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

The ordinary Belgian blonde in a series of new abbey beers by John Martin (likely brewed at Swinckels but who knows), dedicated to the Maredret abbey in Wallonia, northwest of Dinant. Even the famed Hildegard von Bingen is thrown in as a commercial asset, held responsible for the use of spices and spelt (which were already common in beer before she came around, but anyway)... Sounds ominous enough to me. Thick, foamy, yellowish egg-white, pillowy, regular and dense, hardly lacing head resting stable on an initially near-clear, deep apricot-tinged pale orange blonde beer with minute dots of yeast everywhere (usually a sign of ageing) and fine strings of sparkling, turning misty and deeper orangey peach with sediment. Aroma of jute bags, old juniper berries (actually used) and old cloves (dito), spiced cookies, cheese crackers, ferrous spring water, cured meat hint (4-vinyl-guaiacol, strongly enhanced by the added clove), raw parsnip, persimmon, hints of cinnamon, egg yolk and dust. Spritzy onset, lots of minerally sparkling, sweet-fruity notes of persimmon, fig, banana and apricot with added white candi sugar syrup sweetness - creating a light but somewhat 'hollow' effect in an otherwise rounded, cereally, cracker- and peanut-like malt profile with that typical spelt earthiness and spiciness coming up clear enough; lots of added and phenolic spiciness on top with clove being recognizable because of the 4-vinyl-guaiacol effect but juniper berries quickly following suit, with herbaceous, 'botanical' and slightly astringent effects, the latter amplified by ongoing (over)carbonation. Liquorice and cinnamon notes faintly lurk in the background, hops appear late to the party but fortunately manage to add a leafy dryness in the very end, alongside something metallic; honeyish sweetness lingers but a bit less annoyingly so than feared, while the minerality of this overcarbonation almost seems to get the last word. Somewhat saison-esque in the most classical sense of the word thanks to the spices and the spelt, but basically just a sweet-and-spiced Belgian blonde; I have to admit, however, that I was expecting something much cleaner, sweeter and industrial, so all things considered (including my low expectations), this is not too bad after all. Whether it is good enough to make me put my trust in the rest of this new range, is a totally different question, though. In any case you will really have to like spiced Belgian ales if you want to appreciate this one... In short: not good, but less bad than expected.

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

Appearance: Dark golden to light amber, clear. Attractive, creamy white head. Aroma: Dark berries, medium malt. Some brown sugar. Slight barn. Taste: Medium malt, herbs. Forest berries, some yeast and barn. Decent. Bought: Amstein, 330 ml, CHF 3.56 Info: 9/12-2022, BB: 1/9-2023

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

Helder oranjegeel bier met schuim. Smaak is bitterzoet met ietwat graan, wat houttonen en een beetje fruit.

Sampled @ Zythos Beer Festival 2022. A clear golden beer with a white head. Aroma of wheat, herbal malt, yeast. Taste of mid sweet wheat malt, herbs, caramel.

Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 4 | Flavor - 3.5 | Texture - 4 | Overall - 4

Milder getreidiger Beginn, wenig malzig, blechern. Mild bleibend, geringe Aromatik, langweilig. 10/7/6/6//7

Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6.5

7/III/22 - 33cl bottle from Bierhalle Deconinck (Vichte), shared @ Syntra Zytho class, BB: 1/IX/23 (2022-236)

Clear orange beer, big creamy off-white to yellow head, unstable, dissipates quickly, non adhesive. Aroma: malty, a bit fruity, banana, pear and apples. MF: lively carbon, medium body. Taste: sweet start, malty, slightly bitter, bit metallic, soapy touch, sweet. Aftertaste: dry, a bit herbal, overripe banana, a bit metallic, sweet finish.

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

Bouteille 33cl, BB 01/09/2023 du Delhaize Ixelles.
Petite bière qui selon mes échanges a été élaborée à la Br de Waterloo - mais là réponse quant au lieu de brassage est resté très évasif. Bière qui rappelle aussi qcq souvenirs de ma grand-mère, née au couvent des sœurs de Maredret - le petit jardin aux herbes peu se visiter lors d'une ballade à Maredsous, situé non loin. Bière reprend de fait certaines de ces herbes aromatiques dans la bière.
Couleur dorée, col épais crémeux tenace blanc-cassé.
Arôme offre un bouquet léger sur le fleuri et ce côté aromatique - trouve plus le genévrier. Malt sur caractère belge - cara pâle, Munich, pils. Noble finement fleuri et terreux en rétro-nasal.

Palais reste sur une base belge classique carapâle, pils - ici cette version use de baies de genévrier et clou de girofle. Le tout offre un côté genévrier décent - encore une touche de sucre résiduel qui perdure en retrait. Amertume reste fine dans un rang noble plutôt classique.

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

Opalescent orange colour, large, dense ecru head; aroma of strong toffee, vanilla, some clove, bready, herbal and some floral notes; bittersweet taste with similar notes as can be felt in the aroma; correct one

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

33cl bottle from Carrefour Market Cours St. Michel in Brussels. F: medium, off-white, long lasting. C: deep gold, hazy. A: light fruity, bit brett, cloves, juniper, bready and mellow fruity. T: medium malty base, higher carbonation, clove touch, herbal, juniper, bready, probably there are no brett yet it feels like they are there, honey touch, for me ok, enjoyed.