Struise Schommelpeird

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

Hazy brown color, good beige foam, rich malty aroma, full boddied in taste great hoppy finisch. Waregem beer festival.

Bottle opened by Urbain at the Alvinne pre Zythos event 09. English yeast on aroma, biscuiy malt, stinging lasting hop on finish. It’s just the most stunning beer of the weekend. The English yeast from the Nottingham brewery, great biscuity malt, like Mcvities Digestive Biscuits, then a Cascade/Fuggles finish. This is just so awesome, I’m speechless. Glorious English style pale ale. Phenomenal. Ber beer I’ve had in so long. It was just that it tasted just like an English bitter, with that wide mouthfeel you would get fron a cask conditioned beer, but from a bottle, in Belgium and at 12% ABV. I was so blown away. I didn’t think Struise could get any better, but then they just go and do. Oh and it was brewed by those nice guys at Pipeworks. Hats off to all involved. It you wanted to make my definitive beer, this was it. Will age my bottles to let the faint diacetyl to go away and will then re-rate and possibly up the rating to a 5/5. So good I had 3 glasses of it on the go at the same time. The look on Mes from Mesandsim’s face must have mirrored mine. Sheer shock and awe.

A Mes rate. Bottle at home with a big shit eating grin on my face.
I’ve had this quite a few times but I was saving myself to rate this particular bottle. Firstly because I can rate it in the comfort of my own home. Secondly because this particular bottle was given to me by my good friend Harrisoni by way of saying sorry for spraying me with Keralensis that had been ejected from his nose. It actually hit some guy we didn’t know on the back too but he didn’t notice. No Rocking Horse for him....

A beautiful burnt amber colour with an excellent off white head leaving lots of lace. The aroma is nothing short of spectacular. As an English man this really hits the spot. Lots of glorious English hops, boozy but still managing to retain poise and finesse, equally brilliant malt base and just a hint of pepper right at the top. My god. The flavour is even better. If I had this in a blind tasting I’d bank a fortune on this being English. I’d certainly never guess this was from a Belgian brewer. But hey, Struise are not your average Belgians. Yes, you can tell there is some strength to it but you would not think it’s as strong as it is. It slips down so easily. The EKG and Vale yeast combination is something most have us have experienced before but, honestly, never has it been done so well. This could have me fence licking drunk without me even noticing. There is something cakey about the malt which balances it out so bloody well it’s untrue. The finish is pure magic. Just a faint lick of sourness then an instant swashbuckling bitter hop kick in the knackers that leaves the booze and malt in its wake. Just when you think it’s all over the peppery hop aftertaste floods in and doesn’t bugger off for some time. Nor do I want it to. I think you have to be English to fully appreciate this. Yet another true masterpiece. I’m honoured to know these guys. Really. Thanks Ian. Apology throughly accepted. It was almost worth it anyway. I’ve certainly never seen anyone squirt red beer out of their nose before.

:)

P.S. I’m told there are also some American folks that deserve some props for this brew so I’m adding a cheers here to some fabulous folks!

Last saterday on tap at Waregem beerfest. Hazy amber color, with a creamy off white head. Aroma alcohol, bit yeast, malts, bit nuts. Full body. Taste sweet, alcohol is well hidden, hops, malts. It feel’ not like a 12 % beer. Good brew.

On draft at Waregem. Very nice tasting beer. Full body and the alcohol is hidden. Once more a very nice beer.

Bottle @ Pre-ZBF, Alvinne. A hazy golden colored beer, with a small off-white head. The aroma malty and fruity like citrus and orange. The are hops. The taste is dry bitter with several fruits, citrus, orange and peaches. The aftertaste is bittersweet, which stays for quite a while.

33 cl bottle tasted at the Pre-ZBF fest at Alvinne. Beer label describes this as a hazy amber ale. The name Schommelpeird means rocking horse. It was named and brewed for the Waregem Beer Festival 2009 held at the Red Path, hippodrome of Waregem. This is the biggest horse race event in Belgium. The beer poured a hazy yellow color with a thick off white head. The nose was a bit sweet, lemony and piney as well. The taste presents a solid hop character, a bit piney, citrus but there is also a present malt backbone that makes for a very well balanced, easy to drink beer despite the abv of 12%.

Bottl@Home. Very hoppy, floral and perfume aroma. Cloudy, amber, white head, good lace. Light sweet, very bitter, fruity, peppery, floral. Medium body, dry finish. Sublime Imperial Saison if you’d ask me.