BeerMania Mea Culpa

Brewed by Brouwerij Van Steenberge
Style: Belgian Ale
Ertvelde, Belgium

Bottle from BeerMania, Brussels (sampled 6/6/07). Pours a hazy yellow with a medium white head (into his amazing custom glass of Bohemian crystal). Aroma is floral hops with a bit of a citrus, yeasty, and bready characteristics. Taste is largely malt up front, with citrus and yeast characteristics coming in at the end. Overall, a sweet and enjoyable beer, brewed by a hell of a nice guy who knows his beer, but as Belgians go I’ve definitely had better.

(Bottled, my 900th Belgian rating) Hazy golden with a medium, foamy and pretty tight head. Sweetish, honey-malty aroma with some coriandery spiciness. Somewhat acidic flavor of malt, coriander, lemongrass, anise, licorice and other spices. Yeast brings in sweetish, coriandery orange-fruitiness. Medium-bodied, lightly sweet and acidic, but not sugary palate with slightly foamy carbonation. A pleasant and enjoyable brew, but can’t quite reach the best ones of the style.

Bottled. Hazy yellow colour, mediumsized white head, lacing. Aroma is caramel malts, hops, some yeast and some very sour notes. Flacour is sour fruits, slightly cookieish, some malts and caramel. Quite sour, but a lot of cookies in it.

33cl bottle, an extra from hopdog, thanks for this treat (had no idea this beer existed). Pours into a lightly flared tulip glass with a golden color, full of light but cannot see through it at all. Has a thick medium sized head that turns into a surface covering lacing. Aroma starts off yeasty sweet with a floral aspect and muted citrus, which in itself is awesome. But as it warms up a completely unexpected aspect aroma comes out, brett! It comes out of nowhere and it’s the sourness with cherry juice aspects that I find in most fresh brett beers. Taste is lightly sour (just hints) with a light cereal, mostly white bread sweetness. A full body that feels like a pillow on the cheeks with light spikes kicking in here and there. Finishes light with a faint brett (cherry juice and sourness) and lightly sweet. What an amazing surprise out of nowhere, thanks again Steve!
date: 15/11/09, must mean BB. 9/4/8/4/17

Re-rate: A different experience this time, 750mL, BB 25/10/09 and cork says 2007. Still beautiful with a thick head and a hazy golden color. Aroma is esters of apple, yeasty Belgian candi, and a bit of faint paint thinner. Definitely a warmer fermentation on a Belgian yeast. Its easy drinking and comes of as just a traditional Belgian ale. Absolutely no brett at all. Has a medium body with a strong carbonation that tickles the tongue. Its nice stuff but nothing like the first bottle. 7/4/7/16

Bottled. Hazy lively pale golden colour with a brief head. Dryish hoppy and spicy aroma of green leaves, mild pepper and lemon with a light note of yeast. Refreshing dryish flavour of lemon, pale malts, white pepper, dough, leafy hops and straw. Light to medium bodied. Coriander, lemon and pale malts in the long refreshing aftertaste.

Bottled
Hazy yellow color, big white head, lace. Perfumic nose: wheat, lemon in the nose. Foamy mouthfeel. Fruity, lemony, witbier-like beer: a bit spicey and sweetish. Lemony aftertaste. Nice blonde ale.

Bottled. Cloudy pale yellow, rich lively head. Spicy yeasrt coriander and ginger aroma. Dry with light lactic acidity. Light-medium bodied with some minerals, spelt and dough. Low bitterness. Wibier-like, but with an acidic twist.

Golden blonde ale with white head. I think the glass is brilliant. Citrus aroma with faint notes of cider and aromatic hops. Lemony flavor, a little yeasty and spicy, very lively carbonation, and I dig the dry finish. Maybe it’s not worth seeking out BeerMania just to try the beer--but you definitely ought to try one if you happen to be there.