Bière Darbyste

Brewed by Brasserie de Blaugies
Style: Traditional Ale
Dour-Blaugies, Belgium

I split this beer, the last of those that I brought back from Belgium in my wooden leg, with SurlySober. I was initially dismayed by what I would characterize as a large amount of sediment at the bottom of the bottle, but with careful pouring what ended up in my glass was pretty attractive - golden and lightly effervescent. Aroma was floral and a touch spicy, and reinforced my initial champagne-like impression. Flavor was very malty for a Belgian ale with lots of baking bread notes and yeastiness. Mouthfeel was quite light and pleasant. I thought it to be quite good. I would recommend this - just pour carefully. I bought this bottle at Beer Mania in Brussels.

Bottle, from Noel Cuveliers, Abele. Copper orange pour with a thick layer of butter colored head. Very strange (for beer) and slightly too sweet raisin/fig aroma, some clove spice, but under that is a beautiful salt sea air quality. The two together are sort of strange. Green fruity grapeskin flavor, dry and peppery with a dry lemon finish. A distinctly old-fashioned sort of beer, unexpectedly rustic even for a saison, and even for Blauges. And yet, it’s really nice. Components are odd considered separately. But as a whole, it comes together really well.

[bottled] Hazy yellowish copper color. Fruity, tart aroma- almost sour. Flavors are quite spicy, full of citrus and phenolic yeast character. Apple and pear fruits combine for a nice dry, tart finish.

Bottle Amber, hazy body. Rocky, off-white head. Well balanced Aroma of hops, citrus, crispy malts and some hints of smoke. Modeately bitter, lightly sweet flavour. Decent ale. Great session beer.

750 bottle from Bruisin’ Ales in Asheville. Did not see vintage date; doesn’t look too old. Slightly hazy amber pour; more hazy from second half of bottle. Big pillowy white head. Floral, sweet and yeasty nose-- fresh cut flower, freshly mowed grass, fig notes, slight citrus and malt. Metallic taste at first, but dies down as the head dies out. Slight funky with a tart finish. Definitely more of a saison than a ’traditional ale.’ Thin palate overall. Solid but not amazing.

750 2005 Vintage @ Ebenezer’s Pub Lovell Maine. This was really a treat, lots of ratings but I’ve never seen it before. Pours yellow with a 2 finger fluffy head. Nose is soapy and yeasty, with slight fig. Taste is sweet rich with lots of flavor the fig really shines great brew.

its a great beer with the mildly tart fruit flavor. Good malts not too much hops, but he rest works out with a nice bouquet flavor.

The aroma is fruity with yeast, paper, malt, basement, and glue. The appearance is golden amber with a nice head. The flavor is like the aroma. The palate is thin. Overall it’s not that great.