7.6/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 8.5
Bottle from Star Grocery in Berkeley, CA. Pours clear copper with a few bubbles. Aroma of mild fruits and brown sugar. It’s a clean, penetrating aroma. Full bodied. Flavor is treacle that persists and makes it hard to dissect the base flavors. Maybe brown sugar more than treacle. It has a woodiness. A berriness. I’m not really getting heat as an impact, maybe as a flavor. Rather mouth smacking. It’s not dry, but I’m tempted at each quaff to think dry. Nice ale here.
Tried
from Bottle
on 21 Sep 2014
at 18:08
6.5/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 6
One of several "new generation" Sainte-Hélène beers, actually the old Sainte-Hélène Blonde (also tasted under that name) with a new label; a blonde session ale with thick mousse-like, yellowish white head and light peach blonde colour with tiny yeast particles floating around everywhere. Aroma of orange peel, vanilla, pineapple, straw, flowers, lime, yeast. Citrussy freshness in the mouth, fruity, rounded and slick mouthfeel, yeasty, malt sweetness with pretty strong hop bitterness, grapefruity and long, with a sourish touch in the finish possibly coming from the carbonation.
Tried
on 06 Sep 2014
at 14:26
6.1/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 6
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 5.5
15th August 2014
GBBF Day 4. The great Harrisoni/madmitch76 walkabout. Bottle. Opaque dark brown beer, small pale tan head. Crisp and dry palate. Mild dark malts and light earthy coffee. Touch of roast. Mild floral note. Subtle orange hop before a dry finish. Roasty linger. Okay. Start to get a bit chewy despite it’s thin palate.
GBBF Day 4. The great Harrisoni/madmitch76 walkabout. Bottle. Opaque dark brown beer, small pale tan head. Crisp and dry palate. Mild dark malts and light earthy coffee. Touch of roast. Mild floral note. Subtle orange hop before a dry finish. Roasty linger. Okay. Start to get a bit chewy despite it’s thin palate.
Tried
from Bottle
on 06 Sep 2014
at 06:16
6.6/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 6.5
Honey beer with very thick, light beige, firm head and brownish amber colour, hazy. Powerful aroma of walnuts, caramel, subtle honey, mint, bread, ginger, pepper, passion fruit, orange peel, yoghurt. Soft fruity taste, dry, light citrus, nutty malts, spicy (retronasal impressions of ginger and aniseed), light honey touch but not turning too sweet, bit sourish, dry, medium hopped finish.
Tried
on 28 Aug 2014
at 13:02
6.9/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 8
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 6.5
Winter ale with yellow beige, creamy, thick, dense, collapsing but otherwise stable head and warm bronze colour with ruby hue, clear at first but hazy after adding the deposit. Intense malty aroma, pear, bitter chocolate, liquorice, cloves, coffee powder, hazelnuts, candied dates, rancid butter. Assertively, sharpish malt profile also in the taste, quite strong carbo, dark fruits, light sourish accent, supple, caramel, nuts and chocolate are all there, even a coffee-like roasted bitterishness in the finish along with floral hops and warming alcohol. Well-made Scotch-style Christmas ale.
Tried
from Can
on 27 Aug 2014
at 13:58
6.5/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 6
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 6
One of those recent Sainte-Hélène projects, apparently discontinued again meanwhile. Very thick and rocky, firm, pale beige head, colour very dark burgundy, hazy. Aroma of sourish yeast and dark malts, walnuts, grapefruit, wine vinegar, blackcurrant, figues, cloves, sour cherries, cream, tea leaves, lemon peel. Acid onset, even a bit vinegar-like, medium carbo, restrained fruitiness, nutty malts, bit Orval-like ’barnyard’ in the finish along with a hint of roasted bitterness. Bit strange and suffering from a mild infection, but interesting still.
Tried
on 27 Aug 2014
at 12:57
5.9/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 6
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 5.5
Blonde session ale with sensual label but rather neutral aroma of grassy hops, lemon zest, sour apple, hay and young cheese; restrained fruity taste, smooth and light in the malt department, some spicy notes, pretty long bitter finish - but I doubt if this should be classified as an English-style bitter, as has apparently been done here.
Tried
on 27 Aug 2014
at 12:38
7.4/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 6
Overall 6.5
One of those ’new’ beers made by Sainte-Hélène, also tasted under its alias La Djean Triple ambrée, with yellowish white, thick, moussy, stable head and deep peach blonde colour with warm orange hue, clear with minuscule yeast particles floating around. Powerful flowery and perfumey aroma of rosewater, vanilla, mango, passion fruit, candied orange, lavender, pineapple, tomato, ginger, triple sec, melon, honey, gin, dough. Rounded, full palate with lots of exotic fruits and orange peel, caramelly malts, mellow and supple, spicy and yeasty accents, mild floral hop bitterishness in the finish along with sherry-like warming alcohol without becoming wry. Well-suited for those who like strongly perfumed, spicy ales and quite a venture compared with Sainte-Hélènes older beers.
Tried
from Can
on 20 Aug 2014
at 17:45
6.6/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 6.5
Bottle at One Pint Pub, Helsinki. Originally rated 04082012. Colour is cloudy golden with small white head. Aromas and flavours: Fruits, citrus, hops and malts.
Tried
from Bottle
on 17 Aug 2014
at 03:26
6.5/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 6
Bottle at One Pint Pub, Helsinki. Originally rated 04082012. Colour is almosta black with small head. Aromas and flavours: Chocolate, some coffee and roasted malts.
Tried
from Bottle
on 17 Aug 2014
at 03:25