 Rastacouere (5409), Montréal, Quebec, Canada
Aug 29, 2004 Updated: Apr 18, 2005
750mL bought at New Beer distributors in Manhattan (I’ve also seen bottles at Oliver’s warehouse in Albany and I can’t recommend enough to go through a few hundred miles to get a hold on this nectar). Enormous fluffy, frothy, rocky and sticky white head mounts atop the superb murky golden body. Bottle-conditioning lets a good share of yeast sediments at the bottom of the glass. Extreme farmy^2 aroma where the haystack, horse sweat and the likes don’t fail to seduce any gueuzes and/or saison fans. Guess what, I love both styles. Charming floral and citrusy fruitiness (lemon, grapefruit) explodes from the hops (I remember reading hallertauer somewhere, which seems to makes sense). The tastiest pilsner malt reminds of honey at times, of grass at others. No alcohol noticeable ever. Gentle evolutive hoppy finish is long and decadent, displaying yeast-hop-sweetness belgian balance at its pinnacle. Delicate honeysuckle and coriander notes. Attracting yeast profile (funky old books and spider webs reminiscent) complements a superbly refreshing and well-contained tartness while managing to remain as clean as any other beer. Body is fantôme-ish, fluffy, airy, bubbly and so fitting. This is what artisanal brewing is all about. A unique experimental beer which knocks me by the feelings and annihilates any of the ridiculously high expectations I had toward it. Lovely from any angle you look at it. I believe this to be my favorite beer on earth. / A recent resample settled in stone the #1 position of this beer in my book. It felt weird than the first time, perhaps less cohesive in mouth though still exceptional, just focusing mysteriously on indescribable flavors instead of the more familiar little feet! It has more than a pack of flavor, it is Cupid shooting straight for your heart.
Dickinsonbeer (2550), Hoboken, New Jersey, USA
Jul 22, 2008 750 ml bottle. I had been holding this bottle for a while- I think I got it in a Secret Santa trade a while back. Thanks! Pours a nice hazy blonde- still nice carbonation and a wierd looking foamy head. Aroma is initially dusty, light must and cobwebs- definitley old but not oxidized- more of a tart lactic lemony character with some grassy herbal hints. Dulle stale old malty flavors, stale bread, crackers, dull lemony citrus and lactic acids, musty, earthy and dusty. Not much character left, but has some sourness going on. Probably well on its way past its peak. Oh well- it was cool to try.
TURDFERGUSON (1153), Carrboro, North Carolina, USA
Jul 15, 2008 Bottle, from dickinsobeer. Thanks Paul! Nose and flavor have quite a bit of buttery oxidation which takes away from my deep exploration of the complexity of this beer. Flavor is slightly earthy, with some dried caramel malt, and a lot of strange yeast. A weird beer that I can’t seem to get into at this point. Would have liked to try this fresh.
kmweaver (2125), Takoma Park, Maryland, USA
Jul 13, 2008 750mL bottle, sampled at the 1st Annual Shenandoah Beer Throwdown, courtesy of Dickinsonbeer. Thanks, Paul! Pours a hazy, brownish-yellow color; mixed-bubbled off-white head with very pleasant perimeter of bubbles; patchy, mixed-bubbled lacing. Lots of intricate yeastiness, vanilla, honey, and floral notes in the aroma; light dried caramel oxidation. Medium-to-full mouthfeel: lots of sweet caramel, complex yeastiness, and honey notes upfront; relaxed carbonation; gorgeous yeast character, vanilla-tinged, and lots of nice dried caramel notes. Lengthy finish: yeastiness, toasty bread, and honey; ends on the warm, sweet side.
FatPhil (2365), Espoo, Finland
Dec 2, 2007 330ml bottle (One Pint Pub, Helsinki, Belgian Beer Weeks 2004)
Deep yellow, large tight creamy head, floaty bits. Sweet, spicey and hoppy aroma. Taste is predominantly hoppy bitter, but in a really pleasant way, not harsh at all. Don’t drink in a single gulp, that’s just silly.
Glouglouburp (2006), Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Oct 22, 2006 Cloudy yellow body with chunks of yeast and a large white head. Smells like a spicy lemon pie. Taste is hard to describe. Some weird yeast character than I’m not used to. It’s not bretty, not fruity, not estery, not whatever, just something else. And that something else is great. Taste is hard to describe but I’d say lemon pie coated by rich caramel with grassy hops bitterness. Truly excellent. Unfortunately few good bottles remain. I got one amazing bottle at Le Vaudrée pub in Liège. I immediately ordered a second one but I was too late, diacetyl had taken over. Tragedy. Diacetyl, my arch-enemy, one day you and I will settle our differences and I shall rid the earth of your malevolent doings in an epic battle of good versus evil.
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