No 133 - De Dolle Oerbier Nat & Straf (Belgium)

A deep, tight, powerful nose with notes of sweet/sour lemons, milk chocolate, wet undergrowth and a lovely creamy note. Deep and yummy.
The taste is big and strappy with a high acidic taste well matched with good yellow fruit. Maybe a touch to acidic in the end of the finish. But lots of quality here. And the 9% doesn´t show itself at all. Very, very good.

90p   (tasted from bottle - 2011/09)

No 132 - Shepherd Neame Bishops Finger (England)

This old classic has a good, creamy nose with notes of sweet, medium dark malt, fudge, sugared coffee and a touch of warm spicies. Good but not that deep.
The tasts is cool, relatively light with some smoky notes and dark fudge. Decent length and a nice bitterness. Good.

85p   (tasted from bottle - 2011/09)

No 80 - Paulaner Hefe-Weissbier (Germany)

A fresh, summery, light nose with notes of green apples, ginger and fresh lemons. Good, light and refreshing on the nose.

The taste is light, fresh and juicy with the same apples, lemons and ginger flavours as on the nose. A light, rounded finish with low bitterness. Good but a tad one-dimensionell.

82p   (tasted from bottle - 2011/07)

No 131 - Urthel Samaranth (Belgium)

When I try to fit my whole head in the glas; deep, penetrating aromas of blood oranges, sugary water, white chocolate and a moist forest, invades my nose. Very deep and complex. Stunning!
The taste is big, steady and lovely with a creamy structure and notes of orange peel, mature bananas, and white chocolate with whipped cream. Long, long and long. The 11,5% doesn´t show itself in any way. Very, very nice.

94p   (tasted from bottle - 2011/07)

No 130 - Andechser Doppelbock Dunkel (Germany)

A fine, somewhat acidic nose with notes of pickled cherrys, dark cookie dough, balsamic vinegar and some chocolate. Nice enough but that much character.

The taste is good and steady with notes of chocolatecovered cherrys, oaky notes and balsamic vinegar. A long and semi-dry ending. Good but not special.

85p   (tasted from bottle - 2011/07)

No 129 - Aventinus Weizen-Eisbock (Germany)

A deep, creamy, fiery nose with notes of sweet plums, wet earth, banana and some smoke. But the alcohol keeps peeping through the fruit, especially when it gets a little warmer.
The taste is big and brawny with masses of sweet plums, honey and banana. The alcohol is much more subdued in the taste. Very long and warm. Massive. An interesting beer, but a tad too big for its own good.

83p   (tasted from bottle - 2011/07)

X79 - Brooklyn Sorachi Ace (USA)

This on has a deep, spicy, elegant nose with notes of fennel seeds, chocolate, dried apricots and freshly cut grass. Deep and fine. Has a touch of volatil acidity, but in a good way. Very, very good.
The taste is deep, intense and tight with lovely notes of fennel, sweet lemons and allround spice. Very long and satisfying. This is really a fine specimen!

93p   (tasted from bottle - 2011/07)

No 128 - Anchor Old Foghorn (USA)

This american beauty opens with a deep, warm, somwhat sweet nose with notes of white raisins, violets, pine and white chocolate. Very good. Has a very nice sweetness in the fruit. Deep.
The taste is big and broad with a lot of sweet yellow fruit, and notes of cookie dough, chocolate and white raisins. A long, intense finish with a nice warm feeling. Great.

92p   (tasted from bottle - 2011/07)

X78 - Schweden Pils (Germany)

When I found this I just had to try it - reminding me of the glory days in the 17th century when Sweden ruled great parts of Europe...:-)
Well, the beer itself is light but fresh with notes of corn flakes, lemons and some grass. Simple but pure.
The taste is fresh, light and harmless, but does the job on a warm summer day.

75p   (tasted from bottle - 2011/07)

I´m back...

”All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy”...too much work lately but also a long, nice vacation have resulted in no blog posts in a while, but....."I´m back"...

No 127 - Fraoch Heather Ale (Scotland)

This scottish ale have - as indicated by the name - heather in the brew. The nose is somewhat strange, but very good with notes of heather honey, fresh bread, licorice and summer flowers. Very interesting. Deep.

The taste is fine, smooth and complex with notes of dry honey, licorice, heather and cookie dough. The finish is semi dry and very good. Long. Very refreshing. Just lovely.

92p   (tasted from bottle - 2011/07)

No 126 - Früh Kölsch (Germany)

A fine, easy-going nose with notes of fresh bread, corn flakes, almonds and sweet minerals. Very good and refreshing on the nose. Some wet earth.
The taste is fresh and pure with nice mellow yellow fruit and a nice bitterness in the medium long finish. Very good in a uncomplicated way.

85p   (tasted from bottle - 2011/07)

No 125 - Black Albert Batch ´0´ (Belgium)

This black beauty has a deep, compact, intense nose with notes of coffe beans, rubber, wood oil and some seriously sweet, decadent fruit. Just stunning! Very, very deep. A touch of wood. Impressive.
The taste is tight, concentrated and massive with lots and lots of sweet dark fruit, coffe beans, tar and chocolate mousse. Sweet, intense, powerful and sooo yummy! Great!

96p   (tasted from bottle - 2011/07)

No 124 - Strong Suffolk Vintage Ale (England)

A deep, tight, and at first a interesting nose with notes of dried fruits, mature banana and sweet/sour black cherries. Becomes flat on the nose rather fast in the glas. Good but not great.

The taste is concentrated and tight with notes of dry dark fudge, banana and dry gravel. Somewhat foursquare in structure. Long finish that ends very dry. This is ok but not much more.

78p   (tasted from bottle - 2011/07)

X77 - 2011 Brasserie de Saint-Sylvestre Bière Nouvelle (France)

A young, fresh, deep nose with notes of fennel seeds, grapefruit, lemon sorbet and fresh cut grass. Very good. A very fresh and refreshing nose.

The taste is cool, fine and fresh wit notes of lemon, fennel seeds, gravel and sweet minerals. A very nice structure. Long and balanced. The 10% alcohol isn not noticable at all. Very, very good.

88p   (tasted from bottle - 2011/06)

X76 - Sigtuna Summer IPA (Sweden)

This summer special has a big, fresh nose with notes of sweet peaches, summer flowers, vanilla pods and a nice creamy feeling. Sweet and good.
The taste is tight and medium big with nice, sweet yellow fruit and notes of sweet hay and orange peels. Very dry in the finish, the bitterness is a tad too high I think. But this is uncomplicated and nice.

84p   (tasted from bottle - 2011/06)

No 123 - Meantime Union (England)

This english brew is labeled as a Vienna Style Amber Lager. The nose is interesting with nice notes of cooked fruit, chocolate, dark bread and road dust. Has a nice creamy feeling about it. Very, very good.
The taste is firm and a touch foursquare with notes of cocoa, dark fruit, chocolate and cookie dough. The bitterness is very good in the long finish. Very nice. The nose is better than the taste but this is all together a very tasty beer.

89p   (tasted from bottle - 2011/06)

X75 - Black Isle Yellowhammer Summer Ale (Scotland)

This summer ale has a fine, fresh nose with notes of summer flowers, honey, peaches and sweet lime. Nice, mellow nose. Fine.

The taste is cool, soft and refreshing with notes of sweet yellow fruit - think apples, pears and peaches, with a nice dryness in the medium long finish. Nice enough but a little to mellow for my liking.

82p   (tasted from bottle - 2011/06)

No 122 - Huber Weisses Original (Germany)

This long-etasblished german Weissbier (first brewed in the end of the 19th century) opens with very flowery nose - it smells like a summer meadow. Then notes of lime, lemon and fennel can be detected. Very fresh and fine.
The taste is fresh, light on its feet, but with fine fruit, some dried flowers and a medium long, refreshing finish. The carbon oxide level is lower on this one compared to others, but that is not a draw back in my opion. Very good.

87p   (tasted from bottle - 2011/06)

No 121 - de Ranke Guldenberg (Belgium)

A deep, fine, complex nose with notes of sweet root vegetables, dried apricots and orange peel, and a very fine spicy character. A lovely nose. Some wet undergrowth after at while. Very, very good.
The taste is smooth, fine and pure with notes of sweet yellow fruit, a touch of white peppar, dried orange peel and a great, refreshing bitterness. The finish is long and intense. This is a beautiful strong ale.

93p   (tasted from bottle - 2011/06)

X74 - SKA Decadent Imperial IPA (USA)

A deep, concentrated, massive nose with lots of sweet peaches and pears, sugared water, hay and chocolate covered orange peels. Very deep, very sweet and very, very good. Intense and complex.

The taste is big and beautiful with notes of sweet orange peels, peaches, lime and yellow pears. Long, long finish. An intense bitterness that matches the sweetness. Layer upon layer of sweet, decadent (!) fruit. The 10% alcohol is not even noticable. This is great!

95p   (tasted from bottle - 2011/06)

X73 - Williams Bros 7 Giraffes (Scotland)

This scottish ale opens with a rather big, sweeping nose with notes of smoked meat, saw dust, spunge cake and muscovadosugar. A lot of smoky notes emerges with some air. There is a lot going on here, but I can´t say that I like it. It is burly in character.

The taste is better, with some cool aromas of red fruit, orange peels and undergrowth. The bitterness is fine. The finish is medium long but ends a little thin.

It is supposed to have wild elderflowers and lemon zest in the brew but I can´t detect any of those ingrediences.

78p   (tasted from bottle - 2011/06)

X72 - Zlatý Bazant Lager (Czech Republic)

A light, fine nose with notes of cookie dough, bread, warm gravel and some nutty aromas. A touch of perfume, or is it detergent? Nice enough. Fine but very light.

The taste is cool, dry and good with nice yellow fruit and a somewhat shy bitterness in the medium long finish. Good in a restrained way.

83p   (tasted from bottle - 2011/06)

No 120 - Carlsberg Jacobsen Saar Blonde (Denmark)

A deep, tight, fruity nose with notes of almond paste, yellow apples, peach and hay. Very good. Definitely a belgian touch here. Good, sweet fruit. Deep and fine.

The taste is big and steady with a tight bitterness and notes of dried peaches, lemons and mineral. A tight core. Long and refreshing. Very, very good.

88p   (tasted from bottle - 2011/06)

No 119 - Pietra (France)

This is desribed as a chestnut beer - chestnut flour is added to the mash to provide fermentable sugars.

This stunner has a deep, elegant nose with lots of bread aromas paired with hazel nuts, milk chocolate and a nice creamy note. Very, very good. Wit air a steely note emerge, in a good way.

The taste is medium deep, on the light side but with lots of character, a very cool bitterness and a long, elegant finish. Notes of sweet lemons, milk chocolate and some earthy notes. Very yummy!

91p   (tasted from bottle - 2011/06)

No 118 - Reissdorf Kölsch (Germany)

A light, fresh, nice nose with notes of burned out matches, gravel and some mango. Becomes more grassy with air. Very nice.

The taste is fresh, pure and good with notes of lemons, gravel and the same mango note as on the nose. A medium long finish with a good bitterness. Very fresh.

88p   (tasted from bottle - 2011/06)

No 117 - Old Tom Strong Ale (England)

A deep, tight, concentrated nose with notes of damp earth, soap, ripe black cherrys, pickled ginger and banana. Very complex, deep and sweet. Very, very good.
The taste is big and with broad shoulders, with notes of dark chocolate, ripe banana, muscovado sugar and a touch of ginger. The alcochol warmth (8,5%) makes the finish long, intense and powerful. This is good!

93p   (tasted from bottle - 2011/05)

X71 - Brooklyn Summer Ale (USA)

The nose is open, fine and hoppy with notes of white peaches, elder berrys, lemon ans summer flowers. A little in the light side, but nice. Fresh.

The taste is pure and light but somewhat indistinct. It ends quickly with a light bitterness. The nice fruit from the nose isn´t there. The nose is fine but the taste is a letdown.

81p   (tasted from bottle - 2011/05)

First 100 - The 10 Most Memorable

Whem browsing through my tasting notes of the first 100 beers in this quest towards 1001 beers - these beers stand out in my tasting buds memory:

Tripel Karmeliet - a perennial favourite of mine. When asked of my favourite beer ever this one usually makes top three. Only brewed since 1996 is hasn´t the history like some its Belgian siblings, but alas, it is just magnificent for me.
No 5 - Tripel Karmeliet (Belgium)

Pilsner Urquell - brewed since 1842, this Czechish beaty is the perfect thirst quencher, but with an added complexity. Pure like a mountain river it flows over your palate - the ultimate Pils.
No 14 - Pilsner Urquell (Czech Republic)

St. Bernardus Tripel - as readers may have noticed, Triples are one of my favourite beer styles, and this may be the ultimate one. Brewed since 1994 this golden beaty is both complexity and hedonism in a bottle.
No 26 - St. Bernardus Tripel (Belgium)

Butcombe Gold Bitter - this stunning bitter was a new acquaintance for me, but a great one for sure. This beer was released in 1998 to great acclaim, according to the book. I can see why!
No 27 - Butcombe Gold Bitter (England)

Goose Island Matilda - this belgian style ale from USA is a stunning piece of work - soo deep, complex and intoxicating, one just have to open bottle after bottle after bottle...
No 48 - Goose Island Matilda (USA)

Moinette Blonde - this is one breathtaking blonde - layers upon layers of the sweetest fruit imaginable paired with a laser focus and a great length - this gentleman prefers this blonde...
No 56 - Moinette Blonde (Belgium)

Thornbridge Jaipur - this relatively newcomer on the beer scene (first brewed 2005) is a classic in the making - fresh american hoppy notes with a solid british ale background - sooooo gulpable!
No 77 - Thornbridge Jaipur (England)

Ommegang Three Philosophers - this american strong ale is a epiphany - a belgian style quadruppel with a small amount of kriek - and the result is flirting with perfection. I´m glad I have bought many!
No 81 - Ommegang Three Philosophers (USA)

Epic Mayhem - ever newer than the Jaipur above this limited released ale was first brewed in 2006. The bitterness is very high but the potent fruit keeps up with it and creates a drop dead gorgeous beer!
No 84 - Epic Mayhem (New Zealand)

Rodenbach Grand Cru - this, almost, perfect creature is made of one-third young and two-thirds matured beer, that have been matured in huge oak vats. The result is idiosyncratic, very unique and just lovely!
No 100 - Rodenbach Grand Cru (Belgium)

Looking forward to do this browsing through memory lane when I reach 200! :-)

X70 - Qvänum McBrian Ale (Sweden)

This was my first beer from this relatively new brewery in Sweden. The nose is deep and malty with notes of medium dark bread, sweet/sour cherries, muscovado sugar and orange peel. Very good. A lovely acidity in the nose. Very fresh.

The taste is deep, concentrated and full of interesting notes of blood grape juice, licorice, sweet hay/grass and dark fudge. A very nice structure. Very, very good.

90p   (tasted from bottle - 2011/05)

No 116 - Taybeh Golden (Palestine)

The nose is a little shy at first, just offers some aromas of dry hay, soap and some rubbery notes. It becomes sweeter when it warms up, and the rubbery note doesn´t air off. Some yellow fruit. That rubber aroma is a turn-off for me.

The taste is light, a little spicy and dry with metal aromas instead of rubber...! Dry spices and a bitterness that makes it too dry in the finish. This is in my opinion unbalanced. Definitely not my cup of tea.

67p   (tasted from bottle - 2011/05)

No 115 - Dom Kölsch (Germany)

A cool, light, fresh nose with notes of gravel/mineral, orange peel and almonds. Light, pure and it have no faults, except being somewhat boring...
The taste is light, fine and light again - with notes of lemons, mineral, sea shells and almonds. Long and fresh with nice bitterness. Refreshing and clean but too boring I´m afraid.


77p   (tasted from bottle - 2011/05)

No 114 - Pinkus Special (Germany)

This opens with a high, spicy nose with notes of lemons, wet rock, assorted nuts and that haunting scent of fresh air after a heavy rain. It becomes more tight in the glas with air. Very good. The taste is fine, crisp and pure with notes of lemons, elder and lots of rocks/mineral. Long and pure. Very nice. The finish is dry and good. Very good but not great.

86p   (tasted from bottle - 2011/05)

No 113 - Stiegl Goldbräu (Austria)

This austrian beer is laser focused, with notes of wet rocks, hay, caramell and lots of sweet corn flakes. Very, very pure and structured. The nose is cool and perfectly balanced.
The taste is fresh, intense and lovely with a pure sweet minerality and a great bitterness. Just flows over your palate with impressive purity.The mouthfeel of this one is just stunning!

96p   (tasted from bottle - 2011/05)

No 112 - Anderson Valley Boont Amber Ale (USA)

This amber beauty has a deep nose with notes of buttery fudge, candied orange peel, warm grass and some clay/mud note. Very good, intense and structured.

The taste is cool, lip smacking good, with notes of fresh, sweet yellow fruit, fudge and a nice bitterness. Very long and yummy! This a american beaty indeed!

93p   (tasted from bottle - 2011/05)

No 111 - Waldhaus Diplom Pils (Germany)

A fine, elegant, intense nose with notes of corn flakes, mineral/wet rock, dry honey and lemons - very fresh and complex. A touch of warm grass, and some spice.Very, very good.

The taste is as fine and elegant as the nose with notes of lemons, mineral and Madeleine-biscuits. A long, fine finish with a nice, cool bitterness. This is a lovely Pils!

89p   (tasted from bottle - 2011/05)

No 110 - Orkney Skull Splitter (Scotland)

This strong (8,5%) Scottish beer opens up with a deep creamy nose with notes of ripe yellow fruits, saw dust, milk chocolate and a touch of whisky - is it the origin, or...?
The taste is big and tight with semi dry fruit, a fresh bitterness and a long finish where the alcohol, sorry to say, takes over a bit. A good warmth, but the alcohol creeps up a tad too much.

82p   (tasted from bottle - 2011/05)

No 109 - Augustiner Lagerbier Hell (Germany)

A fresh, light nose with notes of lemons, dry biscuits and some road dust. Nice but too nice for its own good..., or, at least, to make a lasting impression on me.
The taste is light, clean and fresh with the same combo of lemons and dry biscuits as in the nose. The bitterness is low keyed but good. All in all, a nice thirst quencher.

83p   (tasted from bottle - 2011/05)

No 108 - Batemans Triple XB (England)

This english pale ale has a wonderful fresh, nutty nose with notes of dried orange peel, dark fudge, wood smoke and mature banana. Just lovely. Very creamy. Deep and hedonistic good!

The taste is fine and potent with lots of dark fudge, black cherrys and a note of something burning over on the stove, that takes over a bit. A very fine bitterness. A long, fine finish with ends with a beautiful dryness. This could have been majestic, if it hadn´t been for that burned note.

92p   (tasted from bottle - 2011/05)

No 107 - Flying Dog Gonzo Imperial Porter (USA)

A powerful, tight and mighty nose with lots and lots of freshly grounded coffee, tar, burned out matches and a wood burning note. Very impressive and complex. Very deep.

The taste is big and brawny with lots of cocoa, dark chocolate and asphalt. A very high bitterness in the end. Very, very long. This is great but the bitterness could have been a tad less pronounced.

93p   (tasted from bottle - 2011/05)

No 106 - Nils Oscar Rökporter (Sweden)

This is a smoky porter from the Swedish brewery Nils Oscar. The nose is big and smoky (!) with notes of cocoa powder, tar and ashes. A nice creamy note.

The taste is creamy, medium big and flows easy over the palate with a nice, dry bitterness and notes of dark chocolate, tar, asphalt and wood smoke. A medium long finish. Nice.

84p   (tasted from bottle - 2011/05)

No 105 - Fuller´s London Porter (England)

This beauty has a deep, dark, sweet nose with notes of roasted root vegetables, tar, drinking chocolate with whipped cream and muscovado sugar. Very, very good. The sweetness is just on the right level.

The taste is fine, elegant and just flows over the palate with tarry dark, sweet fruit and yummy chocolate candy. The finish restors things to order with a tight bitterness and a sligtly semi dry twist. Just a pleasure to drink, may lack a certain complexity but the hedonistic aspect is not to be forgotten!

93p   (tasted from can - 2011/04)

X69 - Nils Oscar Kalaspåsköl (Sweden)

This is the annual easter beer from the Swedish brewery Nils Oscar. The nose opens with a nice, soft feeling with notes of dry fudge, hay, spices and some dry wood. There is a streak of dryness all through the nose.

The taste is spicy and medium deep with semi dark fruit and notes of blueberrys and dark chocolate. The bitterness is pleasurable but the finish is a touch too dry, although there is a nice touch of dry fudge in it.

83p   (tasted from bottle - 2011/04)

X68 - Schneider Weisse Under Aventinus Tap 6 (Germany)

A deep, spicy, racy nose with notes of fudge, wet earth, lemon infused chocolate and sweet malt. Very good. Deep and interesting.

The taste is tight and lightly acidic with fine yellow fruit and some milk chocolate. It grows in the glass and becomes more creamy with air. Relative light on the finish, but this is pretty good!

88p   (tasted from bottle - 2011/04)

No 104 - Ichtegem´s Grand Cru (Belgium)

A deep, concentrated, lovely sweet/sour nose with lots of half rotten cherrys and vegetables (!), dark bread, undergrowth and balsamic vinegar. From time to time it has the nose of a very mature Burgundy. Very, very good.

The taste follow the nose with those sweet/sour cherrys and vegetables, overripe rasberrys and a long, nice bitterness. But there is a streak of dryness from the wood. The nose is more fascinating than the taste. A touch one dimensionell in the mouth.

88p   (tasted from bottle - 2011/04)

No 103 - De Ranke XX Bitter (Belgium)

A deep, fine, elegant nose with notes of sweet hay, orange peel, dried fruits and a nice touch of candy. Deep and subtle. A lovely nose.

The taste is cool, fine and a touch austere with high, fine bitterness and notes of orange peel, wet stones and hay/grass. Not that expressive but very distinct. A great beer!

92p   (tasted from bottle - 2011/04)

No 102 - Saison Dupont (Belgium)

A fine, fresh, peppy nose with notes of lime peel, gravel, taleggio and some smoky firecracker notes. Very good. Has a nice depth to it.

The taste is cool and restrained, but in a good way, with notes of freshly squeezed lime and grapefruit juice. Some low keyed notes of cookie dough. Long and fine. Very, very good.

90p   (tasted from bottle - 2011/04)

A nice comparison!

The Swedish Sigtuna brewery released these two single hop beers - one in a "traditionell" english style and the other one in a "traditionell" american style - at least according to their own back labels.

X66 - Sigtuna Mohawk vs Goldings  (Sweden)
This one really smells like a traditionell english ale, with notes of hay, Kellogs corn flakes, orange peel and some gun powder. Nice but not that expressive.
The taste is round and nice, but rather light with notes of fudge, orange peel, hay and a balsamic touch. A soft feel, but it grows on you. Very good. Easy to gulp down.

86p   (tasted from bottle - 2011/04)

X67 - Sigtuna Mowahk vs Amarillo  (Sweden)
This one is much more open and expressive with boatloads of sweet peaches, lime and some Del Monte juice. A sea of summer flowers. Wears its heart on its sleeve, but in a very nice way.
The taste is cool, fine and flowery with a high, but nicely integrated bitterness. Peaches and pears. Long and very nice.

92p   (tasted from bottle - 2011/04)

X65 - Mikkeller Green Easter IPA (Denmark)

This easter beer from the great Danish brewery starts with a deep, elegant nose with lots of fresh peach, rasberry sweetness, passion fruit and a lovely creamy feeling. Deep and fine. Very, very good.

The taste is cool, rounded and nice with a fine bitterness and lovely sweet yellow fruit. Very good. Maybe a little laid back in the taste in comparison with the beautiful nose. Long finish. This is good!

90p   (tasted from bottle - 2011/04)

It´s not Christmas...

...but receiving a parcel like this it feels like it! Will soon be back with tasting notes of this beauties.