The Order by The Bruery

February 25, 2017 by cloudx30 tagged Belgian Abbey, Belgian Abbey Strong Dark Ale, Belgian Strong Dark Ale, Coriander, Dates, Final Fantasy Tactics, High Seraph Altima, Spices, The Bruery, The Order, Ultima | Leave a comment

Rating: 5.85/6

16903437_10104035747776070_2849272380646441_o

The Order by The Bruery is a 10.6% ABV Belgian Abbey Strong Dark Ale brewed with Dates, Coriander and Spices.

Label:
A NEW NOCTURNE

Storied tradition meets local inspiration in this Belgian-inspired abbey ale, featuring coriander spicing and our love for dates.

Monastic breweries wrote the book on complex ales with elements of dark fruit, spices and caramelized notes. The Order summons that tradition and adds local inspiration with character from dates, Belgian-style sugars and subtle spicing from coriander.

==Introduction==

A new “Year Round” release for all societies and the public. This beer is made in the tradition of the Belgian Abbey styles of Dark Ales such as the Quadrupels, which are actually some of my favorite styles of beer. The Bruery has released several Quads and Dark ales before but the many of them would be barrel aged. I think this is the first time they make an Abbey ale just as a basic style. Which is truly unique. While I have a love for the Bruery, I will need to analyze this one closely as I have to compare this Abbey styles to the many true Belgians I have tried before and possibly my own. Let’s see how this one is and see if it can stand on its own, cheers!

Aromas:
Belgian candi sugars, stone fruit peaches, apricot, apples, peppercorn hints, piloncillo sugar cone, waffle cone, rock candy, candied oranges, dark fruit plums, prunes, raisins, cherries, pomegranate, dates, figs, pecan pie, clove spice, coriander, anise, dulce de leche caramel, bananas and flan notes.

Flavors:
Rich dark fruit plums, prunes, raisins, cherries, pomegranate, dates, figs, pecan pie, clove spice, coriander, anise, dulce de leche caramel, vanilla, bananas, sweetened condensed milk, flan hints, dark chocolate notes, Belgian candi sugars, stone fruit peaches, apricot, apples, peppercorn hints, Belgian sweet bread, piloncillo sugar cone, waffle cone, rock candy, candied oranges, toffee, pears, peach and pear cobbler, floral, citrus and earthy hops, dried mango and fruit cake.

Aftertaste:
Finishing rich with dark fruit, honey, caramel, piloncillo sugar cone, stone fruits, dates and hints of chocolate. No alcohol in the taste, amber hazy orange full body, smooth, velvety and chewy mouthfeel along with a sipping drinkability.

Overall:
A well exceptional Belgian dark ale. For a Belgian Abbey Dark strong, it shines tremendously. In fact, I cannot recall the last time the Bruery made a basic Abbey Belgian. For this one, it really is truly amazing. Being a fan of quads and dark ales, this one definitely went above my expectations and would highly recommend it if you love Belgians.

Anime Corner:
High Seraph Altima from Final Fantasy Tactics as the perfect character to use in this pairing as the name of the beer indicates that there is a secret organization in the abbeys. In the game, she is actually the deity that the monks sects try to keep secret. She is actually an angel kept a secret. So since her origin is from monasteries keeping secrets and the name of the beer calls for an organization, this was the perfect name.

Sources:
http://i.imgur.com/LPSLcEq.jpg
http://www.crymore.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Ultima-chan.jpg
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y14/shishisenkou/594b674dc8de0824f3cd83d4953a1e57.jpg~original
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y14/shishisenkou/b123a2b412e3b0572d6f943f0e9fceac.png~original
http://i.imgur.com/5H29oHp.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/5jDQGLU.png

Home brewing Project#18 La SanTequilisima Quadrinidad by Nubis Sanctum Ales

October 10, 2016 by cloudx30 tagged Belgian Abbey, Belgian Abbey Quadrupel, Belgian Dark Candi Sugar, Belgian Quad, Belgian Quadrupel, Belgian Quadruple, Belgian Quadrupple Ale, Belgian Trappist Monastery, Belgian Trappists, Bleach, cane sugar, Dark Belgian Candi, dark fruits, dreams do come true, French Oak, Herradura Añejo Tequila, Holy water, Home brewing, Kill-LA-Kill, Kos-MOS, kosmos, La Santequilisima Quadrinidad, Las Quad-tro Monjas, Las quatro monjas, Mexican Cane Sugar, Naruto, Nubis Sanctum Ales, Plums, Ryuko Matoi, Sangria, Temari Sabakuno, Tequila, Tequila Barrel Aged, Tequila Oak Aged, The four Nuns, The SancTequilified Quadrinity, Trappist, turbinado sugar, Xenosaga, Yoruichi Shihouin | 1 Comment

Rating: 6/6

Home brewing Project#18 La SanTequilisima Quadrinidad by Nubis Sanctum Ales is a 12% ABV Belgian Trappist Quadrupel brewed with Holy Water and Oak aged in Herradura Añejo Tequila.

Label:
Holy Trappist Belgian Quadruple brewed with Holy Water and Oak aged in Herradura Añejo Tequila.
A prophecy, only once told by the highest of religious leaders, has predicted The Four Nuns or Las
Quatro Monjas will return. Ancient manuscripts indicated that the Abbey Nun, The Buddhist Nun, The Shaolin Nun and the Celestial Space Nun will each bring the nectar of God as given to man once before.

This time, however, the nuns infuse the elements of Wind, Water, Fire and Earth to create a celestial nectar. Meanwhile, various religious leaders forbid that mankind ever lay their lips on the very oracle left by the nuns. Lucky for you, the nuns happen to enjoy visiting Nubis Sanctum Ales.

La SanTequilisima Quadrinidad, or The SancTequilified Quadrinity is stored in this very bottle.

Ingredients: Holy Water, Malts, Hops, Dark Belgian Candi Sugar, Turbinado Cane Sugar, French Oak, Herradura Añejo Tequila & Trappist Yeast.
==Introduction==

Project #18 came from the need to surpass my previous skills of the brewing arts. After successfully creating project #2, I wanted to create a barrel aged version of that special quadrupel that I held very close to my heart. So what did I do? I adjusted the recipe to add a bit more ingredients than before including one of them being a small sample of Holy land water. Yes, some people may think this is blasphemous, but in order to make a brew that was truly worthy of monks in Belgium and praise to the almighty God (depending on your beliefs) I added the vial to the brew at flame out. I am no priest but I did say a prayer for the brew to bring forth good fortune to those that drink it. LOL I just hope the beer doesn’t make my friend Aaron Mediola from BeerMetalDude.com catch fire (Just Kidding brother!). So the liquor I decided to use in this project was a Tequila. Why Tequila? Well, two reasons. First, tequila barrel aged brews rule and are to come by and second, after The Lost Abbey made Agave Maria which was their Tequila Barrel aged brew, I decided it was perfect. The beer was going to be about nuns and their worship to God. It was also a crazy idea I really wanted to do. Why is it Project# 18? Well, I had made this brew back in February 2016 and after a month, I put it on the Tequila oak for 6 months. The Tequila was sitting in oak since January 2016 so 2+6, that’s 8 months! Essentially, the 12% ABV was something unexpected but my working with Turbinado and Candi sugars probably had a lot to do with it. Regardless, I bottled it last month and now October 6, 2016 I bring it forth for a review. Yes, the brew will be published at a later date on my site but for perspective purposes and logging this masterpiece I want to get it right. So, for being a quadrupel aged in tequila, I hope is nothing short of amazing and knowing that I can definitely make an awesome brew, I will be pursuing more projects soon like this. Stay tuned, but for now, let’s take a look at this celestial nectar. Cheers!

Aromas:
Tequila notes, oak, Dark fruits of plums, raisins, figs, cherries, bubble gum notes, clove spice, raspberry Chambord hints, Stone fruits, Bananas, Brown sugar, Belgian Candi sugar, Chocolate, Sangria, rice pudding, tamarind, marshmallows, chocolate smores, lechugilla agave nectar, hazelnut nectar, pecan pie, Danish cream, port wine, fruit cake, leathery hints, apples and butterscotch.

Flavors:
Rich Dulce De Leche Caramel, Grilled Bananas, Deep Dark fruits, plums, raisins, figs, dark cherries, dates, clove spice, Belgian Candi sugar, bubble gum notes, capirotada Mexican raisin bread pudding, rice pudding, sweetened condensed milk, tamarind,Vanilla, Oak, Marshmallows, Tequila, Mezcal, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, Sangria Wine grapes, Mexican pan dulce, Danish cream, rock candy, port wine, leather notes, rye bread, pecan pie, hazelnut hints, pecan ice cream, brown sugar, dragon fruit notes, raspberry Chambord hints, Stone fruit peaches, golden apples, flan, funnel cake, waffle cone, mango notes and butterscotch.

Aftertaste:
Finishes with a Tequila and vanilla oak flavors with so much complexity lingering of the rich dark fruits, caramel, pecan pie, flan, sweetened condensed milk, sangria, agave, stone fruit, funnel cake and mild Danish cream. Slightly boozy in the aftertaste but diminishes as the beer gets warmer and does not detract from the flavors. Full bodied Honey Crimson Colored, Smooth, velvety, creamy, chewy and syrupy mouthfeel along with a sipping drinkability

Overall:
Nothing short of a miracle. I am very proud of these results. The Tequila takes this brew to another level. I do not give this one a 7/7 since it is not a beer you could find, but trust me when I say you could drink some of my brews. To me, it is my own personal bucket lister in the sense that I really feel I have achieved so much just from trying different beers and now trying to make my own different beers. This one is probably the best one I have ever made along with the Sangrileche Stout, Frontier Tropics and Diablita De Leche Banana Weizenbock. This beer screams some godly ambrosia. Some nectar that even I don’t understand. I can definitely feel proud that if those dudes at Westvleteren or St. Bernardus tried my beer, they would definitely find it indistinguishable from some of their greats!

Anime Corner:
Yoruichi Shihouin from Bleach, KOS-MOS from Xenosaga, Temari Sabakuno from Naruto and Ryuko Matoi from Kill La Kill make a return in this brew. Since I used them in my Project# 2, Las Quadtro Monjas, it was only fair to get them in the somewhat right attire for nuns they represent. They represent my passion for the work that I do. Reviewing and Brewing. These girls have been my favorite characters from the different anime series that I love for the longest time going way back to the year 2002. Being a big anime fan and the shows I like, complementing the beers I love with different characters doesn’t have the same effect as the way I complement using my top favorites. AS I mentioned in the last review of the original base beer, the name Las Quad-tro is a play on the Belgian word for Quadrupel and Cuatro which is 4. La SanTequilisima Quadrinidad is a play on the words for La Santisima Trinidad or The Holy Trinity. I had worked for a couple weeks not only finding the right combinations of artwork in photo-shop but the right backgrounds. Of course, all the artwork belongs to the perspective owner as I do not claim any art. As I mentioned before too, the 4 girls are the best and the ones I use as my mascots for my whole passion of anime and the best beers in this whole lost treasures of taste and experience. Cheers!

Las Quadtro Monjas by Nubis Sanctum Ales

March 30, 2015 by cloudx30 tagged Belgian Abbey, Belgian Abbey Quadrupel, Belgian Quad, Belgian Quadrupel, Belgian Quadruple, Belgian Quadrupple Ale, Belgian Trappist Monastery, Belgian Trappists, Bleach, Dark Belgian Candi, dark fruits, dreams do come true, Home brewing, Kill-LA-Kill, Kos-MOS, kosmos, Las Quad-tro Monjas, Las quatro monjas, Naruto, Nubis Sanctum Ales, Plums, Ryuko Matoi, Temari Sabakuno, Trappist, Xenosaga, Yoruichi Shihouin | 1 Comment

My Beer Homebrew Project #2 Review. Cheers!

Rating: 5/5

Las Quadtro Monjas by Nubis Sanctum Ales is a 10% ABV Belgian Trappist Quadrupel.

Label:
Kept in the dark for many years, the Four Nuns or Las Quatro Monjas appear each presenting an unforeseen treasure that was hidden from ancient time itself. Legend has it that these treasures were ingredients that were bestowed by the almighty God himself. The ingredients were thrown into a brew kettle by the nuns and made into a holy nectar. A recipe practiced by holy monks today. Folklore has it that some of the original nectar has passed the test of time, passed on through the ages and has seeped into this very bottle…

Las Quad-tro Monjas is a Belgian Trappist Quadruple Ale made in the style like the monks do in the Belgian Monastaries. They devote their lives to good faith and making good holy beers. This homebrew project started as a dream that became reality with a lot of devotion, patience, care and love. Conditioning for 1 month after fermentation, this beer will cellar for several years if kept in a dark and cool location. A beer that is strong in alcohol yet sweet and complex.

Ingredients: Water, malts, hops, Belgian Candi sugar, cane sugar and trappist yeast .

==Introduction==

The time has come… My dream of creating a Belgian Quadruple is finally here. First brewed in January 24th 2015, Racked in Secondary Februrary 14th 2015 and Bottled March 14th 2015 the brew is finally ready for the test. To this date, as I mentioned in the label description, it was my dream to someday make this style of beer and after so long, I finally did it. It does give a surreal and proud feeling knowing that something you always wished you could do, and with hard work, it can actually come to fruition. I always wanted to make this type of beer style, the Belgian Quadruple, ever since I started trying different beers. With a lot of patience, love and care, Now it is finally here! The best part is that this will mature for years well like a fine wine. For being my most complex beer to date, I have to analyze it as best as possible and hopefully the recipe will improve or I will make again next time. Cheers!

Aromas:
Rich bananas, clove spice, Rich dark fruit plums, raisins, figs, dates, black cherries, dulce de leche caramel, vanilla, dark black cherries, peaches, pears, vanilla, toffee, anise hints, molasses, port wine hints, pecan pie, flan hints, brown sugar, rock candy and Belgian dark candi sugar.

Flavors:
Dulce de leche caramel, dark fruits like black cherries, raisins, plums, figs, dates, leather hints, cinnamon hints, flan hints, peaches, pears, vanilla, butterscotch, toffee, chocolate notes, pecan pie, buttery Mexican pan dulce, Danish cream, rock candy, Belgian candi sugar, port wine, raspberry chambord, apples, rye bread, anise, molasses, blackberry preserves, dragon fruit hints, brown sugar and butter pecan ice cream.

Aftertaste:
Rich dark fruits and dulce de leche caramel linger with a slight sweet port wine and earthyness. Very small and slight hints of booze but are covered up by the sugary Belgian notes and dark fruit sweetness. Dark crimson body, moderate to sipping drinkability, velvety,syrupy and bold mouthfeel with a very rich and smoothness.

Overall:
As the beer warms up, the flavors evolve into some very rich and even more complex flavors giving way to the velvety notes I mentioned earlier. I really don’t know what to say. So many people really loved this beer to where many thought I added actual plums, peaches and bananas to it. Others thought it was so subtle like a gentle wine. I myself taking my time with it, the only thing was that it was low carbonated but even then this beer was something so amazing entirely I was stunned to make such a perfection that I kind of teared up a little bit. I was so damn paranoid working so closely to my experimental recipe, making sure the beer was always watched always worrying about it like it was my baby and here it is. My first attempt at a quad to mimic some of the best Belgian strong darks and quads out there and it was just… perfect….not overpowering, enough sweet and complexity to make even the lightest palates enjoy. I think based on the results, I will definitely make it again in the near future. Now I know what the monks feel when being so damn dedicated. Definitely feel proud of how far I have made it with this.

Anime Corner:
Yoruichi Shihouin from Bleach, KOS-MOS from Xenosaga, Temari Sabakuno from Naruto and Ryuko Matoi from Kill La Kill were used in this pairing as well as the label to represent the beer but also my passion for the work that I do. These girls have been my favorite characters from the different anime series that I love for the longest time going way back to the year 2002. Being a big anime fan and the shows I like, complementing the beers I love with different characters doesn’t have the same effect as the way I complement using my top favorites. But why the Belgian Quad and why them you ask? Well, it works so perfectly. The name Las Quad-tro is a play on the Belgian word for Quadrupel and Cuatro which is 4. I already have 4 of my favorite girls and an artwork I had done back in 2007 with colors of the Belgian Abbeys and monasteries, it was only a matter of time before I made the label with them four as my first Quadruple ale. They are the best and the ones I use as my mascots for my whole passion of anime and the best beers in this whole lost treasures of taste and experience. Cheers!

Abbey Normal by BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse

August 27, 2014 by cloudx30 tagged abbey ale, Abbey Normal, Belgian Abbey, Belgian Dubbel, Belgian Trappists, BJ's Brewhouse, BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse, Panty & Stocking, Panty and Stocking, PSG, Stocking, Trappist, Trappist beer, Trappist monks | Leave a comment

Rating: 4.85/5

Abbey Normal by BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse is a 6.6% ABV Belgian Dubbel.

Label:
BJ’s Abbey Normal is a light brown ale with a sweet malty profile. The style is what the Belgians call Abbey Ale, molded after the famous ales brewed by Trappist Monks. BJ’s Abbey Normal is full-bodied and rich tasting, with a complex bouquet of fruit and spice derived from fermentation with an authentic Trappist yeast. Subtle aromas and flavors emerge as the beer warms up – caramel, plums, raisins, currants and figs. BJ’s Abbey Normal may not be brewed in an abbey but it sure tastes heavenly.

This ale is bottle-conditioned and flavorful enough to age in the bottle for several years. Like a fine wine, the balance of flavors will change over time. For optional aging, we recommend that you store BJ’s Abbey Normal at between 55 and 65°F. Or enjoy it now!
___

Since 2010, when I first really started exploring beers, BJ’s brewhouse was a central theme to explore different beer styles as well as different beers. Abbey Normal was one of the first Belgian style beers and it was damn good back then. I never realized until a recent visit with my brother and my friend Alex that they started releasing these beers in bottles. I definitely had to bring one home for review as they ran out of the tap. So if you happen to visit BJ’s, this maybe something to try that is out of the ordinary there. Unless they have Westmalle which is more expensive but way more awesome. Either way, this is a very good Belgian dubbel even pre-review.

Aromas:
Dark fruit raisins, plums, figs, dates, phenolic banana notes, clove spice, stone fruit apricots, peaches, apples biscuit bread, dulce de leche caramel, toffee, honey, rock candy, pecan hint, ginger bread, chocolate hints, cinnamon and hints of brown sugar.

Flavors:
Phenolic notes of bananas, clove spice, dulce de leche caramel, vanilla, dark fruit raisins, figs, plums, trappist yeast hints, rock candy, candi sugar, pecan notes, hazelnut hints, dark cherries, ginger bread, cinnamon, chocolate hints, coffee, nutmeg, biscuit bread, bubble gum and toffee.

Aftertaste:
Biscuit bread, rye, dulce de leche caramel hints, dark fruit and phenolic hints fade into a dry finish. No alcohol in the taste, medium drinkability, amber medium to full body, light to medium mouthfeel.

Overall:
A very good Dubbel for sure despite this comes from restaurant & brewhouse chain. I love sweet Belgian beers so even at the ABV presented, this drinks like champ. It nice in terms of balance providing you a very nice rich complexity of flavors while still not being over powering. Wish I had this more often but now I realize why I loved this one so much back then. This one I would definitely recommend if you are able to get it at BJ’s on tap or snag a bottle from them to take home and relax.

Anime Corner:
Stocking Anarchy from Panty & Stocking with Ganterbelt was used in this pairing in relation to how awesome this beer was back in the day. At my youth of craft beers, this presented me with something very distinct that I had never had on tap and really drove me to try out more beers. Now, how it relates to the Abbeys, the monks and heaven, well guess what, Stocking, along with her sister Panty are angels fighting for humanity vanquishing ghosts. She is lover of sweets to the point where she should be diabetic but she is not. The colors of the label fit her perfectly and in respects to heaven, she is just that. The flavors of dark fruits and dark sweet flavors are basically her whole embodiment. She is a sweet dark Gothic angel with a lot of heart and power.

Sources:
http://oi61.tinypic.com/2cgf23k.jpg

Grand Gru by Abbaye-Abbey du Val-Dieu

August 26, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged Abbaye-Abbey du Val-Dieu, Abbey, abbey ale, authentic abbey ale, Belgian Abbey, belgian beers, Belgian Quad, Belgian Quadruple, Belgian Strong Dark Ale, chocolate notes, dark fruits, Edgar Roni Figaro, Final Fantasy VI, Grand Cru, raisin bread pudding, Terra, Terra Brandford, trappist ales, Val-Dieu | Leave a comment

Rating: 5.15/5

Grand Gru by Abbaye-Abbey du Val-Dieu is a 10.5% Belgian Strong Dark Ale/Quadruple

Label:
This authentic Abbey ale is based on the recipe perfected centuries ago by the monks of Abbey du Val-Dieu.

Anno 1216
___

While browsing for grand crews at the store near my house, I was looking for a grand cru beer to try as this type of beer has become a favorite of mine (like Belgian quad or strong dark weren’t already lol) The person at the tells me to try this one as it is lower in prices than even Alesmith Grand Cru. So I go with it as it is authentic Belgian stuff. Hell yeah!! Now the interesting thing is, many site cannot compare this as a quad or a Belgian Strong Dark Ale, I’ll say it is both. Grand cru is already kind of borderline anyway in terms of beer styles.

Aromas were rich in dark fruits like plums, raisins, figs, dulce de leche caramel, chocolate notes, grapes, pears, oak, earthy spices and blackberry preserves

The flavors are much better than the aroma. Very rich raisins covered in dulce de leche caramel, raisin bread pudding, plums, pears, dates, figs, sweet bread, butterscotch, flan, cinnamon, grapes, cherries, blackberry preserves, peppery notes, loads of candi sugar, pilloncillo sugar cone, brown sugar and rye bread. As the beer warms up, you get more complex flavors of pecan pie, hazelnut and banana which is definitely awesome.

The aftertaste continues with raisin and caramel sweetness and leaves an nice dark fruit and pecan taste in the palate. Full to medium body yet, the flavors cover up the alcohol a lot to the point where it is quite drinkable. I almost want to finish the whole bottle as it is is damn good.

Over all, to me knowing it is an Abbey Ale (I love authentic Abbey and Trappist ales) and the fact that it hits it home with the caramel and the raisins, it is a phenomenal beer. May not be to the Alesmith in terms of complexity or even as buttery raspberry preserve on toast as the Avery beast, but it still hits those Belgian lover spots in my heart reminding me of the St. Bernardus. In fact, I may actually get this over other grand crus. Especially since it is cheaper in price and easier to find. The best part is that it is a complex Belgian so this actually starts to transform in flavors as it warms up, this is why I gave it a higher rating.

Holy Sheet Heavy Seas Uncharted Series 2013 by Clipper City Brewing

August 12, 2013 by cloudx30 tagged Abbey, abbey ale, Belgian Abbey, Belgian Dubbel, Brandy Barrel Aged, Clipper City, crystal malts, dark fruits, drinkable beer, Dubbel, Franco il Nero, Heavy Seas, Holy Sheet, quiet contemplation, raisin bread pudding, Ruby, Rwby, uncharted series, wine notes | Leave a comment

Rating: 5/5

Holy Sheet Heavy Seas Uncharted Series 2013 by Clipper City Brewing is a 9% ABV Belgian Abbey Dubbel aged in Brady Barrels

Label:
Rich, complex and unique. Abbey style ales are transcendent, and ours stands proudly in the ranks. Aged in brandy barrels, Holy Sheet is a mahogany ale brewed with Belgian Abbey yeast, candi sucre, and unique crystal malts. Rounded, spicy caramel flavors mixed with vinous notes and oak overtones, this ale pairs well with quiet contemplation…

Uncharted Waters explores the unique changes that happen to beer when exposed to wood. Each beer showcases a robust style, carefully matched with a wood treatment to showcase a range of complex flavors. Vintage dating encourages further exploration on the aging process. As much about the voyage as the destination we hope you enjoy these beers in the spirit in which they were brewed.
___

Been looking for this beer since I first heard of it. It was not an easy find at all since many of the Heave Seas Beers aren’t normally sold around in the west coast. Thank goodness for online stores.

Aromas are of dark fruits and caramel like cherries, raisins, figs, dates, grapes, preserves, some vanilla and toffee notes, apple, white wine notes, banana, coconut, brandy, oak, rye and biscuit bread.

Flavors are of coconut, dark cherry preserves, rich dulce de leche caramel spread on raisin bread pudding, biscuit, vanilla, toffee, raisins, dates, figs, oak, brandy, candi sugars, banana phenolic notes, marshmallows, grapes, minor white wine notes and chocolate on rye bread

The aftertaste leave sweet and slightly boozy but not too boozy. This works very well as the alcohol is hardly present overall and is very pleasant. This makes it quite the moderately drinkable beer at that.

Overall Holy Shit I mean Sheet is very fucking delicious. This is my second Heavy Seas beer and already I love the beers I have reviewed so far. Definitely recommended for those that love Barrel Aged beers but also Belgian beers.

Chimay Peres Trappistes Grand Reserve 2012 by Bières de Chimay

December 6, 2012 by cloudx30 tagged Belgian Abbey, belgian ales, chimay grande reserve, Chimay Peres Trappistes Grand Reserve 2012, Grand Reserve 2012, spicy flavors, Trappist, Trappist monks | Leave a comment

Rating: 5/5

Chimay Peres Trappistes Grand Reserve 2012 by Bières de Chimay S.A. is a 10.0%ABV Belgian Strong Dark Trappist Ale. This is exactly the same as the Chimay Blue except for the fact that it has been aged and the ABV is 10% vs. the 9% of the Chimay Blue. I have already done the Review on the original Chimay Blue in the past: (https://brewerianimelogs.wordpress.com/2012/10/18/chimay-grand-reserve-ale-by-s-a-bieres-de-chimay/)

Label:
In 2012, the Chimay Trappist brewery will be celebrating its 150th birthday. To mark this occasion, the Chimay Grande Reserve (Chimay Blue Cap) will be adorned by a decoration inspired by its long term tradition.
—

No doubt in my mind, hands down, Belgian Trappist beers are just simply some of the best in the world. Some of them are Dark Belgian ales while some maybe quadruples. There is a major difference between them. While the some quads taste like Dark Belgian beers, not all Dark Belgian beers are quads (Trois Pistoles example with its port wine taste). Trappist beers, as far as I have had them though, are as close to a dessert made with candy sugar, caramel/dulce de leche bread, dark fruits like raisins, plums, figs and sometimes others like cherries, blackberries, and blue berries. Chimay brings it further by introducing hoppy flavors like those of a BPA (grass or earthy pine) but only to a minor level but detectable and enjoyable. The fragrance brings about somewhat hoppy and pilsner like smells but the real secret is in the flavor. As the beer sits close and closer to room temperature it brings about those richer candy,sweet bread, waffle cone, graham cracker, banana clove and spicy flavors. The difference between this and the regular is somewhat uncanny. I dig for some oaky or boozy flavors but they are very faint. If I sit this one next to the regular Chimay blue, I would find it hard to tell the difference. However, if you let it sit for a bit, you start to get some vanilla and possibly pecan flavor. By this time, the hops have faded away. Still, very awesome Belgian beer. I would choose the Chimay Blue since it is not as expensive though but your choice :). Bevmo has this for a limited time.

Judgement Day Ale by The Lost Abbey

October 17, 2012 by cloudx30 tagged Belgian Abbey, Belgian Quad, Belgian Quadrupple Ale, Belgian Style, Dulce de leche, End of the World, Judgement Day Ale, Judgment Day, Kos-MOS, Quad, Quadrupel, Raisins, The Lost Abbey | 1 Comment

A revisit to the beer that started it all for me. The beer art, beer tasting, and beer experience. This is that Very beer that has the awesome label about life. Very inspiring reading “Live an inspired life. Find opportunities in everything to make difference. Seek out new and spontaneous adventures, and when you find them them, embrace them as if they were the devil’s song. For an interesting life is worth living. Challenge yourself to embrace passion, persistence and a motivated way of life. So that when judgement day approaches from nowhere, you’ll go out knowing you’ve lived your life on your terms and they can’t take that away from you.” Simply amazing quote and simply and amazing Quad ale which is this, The Lost Abbey Judgement Day Ale brewed with raisins. Flavors are very impacting from the dark fruits, cherries, chocolate, brown sugar, vanilla and caramel. A creamy smooth beer yet heavy at 10.5% ABV. The Belgian yeast of bready goodness is there for sure and is fermented 4 times. Quads are definitely some of my favorite beers in the world and this is definitely in my most 10 ten best beers of all time. I highly recommend this one without a shadow of a doubt. Come to think of it, it was around this time last year when I enjoyed my first bottle. Looking back with a more experienced tongue brings a greater appreciation to this crazy hobby of mine. Something that will last me for quite a long time …and I am thankful because my life is interesting to me and doing it in my terms is always the best :)….Cheers for beers…..and say your prayers >:)