Batch 6 bottle consumed on 4/30/07
I guess I’m not getting these beers yet. They’re obnoxiously expensive for 12 oz filtered bottles and they’re quite dead tasting, not to mention fairly fizzy from the artificial carbonation, and filtered leading to a hardness on the palate and aroma dulling. Smoke flavor and aroma are enjoyable enough, but there’s little more than simple, sweet caramel to go with the smoke. I guess my tastes are just too linked to the mouthfeel/texture of a beer, be that a good or bad thing.

Batch 34 bottle consumed on 4/27/07
Medium-beige head is one-finger in height and very foamy, receding fairly rapidly to parial cover, then ring, then nothing. No lacing. Pretty predictable appearance, seeing that it’s filtered, force carbed (and probably pasteurised). Clear, medium-brown color has some beige and chestnut notes.
Smells a bit stale and rather nutty. Some old coffee grinds lying around, with light hazelnut notes and a bit of earthiness. Caramel makes its way forth, with warming, adding a bit more firm maltiness and there’s a reasonably apparent lager yeast finish, though it’s somewhat muted by a lingering dryness/staleness. Medium to medium-weak strength of aroma. No flaws, nor any alcohol perceived.
Sweet caramel, with light nuttiness and a touch of coffee. Seems to pass rather quickly, but on the finish there was a distinct note of light char and toffee mixing together. It added a nice chewiness and drew out the flavor longer than is usual for these simple beers. Medium to medium-light in body, rather simple in its sweetness, with no flaws. Filtered texture, however, is a bit of a let down, as is the fizzy carbonation that gives the beer quite a bit of looseness and wateriness, moreso than I would expect for the style, as it greatly detracts from any crispness. Very well-brewed stuff, and lagered properly to-boot, but aside from a little extra oomph of flavors/complexity, I’m still back to harping on the texture.

Bottle from shigadeyo, Batch 06; Nose of smokiness and some caramel; rusty orange with a medium beige head; flavor of smoky grainy but not real heavy like a lot of other smoky beers; a litt hop bitterness for a finish;

This is quite nice, a definite surprise. Great smoke aroma and smoky flavor as well. Maybe just a little band aid. Amber colored. Under the smoke is light, sweet malt. Simple brown color. Very well balanced.

Golden ale with a thin white head. Herbal malt with light floral hops. In mouth, cardboardy malt with a thin oily texture, crisp german hops, more like aGerman alt than a SAPA. Medium bodied. Bottle at BCTC 2006.

American Beer in Brooklyn had just one of these botlles sitting next to the register. The label is different and in English. Pours watery dark brown with a very small head. The aroma is corny, malty and alcoholic. The taste started out bad but as it warmed noticed lots of coffee in the end of the flavor. Still the body was thin and ad a cheap malty backbone. I was disgusted at first but it grew on me as it warmed.

Bottled 04/2005, BB 10/2005, alc. 4.8%
Hazy yellow, small white head. Nose is yeasty, sugary-caramelly sweet, some banana notes. Dry and wheaty. Very light and watery pale hefeweizen.

Bottled 04/2005 and BB 2006
Bottle bought from La Fayette, Paris. Paid less than 2 euros.
Dark hazy nut brown, small creamy tanned head. Nose is burnt malts and sugar. Medium to full-bodied. Caramelly, wheat, burned malts. Balanced weizenbock (though it’s not one of my favourite style).

Sampled at the RBESP 2004
Paper and honey aroma. Golden, lowish head. Straw, honey and lemon peel flavors. Light body.

A clear amber beer with an orange head. The aroma is malty with notes of hops, oranges, and straw. The flavor is sweet with notes of straw, aroma hops, and honey. It is more Belgian than English in the style.