Grottenbier Bruin

Brewed by St. Bernard Brouwerij
Style: Abbey Dubbel
Watou, Belgium

(Draught at Ölbaren, Copenhagen, 25 July 2008) Dark brown colour with ruby hints, creamy pale brown head. Malty, roasted nose with notes of grain and chocolate. Malty taste with dark fruit, prunes, roasted grain and chocolate. Fairly sweet, but a well balanced and smooth beer. Nice one.

Bottle 75 cl. Large creamy off-white lasting head and hazy brown body. Aroma of caramel, toffee, nutty, earth, musty and brown sugar. Medium body, oily texture average/soft carbonation and a bitter finish. The flavor is well balanced moderate sweet and bitter.

330 ml bottle. hazy brown amber colour. off white small head. taste is a bit dry, not really inviting...

33cl, from De Hopduvel Gent, complex, yet easy to drink, cloudy, good head, good brew

This intriguing cave-aged brew pours a light chestnut brown with ruddy highlights and a large puffy beige head which laces beautifully in sheets and rings around the glass. Certainly complex, the nose is strikingly nutty, coincidentally suggesting candied chestnuts (marrons glacés), walnuts and plenty of hazelnuts. Genuine vanilla bean is in ample supply and very attractively highlighted by browned butter and salted-butter caramel. Perhaps I was synesthetically influenced by the description, but the nose had a damp, almost mossy spice component. Spice cake, prunes, raspberries and black pepper also lend to the complexity. The flavor continues to suggest hazelnuts, though rye bread and heavy yeast aspects are also dominant. The mouthfeel is exceptionally silky, reminiscent of a good cappuccino. Dried fruits become increasingly intense as the beer warms. Particularly apparent are dried pears, apricots and figs, each lending a vinous tone to this fascinating brew. A subtle but enjoyable earthy sourness lingers with the remaining malt bitterness. Well balanced, this an exciting, unique and eminently drinkable beer. A delicate and thoughtful effort that ages well and obviously garners my respect for Pierre Celis. (24/06/07, best by 21/11/08)

(0.33 l bottle at Kaisla on 2008-07-14) Dark brown. Hazy. Small white head. Yeasty and malty nose. Full and dryish palate with some carbonation. Rasin, malts, earth-like flavours and light bitterness, especially in aftertaste. Bit boring.

0.33l bottle in Bruges cafe, Newcastle. Pours deep muddy brown, medium head. Smell is very strong malt, like a cup of Horlicks. Taste again strong malt, also sweet and slight alcohol. Very unusual but pretty enjoyable drink.

Bottled. Brown, beige head. Very perfumy, some honey in the nose mix. The taste is as pleasant, with a long nutty finish with bitter herbs.