Zythos 2022. Hazy blond with lacy head. Aroma and flavour are pleasantly grainy. Sweet, floral, grapes. Warming finish. Complex.

Good russet-cream head over cola-coloured beer. Sweet, syrupy, maltextract, liquorice. Sweet, alcoholsweetness enforcing, boozy. Again syrupy, liquorice, preserved prunes. Thick, creamy, viscous, good carbonation. 20 years ago this beer might have seen as a revelation. Today... thirteen to the dozen. Thanks to Stef!

One of these Punaise beers by the Koekoeksbrouwer, a literal ‘cuckoo brewer’ (and pub owner) operating in the 'nest' of De Meester. As with the rest of the range, the names and labels could be interpreted as rather misogynistic – especially in a time when more and more (so far only foreign) breweries have to deal with allegations of transgressive behaviour towards women. I am aware that the Koekoeksbrouwer probably did not intend his labels as offensive, but they are at least immature and tend to set me off on the wrong foot – I will be extra critical here. Anyway, for this whisky-infused dubbel: yellowish pale beige, moussy, thinning and opening head, initially clear dark mahogany brown robe with coppery hue, turning into a hazy ‘dirty’ chocolate brown with sediment, showing yellowish flakes of protein as well. Aroma of caramel sauce, gingerbread, toffee, brown bread crust, indeed clear whisky, cinnamon, clove. Sweet onset, candi-sugary, dates and candied figs, fizzily carbonated (a bit much for this kind of beer actually); medium-bodied, caramelly, brown-bready and slightly chocolatey maltiness with slight toasty-bitter edge and spicy notes (clove and cinnamon again), before indeed a very obvious, warming, eventually astringent whisky effect sets in, dominating the finish. Still the malts, proteins, residual sugars and a dash of late, earthy hops combined do absorb the liquor a bit, maintaining an acceptable degree of drinkability. As said, I do not like the immaturity of the labels and names of these beers, but I have seen ‘whisky-infusing’ being executed in a worse way than here, even if a tad less whisky would have led to a more restrained and in that sense more refined result.

Sampled @ Zythos Beer Festival 2022. A hazy yellow golden beer with a white lacing. Aroma of juicy3 hops, yellow fruits, tangerine.

Sampled @ Zythos Beer Festival 2022. A hazy orange brown beer with a beige lacing. Aroma of mid sweet caramelized malt, raisins. Taste of resinous hops, caramel, raisins.

Sampled @ Zythos Beer Festival 2022. A clear golden beer with a white head. Aroma of honey strong pale malt. Taste of strong sweet pale malt, honey, some herbs.

Sampled @ Zythos Beer Festival 2022. A clear yellow golden beer with a white head. Aroma of juicy hops, some coconut, mango. Taste of mild juicy hops, yellow fruits, citrus, mango.

Trocken hefiger Beginn, mittelstarke Herbe, erst spät etwas bitter. Zum hellen Malz kommt im Mittelteil ein angenehmes Hopfenaroma, süffig, rund. 9/8/9/9//9

Alkoholischer, leicht süßer Beginn. Süffig trotz des Alkohols, etwas trocken im Hintergrund. Bananig. 11/8/9/7//8

Bottle via BEERBOX.be, many thanks, Luc! Hazy dark orange, stable, foamy, off-white head. Aroma of ripe melon, apricot, red apple, orange peel, yeast, dough, vague cheese. Taste has sweet apricot, orange & apple in bread-malty, yeasty body with bitter citrus peel & spices underneath. Floral hoppy finish, bittersweet citrus, touch of iron but not disturbing, quite fruity-yeasty. Medium body, slick texture, average carbonation. Enjoyable, a recognisable beer in its style, decently executed. Let's say that 'sister beer' Rosse Tinke is more interesting stylewise.