The first beer from Nieuwhuys and very different from the witbier style we all instantly associate with the name Hoegaarden. Pale beige, firm, sticky, mousse-like head, colour a very dark brown with wine-red glow, misty. Very fruity and malty nose of banana, cacao powder, coffee liqueur, cinnamon, sweet sherry, pears, mint, candi sugar; rounded mouthfeel, dark fruits and candi sweetness, mild carbonation, a hint of orange peel, all on a firm basis of chocolate-, caramel- and nut-like maltiness, also some yeasty spiciness and a leafy bitterish hoppiness in the tail, where the somewhat cloying sweetness of the candi sugar also lingers on and some warming, wodka-like alcohol emerges, very slightly burning and in that respect not that well hidden. A bit stronger now than it was in the beginning and I have the impression they also toned down the roasted malt accent, which is no longer noticeable.

Bottle shared. Pours very hazy amber with a tan head. Aroma of light fruit, yeast and malt. Flavour is moderate sweet and bitter. Light medium bodied with moderate carbonation. Unexciting.

33cl bottle courtesy of and shared with Kermis. Thin white head. Cloudy golden blond pour. Ok, nothing special

Yeasty version of a Speciale Belge. Caramelised malt, sweet metallic taste, with some mild fruits. Mwoah.

Regular Belgian witbier. Wheaty body, with smooth yeast. With some fruits and fresh spices. Nice, but it’s all been done before.

Bit boring Belgian blond beer, every Belgian brewer thinks he needs to brew one of these.

Tasty Belgian dark beer. Yeasty and malty body, with some nice fruits and herbs. Good example of a Belgian microbrewer.

33 cl. bottle @ home. Procured from Willems. BBF 16/07/2015. Hazy dark orange, solid white head. Nose is thick BE yeast, darker honey, caramel, sugar, thick malty with herbs, decent start. Tastes of sweet mellow honey, nuts, touch herbal, brown sugar, herbs, warming, touch boozy, doesn’t come entirely together but definitely nicer than the score would indicate on RB. Not on par with my introduction to the brewery “Alpaïde”.

330ml bottle. Hazy golden colour with average, frothy, diminishing, minimally lacing, white head. Fruity, wheaty aroma, notes of apple, apple purée and lemon, hints of coriander, a touch of orange zest. Taste is minimally tart, fruity, wheaty, notes of lemon, apple, hints of coriander, orange and orange zest. Refreshing, well balanced, really nice.