Given the iconoclastic nature of their excellent low-strength stout, I was expecting Taras Boulba to be similarly unBelgian. With the sediment settled, it poured the way crappy lagers in TV ads do: beautifully clear and golden and frothy. But the end result was a hazy pale yellow beer, infused with the reawakened yeast.And that yeast anchors the beer firmly in its home country. Yes, there's a bit of juicy melon in there, and there's a finish full of dry, back-of-the-throat, tobacco-like bitterness, but that sharp tang could only be the result of Belgian ale yeast in all its gritty glory.
Far from a daring, bold new Belgian style, Taras Boulba offers us all the fun of Belgian bottle-conditioned golden ales in a highly sensible 4.5% ABV package. Bigger bottles please.
had that on keg in the rake in london a couple of years ago, very nice stuff but thought it not so good as galway hooker.
ReplyDeletederek
I love this beer - it proves you can do exciting Belgian flavours without a crazy ABV.
ReplyDeleteAlong with Rulles, Br. de la Senne indeed are doing a sterling job at producing tasty, complex belgian beers with reasonable ABVs. A very welcome evolution. Besides, they're among the few Belgian brewers that don't need to have their arm twisted by an US distributer to be persuaded to use more hops.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely a brewery to keep an eye on. And Taras Boulba a beer worth seeking out to open new perspectives on Belgian beer.