7

Botella @Route 66, Avilés. 27/02/2024. Color marrón oscuro corona de espuma blanca aromas y sabores

7

#farmhouse #garde

7.1

Appearance - 7 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7.5 | Texture - 7 | Overall - 7

The latest Kerel beer bij VBDCK in Tielrode is this 'Pintje', the standard term used in Flanders for standard pale lager (usually made by macro breweries) - so this one explicitly aims at the masses, in contrast with many of their first creations with catered for the more experienced beer drinker; I have followed their output even from before they officially got started and it seems that they have been evolving more and more into that direction of 'simple' mass market beers, with this one as the ending point of that evolution, because few beer styles are more mass-marketed and 'trivial' than a 'pintje' even in the Belgian "beer paradise". I guess this is their way of coping with the silently waning interest in more daring or challenging beers, a trend seen not only here but in other western countries as well... Can from - quod erat demonstrandum - an Albert Heijn supermarket. Frothy, quite thick, snow white, densely moussey, almost creamy, closed, membrane-lacing head on a clear yellow-golden blonde robe with lively sparkling throughout, sustaining the head. Aroma of freshly cut grass, halfripe banana (isoamylacetate - not a typical element in lagers!), green raw cereals, fresh white bread, dry straw, raw radish, bread crumbs, lemon zest, minerals, pumice, moist white pepper, chamomile and sweetclover. Rather sweet onset, banana clearly returning like in a Belgian style top-fermented blonde, hints of pear and red apple, lively carbonation with refreshing minerally effects but nowhere harshly stinging, smooth and supple, lean body; fresh-white-bready maltiness with a slick cereally edge, sweetish and maintaining this light bready aspect till the end, where it meets a slight soapiness and softly bitterish, floral hops which promise to become more peppery at first, but do not deliver on this promise and fade away gently - but not before adding retronasal effects of field flowers, dry straw and aloe. Indeed, a simple and unambitious beer for the masses, but technically flawless and rather delicate, with a pleasant (albeit thin) breadiness to it I always appreciate in an 'honest' malt-forward brew - but the single quotes used around the name and the whole flavour profile here (especially the isoamylacetate) betray its true nature: this is, if my tasting skills do not fail me, not a lager at all, but a very clean and 'basic' Belgian blonde ale posing as a lager, comparable with that Baron by Batteliek I had a few weeks ago. Nothing wrong with that per se, but I would have appreciated more 'honesty' from this brewery by admitting that it is, in fact, a top-fermented beer... Nevertheless, out of respect for brewer's intent, I added it here as a pale lager - just do not be fooled, and move on if you are looking for a 'true' lager.

6.1

Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 5 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 5.5

330ml bottle pours out amber color topped with a sand head. Nose is sweet caramel malts some leaf grass hops and a little earthy. Taste is more of the caramel malts some earthy hops soap and some spice.

7.1

Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 8.5

Bottle at home, light hazy yellow beer, small head. Aroma is sweet, peppery, yeast. Taste is the same, yeast, peppery, sweet, bitter, malt, light fruit, nice one.

5.9

Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 4 | Overall - 6.5

Random bottle.
A: clear golden, small, white head.
A: apple peel, grass, mandarin peel, wheat, soap.
T: sweetish apple & pear, sourish wheat & citrus.
F: earthy hops, bit dirty, soapy & phenolic.
P: medium body, slick texture, fizzy carbonation.
Quite okay, but again typical soapiness from Kerel.

2.9

Appearance - 3 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 3 | Overall - 11

Õlle on selline jook, et iga uus kord kui klaasi või pudeli suule tõstad, siis leiad midagi uut, sõltuvalt tuhandest-miljonist pisiasjast, mis hetke olukorda mõjutavad. Seega piirdun iga õlle juures selle tekstiga.

5.8

Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 4 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6

Amber with a creamy, white head. Peachy aroma, a bit artificial, with lots of dankness. Taste is mildly bitter the whole way through. Body to the light side of medium, moderate watery texture. Overall, fairly simple. Not a fan of the aroma, but otherwise drinkable.

6.9

Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7.5

330ml bottle. Did not realise this was 15% when I cracked it open! Misty yellow pour, medium-sized white head. Tastes like a supercharged blond with a big old sweet character. Big alcohol hit, struggle to finish.