Pauwel Kwak

Brewed by Brouwerij Bosteels
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
Buggenhout, Belgium

TAP: in the yard glass at Happy Gnome (St. Paul, MN). Amber color, some fruit/spice on the nose, a mellow taste that includes fruit, malt, with a large banana component. Love this beer.

No infamous Kwak yard glass this time. Nice strong ale, if a little soulless. The malt profile is kinda relentless : A phenolic texture: Some weird green fruit flavours ,like limes. Some burnt sugars and caramel. its good , but the whole ’yard glass’ popularity adds some over hype to things.

This beer begs to be chugged- not because it’s bad, but because it’s characteristics are subtle, but delicious. Plus, when served in a yard as it should be (this site doesn’t suggest it but the bottle clearly identifies it on the sticker on the neck, plus when purchased at The Abbey in Miami Beach they serve it in a Kwak-labeled yard) you are nearly forced to chug it as you have to tip the narrow glass way into the air to get to the sweet brown liquid that is holed up behind a foam damn. That’s why yard glasses have no bottom, because you’re not supposed to set it down until it is empty.

Amber in color, slight head, rapidly diminishing. Aroma of dark fruits, with hints of cinnamon, ripe banana and apricot. Highly carbonated, more dark fruit and ripe banana flavor. Medium body, with a sweet finish. I still get some apricot at the end.

Copper yellow color and a creamy head that did not last long, due to the form of the traditional glas that came with it. Fruity tastes in good balance with the hop. Alcoholic but not exageratted. The last sip will gush over your face when you’re drinking unattentive. Beware! Nice beer. Would ask for another kind of glas though.

Bottle. Pours a clear, copper-amber color with a lasting, foamy, off-white head. Skinny lines and small spots of lace mark the glass. Aromas include candy sugar, caramel malt, bananas and estery orchard fruits. A distinctly Belgian yeast profile finishes things off, along with a good amount of alcohol on the nose. Flavors follow suit, sweet caramel and candy balanced by peppery, floral hops and dry, bready yeast, with light fruity notes showing throughout. Medium-full in the mouth, the palate starts out overly sweet, but finishes on the dry and alcoholic side. Floral hops linger. Nice Belgian amber overall.

pours reddish/orange with a slight frutti aroma. Loads of fizz; malty even. Taste is traditional American malt, not as bitter. Alcohol is hidden very well; very refreshing. Solid Belgian Ale, though not the top echelon.

[330ml bottle at the Retreat, Reading] Served in the famous glass, which evoked gasps of astonishment from my friends. Pours Deep amber with a large off-white head. Initial impression just of sweetness, with smoked gammon and honey and sweet malt coming through. Finish quite syrup-y. It’s certainly the glass that makes this famous rather than the beer itself - I feel if I was served it in a normal glass my mark would be lower. But my enjoyment was certainly boosted by the feeling that you were taking part in a chemistry experiment; by the joy of discovering that you could actually safely pick it up in using the wooden stand as a handle; by the worrying little glugging noises as the beer starts to leave the bulb and then by the relief as you realise that this doesn’t actually mean that all of the beer is going to suddenly rush down your throat at once. Top marks for the glass then (which is, after all, part of the whole beer experience with Belgian beers) but the beer itself is rather sickly sweet.