Country of Origin: Belgium
Price comparison: About twice the price of everyday beer.
Alcohol percentage by volume: 8½%
Cute bottle/label? 11.2 ounce cute squat brown glass with matte-finish brownish label and a built-in flip-top cork.
Appearance: Opaque orange with thick white head and smeary lace.
Scent: Sticky orchard fruits, malt, and some caramel, very faint hint of spices.
Flavor: Smooth wine flavor, tannic without being overpoweringly so, with some dryness at the finish reminiscent of a burgundy.
Impressions: I liked the winey characteristic of this, particularly if I was put into a position to recommend a beer that would pair well with, for instance, a meat and potatoes sort of meal, or if I needed to cook something using a strong red wine but did not have any at hand. On the other hand, Belgian or no, this is pricy to be drinking on a regular basis, let alone cooking with.
Will I buy this beer again? I bought this pretty much on the strength of how cute the bottle is. Yes, it tastes good, yes, I might consider buying it again if I were planning to serve it with beef or something of that ilk, and yes, I imagine it will age well, but it's probably never going to make regular appearances in my home. I don't have any qualms about recommending it, though — it's good and the bottle is, indeed, extremely cute ... it's all down to deciding whether or not those qualities justify the extra money, which is, as always, a matter of perspective.
Rating:
4 out of 5 cute beer glasses
Reviewed: August 25, 2004
