On tap @Buskers Pub (Rome). Oro carico con riflessi pesca, schiuma leggera, non molto persistente. Naso scarico, leggera ossidazione, sentori citrici e di tè verde. In bocca è priva di spunto, forse non freschissima, l'amaro è poco caratterizzante. Corpo medio, carbonazione medio-bassa. Da rivedere.

Armagnac barrel aged ‘imperial saison’, Spanish Guineu collaborating with Belgian Alvinne, bottle from Beerdome in the Netherlands. Thin, moussy, off-white, quickly opening head, hazy peachy-amberish robe with vague straw brown tinge. Intense and inviting ‘sipper’ bouquet of indeed outspoken armagnac (or brandy in general) and strong vanilla-ish oak wood, dried peaches, honey liqueur, orange zest, bread crust, plum wine, overripe pear, some onsetting ‘rusty’ but non-offensive oxidation fitting in well. Sweet onset, peaches drenched in liqueur with dried apricot and dried fig aspects at its sides, old apple peel, soft carbo, full and vinous mouthfeel. A pleasantly biscuit and slightly caramelly malt sweetness with honeyish residual sugary effect underlies a drying tannic woodiness paired with the expected brandy flavour dominating the end, with some of the oxidation rising up retronasally; the alcohol, noticeably not from the beer as such but from the added armagnac, becomes very prominent in the last phase, even hot and burning as if a shot of brandy was thrown in the beer glass. Honeyish and peachy sweetness linger. An interesting and tasteful sipper, a bit too brandy-forward for my personal liking but people who are into liquor will certainly appreciate this; in terms of style, though, I’d rather classify this as a barleywine than as any kind of saison.

Hazy blond colour with lasting head. Complex and full flavoured. Very malty and sweet at first. Citrus comes through later. Nice bitter aftertaste.

33cl can
Golden color, white head with some retention and lacing. Aroma is hoppy with light maltiness. Flavor with a decent hoppy notes to be a pils; fruity notes as well. Bittery final with light dry mouthfeel.

Sampled draft @ Billie’s Bier Kafétaria. Clear orange, small uneven white head. Nose is very BE, oxidized, cheap BE high boost, orange peel, dried, heavy booze,… Weird thin high boost BE with fish guts, oxidize apple, massive BE esters, very hard to drink, heavy boozy, dried medicinal orange peel, harsh.

Tap. Unclear golden color with white head. Aroma is funky, peach, wood, dough, booze. Taste is peach jam, dough, booze, warming finish. Oily mouthfeel with white head. Overdone.

Bottle 33 cl. Pours an almost clear golden with a dense and lacing white head. Somewhat perfumy aroma. Medium body, a dry fruitiness and an amazingly bitter finish. Clean and well brewed. 240718

Bottle, 330 ml from Honest Brew, Shared with JFK10000 and Max. Almost clear dark golden, white head. Some floaters. Armagnac, malty, caramel, some alcohol coming through. Lacks body to support the barrel.

(bottle 0,33l from Pivotéka U Křížů (Opava)) Overall: Good, sourish and bitter.
Aroma: Light sour, baryard.
Appearance: Hazy golden. Long lasting, white head.
Taste: Light sweet, light sourish, medium bitter, fruity, citrusy.
Palate: Medium body. Fizzy. Dry finish.

Bottle 33 cl. Pours a clear golden with a white head. Discreet flowery aroma, but nothing much really. Medium body, again fruitiness and little else. Ends fairly bitter. 110718