Spanish attempt at Hefeweizen with added spelt (so already not a traditional Hefeweizen in its very nature). Loose, moussy, snow white head, not nearly as fluffy as a traditional Hefeweizen would produce, over a misty peach-hued golden blonde beer. Aroma sadly ruined by heavy DMS (cooked cabbage) distracting from more flattering notes of soggy white bread, light banana (too light for this style actually - never thought I’d say this), vague bubblegum, breakfast cereals, grassy touch. Fruity onset but ’clean’ for this style, hint of banana, pear, some light pineapple, medium carbo, slick and soapy mouthfeel but not as ’fluffy’ as I expect from a Hefeweizen, bready wheat and some vaguely spicy spelt, dimly sourish, strong retronasal DMS again, even overpowering the phenolic cloves; very light earthy hop touch in the end. Impaired by DMS - whereas Hefeweizen, an underestimated style to produce at high quality level, gets most of its ’flair’ from a balanced play of esters and phenols, both of which are pushed to the background here. The least successful beer of the festival for me.

F: thin, beige, quick gone to thin film. C: dark brown, opaque, hazy. A: malty, light citrus, caramel, hint of tropical fruits, chocolate. T: malty, floral, citrus, toffee, roasted tones, bready, not bad balanced but not for the IPA much, medium body, medium carbonation, enjoyed, 33cl bottle from LIBF 2017 in Leuven.

F: big, white, good retention. C: amber, opaque. A: malty, grassy, floral, caramel, soap, bit of orange. T: malty, unidentified bitterness, light soapy, coriander, not good balanced, light to medium body, high carbonation, not enjoyed, 33cl bottle from LIBF 2017 in Leuven.

At LIBF, a Cascade-dry-hopped IPA from this young (2009) Catalonian craft brewery. Thick, moussy, off-white head over a hazy orange blonde beer with deeper bronze-ish hue. Aroma of oranges (clearly Cascade indeed), fresh warm toast, dried mango, sweet tropical flower note, pineapple, peach, bread crust. Fruity onset, orange, mango and pineapple, softish carbo, bit fluffy mouthfeel, caramelly and very lightly bready malty middle but a bit (too?) thinly so, dry hoppy finish, spicy with a lot of orange peel fragrance, floral too, very aromatic. Well done though not too remarkable anymore now that even Spain is teeming with these ’new’ generation craft beers including American style IPAs.

Bottle sample @ LIBF’17, thanks to the RB-InBev Belgian crew for the share. Dorée, sur léger voile, col blanc. Arôme d’ester allemand rendant un léger bouquet banane, petite touche épicée avec rétro de grains, froment, touche de pils? Palais reste dans une lignée classique allemande, levure DE avec fruité banane, petite pointe d’épice et un léger houblonné noble, garde un fini rendant un effet de pelure de pomme.

330 ml. bottle sampled @ LIBF 2017. Thank you for sharing RB-InBev Belgian crew! Made with 25 % stale spelt bread. Dark brown, amber. Nose is dull stale herbs, bread, grain, poorly sweet, stale bread. Taste is poor medicinal, cough syrup, herbal, dull, stale bread. Body is the same, stale old bread. Not a fan of the beers from this brewery, not sure whether the idea is bar or the execution. Brussels Beer Project #EXP 0032 had a similar concept and worked out great.

F: thin, white, quick gone. C: “dirty” gold, hazy. A: malty, orange peels, yeasty, candy, apricot, mellow fruity. T: wheat, fruity, yeasty, coriander, soapy mouthfeel, medium body, low to medium carbonation, nothing very special but from Organic Farming, 33cl bottle from LIBF 2017 in Leuven.

330 ml. bottle sampled @ LIBF 2017. Thank you for sharing RB-InBev Belgian crew! Orange, little white . Nose is dull metallic, watery, soap & wet dog. Taste is soap, bland, poor, watery, some wet dog, metallic. Body is watery, weak, metallic, soap,... Not a fan, at least it is a rare style tick.

Bottle sample @ LIBF’17, thanks to the RB-InBev Belgian crew for the share. Orangée, col fin blanc. Arôme offre un beau bouquet de grains/riz assez bien restitué, petite touche épicée rappelant les piments secs concassés - verts. Palais rend bien l’effet de riz avec une petite épaisseur de bouche et effet frais. Le tout complété par une effervescence moyenne-haute et un fini amer citornné des houblons.