De Molen Tsarina Esra Reserva

Brewed by Brouwerij de Molen
Style: Imperial/Strong Porter
Bodegraven, Netherlands

LCRBM08: 75 cL bottle, courtesy of Menno. Pours pitch black and with a dense chocolate brown head. Aroma is smooth and roasted, chocolate, wineous and spiced, very inviting aroma. Smooth and wineous flavoured to a dense roasted malt base with notes of chocolate on the back of the tongue. Nicely decending into the finish with a mild warmth and smoothness. btw: makes a fantastic blend with 3 Fonteinen Hommage :)

Tastingsession LCRBM08.
Black colored brew. Sweet aroma, bourbon, sherry, nice. Flavor is very smooth. Bourbon, sweet syrup, butter, vanilla. Ends with the tones of dark chocolate, some liquorice. Good balanced. I really love this beer. I wonder what aging can do for this beer. Going to drink it again on a lucky, lucky day. Tasted again at the first, great, Borefts Beer Festival 2009 @ De Molen. Just perfect.

Small yellow-brown head over near-black beer. Fully estery, alcohol, brandy and lots of vanilla. Vanilla returning strong in the mouth, with sweet brandy, some liquorice, dark- and milkchocolate. Despite all these major flavours out in force, it keeps a really excellent balance. Full bodied, of course, with a viscous and creamy MF to boot. Beautiful beer - just beautiful.

Cask (gravity) @ Great British Beer Festival, GBBF 2008, Earls Court, London, England SW5.
This to celebrate my rating #4900 on ratebeer. Clear dark black color with a average, frothy, good lacing, mostly dimimshing, beige head. Aroma is heavy malty, roasted, caramel, chocolate, cream chocolate, licorice, vanilla, alcohol. Flavor is heavy sweet and bitter with a long long duration. Body is full, texture is oily - creamy - syrupy and so smooth, carbonation is flat. This is a beer that Mrs. fonefan loves and me also. It is so powerfull and complex - balanced - impressive.. Very very nice .. It is not for lager boys.... ;o)) It was my first and last beer the first 2 days on GBBF, Mrs fonefan did not drink much else the second day ... ;o)) Lovely work Menno, you are one of the best ! (050808)

GBBF, Trade Day, 2008 Gravity cask (oak). Musty and musky - touches of warm plastic. Wonderful aroma. Warm, soft mouthfeel - very rich and coating. Warm treacle. A gorgeous beer.

Giant oak cask, BSF at the GBBF. Shiny black, a bit of tan head. Very clean bright bourbon nose, french toast with a generous dose of maple syrup, mahogany. Buttery soft roast flavor, rummy vanilla fudge, chocolate cake. Thick and sweet, but not sticky. A proper Imp. (Thanks Tom, for the rest of your neglected glassful. )

Cask at GBBF someone is goign to get angry at me here. I asked for just a sample of this as i knew i wouldnt like it however the guy insisted that i must buy a glass as "its the best beer here ". The blackness and of the pour lets me know im about to get upset. The aroma is cheap blanco taquila, intence alcohol, burnt and bitter, from the aroma alone i was actually more upset than i expected to be. The taste is soo intence and off putting that i managed about 20mls before i gave the glass to doppleganger. I just couldnt get past the taquila aspect of it and so for me its completly undrinkable.

Cask, 11% at GBBF08. Good creamy vanilla aroma. Black colour, very small light brown head. The flavour is very powerful, roasted, vinous, liquorice, and a good amount of alcohol and vanilla. Citric hoppiness. Citric finish with burning and rough alcohol.