La Motte Juillet lArverne Cervoise Noire

Brewed by Brasserie de La Motte Juillet
Style: Traditional Ale
Treban, France

Intens dark brown beer with a quick disappearing big bubbled head. The smell is like the crust of caramelized apples with hints of sour Greek Yoghurt on top. Soft touches of cinnamon, raisins, wet furniture and bee wax. The body is a bit thin and the beer tastes a little sharper than the nose . Ther are earthy aspects and touches of sour forrest berries (unripe ones), wood, nut peel and black tea. In the afthertaste fresh almonds, caramelized unripe sour apples, buttermilk (watery version) some forrest soil accents and waxed furniture. Agree with honeyed hints in the nose but the beer is to thin and watery to detect any honeyed sweetness in the taste. Is more interesting when it warms up. At a kitchintable in Ursel (East-Flanders) Thanks Joris.

Off-white head, small and disparate over near-black beer with a slight red shine. Good little lactic component, as well as dark grains, but not burnt, in the nose. Maybe a bit Maillard? Slight lactic acidity over more classical light stout features (dark grains, this time some roasted barley). Like a cross between a Flemish brown and a stout. There’s some almondy, frangipane streak there too, however not sweet. Carlo talks about caramelised apple juice. Warming up, I get oxydized, warm speculoos. Quite light body, like most beer from this brewery, which does not mean empty. Nice, and a bit surprising. Less sweet than expected, but also less hoppy.