Month: February 2024

La Sagra Brew S.L. Carrefour Sensation Rubia Sin Filtrar – Golden Ale at 5% ABV (€0.95 at Carrefour Express, 330 ml, best before 11-Dec-2024, acquired 19-Feb-2024, reviewed 19-Feb-2024)

Appearance: hazy/muddy pale amber with a short fine off-white head diminishing gradually to a thin cap, spotty lacing. (3/5) Aroma: mild, fruit, cereal grains, grassy hops. (6/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium body, moderate-lively carbonation, medium duration finish. (3/5)

I mean, I don’t hate this – and I’ve certainly paid a lot more for a lot worse. (13/20)

This will be my 5,765th unique Untappd check-in.

6.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Bavaria Brewery 8.6 Extreme – Malt Liquor at 8.6% ABV (€2.00 at Carrefour City, 500 ml, packaged on 3-Jan-2024, best before 7-Jan-2025, acquired 15-Feb-2024, reviewed 16-Feb-2024)

Appearance: clear pale gold with a short, short-lived off-white head, minimal lacing. (3/5) Aroma: sweet muddled fruit, floral, doughy yeast, solvent. (5/10) Taste: high sweet, moderate-high bitter. (5/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, sticky warming finish. (3/5)

I suppose that since I had zero expectations here, I technically can’t claim to be disappointed. And I can’t say there’s damage here, in that I’m not detecting actual off notes. But, this is a boozy muddled fruit and floral mess, reminiscent of dish soap-laced vodka, which is to say: gas station hobo beer at its finest. (Fine, I got it at a supermarket, but the point remains.) Look, if you want to get fucked up for ten bucks, no judgement, this is your friend. Otherwise, you might want to avoid this. (11/20)

This will be my 5,761st unique Untappd check-in.

5.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Brasserie Castelain La Charnue Triple – Tripel at 8% ABV (€1.84 at Carrefour City, 330 ml, packaged on 6-Oct-2023, best before 1-Oct-2024, acquired 15-Feb-2024, reviewed 16-Feb-2024)

Appearance: clear deep gold with one finger of fluffy pale ivory head, good retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: candi sugar, floral grainy malt, Belgian esters, oranges, earth. (7/10) Taste: high sweet, moderate bitter. (6/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, sweet mildly warming finish. (3/5)

It kind of hits the targets for the style, but it’s really too sweet. And for that matter, it feels a bit clumsy throughout. I guess it’s fairly drinkable for the ABV, but it’s otherwise lacking in most categories. (13/20)

This will be my 5,760th unique Untappd check-in.

6.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Brasserie Goudale La Goudale – Bière de Garde at 7.2% ABV (€2.31 at Carrefour City, 330 ml, best before 31-Jul-2025, acquired 15-Feb-2024, reviewed 16-Feb-2024)

Appearance: clear deep gold with one finger of loose pale ivory head diminishing gradually to a thin persistent cap, moderate spotty lacing. (4/5) Aroma: grainy malt, Belgian esters, oranges, earth. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (8/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, medium duration lightly funky mildly warming finish. (4/5)

A surprisingly good farmhouse-style ale with light Belgian esters and earthy notes leading to a slightly funky finish. Nice complexity without being overwhelming, and the higher ABV is handled well. (16/20)

This will be my 5,758th unique Untappd check-in.

8/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Brouwerij Van Steenberge St. Stefanus Blonde – Belgian Blond Ale at 7% ABV (€3.47 at Carrefour City, 330 ml, best before 10-May-2025, acquired 15-Feb-2024, reviewed 15-Feb-2024)

Appearance: slightly hazy deep gold with one finger of loose pale ivory head diminishing gradually to a thin persistent cap, moderate spotty lacing. (3/5) Aroma: clove, Belgian esters, cereal grains, hint of banana. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium body, moderate-lively carbonation, medium duration mildly warming finish. (4/5)

I don’t get gushers very often these days, but this was one, and I marked down the appearance slightly as a result. Other than that, it’s a fairly typical Belgian Blond, albeit one that does a decent job of hiding its somewhat higher than normal ABV. Decent. (14/20)

This will be my 5,756th unique Untappd check-in.

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

H-West B.V. Koenigsbier (Carrefour) – Blond Ale at 4% ABV (€0.87 at Carrefour City, 500 ml, best before 1-Jul-2025, acquired 15-Feb-2024, reviewed 15-Feb-2024)

Appearance: clear straw with one finger of fluffy white head diminishing gradually to nothing, minimal spotty lacing. (3/5) Aroma: grass, sweet grains, slight diacetyl. (6/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-low bitter. (6/10) Palate: light body, high carbonation, off-dry short finish. (3/5)

€0.87 and worth every penny. It’s not actually bad, but it’s almost aggressively boring. Which is to say, I didn’t finish it. (12/20)

This will be my 5,755th unique Untappd check-in.

6/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Brouwerij Haacht Brasserie Levrette Blanche à La Cerise – Wheat Ale at 3.5% ABV (€2.40 at Carrefour City, 330 ml, best before 6-Jul-2024, acquired 15-Feb-2024, reviewed 15-Feb-2024)

Appearance: clear pink with a large fluffy pale pink head, good retention and spotty lacing. (3/5) Aroma: sweet slightly artificial cherry. (6/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate tart, moderate-low bitter. (6/10) Palate: light body, high carbonation, short tart finish. (3/5)

It is what it is: a flavoured wheat ale, completely and utterly dominated by the adjunct. A little fake and cough syrup-like, and definitely nothing interesting, but it would probably be fine over ice on a sunny patio. (12/20)

This will be my 5,754th unique Untappd check-in.

6/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Saint Arnold Brewing Company Banger IPA – American Double / Imperial IPA at 8.4% ABV | 29 IBU (C$5.59 at Jetway Mr. Express, 568 ml, packaged on 20-Nov-2023, acquired 4-Feb-2024, reviewed 4-Feb-2024)

Appearance: hazy medium gold with one finger of fluffy pale ivory head diminishing rapidly to a thin skim, spotty soapy lacing. (3/5) Aroma: mild, tropical fruit, melon, cereal grains. (6/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (6/10) Palate: medium body falling off slightly thin, moderate-low carbonation, off-dry short finish. (3/5)

Hopped with Strata and Simcoe, malts are 2-row, torrefied wheat, white wheat, carafoam. The aroma is mild without a whole lot of hop presence, and although the body seems to start off nominally medium, it falls off slightly thin. Yes, it’s on the older side, but even so: not in fact a banger. There’s nothing offensive here, but I couldn’t be bothered to finish the pint. (12/20)

This will be my 5,751st unique Untappd check-in.

6/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Karbach Brewing Co. Hopadillo Hazy IPA – American IPA at 6% ABV | 20 IBU (US$3.99 at Jetway Mr. Express, 568 ml, best before 3-Apr-2024, acquired 4-Feb-2024, reviewed 4-Feb-2024)

Appearance: hazy pale gold with one fat finger of fluffy pale ivory head diminishing gradually to a thin skim, moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: tropical fruit, citrus, cereal grains. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium body, moderate-low carbonation, off-dry short finish. (4/5)

Hopped with Citra and Mosaic; malts are two row pale, flaked wheat, flaked oats, and malted wheat. The aroma and flavour start off quite pleasant and style-appropriate for a Hazy, but both fade a bit faster than I’d like, tempering my initial enthusiasm. I thought I was going to like this better than the original Hopadillo, but at the end of the day I’m scoring it about the same. (15/20)

This will be my 5,750th unique Untappd check-in.

7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com

Lagunitas Brewing Company Maximus Colossal IPA – American Double / Imperial IPA at 9% ABV | 60 IBU (568 ml, packaged on 31-Oct-2023, acquired 3-Feb-2024, reviewed 4-Feb-2024)

Appearance: hazy pale amber with one fat finger of fluffy pale ivory head, good retention and moderate soapy lacing. (4/5) Aroma: earthy pine, floral, citrus, bready caramel. (7/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate-high bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium body, moderate carbonation, sweetish medium duration warming finish. (4/5)

Brewer notes say this is hopped with Simcoe, Cascade, and Centennial. This example is a bit old, so maybe the hops have faded a bit, but still, it’s not really all that hop forward. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that (another – see yesterday) gas station beer isn’t all that sophisticated, but there you go. I saw this called a “malt liquor IPA”, which I think is a fair, if somewhat shade-casting, assessment. (14/20)

This will be my 5,749th unique Untappd check-in.

7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com