33cl bottle. A clear reddish brown beer with a huge good lasting beige head. Aroma of moderate sweet red fruits, dark malt. Taste of strong sweet reddish malt, red berries, cherries, some sugar.

The third Kazematten beer, honouring the hundredth birthday of “The Wipers Times” after which the brewery itself is named – a local newspaper aimed at the soldiers fighting in World War I. Flavoured with elderberry and elderblossom. Thick, frothy, egg-white, closed and stable, pillowy head lacing in shreds over a cristal clear, orangey ruddy-amber coloured beer with some strings of vivid sparkling here and there. Aroma of chewing gum, red Haribo candy, elderberry jam in an industrial way, butterscotch, flower wine (the elderblossom no doubt, but again in an artificial way), rosé, soap, cooked cloth-like pasteurization, caramel, iron – quite an industrial and artificial affair really. Same goes for the taste: clean apple- and banana-like fruitiness, bubblegum, spritzy and minerally carbonation, a bit numbing even; sweet and slick, with a caramelly, bit resinous middle deeply drenched in a particular ‘candied red fruit’ sweetness, almost candy floss-like and artificial, contrary to the ‘real’, often fleshy effects I have encountered in many other elderberry beers. Ends sweet, metallic and only very mildly bitter, with a vague sourish undertone and lingering caramel sweetness. Cooked to death and recarbonated it seems, artificial and with the elderberry added in a sweet, somewhat sticky, ‘fake’ way – this may appeal to larger masses that still enjoy industrial, pasteurized, sweet Belgian candy floss beers, but not at all to me. Worse than expected, to be honest.

Kazematten's saison in 75 cl bottle with cork, bought at Dranken De Moor. Very highly pressurized and opening with a loud bang, but strangely no gushing ensues. What does appear upon pouring, is a towering high, rocky, tightly cobweb-lacing, egg-white head largely filling the glass even with careful pouring, only slowly diminishing; initially clear, pure and 'metallic' golden straw blonde, misty and a tad peachy with sediment. Aroma of ripe banana, pear drop, dry white bread, green apple, soapy coriander, sweet potato mash, meringue, raw parsnip, straw, cloves. Fruity onset, apple-ish and banana estery, pear, pineapple, sourish edge heavily reinforced by very strong, numbing (over)carbonation; full, rounded, bready middle with sharper cereally, pale lager-ish edges, lingering fruity ester sweetishness and soft soapy coriander seed with a dash of clove-like phenols over a hayish and floral hop bitterish finish, bit earthy and eventually notably bready. The esters and phenols linger along with malt sweetishness, as a hint of astringent alcohol vaguely appears all the way at the back. Highly drinkable, easygoing Belgian blonde, quite well-made but very old school, the kind of beer that conquered the country in the seventies and eighties but remains totally oblivious to the global beer revolution that has occurred since then.

6 3 6 3 12Draft at The Black Smith, Zaandam. Clear golden with an off white head. Aroma of herbs, yeast, spice and light malt. Flavour is moderate sweet and bitter. Medium bodied with soft carbonation.

On tap at the Black Smith. Thick creamy white head. Hazy golden pour. Easy drinking, a nice saison.

Tap. Malty, bready, spicy yeast, apricot, lemon. Rather simple and yeasty. Not bad.

Bottle at St. B. Dark brown with reddish orange, medium head. Spicy nose, light caramel and chocolate, minerals. Big spice up front, some caramel, raisins, minerals, whole grain bread. Rather light body. Decent but too spicy.

Bottle sample at a tasting at Tom L's place. Thanks beerandbeyond. Cloudy amber, off-white head. Caramel, fruits, yeast, spiciness, candy, sweet, a bit of alcohol, medium-bodied.