5

Scherpe en kruidige bitterheid met licht verbrande koffiebonen. Mooie, dikke schuimkraag.

7.5

Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 8

Specialty version of a Belgian dubbel, pimped with fenugreek, Szichuan pepper, black pepper, cocoa and bourbon... Bottle from Willems. Initially towering high (or indeed 'tall'), foamy, coarse, stable yet irregular, pale beige head over a hazy, dark chocolate brown beer with ruddy to almost vermillion red hue. Aroma of burnt sugar, cocoa powder dusted over old brownies, dried fig, treacle, crushed black peppercorns somewhere, bourbon subtly apparent too, ethereal sweetish spiciness superficially somewhere in between coriander, cumin and cinnamon but obviously representing the fenugreek, hints of pear, tofu, iron shavings (head stabilizer?) and gingerbread. Sweet (yet nowhere cloying) onset, residual brown sugar in a restrained and elegant way, dried fruitiness of fried banana, raisin and some candied fig; medium carbonation, full, rounded mouthfeel. Nutty, brown bready malt sweet core with toasty bitterish and thinly metallic edges, picking up more of the cocoa dust, soapy-sweetish-spicy fenugreek seed and eventually sweetish bourbon flavours in the end; the Szichuan pepper seems to add a tofu-like 'meatiness' and the black pepper 'stings' appear only in the very end, cleverly accentuating the peppery features of both hops and alcohol. Lovely and fascinating beer in starting off as a sweet Belgian dubbel, but growing spicier, drier, 'warmer' (without too pronounced pepper heat) and more complex in its finish. Well done and however substantial Verhuisbrouwerij's imput is, this is the most successful Tall Poppy for me so far. Too bad for that iron aspect, though it remains a background note so it didn't bother me too much after all.

7.8

Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8

330 ml. bottle @ Theatercafé Mortsel. Dark brown, low amber huge, uneven head that lastly leaves nothing. Nose is heavy herbal, spice market, root cacao, sweet spices, roots,… Herbal cacao with sweet presumably Szechuan pepper, low anise, almost liquorice but in a more low sweet spice market, roots cacao beans, sweet herbal, low roots, interesting & tasty for sure, not getting bourbon, decent spice body. Interesting & pleasant beer, definitely my favourite so far from Tall Poppy.

7

Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 9

Thnx to Jo ! Pours very dark brown, copper glow. Nearly no head. Smell is phenolic, some cardamom ( not an actual ingredient, so it seems ) Taste is medium intense, bit sweet, phenols, some cardamom. Tad bitter, medium carbo. Ends a bit dry.