Radermacher Rader Blonde

Brewed by Brasserie de l’Abbaye du Val-Dieu
Style: Spice/Herb/Vegetable
Aubel, Belgium

Blonde color with a medium sized head that dissipates at a medium rate. Nose of rosemary and cedar. Since I dont think it actually contains those ingredients, I guess that it is the juniper berries, perhaps combined with the hops. The taste is like the nose, rosemary and cedar. Rosemary on the finish. Interesting and unique. Pretty good too.

Gingerbeer aroma. Lightly cloudy gold, thin head, squat bottle. Earthy, cinnamon and ginger aroma, grassy with medium bittering. Medium to slightly light fizzy body. Interesting. A bit perfumed.

Bottle from Monument Liquor in Concord, CA. BBE 06/06/09. A wee gusher. Orange blonde color with small chunks and a slight white head. Something of an evergreen aroma. Medium body with frothy carbonation. Flavors are evergreen and gin - juniper. Almost ginger (heh). Interesting. I’d drink it once in awhile. Malt is quite mild. Slightly astringent finish.

Hazy yellow straw gold with medium white head. Soda smell is sweet. Total gin and tonic with sprite or twist of lime. Artificial in character, not well-integrated at all. Llike a mutant soda. Lemon lime with graham cracker in finish. Not good but it actuall grew on me as I drank it.

Slightly hazy straw colour. 7Up nose, nice artificial lime or something. Soft, some vague malts. Lots of 7Up character. A little gassy. Not awful, but this is disappointingly artificial.

Wow. That is one unique beer. Pours a pale (slightly hazy) yellow-gold with an aroma of peppery citrus zest, with noticeable juniper qualities. The flavor is great with a very big sugary lemon flavor and some pepper, but it is not a saison, it is light and refreshing pepper. The juniper distillate comes out very subtly. Good stuff!

Well now. Truly unique. And as previously mentioned not for everybody. The brewer has created an intriguing concoction that has the sense of mastery about it. I have a hard time imagining anyone else taking these ingredients and crafting something as palatable as this. The commercial description say "subtle juniper". I have a bad sinus infection so that my smell and taste are greatly diminished. But I can certainly pick up the juniper characteristics here! Whoa nelly. It’s not a dark beer. It is hazy. Some lace and a lasting thin head. Gin beer. Go figure. Nice.

Cloudy straw hue with an immense amount of soapy white head that gradually dissipates. Nose is juniper gin, ginger, citrus, mint, and herbs. Flavor is definitely gin-like juniper with some lemon zest initially, mild sour tartness midway, finishes with menthol and light pine hops. Medium-bodied, creamy smooth texture and ample carbonation. This beer would be rated higher if it were judged by style; I don’t understand penalizing a beer because you don’t like the main ingredient (i.e. gin)... why would you even buy it??? I like gin, but my review reflects the quality of this beer as a herb/spice beer.