Random Dutch (beers part twenty-seven)

It's a sunny bank holiday. So obviously I'm hiding indoors with my beer stash.

Dolores is getting anxious about the spread of bottles acrss our living room floor. Time to drink some more of them

To start is a beer from a very local bunch, Two Chefs Brewing.

Two Chefs Tropical Ralphie 5% (€2.45 for 33cl)
Despite my best efforst, it looks like London Murky. Even with most of the yeast going down the sink. Fruit salad with a background of bubblegum. But in a good way. It's a lot harsher in the mouth, like it's been infused with tobacco. The finish is pure bitterness. A rather strange beer. It says Weizen on the label. Is this a hopped up wheat beer? I can't detect any wheat beer character. Maybe there's a bit of clove in the arom. Or is that just my imagination?

Next is a beer "brewed by women" (Gebrouwen Door Vrouwen). Not sure how true that is, as it's brewed at Lindeboom, a small, long-established Lager brewery

Gebrouwen Door Vrouwen Bloesem Blond 6.2% ABV
No murk in this one, just sparkling gold. Smells quite perfumy. Like the elderflowers it contains. Loads of elderflower in the mouth, too. Pleasant enough, with some malt hiding behind the curtains with its shoes poking out. No point trying to hide, I can see you. It's pleasant enogh beer. Though I suspect the elderflower overload might become tiring after a couple of bottles.


"You'll probably like this, Dolores." I say, pointing at the label.

"Right, brewed by women. By a man, most likely."

"I didn't mean you'd like it because of the name. But because it's got elderflowers in it." Dolores collects elderflowers and makes cordial and syrup out of them.

"Mmm. It is quite nice. Quite girly with the elderflower."