Blonde session ale since 2011 with firm, snow white, regular head and clear light blonde colour, hazy ochre with deposit. Aroma of bread, butter, white pepper, young cheese, grains, grass; neutral onset, grainy and minerally, rounded and supple mouthfeel, grassy hops in the finish, dryish. Just your ordinary abbey-style blonde, correct and quenching.

Dilewyns’ fourth beer, tasted as Vicaris Kerst in the autumn of 2009, served by the brewer’s daughter at the Horeca Expo of Ghent; later as Vicaris Winter 2011, and now as Vicaris Winter 2015, but it’s still the same beer. Yellowish white, moussy, lacing head, deep mahogany bronze colour, very dark but still translucent, initially clear but cloudy with deposit. Powerful and very perfumey aroma densely packed with suggestions of candied cherry, marmelade, toffee / caramel, chocolate bars, liquorice candy, bayleaf, grass, Liège pear syrup, amaretto, thyme, fresh peppermint leaves, cloves, strong coriander and even aniseed, candied dates. Sweet fruity but notably canded onset, raisins, dates and baked banana, soft carbo, full caramelly, lightly chocolatey and somewhat nutty maltiness, deep and mellow, spicy notes overseeing the whole; mild roasted bitterness appears in the end, along with herbal hops and a glow of warming, rum-like alcohol in the finish. I regret not having followed the versions of 2012-2014 but seemingly, the recipe has not changed all that much; in this latest edition, this is liquid Belgian chocolates, a bit less resinous than e.g. Gouden Carolus Christmas or similar offerings, but equally rich and perfumey, with quite a demanding flavour navigating cleverly between the dominating sweet on the one hand and bitter as well as a certain amount of umami on the other hand. Spiciness proverbially has no limit in this, and still it manages to keep pace with the malts. Fascinating and surprisingly rich - this deserves a high score as its many flavours are quite well balanced against each other. Over the top in terms of spiciness and candied sweetness, but nevertheless exemplary for a Scotch-inspired Belgian Christmas ale.

Vicaris Generaal in 75 cl bottles with lactic fermentation. Thick but quickly dissipating, yellowish beige head, pure bronze colour with copper hue, hazy. Complex aroma of walnuts, bitter chocolate, apple, white grapes, sherry, orange peel, wine vinegar, coffee powder. Fruity, sweet onset (pineapple, red apple), tart sour cream and dry sherry effect as in an oud bruin, deep nutty, caramelly, somewhat chocolatey maltiness, light roasted Scotch-like bitterness in the finish as in the regular version, with the drying tartness from the onset and some herbal hop bitterishness. Interesting.

Scotch-style ale with a full chocolatey and caramelly malty main taste, dried fruits, coriander especially in the middle, drying a bit, smooth and somewhat powdery mouthfeel, warming alcohol in the finish (perhaps a bit astringent) and a hint of roasted coffee-like bitterness as well as herbal hops. Nice, but I have to re-rate it as it was still brewed at the ’Proef’brouwerij the last time I tasted it.

Blend of Vicaris Tripel with the (filtered white-label) Girardin Gueuze, golden blonde with malt sweet an fruity flavours of the tripel nicely balanced against the esters and tartness of the lambic. Interesting find, won the consumer’s prize at Zythos Bierfestival 2007, but I would not go as far as to call this the beginning of a new beer type, blends of ales with lambics are an old Brabant tradition. Very refreshing though, both basic beers are mixed cleverly and support one another very well.

Bottle. Pours yellow. Nose/taste of lemongrass, bubblegum, sweet pear and spicy yeast. Light bodied.

From tap @In de Wildeman. Hazy pale golden colour, a lot of bubbles, one finger frothy white head, mostly lasting, good lacing. Aroma fruity, citrus, lemon grass, grapefruit, coriander, yeast, herbal. Taste light fruity sweet, medium bitter, citrus hops; medium body, oily texture, soft carbonation. Dry and fresh bittersweet finish, citrus, herbal notes. Alcohol well hidden, a very nice light and hoppy tripel.

Bottle at De Kelk, Brugge, 17/10/14. Golden orange with a moderate off white covering. Nose is tarte citrics, woody notes, dank tones, light dry rot, tarte fruit rinds. Taste comprises tarte mandarin, tangy mellow fruits, light must, spice, citric tinged straw, earthy. Medium bodied, fine carbonation, light acidity in the close. Decent mellow sour, not too complex but delivers.

Bottle shared at Chriso’s mid-week lasting 03/07/14. Clouded orange / red with a lastingoff white head. Aroma is musty tart cherry, with sweet caramel malts. Flavour is musty dusty with a light tart. Palate is effervescent, airy on the tongue. Pretty good.