Belgian blonde from this Hoboken-based beer company, bottle from Wijnegemse Drankenhal. Thinnish but stable, egg-white head quickly reduced to a moussy rim around the glass and a single, wafer thin veil in the middle; initially clear, warm, pure ’old gold’ robe with some quiet sparkling here and there; pouring the sediment into the glass, I get a very diffuse haze of minute yeast bits, eventually rendering the beer completely hazy (though not in a messy, cloudy way). Rather weak aroma of damp kitchen towels, sweetbread, spinach, soggy cereals, straw, chicken corn, some iron, apple peel, bread crust. Fairly neutral onset, very low in fruitiness (is this a lager?), some apple- and pear-like hints, sweetish but in a very subdued way, with a sourish graininess underneath; minerally hints, medium to lightly fizzy carbonation, supple and smooth body. Cereal sweetish middle with sourish grainy edges, a tad metallic and just a little bit oily; ends in ongoing graininess paired with a mild, herbal and grassy hop bitterish touch, but not much else happens. This is suspiciously pale lager-like, with a rather neutral, (too) easygoing profile, very grainy and cereally with that damp cloth-like odour I am used to encounter in industrial lagers. I cannot but conclude that the aim was to make something ’pils’-like, as simple and easy as possible, and if that was the intention: mission accomplished. Not impressed, but seen in standard pale lager context, there is worse on the market - if this is indeed bottom fermented, which I strongly suspect, it deserves to be classified as a premium lager. For once I am disappointed that this is not an ordinary Belgian top-fermented blonde ale, actually...

Bottle. Somewhat clear yellow golden color, medium sized white to off-white head. Smell and taste malts, some bitter. Believe me I’ve tried but I didn’t get anything else. Ok, couldn’t Smell a lot because of heavy hay fever, but this beer is very bland. No real flaws but quite boring.

Kaunis tummanruskea olut vaahtoaa heti korkin avaamisen jälkeen todella runsaasti, olut suorastaan haluaa ryöpytä pullosta ulos. Vaaleanbeige vaahto on todella pysyvää ja kivasti pitsiä jättävää. Tuoksu maltainen, karamellinen ja tumman hedelmäinen, banaaninen. Maultaan olut on maltainen, melko makea, tumman hedelmäinen, mutta ehkä hieman pliisu. Katkeroa hyvin kevyesti. Suutuntuma on yllättävän kevyt/ohut ja kohtalaisen hiilihappoinen.

Pours clear blonde, small white head. Smell is malty, sweet, bit bitter. Taste is malty, sharp bitter touch from the yeastyness that is also present, especialy towards the aftertaste. Ok body, and a rather high carbo. Yeasty aftertaste. OK beer

Bottle from Aeon Liquors Katsuragawa on sale at 360¥. Clear matte gold with a thick soapy white head. Fruity grapes/pears/apples with a light bready pale malt aroma. A somewhat aggressive carbonation on a med-light body. The taste is richly sweet, very Belgian & bready. Not exciting but quite nice. ---Rated via Beer Buddy for iPhone

Arend’s brown beer with rocky, yellowish white, delicate, nicely lacing head and dark burgundy colour, clear but cloudy after adding the deposit. Strong fruitiness in the nose, apple sauce, elderberry, chocolate, liquorice, meat broth, juniper berries, soapy hops, port wine, walnuts. Dried fruitiness in the mouth, well rounded, medium carbo, spicy accent, nutty and chocolatey maltiness, leafy hop bitterness in the finish, long and dry with some gin-like warming alcohol.

Hoboken beer named after the legend of Nello and Patrache; warm golden blonde beer with a light, delicate sweetness, fruity with light coriander, elegant, not complex but quite refreshing.

Bottle @ Groote Witte Arend, Antwerpen. Dark brown colour, beige foam. Medium carbonation. Aroma of light roasted malts, caramel and dark fruit. Bit thin and not very well balanced. Decent, nothing special.