Alvinne Gaspar

Brewed by Picobrouwerij Alvinne
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
Moen, Belgium

Serve in Trappist glass, Tulip, Tumbler

UPDATED: FEB 3, 2012 Bottle: Golden, cloudy, extremely gushing, yeasty-skunky nose, oranges and coriander underneath, alcohol as well; solid bitter-sweet flavour, medium to full bodied; distinctive warming alcohol in the tarter bitter-sweet finish. Maybe a goody, but I could only grab a few drops, because the rest of the bottle sticked to the ceiling.....

Pours a nice dark reddish amber color. Aromas of fruit, and some other hints, maybe some spices, maybe caramel. Flavor is a bittersweet, malty, and hops with a nice bittersweet finish.

2010 Vintage (likely) / 33 cl. bottle @ Kulminator / Although I do like the brewery probably more as a concept and people than for their beer, I am definitely curious about trying more Alvinne beers, Gaspar is part of that curiosity / One of their standard offerings which sometimes are less interesting it is their winter beer, one of the 3 winter beers that they make if I am not mistaken, the number being a reference to the 3 wise men / This was most likely brewed at the previous brewer since when I visited the brewery they had only made 1 beer there and were in the process of finish one special and bringing back some of their standard offering, this one has been probably around since last Christmas / 115 IBU’s strong making this one the bitterest beers in Belgium, only Struise has to the best of my knowledge topped that / Pours a slightly hazy orange with a big white head (luckily not as big as some Alvinne beers)/ Smell is pretty much the same as taste & Taste is hops and lots of them with a lingering bitter aftertaste, lots of citrus in the hops and the taste as well, bitter lemon peel, slight lacto (interesting), definite spices and Belgian yeast, underneath the bitterness at the end all of the previously mentioned flavours briefly get somewhat sweeter but only slightly & briefly / Carbonation is pretty high in this one but cannot say that it is particularly bothering me / Not a bad Belgian IPA but not a spectacular one either

Location: 12 oz bottle from Colonial Wine and Spirits, 11/1/11

Aroma: The nose is fairly hoppy, with some herbal notes, citrus, lots of spice, and yeast
Appearance: The pour is a cloudy golden-orange color with a big, thick foamy white head
Flavor: The taste is similar, some dry malt, lots of spice, and somewhat unpleasant bitterness
Palate: The body is medium, the carbonation is average, and it has a lengthy and rather dry finish to it
Overall Impression: My first beer of November! I really wanted to like this one more then I did. It isn’t bad, but there’s just something slightly unpleasant about the flavor that throws it off for me. Outside of that, I really did find it enjoyable, but I have to hold that seeming miscue against it.

I really liked this beer. I saw where several rated this as an IPA... but Ratebeer has it as a Belgian Strong. This beer is complex and fun. The alcohol is well hidden, the flavor is hoppy, but not your citrus hoppy, more spicy with a hint of pepper, some honey (not sweet, just flavor) clove... a hint of funk, but not much. LOVE the long aftertaste. Pours a murky orange with a nice foamy head that dissipates quickly with little or no pattern. The smell is similar to taste, very different, but not very strong. What a fun beer...

Bona amargor i postgust llarg. En nas notes de sour. Complexa i difícil per a inicitas. Molt bona cervesa.

This was an interesting beer that I tried at a local wine bar because I’d never heard of it before. I didn’t catch must Belgian flavor from it. It seemed to me like a nice IPA, though that is not my favorite style. It was interesting to try and I’m glad I got a chance as I’d never seen it before.

Cloudy orange body with a huge white rocky head. Yeasty bitter and acidic aroma with fruits, caramel, not balanced at all. Full and sticky palate. Warming flavour with hops and a dry finish. Not bad, albeit weird.