X35 - Dieu Du Ciel Solstice D´Hiver (Canada)

A very deep, creamy, almost port like nose with notes of black, sugared coffee, smoke, tar/asphalt and some black cherrys. Deep and withdrawn, it doesn´t show off, but I like that. Very good.

The taste is big and creamy with lots of dark fruit and chocolate with a nice bitterness. You can´t feel the 10,5% alcohol, which its nice. Long and warm. Very good but it lacks somewhat in the complexity department. A solid, very good beer but a touch foursquare.

89p   (tasted from bottle - 2011/01)

X34 - Sara Buckwheat Beer (Belgium)

A nice but maybe too nice nose with notes of hay, freshly cut grass and herbs. Then some lime and lemon peel and a touch of sea shells. Cool and somewhat elegant but not that exciting.

The taste is light, fresh and pure with notes of lemon, lime and grass. A stony, mineraly feeling in the finish. Good but too tight in its structure. Should need some flesh over its tiny bones...but its refreshing!

82p   (tasted from bottle - 2011/01)