X37 - Sigtuna Mohawk Extra India Pale Ale (Sweden)

An Extra IPA from a Swedish brewery right outside Stockholm. They craft some interesting beers, but this one was a small let down in my mind.

The nose is deep and very hoppy with notes of dried honey, fudge, sweet hay, oatmeal cereal and orange peel. Light but good. A lot of different scents on the nose but it is not that complex.

The taste is tight and fresh with a high bitterness and some dry yellow fruit. The finish is long and ends with a nice twist. The bitterness is not too high but there isn´t enough good fruit too back it up. Good though.

83p   (tasted from bottle - 2011/02)

No 82 - Achel Blonde (Belgium)

This stunning blonde has a deep, lush, smooth nose with notes of lemoncello, honey, ginger, orange peel and sweet flowers. Very, very deep. A lovely sweetness. Smells like a summer meadow on a warm summers day. A touch of perfume as well. A great scent!

The taste is purity itself with lots of creamy, sweet, yellow fruit and a fine bitterness. Lots of lemon and orange peel. A long, balanced finish. A very fresh sweetness. This gentleman prefers this blonde...:-)

95p   (tasted from bottle - 2011/02)

No 81 - Ommegang Three Philosophers (USA)

This almost perfect beer opens with a deep, very own scent of coca-cola, sweet and sour cherries, muscovado sugar and dark fudge. Almost bottomless deep and hauntingly beautiful. Layers upon layers of sweet dark fruit. Just stunning!

The taste follows up the nose with gorgeous complexity and notes of dark, dried fruits, chocolate covered cherries and that interesting coca-cola note! The length could be counted in minutes. The 9,8% alcohol doesn´t show itself in any shape or form. Very intense. This is really flirting with perfection!

98p   (tasted from bottle - 2011/02)