De Koninck Ambree (Cask)

Cask@Crosse Keys, central london. Well me and kook had run out of beers to try so we went with this, and i had no idea it was a seperate rating to the regular De Koninck. Anyway, i like this, spicey, yeasty, softy, creamy mouthfeel. Very nice, but i still liked it on tap in Antwerp a bit better.

Cask at County Hotel JDW Ashford Very quaffable beer until you fall over. Mid brown colour with yeaty nose and good fruity malt with hops to balance well on the end.

<!-- i -->cask<!-- /i --> - clear and bright amber colour; nice beige creamy head; some maltiness and caramel up in front, but all being very shy; beautiful lace; notes of hazelnut and flowers developpe as the beer gets warmer; decent malt body, some sweetness soon balanced by a moderately dry bitterness; creamy mouthfeel; the finish is mainly caramel and relatively brief - lot of subtility

As well as the Antwerp bolleke, I’ve now had the cask version (that’s been available on handpump in Wetherspoons pubs off and on for the last few months) a couple of times. It may be sacrilegious but I though it definitely seemed better than the tap version I had in Antwerp - fresher and less gassy, with nice smooth mouthfeel, plenty of hops and a slightly bitter finish.

1. Cask Handpump at the Penny Black, Northwich (JDW) 30/11/2004 Amber mid brown coloured with some hop and fruit aromas. Crisp slightly dry lasting malt finish. 2. Cask Handpump at the Briar Rose, Birmingham (JDW) 10/04/2005 Golden amber coloured with some sour fruit aroma. Slightly dry creamy malt finish.