Mi2 på Cardinal, denne gangen entusiastisk ledet av Assisterende Seremonimester. Her det ene av kveldens to flaskeøl: lett uklar rødlig kobber med fint skum. Røde bær, marsipan og hint av ingefærkjeks. Mild bitterhet, deilig og lett krydret maltsmak. Kort og godt en juleøl i toppklasse.

750 ml corked & caged bottle, as Les Trois Mousquetaires Grande Cuvée Réserve De Noël, at Cardinal, Stavanger. ABV is 10.5%. Deep reddish brown colour, moderate off-white to beige head. Aroma of malts, caramel, Christmas cookies and mild spices, hints of dark dried fruits. Medium sweet flavour with the same elements. A pleasant Christmas beer, better suited to accompany desserts, cookies and cakes than the traditional Christmas dinner.

Deep golden fading into light orange, moderately hazy, gets hazier on final pours. Medium sized quite frothy white head, shows good enough retention and lacing. Average intensity in the aroma: a restrained background of hay and crackery malts, a healty dose of funkiness (barnyard, perhaps a hint of leather), fresh citric notes, perhaps a bit of yeasty spiciness. Ok complexity, so-so definition. Slightly more defined in taste, but still a bit unpolished. Taste notes and intensity as per aroma. Average sourness and funkiness for a wild saison, indeed just as much as i expected. Sweetness and bitterness are both relatively low and in good balance in both taste and aftertaste. A pleasantly refreshing citric aftertaste. Overall a rather simple wild saison, pleasantly refreshing and well balanced, but could use more definition. Light to medium bodied, probably a bit lighter than i expected for the abv, with average, lively bubbled carbonation, resulting in a quite easygoing, slightly lively mouthfeel. I usually enjoy wild saisons, and i enjoyed this one too, but from an objective point of view i don't see it as more than averagely good.

A ginger ale look with a pure white head with good retention. The nose is soft fruit, lemon first, with sweet malt. A real change from more common hop bomb or caramel malt dominant doubles. Floral and lightly citrus hops are subtle and nicely blended. Touches of honey, grain and bready malt add to a refreshing taste profile. Light body and tongue tingling effervescence.

A full white head on a grapefruit juice body. A punchy nose leads with grapefruit and sweet malt. Very fresh hop elements. Grapefruit, lemon, and tropical fruit work well on a mild sweet malt body. A hint of pepper. Clean body, high medium carbonation. Fresh and refreshing.

Poured from 750mL bottle (bottled 08-01-2023; lot: 065). Chill hazed gold with very quickly dissipating white head. Tart saison with feint vidal grape, hint of cheese, medium body, okay.