Buttery blood orange and tangy

Klassikaline antidoot, herbaalne, kuiv , tsitrus, väike hape. Hea.

Connecting the sourness of bacterial fermentation with the bitterness of plant alkaloids is what made me interested in the Jacobs’ brothers’ Antidoot project in the first place, and I still consider it the most original and interesting part of their range. This one elaborates on the same idea, a sour ale bittered with great yellow gentian (one of the world’s most bitter plants and already used in beer before the generalization of hops in the 15th century) and flavoured with blood orange for more freshness, in an attempt to create a general effect resembling Italian amaro liqueur. Off-white, moussy, largely opening head, warm hazy peach blonde robe. Aroma oddly very reminiscent of lemon-scented hand soap or something similar, bitterroot coming up clearly after that fades, southernwood leaves, apple peel, kefir, quinine, Campari orange, grapefruit juice even. Tart and ‘greenish’ onset, wild apple, lemon and grapefruit – but actually mostly the blood orange of course, albeit without sweetness; medium carbonated, supple body, cereally core under lactic and citric sourness (the first rather soft, as usual with Antidoot) and growing lemony perfumeyness, while in the meantime a severe, astringent, spicy bitterness builds up, very rooty and quinine-like – indeed with an aromatic bitterroot effect dominating the end, as in amaro. Antidoot’s bitter liqueur – the ‘Campari orange’ of wild beers, with that blood orange adding considerable crispness; bold, but also feeling a bit medicinal, like some 19th-century herb medicine… Very surprising and interesting, though I probably could not finish a whole bottle of it.

23.06.2023: Taster from 0,75l bottle at Hops 'n More, Leuven. yellow hazy color, small white head. smells peppery, bitter oranges, earthy, Parfumy. Very nice smell. full body, soft carbonation. tastes oranges, parfumy, earthy, grassy, peppery. finishes lightly dry and light to medium sour with notes of Bitter oranges, Parfumy and grassy notes. Just damn lovely,love those bitter oranges

8, 9, 9, 8, 9

14.11.2025: 0,75l bottle at home. Bottled March 2023. amber lightly hazy color, medium big white head. smells herbal, bitter oranges, tobacco, citric, tannins, wood. very nice smell. full body, bubbly carbonation. tastes bitter oranges, citric, earthy, herbal, hay, flowery, some black pepper. finishes bubbly, lightly dry and lightly sour and light to medium bitter with notes of bitter oranges, herbs and flowers. damn, I love this beer, another very lovely vintages. Great complexity, yet retains a very good drinkability as well. Lovely!

9, 9, 9.5, 9, 9