Tom (2085) ticked Q69 Quadrupel from Brouwbar 4 years ago
Alengrin (11609) reviewed RA72 Red Ale from Brouwbar 4 years ago
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7.5 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8
Newest Brouwbar beer to date, a ‘generic’ red ale, which I assume draws inspiration from American amber ales and perhaps from Irish red. Medium thick, off-white, moussy, finely membrane-like lacing head on a deep amber coloured, misty beer with almost bronze-ish copper hue – finally a ‘true’ red ale and not a blonde mistaken for an amber… Aroma of soggy bread crust, unsalted peanuts, dry tea, oxidizing apple peel, minerals, caramel, apricot. Sweetish onset, fruity in a clean way, hinting at apricot and apple peel again but restrainedly so; lively, even somewhat stingy, very minerally carbonation, rounded body. Bread-crusty, hard-caramelly and peanutty, nicely rounded and measured maltiness, with a growing herbal hop bitterish note and some aromatic features popping in near the end, even a tad bergamot-, parsley- and dried orange zest-like, even if everything remains restrained and subordinate to this lovely bittersweetish maltiness. Has certain traits of Walloon style ambrée but in a very clean, focused, sleek way, with that typical Brouwbar balance and elegance returning; something of a hybrid between American amber ales and Belgian amber ales, in a way. Refined, I certainly enjoyed this one and will likely drink it again next time I visit Brouwbar.
Alengrin (11609) reviewed ST71 Stout from Brouwbar 4 years ago
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 7.5 | Texture - 9 | Overall - 8.5
New stout by Brouwbar, strong but not ‘imperial’, without further specifications given by the brewery. Moussy to creamy, deep mocha-beige, medium thick, stable head lacing in shreds over a jet black beer, only slightly brownish in the very end. Aroma of black coffee, wet leather, burnt toast, dried blackcurrants, charcoal, coffee grounds, blueberries, black peppercorns and a touch of haemoglobin. Restrainedly sweetish onset with again dried (and burnt) blueberry and blackcurrant notes, very light porcini-like umami touch, medium carb, full oily body; firm layers of blackened toast, roasted walnut and hard caramel fill the mouth cavity, adding a long, full-fledged roasted black coffee-like bitterness to the second half, with blood- and leather-like side accents. A confident dosage of leafy, peppery hops accentuate the roasted bitterness and prolong the finish, whereas alcohol is kept well hidden. This is as solid as it gets for an old school, roasty but otherwise ‘unadorned’ stout: utterly well-structured, full, bitter, smooth and easily drinkable all at the same time, without that annoying sweetness which plagues so many present-day strong stouts. Like the last quadrupel and that Galaxy IPA, this one boasts more ‘oomph’ and more boldness than I am used to from Brouwbar, but all the better for it, this is the kind of export style stout I have been missing for a long time. Hits all the right spots for me, and could technically even be the best beer, or in any case the best stout Brouwbar has produced so far. Hats off to Benjamin, I am genuinely impressed!
tderoeck (22711) reviewed RA72 Red Ale from Brouwbar 4 years ago
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 8
10/XI/21 - on tap @ Brouwbar (Gent), BB: n/a (2021-1257)
Clear red to rusty chestnut brown beer, small creamy beige to yellowish head, pretty stable, bit adhesive. Aroma: pretty malty, grains, some milk chocolate, some caramel notes, bit fruity, some banana, dried fruits. MF: ok carbon, medium body. Taste: malty start, bit of caramel, pretty bitter, grassy hops, some vanilla on warming up. Aftertaste: very bitter, gentle roast, some caramel, dried fruits, malty, bit of ripe banana, a nice autumn beer, very quaffable.
tderoeck (22711) reviewed ST71 Stout from Brouwbar 4 years ago
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 9 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8.5
27/X/21 - on tap @ Brouwbar (Gent), BB: n/a (2021-1199)
Clear dark brown to pitch black beer, small creamy beige irregular head, unstable, falls down to a small layer of foam, non adhesive. Aroma: nice, very malty, good sweet roasted malts, some gingerbread, spicy, some cloves, very nice, intense, coffee touch, caramel, earthy. MF: ok carbon, medium body, dangerously drinkable. Taste: nice roast up front, slightly sweet, yeasty, some ripe banana, then rather bitter, sweet caramel malts. Aftertaste: very dry, bitter harsh roast, some alcohol, hoppy, little sweet, nice roast, very drinkable, good stuff!
Alengrin (11609) reviewed GI70 Galaxy IPA from Brouwbar 4 years ago
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8.5 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8.5
Hazy IPA single-hopped with Galaxy, new by Brouwbar and tasted there from tap. Egg-white, moussy, stable, medium thick, plaster-like lacing head, hazy peach blonde robe with rosy to amberish glow. Aroma brimming with juiciness: pineapple, green kiwi, guava, rambutan, orange juice, pink grapefruit, soggy biscuit, dried lemongrass touch, minerals. Very juicy in the mouth as well: lots of yellow kiwi, guava, ripe pineapple and mandarin, refinedly fizzy and ‘clearing’ crystalline carbonation, oily to even velvety body; lovely biscuity malt sweetishness, supple but sufficiently full, drenched in very aromatic, citrusy and guava-like hoppiness, with a lime-like sourish edge to it adding refreshment. Tropical fruits (though not exaggeratedly so) mingle with green citrus and yellow kiwi – and this wave of refreshing hoppiness, also providing welcoming spicy bitterness in the end, lingers about for quite a while. As with the new quad tasted that same evening, I was quite struck by how expressive this beer is; I have been used to Brouwbar’s house style from the start and I usually tend to explain it as being highly elegant and balanced, keeping craft beer ideas at such a level of moderation that they appeal to a larger, non-craft-oriented audience without losing their credibility, a difficult balancing act Brouwbar specializes in; but both Q69 and this GI70 are much more exuberant, powerful and assertive than usual for them. In fact, this might well be their best IPA so far, without downplaying the merits of the many other IPA variants they made so far, of course. Very impressed.
Alengrin (11609) reviewed Q69 Quadrupel from Brouwbar 4 years ago
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 7.5 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7.5
Brouwbar’s new quad, a reworking of the original Q56. Medium thick, greyish off-white, somewhat irregular, stable head on a very dark caramel brown beer with burgundy glow. Strong bouquet of overripe (brown) banana, cooked pear, melting candi sugar, kahlua, treacle, sirop de Liège, sandwiches with brown sugar or indeed ‘gestreken mastellen’ (a specialty pastry from Ghent), cloves (strong!), raisins, caramel, dough, brown rum. Very fruity onset, sweet with a very strong banana ester presence as expected, mingling with deep brown ‘candi’ sugariness and aspects of ripe pear and candied dates; minerally, medium carbonation, very full body, almost syrupy even. Deep toffeeish, caramelly maltiness with an edge of ‘Koetjesreep’ to it and a slight nutty core, lots of residual dark sugariness and ongoing sweet fruitiness, while clove-like phenolic aspects come up strong retronasally. Warming finish, port- and kahlua-like alcohol but not astringent or otherwise annoying; lots of brown sugariness lingering (almost sticky even), but some herbal hops provide backing bitterness too. Very rich, thick, sweet quadrupel, feeling ‘fuller’ even than many of the leading commercial examples – quite boastful as such, more bold and ‘in your face’ than Q56 for sure (and more so than I am used from usually restrained Brouwbar). Impressive, but still very true to style; I do believe, however, that it will get better with at least a few months of ageing on it, reducing the sweetness and bringing forward the malts and esters. That said: fantastic quad, good work Benjamin!
tderoeck (22711) reviewed Q69 Quadrupel from Brouwbar 4 years ago
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7
8/X/21 - on tap @ Brouwbar, BB: n/a (2021-1143)
Clear dark brown to purple beer, small creamy bit irregular off-white head, stable, non adhesive. Aroma: lots of ripe banana, lots of caramel, sweetish impression. MF: soft carbon, medium body. Taste: pretty sweet, banana, overripe banana, lots of alcohol, bit metallic. Aftertaste: bitter touch, caramel, bit malty, alcohol, sweet, soft roast. I guess I like my Quads with some more age on them...
tderoeck (22711) reviewed GI70 Galaxy IPA from Brouwbar 4 years ago
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 9 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8.5
8/X/21 - on tap @ Brouwbar, BB: n/a (2021-1142)
Cloudy blond to beige beer, small creamy off-white to yellowish head, little stable, non adhesive. Aroma: lots and lots of tropical fruits, sweet impression, oranges, orange peel, more fruity, hint of diacetyl. MF: ok carbon, medium body. Taste: very fruity, good bitterness, herbal touch, hoppy, pretty dry, sweet touch, some mango. Aftertaste: very bitter, bit resinous, some honey, fruity, dry finish, good one!