex-pats who were there on the night we stopped by for our visit. Oddly enough, of all the places I went looking for beers made in France, this was the only spot out of an innumerable amount of bars we visited that carried them. Brasserie Fleurac makes a pretty solid tripel and I can only hope that the brewery gets more success in its own country. The selection of bottles on hand is very diverse and I had to admit a fair amount of pride at seeing some of San Diego’s best breweries prominently on display like Green Flash, Alesmith and Lost Abbey.
French beer. Pretty good!

French beer. Pretty good!

Paris has several other highly praised bottle shop spread around the city as well as one or two micro breweries that I wish I had the opportunity to visit. Unfortunately my old enemy, time, prevented me from finding more locations that I could compare to Brewberry. Another reason was that I didn’t want to get too crazy with the beer in Paris because our next destination was Belgium and I needed my liver in top condition.
This is called a "Prelude" of things to come!

This is called a “Prelude” of things to come!

So how did Belgium go? Stay tuned.
Cheers,
Tom

Barcelona; Making a name for itself in the Craft Beer world.

I love having the opportunity to visit Europe. It’s not very often that I get to visit, but when I do, I like to walk the streets of the old world and get a sense of just how long civilization has been around, something that is very easy to forget in the comparatively young United States of America. What I also like to do is find the beer culture that exists in these places and get a feel for them as well.
Barcelona loves Gaudi

Barcelona loves Gaudi

Last year I was surprised to find a small but growing beer following in Italy. This years trip resulted in some other interesting finds as well.

The first stop on our three country tour is Barcelona, Spain. Despite that last sentence and what every globe and map will tell you, Barcelona is not Spain, and every Barcelonan you meet will tell you the same thing. Barcelona resides in the Catalunya region of the country and a few hundred years ago they were taken over by and made a part of Spain. They still hold a grudge about it. The Catalan flag hangs from many balconies around the city and quite a few citizens prefer to speak Catalan over Spanish. It’s this attitude of defiance that I believe helps to fuel their small but quickly growing beer culture in a land that historically prefers other fermented or distiller beverages.

Within the city limits you can easily find several breweries and a quite a few beer bars that are helping to spread the word that beer is here and it makes all things better.

The economy in Barcelona, much like the rest of the world, has stalled dramatically. The government has encouraged entrepreneurs to start striking out in bold new directions to see what sticks and can turn a profit in an economic downturn. Does this sounds slightly familiar to many in San Diego? Many in Barcelona were shocked by the one thousand plus turnout at Barcelona’s first beer festival last spring. It’s all the more evidence that craft beer continues to make an impact around the globe. Plans are well underway for the now second annual craft beer festival in Barcelona where an even bigger turnout is expected for this showcase for not only bigger, more well known craft brewers but also for the smaller, local brewers.

One of the conundrums faced by breweries and home brewers alike in Barcelona and Spain over all, is that grain and hops for beers must be imported from Germany and the United Kingdom. For the moment this can result in beers with a rather high price. While not outrageous, I’m optimistic that within a few years this can be changed as the industry continues to evolve and grain growers realize they are missing out on a whole new market.

While I didn’t have the opportunity to visit any breweries or even most of the bars on my list, my wife did force me to do a lot of tourist activities, I did manage to spend time at two bars that are helping to push craft beer forward in a landscape dominated by wine, sangria and mojitos.

La Cervateca – Carrer d’En Gingas 25 Barcelona, Spain

Located on the edge of the Gothic quarter of the city, this bar is Barcelona’s beacon in the night the dark night of vienna lagers and cheap pilsners. La Cervateca has a select few beers on draft, the bottle shop in the bar more than makes up for any short comings in that you might find in that area. I found the draft list to be a pretty diverse selection of brewers from around the globe with one or two local brewers on hand but in general they seem more interested in pushing craft beer styles from around the world. Not a bad strategy when it comes to luring in craft beer virgins, you might as well hook them on the best stuff you can find. The bottle shop area is much the same way although you will notice a crazy amount of beers from Rouge Brewing available as well as a really nice choice of beers from all across Europe.

Maybe 1/4 of the beers in the bottle shop.

Maybe 1/4 of the beers in the bottle shop.

This is a place for hipsters and cool cats, no doubt about it. The vibe is fun and youthful but not drunken belligerence…at least not on the nights I was there. It’s also a fun spot just to sit and people watch as the local go about there business. Mix that with a knowledgeable staff and you have a winning combination for a craft beer bar that plants a sizable steak in the ground to announce that a new era of drinking has arrived in Spain.

Our next stop is slightly different….

Cat Bar – Carrer de la Boria 17, Barcelona, Spain

Just ignore that last part. I did.

Just ignore that last part. I did.

It’s a vegan restaurant. Stop! Don’t leave yet, here me out. I’m not a vegan nor do I ever plan to be one. I came to this spot for one reason and one reason only…craft beer. That’s the thing with this place, it’s more than meets the eye. It’s called Cat Bat but their mascot an adorable French Bulldog named “Charlie”. This place is a dive bar in the best sense of the word. Sure they have vegan food but the atmosphere is pure North Park.

Charlie on his cushion.

Charlie on his cushion.

The draft beer list is dominated by UK brewers Brew Dog, which are all pretty solid beers, with such staples as Punk IPA and Hardcore IPA, however the beer fridge in the back of the bar is stocked with an excellent selection of bottles from Spain and beyond, including Whym, LaPirata and Reptilian. These last two are brewed in Barcelona.

Easy access!

Easy access!

What is also exceptional about Cat Bar is that it’s small enough and divey enough that it is really easy to strike up conversations with the employees and even the owners which can only add to your enjoyment. And while I’m no vegan I do love a good potato dish and the Patastas Bravas they serve there was hands down the best in the city and possibly all of Spain! Yup, I said it!

Cheers,

Tom

 

12 Beers of Christmas pt. 3 – Deck the Halls with Beers aplenty…Beers #9-12

Here we are and Christmas is upon us. I can smell the chestnuts roasting on the open fire but I can’t let that distract me from the visions of great holiday beers that are dancing through my head. Let’s wrap this up like a present to put under the tree.

Picking up where we left off…

9. Lost Abbey – Gift of the Magi – Belgian Golden Ale 9.5%ABV – Leave it to the mad geniuses at Lost Abbey to create a beer based on the Three Kings and the gifts they delivered to the baby Jesus; Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh. What we get is an ale of golden color that uses the bark of Frankincense to add the bittering component and a dash of the herb known as Myrrh. The beer is delicious! Even if you don’t care for the bible, this beer might cause you to reconsider. Once the big, frothy head on this beer settles down you will find a pleasant spiced aroma waiting for you. First taste will bring a mild sweetness to your palate then the hops will come on the back end. The beer has some crispness to it as well and as it warms there will be a little bit of dryness to the finish. As usual with beers from Lost Abbey, this can be bottled aged which is never a bad idea if you can be patient.

If it's good enough for Jesus...

If it’s good enough for Jesus…

10. Delirium – Noel – Belgian Strong Dark Ale 10.%ABV – In my house there are few rules as simple as the “The pink elephant will never steer you wrong.” OK, so maybe the rules in my house are a little weird. Noel is another fine example of Belgian’s making great beers, especially for the holidays. The pour is a rich mahogany color with a strong nose of holiday spice and fruits. The beer drinks much the same way with a hint of sweetness and bitterness surrounded by strong spices. This beer also finishes with a slight dryness. As it happens, this beer can be aged as well.

Pink Elephant on a sled. Normal Saturday.

Pink Elephant on a sled. Normal Saturday.

11. Brasserie Dubuisson – Scaldis Noel – Belgian Strong Dark Ale 12%ABV - If you go looking for this one, the name on the label that jumps out is simply the ‘Scaldis Noel’. This is a big beer in a little bottle. It pours a rich dark amber color with a big frothy head of a creamy color. The nose is all spice and fruits and you can detect a hint of the strong alcohol that lies waiting for you. It has a sticky sweet quality that mingles well with the spices involved. The beer drinks incredibly well especially as the flavors warm and have a similar effect on your body. This is another beer that came on my radar late as I was formulating my list and came on strong to knock other contenders to the side with relative ease. This beer also cellars well so I might grab a few more to stuff my own stocking with this year.

The surprise performance!

The surprise performance!

12. St. Bernardus – Christmas Ale – Belgian Quadrupel 10%ABV – While it was not initially my intention, I did save the best for last. This beer ranks right up there with actually witnessing the birth of Christ, minus seeing placenta and all that nasty stuff. This beer is worth turning into Ebeneezer Scrooge and hoarding for your self. It’s that damn good! It pours super dark and with a wonderful cream colored head and a sensual nose of dark fruit, candied sugars and mulled spices. The taste is complex and understated with notes of caramel and Belgian hops on the backend. It refrains from overwhelming the palate and it masks its high alcohol content superbly. The Christmas ale goes down silky smooth and can do nothing but remind you of all the comforts of the holiday. If I had need of a fireplace in Southern California I would sit in front of it with this beer and think of Christmases long, long ago. As it happens, this beer is also prime for ageing and it may be the first beer that I attempt to cellar. I can’t recommend St. Bernardus’s Christmas Ale enough, it’s it alive with the spirit of the season.

If it's good enough for Snoopy...

If it’s good enough for Snoopy…

 

So that wraps up the list of my twelve favorite beers of the Christmas season. Belgium made its presence felt on these final four didn’t they? With any luck, next year, I’ll find twelve all news ones to rave about and as always, I’d love to hear any recommendations that you might find.

Cheers and Merry Christmas,

Tom

12 Beers of Christmas pt. 2 : I’ll have a Brew Christmas (with or without you) Beers 5-8

Here we are, Christmas is less than a week away and you know what that means, I need to get the rest of this list out fast! So let’s cut the chit-chat and get right down to the brass tacks.

The 12 beers of Christmas numbers 5-8.

A holiday tradition

A holiday tradition

5. Alesmith – Yulesmith (Winter) – Imperial Red Ale 8.5%ABV. This beer is a long standing tradition for me, the beer presents a rosy amber color with an aroma of sweet malts balanced by a nice combination of pine and citrus hops. The strong malt backbone is what makes itself known first on your palate. You get a little sweetness almost like caramel notes, just as the bittering hops kick in and make all the flavors pop together in your mouth like a symphony. While this Yulesmith is slightly less enjoyable than its summertime counter part it is no less an essential of the holiday season.

Lost Abbey's 1st ever IPA

Lost Abbey’s 1st ever IPA – Not my best photo

6. Lost Abbey Merry Taj – Imperial IPA 8.0%ABV – When setting out to write this series of Christmas blogs I had put together a pretty good list of beers to drink that I then would then narrow down to twelve. This beer wasn’t even on the list, partially because I had somehow never heard of it and Lost Abbey has NEVER made an IPA. So you can understand my surprise when I was drinking at Stone World Bistro in Liberty Station and saw this on the menu. I even asked if it was a mistake. Luckily for me, and the rest of the beer drinkers lucky enough to find this draft only beer from the brew masters at Lost Abby it wasn’t. Lovers of IPA will find a lot to like from this beer as soon as you catch a whiff of the aroma on this one. Piney hop notes will lure you in and coat your tongue with holiday cheer. The malts are subtle but bring a light, crisp quality to the beer. Easy to drink and very tasty, I only wish Stone had offered up a bigger pour, 8oz just wasn’t enough. Lost Abbey’s first IPA is a delight and that fact it’s a holiday beer is just a bonus for me to include it in this post.

So damn good!

So damn good!

7. Affligem – Noel -Belgian Strong Dark Ale 9.0%ABV. Finally a Belgium beer makes its presence known on this list and this one does so with authority. My serving was on draft at Stone Brewing and the glass presented with a lovely dark gold color and a nice frothy head on top. The nose on this beer is distinctly of dark fruits – raisins, dates, maybe some fig as well as spiced holidays flavors. The beer drinks incredibly well as the candied sugars used in most Belgians help to obscure the high level of alcohol. This one also has a nice warming effect and as is the case with most of the best beers from Belgium, this beers flavors really start to come alive as the glass warms. This is a fantastic Christmas treat.

Santa might be a drunk.

Santa might be a drunk.

8. Rogue – Santa’s Private Reserve Ale – Amber Ale 6.0%ABV – This is the second red ale to make the list, but this one is something of a craft beer holiday classic. Rogue brews this up annually and it’s always a treat. My favorite thing about ales from Rogue is the rich creamy head that shows up in most of their brews. Santa pours a deep red, kind of like his suit. You will notice a sweet malty aroma. When I took my first sip what jumped out at me was the strong malt base of the beer. It’s the back end is where the hops make their presence shown. Chinook hops give the beer a very tasty pine quality that helps to further the idea of this as the beer of choice for Saint Nicholas. I can’t emphasize enough just how impressive the creamy foam head on this beer is.

So that’s beers 1-8 for Christmas 2013. I still have four to go and a few surprises might be waiting underneath the Christmas tree.

Cheers,

Tom