Struise / Pipeworks Xenophon’s Wine

Brewed by De Struise Brouwers
Style: American Strong Ale
Oostvleteren, Belgium

cloudy brown, large white head. warming alc. aroma, mild, balanced, faint piney. flavor is sweet, spicy, grass, malty, dry hoppy.

Bottle that I picked up at Alvinne at the Pre-ZBFMarch 09, consumed 12-05-09 Pours very murky dark reddy brown with an off white head. The nose I found to be a little restrained but there was some damp woody aroma’s, a noticeable but light hop presence, citrus and a touch of spirit. Taste was very citrussy at first and also there was a real hoppy sting to this, quite bitter and whilst there is a real rustic earthy grunt to this beer its the hops that have the biggest impact, alcohol was also ever present. Enjoyable beer but could have been a little bit better, less is more they say and maybe in the hop department just tempering these a little would have produced an even better beer. A7 A3 F7 P4 Ov14 3.5

Bottled 33cl. Courtesy of derDoppelbock and Bov. It pours a murky deep copper beer with a small quick diminishing head. Hop resin, candied fruits, caramel, vanilla and ginger in the aroma. Hop accentuated flavor. Strong bitterness. Full bodied. Fair lacework. Hints of ginger and candied fruits. Dry bitter finish. Thanks derDoppelbock!

Bottle thanks to Pipeworks brewers. Pours a hazed orange brown with a creamy head that laces down the glass. Hoppy and malty nose with a lot of acidity from grapefruit and citrus. Bitter earthy and dirty flavors that’s balanced with citrus hops and an odd earthy coffee note that peaks before the finish. Although the combination of flavors seems odd, it comes together well with a bitter, dry, earthy, finish. Pretty solid and interesting brew.

330cl bottle from the pipework boys...dark reddish and caramel brown pour with a nice soapy white head...fruity and floral hop nose. extremely aromatic with grapefruit notes... smooth/creamy and extremely hoppy with huge floral and citrus notes alongside a bitter aftertaste. excellent mouthfeel.

Deep hazy chestnut body with a huge lasting head; Very special nice deep and complex nose, is actually incredible, perfect mixed of intense hop, dense malts and a oaky spicy touch; The body also has intense amounts of hop bitterness and spicy oak, not the same balance and composition as the nose, somehow this makes the beer almost going directly from nose to finish because they both are overly intense; Well, it finishes incredibly intense with lots of hop bitterness, great oak tannins (which in my opinion rarely fits in beer) and even light fruits maybe also from the barrel. This beer is new and it has an intensity that is rarely seen. Super interesting and great, Thanks!

33cl, new exclusive brew Anno 2009, from Den Bierzolder Heule, very complex bitter brew, not balanced, cloudy, rocky head, very good brew, but not a topper!

Bottle. Look: Amber, thick off white head. Smell: Citrusy hops, some candi sugar in the background. Simple but nice. Taste: Dry choclaty taste with some serious bitter hops in the aftertaste. Overall: Nice barley wine that reminds me of Bigfoot.