olen beerfestival

Bottle shared with 77ships. Not much specifics, since this was tasted during the 'black days' between ratebeer and brewver. This one was way to spiced for me. Completely off balance, as well as overcarbonated. I've met some people who were big fans of this one, but I sure aint one of them.

Spice beer flavoured with yarrow (a common weed in Flanders, with a long history of medicinal uses) and maté (a shrub related to holly, used for an eponymous tea-like infusion in South America); made for an initiative aimed at 'intuitive' art and rather obscure 'healing' practices. Snow white, mousy and somewhat creamy, medium thick, bit fluffy, very slowly opening but generally very well-retaining head, initially near-clear 'metallic' orange blonde robe with deep golden hue and lively, but refined sparkling throughout. Aroma of indeed very strong yarrow (sweet, a bit liquorish-like and very flowery), maté less evident but still responsible for green tea- and grass-like impressions, further notes of sweet cicely, lemonbalm, banana, sweetbread, rusk, hints of caramel, freshly cut red apple, lavender soap or even cedar needles (probably just the maté again), chewing gum, soil, unripe pear. Fruity onset, banana, red apple and pear returning, sourish undertone accentuated by very lively, somewhat stinging carbonation, very minerally as well, but still maintaining a smooth, supple body; sweetish bready maltiness with light honeyish and caramelly aspects is quickly drenched in this very strong herbalness, with the yarrow adding its sweet, cicely-like and floral effect and the maté adding a strong tea-like aspect - but in combination with a late, bit earthy and floral hop bitterness, they also add a bitter weed-like wryness in the finish, making the whole beer a bit less palatable; estery-fruity and malt sweet notes survive this spice attack, but still it is both the yarrow and the maté I keep tasting long after swallowing. I tend to dislike beers that contain too much of the old spice rack and this one is certainly one of those, fitting in a long Belgian tradition of flavoured saisons, winter ales and other overly spicy beers. The weedy wryness is a bit much and unpleasant in the end, but admittedly the maté and the yarrow do match quite good with one another aromatically speaking, contrary to my expectations; still I want to have the feeling of having enjoyed a good beer afterwards, rather than some weird herbal tea. Too much spice here, but no other apparent technical flaws and admittedly an original idea - have a point for that.

Nice golden colour, white creamy foam. Rather lively carbonation. Notes of peach, apples, dried herbs, tea. Rather dry and bitter, some sweet notes.

24 February 2019. Wieze Bierfestival - cheers to Meeki, Ama Deke & the lovely Anke! Beer more or less commissioned by a 'spiritual artist' based in Brasschaat, with mate & yarrow. Called such because she always tries to see the positive side of things. Okay. Pours clear golden with a lasting, thin, unstable, frothy, off-white head. Aroma of soap, perfume, flowers, kitchen herbs (thyme, dill, probably the mate at work here too), apricot, apple peel, orange, dark honey. Taste is medium fruity sweet, notes of apricot, pineapple & apple next to caramel & honey but not overly sugary; light to medium spicy bitter then, pepper & grass in balance with tea leaves & garden herbs; touch of flowers & sourish lime in the back. Dryish, grassy hoppy finish, more spices & honey. Medium body, slick texture, fizzy carbonation. Okay, balanced, the herbs work here, I'm also glad it's not as corny as its name.