Zwolle incognita

Yesterday's post left off with our arrival in Zwolle, a Dutch city I'd never been to before. From what I saw, it's a pleasant little place, if a little sleepy, lacking the verve that students bring to the likes of Leiden and Utrecht. Dominating the local drinks offering is Het Refter, a grand multi-storey bar and restaurant with a sizeable beer menu, and that's where we started.

There are two house beers of indeterminate provenance. Refter Blond is 5.5% ABV and definitely a cut above the typically generic examples. The aroma is a fresh and modern waft of mandarin and satsuma while the flavour is all tropical candy, like Starburst, finishing with a balancing kick of grapefruit zest. Yes it's a little sweet, but is light-bodied enough to stay refreshing throughout. Whoever picked this to have Refter's name on it made a good choice.

At the same strength, the other house beer is Refter Hoppy White, possibly dating to the time when white IPAs were still fashionable. Again they've squeezed a lot of tropical elements in here -- passionfruit and some coconut. There's a substantial amount of coriander, but unlike so many white IPAs it doesn't clash with the big hops, perhaps because they've gone for juicy rather than bitter. Anyway, it works very well, presenting a tasty juice-driven IPA with an interesting witbier twist. Another pleasant surprise.

A beer that caught my eye as it wandered down the list was something called Strawberry Basil Splash IPA from local brewer Stanislaus Brewskovitch. That had to be tried. 5.9% ABV, it smells of jam and candy, and not of IPA. Expecting something sticky I found it actually unpleasantly thin, and whatever complexities it might have had muted as a result. The basil appears in the flavour, not fresh and green but as a dried, apothecary shop effect, with a dab of bathroom-cabinet floral lavender. The strawberry jam twang follows that, but is brief. I realised I wanted this to be big and weird and daft, and wouldn't have minded if it were unpleasantly so. But it turned out to be a damp squib: inoffensive and not really making the most of the spec.

I figured that Jopen could be relied upon to bring the noise, and there was an unfamiliar triple IPA of theirs on the list: the 10% ABV Heavy Cross. This isn't actually particularly heavy but it is plenty bitter, piling in the lime in a very west-coast way. Caramel malt sweetness provides contrast and there's a slight complexity in the form of some floral and spicy jasmine and honeysuckle elements. Best of all, it's clean and dry, clearly demonstrating the high alcohol without turning sticky or cloying. I don't know that I can call a powerhouse of this sort "balanced", exactly, but it's not jarring or difficult either.

That session finished light, on a saison from the wacky Netherlands-based Finnish cuckoo brewery Flying Dutchman. It's called More Dry And Sour Than Your Mother In Law but it's not even slightly sour and isn't even especially dry, lacking the earthy spicing typical of saison. It is only 4.7% ABV and very light-bodied on that, to the point of thin. What saves it is the flavour: a lovely mix of refreshing lemon and exotic coconut. I just checked the ingredients and it's made with Sorachi Ace, so that explains that. The coriander, orange peel and grains of paradise are less discernible, but it does make sense to consider it as more of a witbier than a saison.

We came back to Het Refter the following evening and I got the chance to try a black IPA I missed previously: Gijte Paedje from De Natte Gijt. This 6.7%-er hit all the correct black IPA style points, beginning with a heady aroma of spiced red cabbage and concentrated aniseed. A creamy coffee foretaste leads on to a more spiky grapefruit bitterness behind. There's a flash of tart gooseberries and then a finish of cocoa and coconut. I loved the depth of it all -- one of those flavour profiles you can simply wade into and find new features with every sip. There's no better example of why black IPAs should still be everywhere.

The only other Zwolle venue I have for you is Café de Hete Brij, a rather more orthodox pub with a small beer list. Nevertheless, there were two house beers again. Bronckhorster certainly used to brew for them, I don't know if it still does.

Blonde Brij is 7% ABV so I don't know whether to place it down with the Leffe-a-like lager substitutes or up with the Duvel clones, and it doesn't really taste like either. It's dry and lightly spicy with a noble hop note of celery in amongst the grain husk. The strength is apparent and yet it remains quite refreshing, if a little rough. Compared to Refter's example, this is much more what I would expect from a house blonde ale in this part of the world. Unfortunately, perhaps.

We haven't had a bock today yet, and Brij obliges with Bokkige Brij, again at 7% ABV. There's the red liquorice, right on cue. But what's this? Raisin and grape tannins? Normally the base would be sweet and caramelly; this one is drier and more mellow. I got a brief kick of vinegar in the aroma so I'm wondering if the surprise complexity is more to do with the keg being on slightly too long rather than any creative flourishes with the recipe. Regardless, it worked. This wasn't just another autumn bock and was all the better for that.

Like many of Belgium's big breweries, Kasteel brews a strong blonde ale to compete with Duvel, and all of the other clones of it. Theirs is a level of culpability down from Duvel, Satan, Judas and Piraat, being merely un Filou. It's the full 8.5% ABV but doesn't have Duvel's complexity -- though that may have more to do with the draught serve than anything else. I really enjoyed the mix of spices and bubblegum at the centre of the flavour, though other than some pale and dry grain there's not much else happening, but perhaps that's enough.

That's certainly enough for today. Tomorrow we head further west, with the promise of a beer festival.

Pirates, dragons and monks

All going well I should be in Belgium at the moment. Like all seasoned travellers I did some acclimatisation before setting out, with the help of this six-pack of strong beers I found in Lidl.

Piraat I've had before, but since my review was posted in January 2006 and is, let's say, brief, I thought a fuller reappraisal was in order. Idly I assumed it was one of those generic Duvel clones but it's a fair bit stronger at 10.5% ABV, and darker with that; properly amber. There's lots of lovely fruit in the aroma: fruit-cake fruit like sultanas, glacé cherries and lemon peel, with an edge of marker pen as well. For all that it's quite a smooth creature to drink, the light and spritzy citrus being the most dominant feature. There's a soft peach and apricot side too. The warmth arrives late and isn't overdone, just a mild richness bringing to mind chocolate or almond paste. It's a superb example of very strong beer presented in an approachable way. You'll know you've had a drink but won't suffer any difficulties getting there.

While I say they're not out to rip off Duvel, that there's now a Triple Hop Piraat is rather on the nose. In contrast to Duvel's approach, however, there are four varieties in here and the label doesn't deign to tell us which ones. Points off for that. The appearance is the same as above and the fruit in the aroma is a little fresher, but not in any identifiable way. On smell alone it's not an improvement, and I don't get a huge amount of difference on tasting either. The weight and warmth elbows any extra hop character out of the foretaste -- you're left with just the standard Belgian yeast-derived stonefruit esters. Only at the very end, more the aftertaste than the finish, is there a bonus squeeze of citrus, suggesting that some American variety or other might have been involved. Overall, it's not impressive. It's fine, but it talks a hop game on which it simply cannot deliver.

Gulden Draak is another one that I covered here in the dim and distant, and I think I've had it a few times since. The brewery styles it as a "ruby red tripel", and I can't think of any other Belgian beer so designated (though of course there's an Irish one). We're still at 10.5% for the ABV. The aroma is every bit of that: a powerful waft of nail varnish remover and fermenting brown apples. A subtle experience is not on the cards. The flavour is thankfully less severe. It's surprisingly clean and not hot, with the first effects to land being milk chocolate and a honey side which earns the beer its place in the tripel category. The honey lasts long, and is a little sticky, but a mild bitterness comes with it for balance; a complementary wax tang. On the fade-out there's a more dubbel or quadrupel-like touch of raisin and date, while the aftertaste is surprisingly small. I took a little time to adjust to this, but it turned out to be quite the gentle giant by the time I was half way down. Not one to drink casually, though neither is it a chore.

The newcomer under this brand is Gulden Draak 9000. It's branded as a quadrupel and I thought they had taken a cheeky liberty with this pseudo-Belgian style because it says on the back of the label it's blonde. It's not, though, being instead dark enough to qualify, if a little pale compared to others: a dusky russet shade. There's no shifting us from that 10.5% ABV. The aroma is quite subtle: a gentle mix of dark fruit and spices of the sort you'd find in ordinary dubbel. Again, though, the proper quadrupel qualities follow later: cola nut, plum pudding and some creamy coffee. Everything is in order, then. The booze is well hidden, and if there's anything I can criticise this for, it's a lack of complexity. It's much less interesting than GD Classic. Being shipped next to it in a boxed set really throws that into relief.

We finally get a break from the double-digit alcohol with Bornem, a brand that's entirely new to me. Bornem Dubbel is 7.2% ABV and a deep rich brown colour. The dark fruit in the aroma is properly dubbel though there's a touch of stout-like roast as well, which is unusual but not unwelcome. That goes into hiding for the flavour, however: that's a down-the-line mix of fig, raisin and date, with a happy pinch of nutmeg and white pepper. No bum notes here, and no fancy tricks either: just the basics of a very decent dubbel. For me the texture is the standout feature, a beautiful smoothness that blends all the flavours together harmoniously. Top tier stuff here. Can they top it with a tripel?

Bornem Tripel also looks de rigueur: 9% ABV and an appropriate cloudy golden hue. The aroma is less orthodox, however: it smells like a pilsner, with a crisp green grassiness and no typically Belgian complexities. We're back to normality on tasting and the first thing that strikes is a very full, almost syrupy texture. I was surprised to see rice on the ingredients list but don't know if that has anything to do with the thickness. It's not unpleasant and entirely in keeping for an ale this strength. The flavour presents honey first, turning briefly floral before an abruptly bitter finish. I wouldn't expect a lot of hop character from a tripel but this one has a somewhat leafy, vegetal edge that I associate with traditional English varieties in particular. I looked around this for some fun spicing but there's none of that. So it's a tripel, then, but quite a plain one, missing out on the understated flair of the dubbel.

It was €16 for the six-pack, and I think I got good value from that. It makes regular appearances in Lidl so is worth keeping an eye peeled for, if you like your Belgian beer. I have a post-script to go along with it, too. Last month I wrote about the new-release beers from Trappists Westmalle and Rochefort, noting that Chimay had a new one as well. That finally washed ashore here so I got to give it a go before heading away.

Chimay 150 tells us little about itself on the front label, just that it's strong and blonde. On the back that's fleshed out with the information it's 10% ABV and contains "spices". There's certainly something a bit different going on in the aroma. Sniffing blind, I would probably say American hops were involved: there's a fresh zesty citrus thing going on, out of place for a Trappist, but smelling very pleasant. On tasting I get bergamot's slightly herbal quality, bringing an air of bath-bomb, and then sweeter, juicier peach and apricot. It finishes cleanly, with zero alcohol burn, and nothing I would describe as a spice. Overall, a decent and interesting beer, and very much a sideways twist on the more traditional golden Trappist offerings. Chimay's quality shines through regardless.

OK, close the doors and spin up the jet engines. Belgium: I'm ready for you.

End of the line

During the winter months I've been slowly working through the Unibroue range which has inexplicably shown up in one Dublin supermarket. I began in October with Trois Pistoles, and had a Maudite at the end of December. The evenings are starting to get a bit longer now and, while it's still chilly, the worst seems to be over, so it's time to conclude the series with La Fin du Monde.

Not being a fan of reading labels before drinking, I saw the word "triple" and assumed this to be in the tripel style. I was disabused of this by the pour: a very clear orange and a thick, snowy, long-lasting head. The mouthfeel is sparkly and full in the typically velvety Belgian way.

Closer attention to the label reveals that this is "triple fermented", which is one explanation given for the origin of the tripel name, but not the usual one. Anyway, this is no tripel. It's a much smoother, sweeter golden ale, more along the lines of Duvel or Piraat to my mind.

The dominant flavour is fruit. I was getting the sharpness of pears while Mrs Beer Nut detected bananas. This, of course, is our old friend 3-methyl-1-butyl acetate, generally known as isoamyl acetate to its friends. I had never associated it with pear flavours before, but Wikipedia tells me that pear essence is another name for this ester. Mrs Beer Nut has a degree in organic chemistry, but we don't talk about esters much for some reason.

The chemistry aside, this is a highly enjoyable beer: flavoursome, complex, yet easy going. 75cl doesn't last nearly long enough. The full-yet-effortless drinkability is something rarely found at 9% ABV, even in Belgium.

Of the three Unibroues, dark Trois Pistoles is the one I'll be running back to first. But I'd be happy with any of these whatever the season.

Suckin' Diesel

Never one to pass up a bargain, no matter how suspicious, I chanced across American Diesel Lager Beer on sale in Whelan's for the princely sum of 50c for a 33cl bottle. It's a light, red beer, a mere 4.2%, and quite easy-going with it. Sure, it lacks a strong flavour or distinctive character, but it retains that caramel sweetness of better central European dark beers which is rather pleasant. Not a classic, but still a cut above any number of American lagers in the light refreshment stakes.

Another, quite different, recent discovery is Piraat: a golden Belgian ale, in the style of Duvel. It lacks the harsh dryness of Duvel however, and is rather more fun and fruity on the palate. All this and stronger too. Worth checking out if you like that sort of thing, and if you can find it.