6.8

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

Belgian dubbel with a few modern twists in the form of New World hops (Mosaic and Amarillo) and - not modern in Bamberg but certainly 'craft beer movement'-related elsewhere - Rauchmalz; brewed at Millevertus for Pils n' Love, a 'bierfirma' in Samart, south of Philippeville in the Namur province of Belgium. Membrane-lacing, thick and pillowy, pale greyish-tinged beige, stable head on an initially clear, beautifully deep bronze robe with glowing copper red hue, turning misty with sediment. Aroma of caramel candy, pecan nuts, brown bread, old raisins, nutmeg, fried bellpeppers and indeed something subtly yet unmistakably smoky (bonfire, burnt cardboard even but not the smoked meat I was hoping for), cola, medlar, dried orange peel. Sweetish, fruity onset in a moderately clean way, prune and medlar associations, cooked apple and raisin perhaps, softish carb, full and slick body; caramelly, thinly pecan-nutty maltiness with something very faintly metallic to it as well as light toasted bitterish finish, where this roasty aspect pops up - but in a very brief and volatile way. More bitterness forms in the finish, with a dried citrus peel-ish effect yet remaining very low in retronasal New World hop aromatics (if any), instead these typically Belgian clove- and nutmeg-like phenols show up, accentuating the toasty aspect and adding a certain earthiness as well. A leafy hop bitterness does linger, but I would never have guessed Mosaic (or even Amarillo) in here; still, this is quite a modern, original, lovely bitter-forwarded dubbel, very different from the usually overly sweet commercial dubbels we all know. Not bad at all, but both the smoked aspect and the New World hoppiness should have been significantly 'enlarged' to truly make a difference for me. Feels like a bit of a missed opportunity in that sense.

4

beerfestival Gembloux

6.6

Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6.5

33cl bottle from Comptoir des Fagnes beer store near Couvin in Belgium. F: big, tanned, long lasting. C: dark brown, hazy. A: malty, dark bready, bit orange peels, bit nutty, dry tea bags, bit olives, herbal. T: full malty base, toast, citrus, light roasted tones, biscuits, orange touch, medium carbonation, this should be strong pils but not bad actually, enjoyed.

6.8

Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7

33cl bottle from Zythos 2019, bedroom tasting in Leuven, shared with Anke. Pours hazy dark brown with a lasting, thick, foamy, tan head; some lacing. Aroma of walnut, chicory, orange peel, biscuit, dried tea leaves, toast, black olive. Taste is light to medium malty sweet, prune & raisin on a chocolatey & nutty base, medium hoppy bitterness brings orange peel, faint toast, but the character is mainly biscuity, almost caramelly. Dryish, malty, slightly earthy hoppy finish, lingering biscuit, orange peel, toast. Medium body, oily texture, soft carbonation. This one actually edges towards a Black IPA but the core is too malty and too sweet. Enjoyable though.