Loads of sugary yeast sediment sinks into viscous amber setting of intoxicating nickel-hued full body. Initial coriander-spiced apple sequence settles to honeyed almond-butterscotch midst before peppery hops awaken tart lemon rind wisp descending upon mildewed cellar-like finish. Musty floral herbs conceal banana, golden raisin, and green grape nuances.
All posts by John Fortunato
(DE PROEF) K.O. BLOND BEER
Well-hidden 10% alcohol rigidity disguised by moderate banana-clove responsiveness and white-wined yellow grape tartness. Dandelion, elderberry, and rose pedal sop up caramelized candy yeast sinew. But buttered popcorn finish reduced to sourly diacetyl tepidity.
(DE PROEF) KERSTMUTSKE CHRISTMAS NIGHTCAP ALE
Affable rust nickel-hued billowy-headed wintry nightcap cascades ravishingly as fig-dried stewed prune creaminess storms Belgian-spiced chocolate sweetness. Prickly hops subsume tertiary tobacco, fennel, and clipped-grass illusions.
(DE PROEF) GREEN’S DISCOVERY AMBER ALE
Sans traditional wheat, barley, and lactose ingredients, surprisingly sufficing tawny-hued gluten-free Belgian ale retains chewy caramel malt richness and sharp herbal-spiced hop resonation. Inviting whiskey-barleywine waft enhances sour prune, tart grape, plum wine, and cider illusions. Sorghum, millet, and rice never tasted so well together.
(DE PROEF) FLEMISH PRIMITIVE WILD ALE
Complex flaxen-hazed pale ale with explosive carbonation and whimsy 9% alcohol flow evokes expressive wild yeast perfuming. Initial lemony orange-bruised mandarin orange zest spreads across floral-herbal breadth, bitter juniper snip, and leathery dry-corked horse blanket waft. Tropical pineapple-mango-peach-cherry medley turns sour at crowded midst. Orange marmalade, dried fig, sharp cider, and ginger-clove-eucalyptus nuance enliven vanilla malting to mineral-grained bottom.
DEL MAR LAGER
Ghostly pale short-headed pilsner with frisky tongue-tingling hop fizz overriding lost grain incentive, dank malt nose, and sweet tobacco leaf snippet. Calming bitterness ultimately tamed by dull watery finish of wispy lightweight.
DE KONINCK WINTER KONINCK
Dry cherry tartness and spiced orange peel bittering reciprocate unripe citric waft as peppery hop fizz receives metallic nutmeg-cinnamon pinch to medicinal finish.
DE KONINCK (1833) TRIPEL
Despite hefty 8% alcohol flow, translucent amber blonde stays extremely watery from washed-out phenol cherry-apple frontage to dry Scotch midst then faint bitter hop finish. Mellow tobacco-leafed cracked wheat spine sweetens abrupt alcoholic astringency.
DE KONINCK CUVEE ALE
Eccentric Scotch-malted fruit-hopped copper-hued dry body saturates mellow apple cider tartness and ripe prune footnote with creamy butterscotch sweetness. Tertiary berry, cherry and mandarin orange illusions decorate sinewy yeast-candied center.
DE KONINCK ALE
Top fermented amber-hued barleywine-wafted Belgian with bitter-hopped lemon zest countering quickly dissipating rustic grains. Mellow dry malts linger to unassuming finish as slimmest orange peel droplet pushes along casual floral adjuncts. But narrow aftertaste limits its appeal.
(DE HORSTE) VERMEER
Full-bodied copper ale with viscous penny hue, bottom-dwelling yeast sediment, and crayon waft offers tangy nectarine-peach frontage, overripe orange sweetness, musty apple souring, and candied butterscotch sedation. But waxy dry cork finish and wet grass aftertaste dissolve stiffened fruited hop bite. Brewery defunct: 2001.
DE GROEN’S PILS
Puffy white-headed pils suffocated by overly anxious carbonation. Dry orange rind bitterness needs tangy-tart infusion, but instead gets iodine-like off-taste. Fizzed hops get watery, forcing unwanted tinniness to deplete finish. Brewery defunct: 2006.