Robust white-bottled prune-clouded ale gains candied brandy charm above dried-fruited chocolate-soured spicing. Concentrated carbonation grips the tongue, allowing clove-allspice adjuncts to seduce. On tap, ripe apple, red grape, and raisin-fig nuances reinforce alcohol-soaked malts.
(STEENBERGE) BORNEM AUGUSTIJN ALE
In wide-mouth bottle, fluffy-headed light body places wheat honeyed sweetness above wafting citrus tartness and creamy caramel malting. Hushed apricot, pear, and green apple illusions receive mild spicing. Foamy carbonation nearly wipes away pilsner-like grain blend and cocky Bavarian-style luster. Indistinct finish and ill-defined adjuncts spoil the party.
(STEENBERGE) BIERE DU BOUCANIER GOLDEN ALE
Despite soft yellow body, delicate silken flow, and ransacked 11% alcohol deluge, lusty orange-bruised cherry-pineapple-peach tang and hop-fueled black-peppered basil-thyme sharpness juxtapose prim clove-coriander spicing. Minor acidity dispels candied malt sweetness, dry quince stint, and white rum hint.
STEENBRUGGE TRIPEL BLONDE ALE
Regal billowy-headed blonde (brewed in Belgian Abbey) features Old World herbal gruut influence and rampant clumps of Brussels lace. Sharp grain-malted presence, aromatic creme de cocoa keepsake, and thickened yeast-candied butterscotch resonation bring intial attention. Recoiling barleywine sweetness hides chocolate subtleties until strong whiskey-licked medicinal finish takes over. Creamy texture loses out to overriding fuzzy carbolic fizz, sucking out its essence. Perhaps a spicy kick in the ‘grain’ would increase resiliency.
STEENBRUGGE DUBBEL BRUIN BIERE
Strange honeyed rice aroma consumes auburn-hued middleweight just a step down from finer, nuttier brown ales. Sedate carbonation becalms wheat wine compulsion, but deeper barley-roasted spice hop resilience needed to rank higher.
STEEL RESERVE LAGER
8.1% alcohol burn may put wide-mouth bottled billowy-headed pale lager in oblivious malt liquor category for U.S. consumption. Watery, soft, and soapy with zesty hop flow and sweet malt backdrop obstructed by cloy yeast stickiness. This is some ugly stuff. Swish around cheeks for bland mouthwash appeal.
(STEEL) HOWLING MONKEY BLACK & TAN
In wide-mouth bottle, relaxing Black & Tan leans towards a dirty brown ale due to soft fizzy hopped nose, pleasantly bland chocolate sweetness, and lingered nuttiness. Easy to get bored with before fully consumed, as lager lightness obstructs mocha stout tendencies.
STEAMWORKS LIZARD HEAD RED
Pleasing moderate-bodied ale perfect lawnmower fodder. Toasted caramel-chocolate malts rise above soft hop spicing and subtle marzipan-chestnut trail. Phenol undercurrent afflicts iced tea illusion, cherry skin esters, and nectarine tinge.
STEAMWORKS CONDUCTOR IMPERIAL INDIA PALE ALE
Durable copper-hazed medium-bodied IPA counters resinous Simcoe hop oils with sweet cereal-grained malting. Orange compote souring recedes as spruce-induced peach-pineapple-mango tropicalia increases, picking up almond-marzipan illusions to amiable lemongrass finish.
STARY MELNIK LAGER
Musty dough aroma, persistent phenol hop coarsening, and garbled malted grains up-front. Insufficient clove, citrus, and mint hints get drowned out. Weak toasted barley finish as drab as aluminum hue. Plain, ordinary, but not common.
(STAROPRAMEN) VELVET
Swanky East European-styled malt nose shouldn’t prohibit brewhounds of any stripe from consuming awesome lager-ale hybrid. Cascading eggshell head consumes velvety amber full body, maintaining silk-textured whipped cream froth from eclair entry to nutty bottom. Reminiscent of lighter, sweeter Guinness or premier black and tan, its deep-grained hop roast succinctly counters sugared vanilla malts and dark floral notion, picking up back-throated liquor sharpness. Canned version captures frothy mocha character well.
STAROPRAMEN PREMIUM LAGER
Musty wet-grained malting and pungent sourdough yeast inform dry-hopped citric dash and dirty earthiness. Setback straw, hay, and leather astringency back ends heartily assertive golden lager.
