Hello, beer lovers! 🍻

How are you?
It’s been raining here for five days now, and the daytime temperature has dropped by about 10 degrees. I read that the cherries froze and that the harvest will be very small. Too bad.
But everything’s fine with the hops (for now), so I can treat myself to a beer or two. For #BeerSaturday, number 463 in a row.

alt

I have two bottles in front of me, one French and one Belgian, and I’m ready to empty them and share the beer experience with you.

Let’s go!

🍻 😎 🍻

De Katsbier Extra

alt

Brewed by Brasserie de Katsbier, Méteren, Hauts-de-France, France.
Bottle, 0.33 l, alcohol 5.9% ABV, IBU 20. Belgian Ale style.

What do the Master Brewers say?

A light, malty lager with malty and fruity notes and banana esters.

🍺
alt

The beer is a clear yellow color, with an average head that is quite persistent. It has a slight fruity aroma. It goes down smoothly, with a bitter hop flavor in the mouth - not too sweet peach, and I don’t detect any citrus.
A distinct bitterness (peach pits?) lingers in the aftertaste for quite some time.

alt

The beer is drinkable with a slight fruity flavor.
An average, everyday Belgian blond beer that doesn’t stand out from other brands in any way. Nothing special will stick in my memory. Only the bitterness is very similar to the bitterness of a peach pit. But is it possible that it was spoiled? No idea...

🍻 😎 🍻

Orval Trappist Ale

alt

Brewed by Brasserie d’Orval, Florenville, Région Wallonne, Belgium.
Bottle, 0.33 l, alcohol 6.2% ABV, IBU N/A.

What do the Master Brewers say?

Top-fermented beer. Aging imparts a fruity note that creates a subtle balance between the fullness and complexity of its flavor and its bitterness.

Orval is (supposedly) the only Trappist beer brewed not by monks but by laypeople under the supervision of the monastery. I notice I don’t have the right glass, and I read that the ABV varies with age, ranging from 6.2% to 6.9%.

alt

The beer is amber in color, with a solid head that fades quickly. It has aromas of fruit and spices. It goes down smoothly; on the palate, I detect bitterness, subtle citrus and acidity, notes of dried fruit, and hints of caramel.
A solid hop bitterness lingers into the finish.

alt

Drinkable and refreshing!
Complex yet well-balanced flavors and aromas. I wish I had another bottle; apparently, the taste and alcohol content change over time. I’d age it for a year or so.
But it’s not available locally here :(

🍻 😎 🍻

And what am I listening to as I write this and taste beer? Something from Friday’s #newtunes post. A new discovery for me - an amazing Grateful Dead vibe from Australia.

The Bures Band - Full Performance (Live on KEXP)