Saturday 31 December 2016

Random Dutch beers (part forty-nine)

Just time for a couple more sketches of Dutch beers before the end of the year.

Oddly, both Boks. I stumbled on a couple I hadn't tried this year yet in local supermarket Deen. Odd, because it's really past the end of Bokbier season.

I'm starting with something even odder: a genuine Trappist Bok:


La Trappe Trappist Bockbier, 7% ABV (€1.00 for 30 cl at Deen)
It's a typical red-brown colour, but a little murky. My fault. I forgot it was bottle-conditioned when pouring. My tasting notes are going to be crap, seeing as I have a cold and my nose is pretty blocked. Is that cream and caramel in the aroma? There's something sweetish lurking there. It's quite sweet in the mouth, but with a balancing bitterness. Like raisins dipped in dark chocolate, then liquidised. In a good way.

"Do you want to try my beer, Lexxie?"

"No. Can I drink my Smirnoff Ice now?"

"I suppose so."

It's the last day of the year. Not sure if that's a reason for sadness or joy. I guess I should be optimistic. First obective for 2017 is finishing my book on Scottish beer. The manuscript is about half done. And about three-quarters of the recipes - 240 so far. Which reminds me: I should be writing some now. See you in a while.

. . . . .


Just polished off two more recipes. Time for my reward.


Gulpener Herfstbock, 6.5% ABV (€0.96 for 30 cl at Deen)
Quite pale this one, more red than brown. The decongestants have kicked in so I've a bit more sense of smell. Aroma of sweet red cherries, though not quite maraschino. Quite sweet and fruity in the mouth, like a cheap whore.

"Do you want to try my beer, Dolores?"

"No, not now."

 What? It's after 1 PM.

"Do you want to try my beer, Andrew?"

"No."

Not doing very well for second opinions today.


1 comment:

Lee said...

Didn't know La Trappe even made a Bock.
They do happen to make, what is for me, the best Wit in Europe.