Bottle at Pint Winterbierfestival, Gouda: Dark brown/red coloured beer with an slightly sour taste (cherries?) and dark chocolate, an decent brew.

Bottle at Winterbierfestival, Gouda: Dark brown coloured brew with sweet and slightly sour taste of raspberries, spices and coriander. Suprisingly nice beer.

Bottle at Winterbierfestival, Gouda: Clear orange coloured brew with spicy taste of coriandre and cloves. Kind a sweet brew with peppery ending.

Bottle 0,33ltr: Dark brown coloured brew with an dry bitter taste and hints of dried fruits and orange.

Bottle at Winterbierfestival, Gouda 2014: Dark amber coloured brew with an slighlty sweet bitternesh. Hints of spices and other veggies.

‘Gruit beer’ from a microbrewery in Flevoland (northern Netherlands) referring to the history of Schokland, once an island in the Zuiderzee which has since been poldered; when it was still an island, Schokland was apparently situated on a busy trade route between the Hanseatic cities, which among many other things also traded beer – hence the connection. Thanks Craftmember for sharing. Light gusher, but nothing to worry about too much. Off-white to ecru, moussy, medium-sized, opening head on an initially crystal clear, very pure and deep copper- to orange-glowing amber robe with tiny-bubbled sparkling, turning misty with sediment. Aroma of rusk, clove, carraway seed, rosewater, Roosvicée, bubblegum, ripe blackcurrants to even a touch of strawberry, gale, soggy peanuts, candied orange. Fizzy onset, a tad stingy even, sweetish with light fruity touches of persimmon, strawberry and rosehip; light bubblegummy note too, slick and somewhat glueish mouthfeel. Peanutty, hard-caramelly and rusk-like malt core under herbal aromas reminiscent of clove, carraway and rosewater (Roosvicée springing to mind again); clearly a ‘bouquet’ of herbs has been used here, though sadly the label fails to even mention them. Bitterness remains very low and even though the herbs do provide some end bitterness, hops seem to have been used very sparsely, if at all (at least seemingly – I would be surprised if this beer contains no hops at all). The ‘gruut’ interpretation of a Belgian amber or ‘spéciale belge’, quite originally and technically well-made for what it intends to be. Not bad at all, but seen the reviews below, I seem to be the only one to think so...

33 cl. bottle @ home, bought online @ speciaal-bier.com. Clear dark amber with a white head. Spicy sherry aroma with some caramel. Sweet and sour taste with a light cabbage note. Bitter finish which lingers in the back of the throat a long time.. Quite quaint and not entirely without flaws but really interesting and tasty.

33 cl. bottle @ home, bought online @ Speciaal-bier.com. Dutch brewery #390. Black with a tan head. Coffee aroma with some dark caramel. Sweet taste with a coffee-bitter finish. Nice one.

Bottled 20.09.02. A bit darker as an average witbier. Cloudy with a small persisting head. Yeasty aroma, with a touch of grapes. Creamy, yeasty, slightly fruity flavor. Very light and inoffensive aroma and flavor, but also lacks character. Refreshing beer, though.