Saint-Germain Page 24 Réserve Hildegarde Blonde

Bottle. Head is initially average sized, frothy, white, mostly lasting. Body is hazy medium yellow, bottle conditioned. Aroma is lightly to moderately malty (toasted grain/bread), lightly to moderately hoppy (honeysuckle flowers, herbs), lightly yeasty (cobwebs), with notes of mint, pepper, dried pineapple, honey. Flavor is moderately sweet, lightly acidic, lightly bitter. Finish is lightly sweet, lightly acidic, moderately bitter. Medium body, watery/velvety texture, lively carbonation, lightly alcoholic. Awwww, yeah...this is the stuff right here. I had the Ambree on Sunday with TAR and it really rocked me, terrific stuff. And sho’ ’nuff, we have another winner with the Blonde, which I was chuffed to have all to myself tonight. This beer is all about elegance, subtlety, and refinement. So amazingly clean, so beautifully modest and classy! Luscious malt and flowery hop are equal partners in this one, with soft fruity esters and spice to add depth. A truly gorgeous beer whose surface simplicity will inevitably be lost on most. The Shelton team has picked a winner with this brewery.

Rusty gold. Alluringly creamy and persistent white foam. Rustic yet brightly fruity nose of minerals, dusty yeast, toasted hay, aniseed, dried pineapple, cotton candy, and herbal hops. Whiff of sulfur lurks in the background. Dense and fluffy carbonation. Considerably mouth-filling with a well-rouned lagerlike fullness. Snappy minerals gently lift the rich yet pristine cakey malt base while lending vivid definition and crispness. Residual sweetness teases the palate as it deposits shades of cotton candy and cake to create a magical alliance with the dusty yeast. Yeast coats the palate with a pillow-soft doughy element while the malt flutters about, expressing ample flavor and a tongue-hugging powdery textures with suggestive toasted hay notions. Baked apple flabbiness remains distant enough so as to not weigh down the immaculate attenuation or overshadow the array of subtleties too much. Peppery notes shyly exude throughout, adding yet more layers of nuance. Finishes continually dusty and mineralic, with an artfully subdued punctuation of flavorsome hops which seamlessly morph into a well-polished spicy and herbal bitterness. Beers like this are among the most difficult to craft. This is an exquisite work of art, chock-full of spellbinding subtleties combined with rustic allure and character.

Appearance: It pours a clear golden beer with a beautiful white head. Aroma: Hoppy with hints of sage and lemon peel. Rather strong. Belgian yeast character. Flavor and palate: Good bitterness. Lemon peel, quinces and sage appearing. Flowery. Complex. Rather full bodied. Wonderful long bitter finish with hints of lemongrass and sage. Overall impression: Deeply pleasant. A very nice surprise.

Botte from Vinmonopolet. A good pick for once. Hazy gold, nice pop of the patent cork. Saison-like, a lovely blend of barnyard, sourness and fruit. Keep them coming!

Cloudy orange-brown, head white and dense. Sour apple smell, reminiscent of cider. Flavour is fruity, a little sweet, with sour apples and mild hoppiness. A very interesting beer.

courtesy of Laurent Mousson - clear blond colour with a firm white head; slightly buttery and spicy, fair aromatic hoppiness; good malt body, some initial sweetness and a robust bitterness, very lively palate; long hoppy and slightly spicy finish; quite dry - lot of character and very pleasant

750 ml swingtop bottle, now available in Norway at Vinmonopolet. ABV is 6.9%. Pale golden colour, just a slight haziness, big white head. Nice aroma of "Belgian" (French, actually) yeast, with spicy / peppery notes. Some fruit and grass too. The flavour is first crisp and moderately spicy / peppery, leading to a fruity moderate sweetness, ending in a moderately hoppy and spicy finish and aftertaste. A truly enjoyable bière de garde - will buy again.

750 ml bottle. Hazy golden colour. Meidum-sized white head. Floral hops and wheaty. High carbonation level. Nice and mellow malt flavours with a strong wheaty note. Initially it feels a little like a witbier, but this beer is definitely stronger, and the yeast is slightly more characterful. More esters and more fruity. Spicy, from hops and yeast. Finish is dry and bitter. Very nice.