Saint-Monon Cuvée Ermesinde

Brewed by Brasserie Saint-Monon
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
Ambly, Belgium

Draught at Moeder Lambic, Bruxelles
Cloudy orange-amber color. The aroma has some dry caramel, light spices, some sweetness, maybe the figs too, leaving a light woody and fruity trace. The mouthfeel is good, also because it’s quite sweet, with some malt and sweet caramel flavor; the figs add some complexity, like sweet and young oak wood, not much fruitness. At the end there is a respectable bitterness, interesting mostly for revealing itself at the right moment, after the taste. Good and original.

(Bottled) Opaque orange with a smallish, orangey, mostly fading head. Perfumy-flowery, very pleasant orangey-fruity aroma. Slightly acidic, very fruity and lavender-perfumy, crème fraiche flavor with a hint of ashiness. Yeast smooths out the ashiness and emphasizes the orangey character. Medium-bodied, slightly foamy (without yeast) but balanced, pretty neutral palate. The flavor can’t quite keep up with the delicious aroma, but overall this is quite a solid and enjoyable brew.

Bottled. Pours out in a muddy yellowish brown colour with a small white foam. Not looking so attractive. Fruity aroma, high on belgian esters of candied pears, banana, oranges, yeast, cherries, mild caramel and licorice. Full-bodied with a really fruity flavour of sweet pears and cherrries with notes of yeast, pale malts, sweet licorice and pepper. Full-bodied with a really smooth mouthfeel. Has a distinct farmhouse charcter also. Yeasty, doughy, warming and fruity finish of mild pepper and biscuit. Nice one.

330ml bottle, (Mallaskukko, Turku) bb 04/2007 Dark amber, no head.Sharp dark berry aroma. Sour taste (maybe due to being past sell by date) with hints of dark berries. Should re-rate with fresher bottle.

Bottle, best before 10/2009 Cloudy amber, orange body. Creamy, off-white head. Very lovely looks. Aroma of honey, flowers, herbs, ... The aroma is not bad, but not very complex. Moderately sweet, moderately bitter flavour. Some kind of bitterness attacking the palate of your mouth. Like mint would do. Quite nice, but not very well balanced.

Cloudy orange-copper body with a small off-white head. Aroma of orange swimming in caramel. Thick malty cream that feels a bit buttery. Some fruity notes in there too but this one is mainly all about the malt profile. Some bitterness in the finish to balance it a bit. Another one for the road during my Belgian tour where I’ve seen it all, drank it all and can’t remember most of it.

Bottle. Cloudy orange, low golden head. Pineapple, peach, Mango, citric hops. Sweet fruity flavors along the same lines, light spicy. Light body. Tropical aftertaste.

Not a big wild brew; but beautiful balance of sweet malt and flowers - slight watermelon, sweet aftertaste of honey. Copper amber color. Tasted many times in Belgium and I Always love this necktar!