BeerBlog

2011-08-21T13:19:00.001+02:00

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2011-08-21T13:15:00.001+02:00

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2011-07-26T14:49:00.001+02:00

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Overigens groeien er ook echt bananen aan onze boom in #VillaMaria #vacanze #Sicilia

2011-07-26T14:47:00.001+02:00

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2011-07-26T14:42:00.001+02:00

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2011-07-26T14:39:00.001+02:00

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2011-07-26T14:36:00.001+02:00

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2011-07-26T14:33:00.001+02:00

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2011-07-26T14:30:00.001+02:00

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2011-07-26T14:28:00.001+02:00

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2011-07-26T14:26:00.001+02:00

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2011-07-26T14:23:00.001+02:00

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2011-03-08T15:57:00.001+01:00

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Voor straks, na het eten.

2011-01-30T20:04:00.001+01:00

Misschien nog wel bij een lekker biertje!

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So this is harsh reality in our gardens. Not a smart duck, now a frozen duck...

2011-01-30T18:19:00.001+01:00

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Yes! There is Fresh Fresh Hop Ale by @greatdividebrew!

2010-12-10T21:29:00.001+01:00

An ideal beer to sample in my Orval tasting glass....

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Getting out of hand - my private stash.

2010-11-27T17:00:00.001+01:00

Loads of De Molen and Emelisse, Marble Vuurenvlam and Flyingdog brews keep a selection of geuzes company. Need to drink some of these soon I guess.

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Getting out of hand - my private stash.

2010-11-27T16:59:00.001+01:00

Loads of De Molen and Emelisse, Marble Vuurenvlam and Flyingdog brews keep a selection of geuzes company. Need to drink some of these soon I guess.

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My selection of dessert beer for tonight. Choices...

2010-11-13T20:29:00.001+01:00

Terrible luxury. Chocolate mousse and dades plus some Israeli figs. Which bottle to crack?

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Second tasting of College Green Brewery, Dublin. Belfast Blonde, 4,3% ABV.

2010-11-08T21:02:00.001+01:00

Last weekend I tried my first College Green Brewery brew. I was happily surprised because this pale ale was hopped with American hops and yet it retained its specific Anglo character. Not over the top but nicely balanced, not too much alcohol but a good, clean, almost sessionable beer.I love the labels, too.The brewer himself dropped samples off at our Bier&cO offices last week. He spoke frankly about the fact they commissioned these beers from elsewhere and were not particularly happy with the outcome. He still dropped these samples so he is either courageous or stupid - or both.The pale ale was pretty good, to be honest.This blonde has a distinct buttery nose, is very fizzy and has an acidy palate. Let us assume the brewer can improve here and that these flaws can be corrected. What the result will be is likely an amicable pale Blonde, nothing special. Hmmm.Tomorrow it will be their bottle conditioned stout. For now I'm undecided. Anyone?

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After dinner joy: Anderson Valley Imperial IPA meets a Munster cheese....

2010-11-06T21:52:00.001+01:00

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@vkoblenko, 'misschien wel het eerlijkste hart van Nederland!' #fairtrade

2010-10-27T16:12:00.001+02:00

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@brophybrewer and Menno Olivier brewing 'Bat Out of Hell' at brouwerij De Molen, Bodegraven, Holland!

2010-10-21T09:31:00.001+02:00

Aiming at 109 IBU and 22 Plato: Gonzo meets Hel&Verdoemenis!

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A grand finale to a great beer and food pairing at De Molen: Double Dog meets chocolate!

2010-10-20T23:06:00.001+02:00

Vriendelijke groet,Bier&cO AmsterdamRick Kempen+316 5534 3450@bierenco

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Lodewijk Swinkels talks to @flyingdog @gonzobeer and @brophybrewer in the old La Trappe brewhouse

2010-10-20T11:30:00.001+02:00

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@flyingdog in the tasting room of Westmalle brewery

2010-10-19T21:26:00.001+02:00

Thanks Rudy van Haperen of Wauters Drankencentrale to arrange this visit to one of the few trappist breweries. We got to drink the monks beer, Westmalle Extra, brewery Fresh!

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Frank Boon on stairs to get us a three year old lambic!

2010-10-16T21:29:00.001+02:00

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The @flyingdog tasting and presentation is on its way at Delirium Cafe, Brussels!

2010-10-15T21:32:00.001+02:00

We are having fun drinking American craft beer in the lion's den...

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Infinium, the collaboration beer by Sam Adams and Weihenstephan has not been launched but presented!

2010-10-08T16:33:00.001+02:00

----- Forwarded message -----Van: "r.kempen@bierenco.nl" Datum: vr, okt. 8, 2010 16:15Onderwerp: Infinium, the collaboration beer by Sam Adams and Weihenstephan has not been launched but presented!Aan: "Bierenco Twitpic" Vriendelijke groet,Bier&cO AmsterdamRick Kempen+316 5534 3450@bierenco

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infinium - this is the collaboration brew by Weihenstephan and Sam Adams!

2010-10-08T15:35:00.001+02:00

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Marcus Englet taps the first glasses at Weihenstephan conference!

2010-10-07T19:51:00.001+02:00

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An example of German friendliness - and Grundlichkeit!

2010-10-07T17:27:00.001+02:00

So what to expect at the official brewery bar at Weihenstephan. Well, NO dogs and NO bicycles at the outside seating area of the Braustubrl. Please.No bicycles, that is like really funny to us Dutch, especially those of us with grandparents still alive...

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The benefits of having traveling friends: Russian River, now drinking!

2010-09-30T19:35:00.001+02:00

What a surprise to come home and find two brown paper bags on the table, unmistakably holding two bottles. Two beer bottles, to make it even better! A friend went to California and brought me all but a lousy mug: he brought me two Russian River beers.One bottle of Blind Pig IPA and a Pliney the Elder double IPA! The labels say both were bottled on 09/07/2010 which means they're less than a month old which, given the hop character of both, is pretty good news!At least one bottle won't live to be a month old. Blind Pig is now in the glass and what a joyful beer it is. Not really a hop bomb (or maybe it is just my palate being not easily impressed anymore) but just insanely well balanced: this is the kind of beer I could be drinking all night long.Blind Pig is 6% ABV and that is what makes it sessionable for me. Just like @flyingdog Snake Dog, a tad stronger at 7.1% ABV, it simply has a great drinkability and continues to tickle and prickle the tongue.Well - there it is, and there it goes. That was one great beer!

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My Revelation for #Borefts beer festival: Marble from Manchester!

2010-09-25T16:45:00.001+02:00

Vriendelijke groet,Bier&cO AmsterdamRick Kempen+316 5534 3450@bierenco

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Bier tv in the making!

2010-09-25T15:27:00.001+02:00

@bierliefhebber is hard aan het werk met Menno Olivier en @keesbubberman

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De koningen van Emelisse, waarvan er een twittert: @keesbubberman

2010-09-25T13:17:00.001+02:00

Vriendelijke groet,Bier&cO AmsterdamRick Kempen+316 5534 3450@bierenco

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Borefts Bierfestival: de stand van Mikkeler, met Mikkel zelf in beeld.

2010-09-24T20:51:00.001+02:00

Check out those tap handles, they are great. So is his beer. Especially the interpretation of de Molen Vuurenvlam was pretty impressive: nice malts and a fine yeasty undertone. Still: Marble from Manchester is my winner, both on vuurenvlam as well as the entire festival.

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Nogmaals: Gepijpte Nelis!

2010-09-23T16:52:00.001+02:00

Een smakelijke rook bock, of gerookt schwarzbier. Goed werk, brouwerij De Prael!

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'Gepijpte Nelissen' van Brouwerij De Prael.

2010-09-23T16:48:00.001+02:00

Nudge nudge.Wink wink.Know what I mean?

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Een perfecte pils @deengelsereet

2010-09-18T16:44:00.001+02:00

Omdat je hier de enige Heineken drinkt die de moeite waard is!

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Blond Eendje, a home brew by @jeroencv, Chairman of Pint.

2010-09-12T21:21:00.001+02:00

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How's that for room service! Thanks @zakavery for a unique beer to enjoy in unique circumstances (lonely hotel room).

2010-09-07T00:22:00.001+02:00

Review to follow, definitely!

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@brewdogjames talks I Hardcore You at @bierkoning!

2010-09-04T14:38:00.001+02:00

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Derde bier in serie #25jaarbierkoning: Emelisse triple IPA.

2010-08-29T21:17:00.001+02:00

A bit of a shame: it pours almost flat. Smells rather timid but taste like a hop time-bomb.10% ABV and seems a bit out of balance. Need to check with brewer Kees Bubberman if this is intended.

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De eerste uit een serie jubileum bieren voor 25-jaar @bierkoning.

2010-08-25T22:06:00.001+02:00

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Label details on Bitten Bullet Pacific Jade IPA

2010-08-23T22:15:00.001+02:00

A great beer by @barmas

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Drinking: Bitten Bullet Pacific Jade IPA by @barmas

2010-08-23T22:13:00.001+02:00

Stick an Irishman in Germany, give him a strange job and add some beer passion - call it Barmas. A homebrewer with serious talent if you asm me. I have now tasted two of his brews and both have significantly impressed and surprised me.This is a single hop brew and I normally fear these.@barmas shows it can be done well, even with a difficult hop such as Pacific Jade.This beer ought to be commercially available!

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Drinking: Black Hole by Mikkeler!

2010-08-17T17:20:00.001+02:00

In BeerTemple, met @jeroencv en de nieuwe Pint folder!

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Klosteiner in more detail. Thanks @barmas!

2010-08-04T21:25:00.001+02:00

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Botten Bullet Brewing Klosteiner v 2.0 by @ barmas!

2010-08-04T21:24:00.001+02:00

Hmmmmmm!

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Just to show you how beautiful it is...

2010-07-18T23:02:00.001+02:00

This is a view of our little holiday villa in Fontane Bianche, just ten miles south of Siracuse on Sicily. The garden is so beautiful now, with bougainville, hibiscus and oleander all in flower show. Wish I could always be here (and have better internet!)Vriendelijke groet,Bier&Co AmsterdamRick Kempen+316 5534 3450@bierenco

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Doorst: We are having fun with @brewdogjames telling a story about beer, honey and bees. Cool!

2010-06-30T20:34:00.002+02:00

We are having fun with @brewdogjames telling a story about beer, honey and bees. Cool!

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James Watt of Brewdog pauses after a story about beer and lesbians (on DVD)

2010-06-30T20:22:00.001+02:00

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Thanks @barmas for sending me some great looking bottles of #beer!

2010-06-30T17:25:00.001+02:00

These are the moments where you hate yourself for - Having a tasting session night with @brewdogjames in @cafebeertemple where five beers will be on tap, and some others on bottle- Having to go to London tomorrow for two days of American Craft beer jou at The White Horse- not being able to return before Sunday to taste these beauties!But what a home-coming it will be....

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Brewdog evening Part III: Punk IPA

2010-06-25T22:05:00.001+02:00

I don't mind being a punk. Kinda like that word. Too lazy to be a real punk though and I hate the obligatory strenge hair-do, non-descript dog and I care about my body and its odour.Punk IPA allows me to be a punk and enjoy a good brew.Thanks @brewdogjames!

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Part II of Brewdog night: 5AM Saint.

2010-06-25T21:22:00.001+02:00

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The Beerhunter meets The Emperor Penguin

2010-06-25T20:35:00.001+02:00

Trying my first Brewdog Trashy Blonde. Smells great, looks even better. ABV is 4,1 and it promises to be full of flavour!

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Great adition to the #privatestash: De Molen Black Damnation Steam Edition

2010-06-22T00:59:00.001+02:00

Supposedly great triple mix of De Molen Hell&Damnation, De Struise Black Albert and Anchor Distilling Old Portrero Single Malt Whisky. Supposedly because I have not tried it yet.But can you expect this to be not good?I bought myself a six pack...Bier&Co AmsterdamRick Kempen+316 5534 3450@bierenco

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Twee Nederlandse brouwhelden!

2010-06-21T21:30:00.001+02:00

Guus Royen en Menno Olivier, De Schans meets De Molen. Ze praten over bier, donker bier, en hoe een stout of porter moet zijn. Ze zijn het wel en niet eens maar voor een leek als ik een belevenis om naar te luisteren.Bier&Co AmsterdamRick Kempen+316 5534 3450@bierenco

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Guus Royen van brouwerij De Schans doet de inleiding.

2010-06-21T20:16:00.001+02:00

De proeverij annex presentatie van Stout en Porter bij In de Wilden ( ter gelegenheid van 25 jaar De Bierkoning) is los. Guus brouwt onder anderen Van Vollenhoven Stout maar ook eigen impressies hiervan. We zijn benieuwd!Bier&Co AmsterdamRick Kempen+316 5534 3450@bierenco

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Bierfestival Café Hesp: Onder andere heerlijk Christoffel Bier!

2010-06-13T15:59:00.001+02:00

Naast de normale twintig tapbieren nu op het terras tien extra tappunten met onder andere Weihenstephan, Mongozo, Anchor Brewing en@flyingdog! Genieten met leuk terrasweer! Bier&Co AmsterdamRick Kempen+316 5534 3450@bierenco

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Inspired. De Molen Hemel en Aarde aged on Bruichladdich 1972 cask.

2010-06-02T21:56:00.002+02:00

Sic bloody transit...

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De Molen Black Isak: an 11,2% tribute beer

2010-06-02T21:40:00.002+02:00

Brewed to mark a boy's birthday. I believe so, at least. Pours big, bold and creamy black. Smells roasty, vanila, and still hoppy. It has been aged on bourbon and Bordeaux casks - brewed on December 16 2009 and bottled 13 May 2010.Smells like a Siren, wanting you to jump into the glas. Drinks deceptively easy: no alcohol at all in the flavor nor aroma. Liquid 'heavenly mud' or chocolate mousse, with the faintest head.This was #518 out of a batch size of 2040 bottled, each 18 cl.I wish I had a son called Isak! This is once more a brilliant brew by Menno Olivier of De Molen. My points: 18 out of 20.Bier&Co AmsterdamRick Kempen+316 5534 3450@bierenco

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De proeverij is onderweg

2010-05-30T14:04:00.001+02:00

Veertig mensen, zes bieren en evenzovele hapjes!

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Bierproeverij bij De Twaalf Balcken

2010-05-30T12:37:00.001+02:00

Ter gelegenheid van de vijftigste verjaardag van Dirk Breedveld vind zometeen een bier & spijs proeverij plaats voor veertig genodigden. Een zestal Amerikaanse speciaalbieren worden gepaard aan speciaal hiertoe bedachte gerechten. De bieren komen van Anchor Brewing, Saranac, Left Hand en natuurlijk Flying Dog. En dan gaan nog wat t-shirts en Doggie Style slipjes weggeven!

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The last pull from the cask...bye De Molen Amarillo cask conditioned!

2010-05-28T17:21:00.001+02:00

A bit yeasty het mainly tasty... a 9,2% ABV bomber of a brew!Bier&Co AmsterdamRick Kempen+316 5534 3450@bierenco

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More beer and cheese!

2010-05-23T20:04:00.001+02:00

Here we go: an IPA by @cambrinusnl and Anchor Blue, Anchor White Cheddar, Epoissses, Ardrahan and Stichleton.Bier&Co AmsterdamRick Kempen+316 5534 3450@bierenco

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Now trying: Fliegenhund 2.0 by @noudsch. Less carbonation than version 1 it seems. Nice dark brownish color. Love the color of the head. Great nose. Totally love the flavor!

2010-05-23T18:21:00.001+02:00

Great beer. If there is more, I will buy it @noudsch!Bier&Co AmsterdamRick Kempen+316 5534 3450@bierenco

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Finaly trying De Molen Sladek Hopburst. It look swell and smells even better...

2010-05-23T17:43:00.001+02:00

Bier&Co AmsterdamRick Kempen+316 5534 3450@bierenco

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It's beer and cheese afternoon: Lake Placid Ubu Ale with an array of European cheeses.'Darn good!'

2010-05-22T18:13:00.001+02:00

Bier&Co AmsterdamRick Kempen+316 5534 3450@bierenco

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Weekend has begun at In de Wildeman

2010-04-16T17:33:00.001+02:00

Now that we have launched the original Czech Budweiser Budvar lager life is even better at one of my favorite bars - especially when accompanied by some great wasabi nuts and Simons company!

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een unieke ervaring: de Floreffe Roussa op tap in In de Wildeman!

2010-04-15T19:11:00.001+02:00

Normalerwijze alleen voor de Spaanse markt maar nu speciaal als gastbier voor het kwartaalbier programma!

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At the Goose Island brewpub in Clybourn, Chicago.

2010-04-10T21:12:00.001+02:00

We are enjoying a half of Standard Ordinary Bitter and a snifter of 'La Vie d'une Oie' - a wheat wine with hints of figs, prunes and cocoa! #cbcchi

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St. Peter's Organic Best Bitter on draught in In de Wildeman

2010-04-02T16:45:00.001+02:00

Simply delicious a true 'best bitter', not by Fullers or Youngs but a wee English craft brewery. They filled our 20 liter conical kegs so we can enjoy it here in Holland now.

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Now trying: a 'new' lager on the block called Orlando.

2010-03-10T19:00:00.001+01:00

Just received this in the mail, thanks Orlando! A crispy and medium-bodied lager that seems to fall in between Czech and German characteristics: more hops and less malty. Not bad.

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The advantage of being in the beer trade #4

2010-03-06T22:33:00.000+01:00

You know, one of the best surprises (and consequently one of the advantages of being in the beer trade) is having a total stranger turn up at the office proclaiming to be 'a brewer' who would really not want to disturb us but, given the fact he or she heard so much about us, felt we really really have to try their latest product.
In all honesty most of these home brews are either exact reproductions of Well Known beers or rather yeasty tasting First Steps. Some are better and some are pretty unique and downright great.

Some weeks ago a rather timid, elderly Belgian gentleman rattled our gate. He told us he couldn't sell his beer because of his timidness (I like it when people know their own weak spots) and that he'd normally walk away when entering a bar, six pack in hand, and found more people present than the landlord alone. 'Maybe we could help him?'

I heard about Hof ten Dormaal earlier, being pointed to it by Dutch-Canadian connaisseur Derek Walsh. It's a real small enterprise with the weirdest website ever. You can find more about them on here. Two beers he brought, a blond and an amber.

Normally that's bad news since most of Belgium innovation lately has been producing 'yet another boring alcoholic sweet tooth buster' or another 'blond'. Yippee.

This one manages to add something. Heavily carbonized, the 7.5% ABV blond has more flavor than all of Leffe's beers together. The gas is really on the forefront and I assume a bit more controlled fermentation will solve this. It fills the mouth and lingers on nicely, leaving some fruity (orange? mandarine?) flavors and a bite of zest in your mouth.
The amber is even better. Same ABV, same insane gas level, even more of an impression. You know an amber beer needs not be sweet alone, needs not be toffeeish only, but can give off flavors of caramel, hints of roast (without being roasty) and brown suger (without brown sugar being an ingredient) and still be well drinkable and sessionish. Yet you seldom find these - well, here is one!

Perhaps we will be listing them soon. The labels are not exactly fancy or appealing, but I would love to hear your comments on them. Have you ever tried one? What did you make of their information? What do you think of their labels? Please let me know!

ANCHOR HUMMING ALE ON DRAFT - SIMPLY DELICIOUS

2010-02-25T15:15:00.001+01:00

Okay, it has hit our shores. Anchor Humming Ale, recently brewed as a try-out at Anchor Brewing Company in San Francisco to celebrate its 113th anniversary and thirty years to the day since they made the first brew in their new brewhouse was unloaded in Amsterdam just last Friday19 February 2010. As a gesture the brewery filled 40 of our 20-liter size kegs with it, for us to try out and see what we thought about it. We really couldn't wait, having had the pleasure of testing some bottles earlier on (one of these now lies in the fridge of a Zak Avery in Leeds, and I believe it quietly grins at Zak every time he opens that fridge door). These bottles revealed what we had read on the Anchor Brewing Company's website and yes, using Nelson Sauvin hops can be exquisite! Just to remind you: Fritz Maytag now celebrates the 35th anniversary of his ownership and rescue of the brewery, and sparkling the entire American Craft Brewing scene of today. Great stuff!

Nelson Sauvin is not a native hop to California (it originates from New Zealand - thanks @barmas!) but it imparts a pretty unusual flavor on the beer. When I first tried it from the bottle I just couldn't put my finger on what it made me think of, the second bottle brought me a lot closer. And as if the wonderful staff of Amsterdam great beer bar 'In de Wildeman' knew this, they dressed their bar in Orval bar mats yesterday. Because that's exactly what Humming Ale made me think of: that special and unique sour bitterness that characterizes Orval, as a result of their choice of hops and multi-fermentation with semi-wild yeasts. Not the exact taste of course, but pretty damn close!

Anchor Humming Ale is not close filtered and thus slightly hazy. It comes in at 6,5% ABV and is more drinkable than you would expect, given its hop profile. And the brewery has just revealed this will be their new seasonal beer, to come when Summer Beer has gone and we're all waiting for their 'Our Special Ale'.

For me, it's again proof that you do not need to brew extreme beers to prove your point or to show your brewing craftmanship. This is not in your face, but perfectly balanced, harmonious and stupifying at the same time. A truly great beer, by a truly great brewery.

Simon Fokkema of In de Wildeman holds a freshly tapped (!) Anchor Humming Ale high. I am drinking it now and it is fabulous!

2010-02-24T16:22:00.001+01:00

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Also added to the private #stash

2010-02-20T17:57:00.001+01:00

As advised by @zijperspace I also brought some Emelisse beers home. Keen to learn how good they are!

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Just added to The Private Stash

2010-02-20T17:54:00.001+01:00

Nice visit at De @Bierkoning: took some special De Molen and @greatdividebrew home with me!

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Wow - Siamese Twin Ale on draft by Uncommon Brewers! Fun at BeerTemple in Amsterdam!

2010-02-18T17:26:00.001+01:00

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At BeerTemple and enjoying Wild Goose Oatmeal Stout on tap!

2010-02-18T17:16:00.001+01:00

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The advantage of being in the beer trade #3

2010-02-17T22:19:00.000+01:00

I must have said it a thousand times by now, but when you make your job out of your hobby (like I did) the only real risk is: other hobbyists.

However, these 'geeks like me' do open doors sometimes that would normally remain shut. Some of these doors are in trappist abbeys...I have had the pleasure to sample Orval Vert, La Trappe Refterbier and Westmalle refterbier (refterbier being the monk's own beer that's just not for sale) and now I have added another one: Chimay!

During the annual beer trade show in Amsterdam, the Export manager for Chimay promised me some of these bottles and he actually presented me with a crate!
Most of this is already gone, distributed to other hobbyists, and I recently tried it.

Where Orval Vert is really a watered-down version of your normal hop-monk (3,2% vs 6,3%) and lacks the hop bite, and Westmalle refterbier renders their tripel superfluent for me (refterbier is 4,8% and drinks like an IPA!), Chimay is in the middle. Not great, not bad, not in any way reminiscent of commercial Chimay beers, but a drinkable, fruity, slightly yeasty blond. A typical Monk session beer really!

Now I am obviously going after the remaining three: Achel (who don't have a Monks beer), Rochefort and Westvleteren. I will keep you posted...

the advantage of being in the beer business #two

2010-02-05T23:49:00.001+01:00

what can I say. Czech craft beer in English pale ale style. although nice not completely convinced. I have tried around eight of Kocour beers and they are - well, nice a t best. Not great, not bad, just nice. Sort of lacking fantasy and being somewhat obligatory.Well - it's great having them by the way since you can't buy these.

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The advantages of being in the beer business

2010-02-05T23:21:00.001+01:00

Today four Czech people turned up at our warehouse to stock their cars for their Prague bar. They took some hundred cases with them: American, Dutch and English craft beer will tomorrow be available in Zly Casy in Prague 4. They brought some local beer with them: three different ones from Pivovar Matuska. This is their very tasty wheat beer and I am told it's the first time it's outside of home Turf!

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Norrebro Globe Ale - not a beer to remember

2010-01-18T22:58:00.001+01:00

It was with a lot of anticipation I received a carton of mixed bottles by Norrebro Bryghus, a rather famous brewery (originally a brew pub) in Copenhagen, Denmark's Capital city. It was in 2003 I first met Anders Nordqvist, founder of the bar and brewery, and even today the proprietor of both (although in the meantime a lot of investors have joined in to finance his escapades). I fell in love with the modern bar and downstairs brewery because of the looks of it (modern) and the beers (classics). Today the brewery has build quite a name for itself and we're testing the beers to see if we can launch them domestically.

Some are absolutely miraculous - some are so 'common' you'd not be surprised if they turned out coming from a large brew firm. That is actually intended as a compliment - they are flawless, not impressive, but simple and downright good. For a geek like me not the ones to bring tears to my eyes but for the average consumer I believe these simple beers can be an addition. There are many more to follow for testing and please follow the results and comment on them. For now, here's my RateBeer thoughts on Globe Ale: a 2.4

Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
3/10 3/5 4/10 3/5 11/20

Pours a nice golden-blond, slightly hazy. The head seems firm but disappears quickly. The aroma is rather flat - bready and cereal. Modest appearance, not a beer that tries to impress by its looks. It tastes surprisingly flat and, well, nothing, really. It is not what you would expect from Norrebro - its a session taste. Non offensive, not impressive. Light body, thin feel, soft carbonation, no real finish. Not a beer to forget, but neither to remember.

Finally started sampling Norrebro Brughus beers. First up: Christmas beer

2010-01-16T21:32:00.002+01:00

My ratebeer rating: 2.9

Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
3/10 3/5 6/10 3/5 14/20

Jan 16, 2010

Quite a surprising beer. Lot’s of spice, very malty. Can’t quite find the hints of the used barrel they used for lagering a stout earlier. Nice bottle, great label. 8% ABV and a delicious deep red colour. A typical, spicy Christmas beer!
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Kannen en Kruiken: De Molen EBCU brew

2010-01-16T17:31:00.001+01:00

There seems to be a sort of pan-European club of beer lovers, comprised of top-Brass from national consumer groups like CAMRA, Danske Oelenthusiasten and PINT. One may wonder if anyone needs such a club - as if these clubs can make fundamental changes to the world of beer? Sure, CAMRA did justice to its name (CAMpaign for Real Ale) and managed to persuade English brewers to not altogether stop producing real ale and 'help' the average beer drinker to discover there's much more to beer than bland, industrial lager. Danske Oelenthusiasten organizes one of Europe's finest beer festivals and seems to have inspired Carlsberg to launch Jacobsen, their Very Expensive Premium Craft beer brand. Pint, the Dutch consumer club, has a made a name for itself by having a Bock beer festival running for 25 consecutive years in Amsterdam. Sure - they have all done some great work. But does that mean we need a European club?I am not convinced, but have to admit that it sometimes proves useful - in 2009, for example, the Dutch contingent to attend the annual meeting asked Menno Olivier of De Molen to brew the Dutch commerative ale. Who better to ask,you may say, and I would not have an answer to that. Menno did what he usually does and brewed a hell of a beer. Rich in flavor, not as extreme as some of his brews, but with the balance we now have learned to appreciate from De Molen's beers. The bottles have been numbered and the volume too since there's no way you will find this beer anywhere unless someone hid it - far away. I liked it very much: not too strong in ABV, not too dark, not too little gas - hold it, this is leading to what I love best: a perfectly balanced beer with a mild amount of alcohol. And that was exactly what it was - now it's gone.

This sort of speaks for itself I would think: Mikkeller Warrior Single Hop IPA!

2009-12-09T17:23:00.001+01:00

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Westmalle Extra - what the monks are hiding from us civilians!

2009-12-07T19:12:00.001+01:00

I must have said this before, but my job has its benefits. Did I recently get to try the Orval Vert (the beer the monks at the abbey of Orval drink 'daily' and that 'never' leaves the abbey's walls) by courtesy of the Dutch importer, I was weeks later given another rare bottle: Westmalle Extra. History repeats itself, indeed! The same importer that handles Orval in The Netherlands also represents Westmalle, and again the beer normally reserved for the monks themselves was now passed on to me. Apparently the brewery opens its doors for direct sales to locals one day a month; Westmalle Extra would normally be unavailable. And that is a downright shame because as far as I am concerned it beats its well-know sisters Dubbel and Tripel by miles. Miles! The beer is blonde (as you can see in the picture) and has a contemplative strength, only 4,8% ABV. Yet it is probably one of the finest 'lower alcohol' beers I have ever drank. It pours a rather abundant head and nicely laces the glass as you progress. Its aroma doesn't give much away from the flavors hidden in the beer and I wasn't actually expecting too much of it, given my recent encounters with Orval Vert (a watery version of my favorite of all times).

But then I tasted it, and I was blown away. It has a massive hop burst which manages to hide completely in the aroma. It has a firm and complex back bone that isn't malty but rather peppery. It tickles the tongue and makes you beg for more. I short, it delivers the same drinkability experience as the freshest Pilsner Urquell would yet it has far more to offer. If I had a say in it, I would have it every day. I do not believe the monks share my opinion so now I'm facing a dificult decission.

Should I become a monk?

Fresh Hop Ale by Great Divide - miraculously good

2009-11-22T23:16:00.001+01:00

It is not often that I come across a beer that opens up a whole new concept of how beer can be, but recently it happened. You may now I work for Bier&Co Amsterdam, a Dutch beer import-, export- and wholesale company who as of late has been focussing heavily on American Craft Beer.

One of the breweries we represent is Great Divide of Denver, Colorado, certainly one of the smaller Craft Breweries of The States. Not only that - they also brew some of the boldest beers on the block. Well known is their Hercules double IPA which is being described as 'not for the faint of heart', which has to be the understatement of the century.

Well - we had heard about one of their seasonal beers, brewed with fresh, wet hops and aptly called 'Fresh Hop Ale'. The whole concept is rather expensive since you actually need a lot of freshly harvested hops to achieve your goal, you need to get those hops off the field straightaway when harvested and your brewing team has to be on stand-by for maybe days since you are never sure when harvest will actually start and be finished. This doesn't mean the brewery is at stand-by but it may turn out you'll be making calls all over town in the middle of the night because there are trucks with fresh cones arriving. Anyway - we had heard so much about this beer, its concept and the utter impossibility to get it to Europe we had given up all hope. And then we learned Brian Dunn, President of Great Divide, decided he'd take the shot. Previously he was reluctant about exporting it to Europe since this is the kind of beer you really need to drink as soon as you possibly can, given the fresh hop aroma. Spending a minimum of two months travelling was too mucg taking away from the beer, Brian felt.

Well, I'm happy he changed his mind. Because we have received (and sold out within a day) a pallet of these 22 ounce (650 ml) bomber bottles, and I have secured a carton of twelve for the private stash. Ten of these remains.

Not entirely sure how to proceed I placed one bottle in the fridge and left one outside - these autumn temperatures usualy provide the ideal 'chilling'. 650 ml Is a large bottle but sharing with a mate means we got to try both the cold and the chilled version.

The hop aroma, bold and fresh, grassy, almost marihuana like, was aparent immediately with both of them. The spicy American hops used gave their well-known citrus notes but less than I expected. I means to say: they were less obtrusive and less prominent. Actually this turned out to be one of the most balanced and easy drinkable beers out of an 'Extreme Brewery' I have had in a long time. At the same time I am amazed how different a beer tastes when fresh hops are being used -I believe I am now able to recognize age in hops used in beer, it's sort of a cardboard small these give off when compared to fresh hops. The best part was the after taste, actually. That developes unexpectedly towards an almost caramel-like sweetness whilst the tongue remains 'prickled' and 'fresh'. Totally amazing. I now hate myself for not buying a second carton. Well - I can wait another twelve months!

Some great, some not-so-great and some weird beers.

2009-11-21T22:40:00.014+01:00

Time flies, when having fun. The past couple of weeks have been extreme fun in many ways and so time flew past faster than I ever have seen it fly. It meant I had simply not enough time to keep the blog up - sorry, can't make any promises. Hope to make it up a bit by taking you along some fine beers and ales I enjoyed recently - and a bad one too.

We've seen a lot of De Molen lately at Bier&Co - the brew master Menno Olivier visited us to try some of his brews together and have a chat about life in general. So, in turn we visited him at the brewery for more tasting and more chatting.

The result of the chats? We've decided that life is good. The result of the tasting? Again new horizons have opened up!

I have to admit I am a lover of bitter, hoppy, roasty beers. Love a good Belgian beer but find them too sweet, too often. In general sweetness isn't my perk - maltiness is sweet enough for me. And so milk stouts aren't exactly making me jump when offered but I have had to admit they can be great and tasty: Left Hand Milk Stout for one, De Molen's Milk Mild for sure. Menno Olivier admitted he had doubted naming the beer the way he did for a long time since it might put people on the wrong foot: a mild is a mild. But, given the high drinkability, he decided to do it after all.
The result: that peculiar milk sweetness dominates a roasty aroma, and since it's well below 4% ABV alcohol hardly plays a part in the experience, like a true mild.
Couldn't drink it all evening but it would sure make for a great desert beer.

Next up was a beer a friend brought me from a trip in Zeeland, Holland's most south-west provincie. He dined in The Bourgondier, a bar and restaurant in Bergen op Zoom that I had never heard of. In that city used to be De Scheldebrouwerij, a Dutch craft brewery that has been around for more than a decade and that has recently moved to Belgium for expansion. They now brew this beer exclusively for De Bourgondier (as they did for that great bar/ restaurant in Middelburg, De Mug) and it's only sold on-site. My friend managed to bring one bottle with him for which I thank him.
The beer itself was, putting it mildly, not very interesting. Sweetish, too much spice, moderate alcohol, but nothing really stood out in it. A beer clearly the result of many compromises ('I want a drinkable beer, that reminds you of La Chouffe but not so strong, that can accompany many dishes because of its fruit character but not a fruit beer, and so on...)
It may still be worthwhile to go to De Bourgondier, but not for this particular beer.

Early 2009, on the HORECAVA trade show in Amsterdam, I spend some time with the Sales director for Wauters, a Heineken wholesaler and specialbeer importer. They handle two trappist brands for The Netherlands (for which I envy them), Westmalle and Orval. Since the latter is one of my all-time favorites I was very pleased to see him around and they even had a booth where both trappist breweries were showcased. We talked a lot about the peculiarities of trappist breweries and representing them and then I popped the question of whether or not he could get me some Orval Vert - the beer the monks are said to drink themselves and which you simply cannot buy.
To my surprise he'd not even heard about it but he promised that if he could, he would bring me some. A fortnight later he made me promise never to sell them and gave me a six pack!
Now regular Orval is one of the most irregular beers in the world and one of my favorites: Orval Vert is the 3,2% ABV, unlabeled and -excuse me- watery version of The Real Stuff. Although the hops are already there the body lacks, and this I really miss in it. Now I tried one almost at once, and put some bottles away for later review, knowing how Orval rapidly developes: a six months old Orval is a world apart from a three month old, let alone a two year old bottle. Orval Vert is much like a Beaujolais Primeur: drink it quick because every second lost is tastable. Alas, not a beer for keeping - sandy yeast flavor and a lesson learned. In case he ever sneaks another six pack out, it's down the hole within the week!

And then there was De Molen again. Disputing the possibilities of brewing a low alcohol, high flavor-profile ale is the hottest thing in Beerland these days and many breweries try (few with success). Brewdog did, a brewery to admire for their artwork, marketing and some of their beers - not Nanny State, an IPA of 1,2% ABV.
It's a downright waste of perfectly good hops who can't do anything but deliver a very hefty nose and then die because of drowning in water. It's hopwater, albeit dark, and a beer that may actually do harm to beer drinkers trying beyond where they've gone before: it's a beer that may easily put people off speciality beer.
De Molen tried the chalange themselves and came up with a beer brewed for Italy only: I believe (stained my notes) at 2,4% ABV a hoppy fruitbeer that manages to please, linger in the mouth without becoming obtrusive and delivering refreshment. Not a beer I'd drink all night either, but in case you need to drive a very welcome and tasty brew.

isn't this so true!

2009-11-17T23:58:00.001+01:00

And then to know there's Gonzo Imperial Porter in there, and it's mine for the taking: I salute you!

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the battle of small giants: Brewdog Nanny State vs De Molen Beaches&Peaches. De Molen wins!

2009-11-10T13:28:00.001+01:00

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Hold your horses - move to San Francisco! Anchor 'Our Barrel Ale'

2009-11-08T21:34:00.010+01:00

It is one of those days that you look back at the week gone by and wonder why it is that you have been blessed with so many great, unique and tremendously learning experiences. I won't worry too much about it and simply count my blessings: being in the beer trade does sometimes open doors that normally remain closed to most people.

It does mean I will have to postpone my plan to write more about De Molen, the most interesting craft brewery in The Netherlandse and its brewer and beers. Just wait (but I have enjoyed my Kopi Loewak on draft enormously, and be sure to learn more about this great brewery very soon on my blog)!

This week I received this list of wonderous and unique beers that have gone into the Private Stash: Anchor Brewing 'Our Barrel Ale'; Westmalle 'Extra Refter Beer'; De Molen 'Hel & Verdoemenis Oak Cask Aged'; Orval 'Vert' (refter beer); De Scheldebrouwerij 'De Bourgondier'. I particularly pride myself in the two trappist refter beers (Orval and Westmalle) since these beers are commercially unavailable execpt if you live near the abbeys (but you'll still have a hard time taking a bottle of Orval vert with you). De Scheldebrouwerij beer is made for a restaurant in Bergen op Zoom (Zeeland, south-west The Netherlands) only and served on site but a friend pleaded so long that the proprietor gave him one bottle to take away.

I'll be talking about those later. Today it's Anchor Brewing Company time, since in Bier&Co offices we received one carton this week with six magnum bottles (1500 ml) of a one-time ale: Our Barrel Ale. I read about it a lot on the internet some months ago as it was officially released during 2009 San Francisco Beer Week and this release created so much buzz you'd think there was no other news at all.

Now Anchor Brewing for me is the most important American Craft brewery of all for the simple fact it, and its saviour and current proprietor Fritz Maytag, have helped inspire each and every brewer and special beer fan of today. Without either of them today's American Brewing scene would most definately be totally different and likely less lively and interesting.

Now they have, since Mr. Maytag decided to buy and salvage the brewery, excelled at brewing really traditional ales and have been very much about 'brewing in the old-fashioned way'. If I understood well that's not because that results in better beer, but really only for the sake of doing it that way. Preserving tradition can be a noble cause and certainly has value, but Anchor hardly ever ventured onto the extreme brewing path. Sure, they were the first to brew an American barleywine (Old Foghorn, which they were forced to call barleywine-style ale because it was obviously not made of grapes, and the authorities didn't understand the whole concept to begin with) and they were the first to brew a wheat beer (Anchor Summer Ale, the first wheat beer after the style had disappeared during prohibition) but brewing to extreme gravities of with superhuman amounts of hops - no, not their cup of tea.

Anchor Our Barrel Ale is for sale at the brewery only, and only in these 1500 ml magnum bottles. Since we are the brewery's continental European Master Distributor we were given one carton of trial bottles. No way will it ever be commercially available, I am afraid - unless the brewery decides to brew it again... But, what is it?

It is a blend of Anchor beers, and they will not disclose the exact mixture they used. What they do disclose is that their own oak vats have been used that used to house Old Portrero whisky - yes, besides the brewery Fritz Maytag operates a dairy farm (great cheese), a winery (great wines and even port) and a distillery (great whisky's, genever, gin and eau de vie). What more does a man want...

The bottle doesn't disclose much about how long the blend lagered but it has to be quite a while, since all carbonation is just about gone. Actually I like that since it reflects exactly the development the beers have gone through. It also reminds me of Thomas Hardy's Ale (that, alas, is not being brewed this year) which is said to be good for 25 years (!) and is a true strong ale - no fizz, just beer!

It comes in at 8% ABV which suggests Old Foghorn must make up most of the blend. The clear hop character points to Liberty Ale and the colour, darker that Old Foghorn can ever be, hints to a part of Anchor Porter. Well: a mix of three great beers has produced another great beer. The aroma actually hints to Flemish red ale, but upon sipping an overwhelming flavour of prunes, raisin and dades hits you like a tidal wave. A port? An aged mantanillo sherry? No - a brilliant beer, virtually free of CO2 but totally enriched by evolved flavour elements that have all maintained their own character whilst still creating a completely new end result.

I suppose it would have been utterly delicious with some blue cheese or aged stilton - but I had none at hand. As an apetizer it would have served as well as a glass of red port - but I wasn't going to eat for a while. Equally as an after-dinner beer it would beat just about any beer that is generally being suggested to do the trick - but I hadn't eaten yet. It would have worked miraculously with venison, deer, boar or any game (or stew). But it did what a great beer should do: it performed simply perfectly all on its own. Even the wife enjoyed two glasses (which rates the beer in the top-10 of all times because two glasses for my wife is a rare occurance) and moaned when the bottle emptied. But it did, and for me this beer has instantaneously reached this year's top three. Thanks Anchor wizards!

By the way, the top-3 now reads (without proper order, that's for 31-12 to be announced):
Raging Bitch (Flying Dog Ales), Our Barrel Ale (Anchor Brewing Company), Kopi Loewak (De Molen). And there are still two months to go...

A Truly unique moment: drinking De Molen 'Kopi Loewak' from draft!

2009-11-07T18:34:00.003+01:00

Amazing! This imperial stout by Hollands most gifted brewer Menno Olivier is utterly weird. Some specs: 9,5% ABV. 84 Bittering units.

The story on Kopi Loewak: on the isle of Sulawesi grows coffee but some of the beans are being eaten by small cats (Cevat cats) who digest them but not completely. Actually the beans ferment inside the bowls and natives will search for Cevat cat excrements because the beans are worth their weight in gold.

Apparently this batch of beer is just under 300 liters but coffee to the value of Euro 240 has been used - do the rest of the math yourself!

The beer sells here (Arendnest bar in Amsterdam) for euro 5.50 which isn't bad at all.

* Coffee explosion in the nose

* vast toasted aroma

* massive bitter sweet body

* next to Raging Bitch one of the best beers this year!

It is already sold out if you want to know...

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Now we're talking! Ommegang Three Philosophers is truly a great brew: deceptive strength, dito aroma!

2009-10-29T23:01:00.001+01:00

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Brouwerij De Molen: stories on some great encounters!

2009-10-27T20:50:00.008+01:00

If you didn't know the mill in Bodegraven housed a brewery, you would never go into this town: it's part of the Dutch bible-belt and has absolutely nothing to offer to people who don't live there - except for one of the most outstanding breweries in The Netherlands, or possibly in Europe - or the world, for that matter. Recently I have had a number of encounters with De Molen beers and their brewer, Menno Olivier. I have decided to tell you all about these encounters over the next issues!

First: you have to know The Netherlands has not been richly endowed with gifted brewers. Although a large number of enthusiasts brew beer they seldomly manage to produce something really interesting and if they do, they have great difficulty in repeating the recipe to the same level. It is my considered opinion Menno Olivier is not just a gifted brewer - he is the most gifted brewer we have in our country today. This may be a personal opinion, but I suppose the man puts his money where his mouth is: he wanted to be 'Holland's best brewer' and just look at his rankings on ratebeer.com. He dominates the top-50 of best beers in The Netherlands with a stunning 30 brews in it, amongst which is the entire top 5 of Best Dutch Beers!

Secondly, the majority of Dutch brewers will seek to copycat their favorite brew. Impressive as it may be to 'recreate' Orval or make your version of Westmalle Dubbel, you're basically playing Lego and following the instructions on the leaflet. 'Dare to be different' is not the kind of slogan many Dutch brewers cherish - but Menno seems to have it tattooed on the inside of his eyes. He is in many ways like an American micro brewer who seem to be all about pushing boundaries - just for the fun of it!

Enough feather sticking: let's just say the man knows how to brew good beer. Moreover, the brewery isn't exactly what you would call a 'state-of-the-art' facility: most of the equipment is actually in its third life, having spend lifetimes in the dairy and/ or soft drinks industry. Batches are so small that all bottles are numbered (by hand, of course) and this is further enhanced by the fact that all high gravity beers are being brewed 'straight': no dilution or any other nifty tricks are being applied.

Last week the man himself visited our offices (for a chat and a tasting) and he brought with him two beers unavailable to mortals at that stage. Amongst these the one the right here: Kopi Loewak! For those of you who are native Indonesians (or understand their language) there's no mystery, but for the rest of you: coffee beer! A thick, espresso-like monster where not just ordinary coffee has been used but those famous beans from Sulawesi that have been swallowed by a cevat cat, then digested and 'dropped' (yes, as in poo) so the local population can collect these beans and they will then be converted into the most special and expensive coffee on earth. Apparently the trip down the cat's bowls enhances the coffee by means of semi-fermentation and 'those in the know' won't have anything else. The beer, by the way, is bottled in small (18 cl or 6 oz) bottles - not because of the strength of the beer, but to keep the price at a somewhat acceptable level...I state this beer is worth its weight in gold!

Enough about the background. Next week we'll talk about the beers!

aren't the Brits great!

2009-09-30T09:15:00.001+02:00

For the part couple of days I have been travelling with Matt Brophy, brewmaster of Flying Dog brewery in Frederick, Maryland. One of the things we did was a tasting in Leeds where we, among others, served Raging Bitch - the 20th anniversary beer. It is a Belgian Style IPA and this was a real ale version.It was brought over from another bar in converted milk cartons which can also be used to take some beer home with you.Don' t you just love it!

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@brophybrewer leads the Wicked Wine pack in tasting @flyingdog Woody Creek White

2009-09-25T12:25:00.001+02:00

Rick Kempen is onderweg maar leve de moderne techniek!

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