Struise New Years Blond

Richmond Summer Gathering. 2005 vintage, #125, corked, capped and plastic-dipped big honkin’ magnum bottle courtesy of The_Beer_God. Hazy lemon with a huge white head. Yeasy and fruity nose, a bit funky, sweet malt. Bready flavors, yeasty and a little funky. Dry, dry dry finish. Excellent foamy white lace rings. Seemed to improve and become a bit more complex as it warmed. Nice! This was the bottle I kept nipping off...

’05 New Years Blond @ Richmond/Williamsburg Gathering-Magnum shared by TheBeerGod -pours a retaining thin white head that laces and hazy pale straw color. Aroma is dry/dusty tart fruit, light malt. Taste is dry/dusty tart fruit, light malt. Good effervescence. Cross with a tripel.

(6/29/08) Bottle sample at RBESG08 grand tasting in Plzen. Cloudy yellow color with a white head. Aroma has yeast, fruits and some decent funky wood. Sweetish flavor with fruits, light funk hints, some yeast and a very alcoholic finish. Medium-bodied.

Bottle at the Williamsburg Gathering. Given as a gift ay Zythos ’06 by the very generous lachesis. Thanks Carlo! Labeled as 125. Corked and crowned 1L magnum with a difficult almost plastic-like substance sealing it. Hazy gold. Tall fizzy white head. Aroma is odd. Some yeast, semi-sweet notes, dried fruits, light funk, sweet malt, and spices. Light bready notes as well. Taste has more yeasty flavors along with spices, fruit (melons and apple), some earthiness and bread and funk. Very dry bodied. Fizzy with light chalkiness in spots. Ends with more spice, fruits, earth tones, yeast, funk and grains/bread. Different but tasty! I think it grew on most as we drank it.

2005 magnum shared by TheBeerGod at the 2008 Richmond Summer Gathering in Williamsburg. Thanks Mike! Lemon yellow color with a huge frothy head and nice lacing. Earthy, buttery and fruity notes in the very dry aroma. Very dry and fruity taste with notes of pear, apple and caramel. Full bodied with a slightly sticky texture.