t Smisje Guido

Brewed by Brouwerij De Regenboog
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
Assebroek-Brugge, Belgium

Not like a lot of Belgian strongs I have had before. Pour was hazy dark brown with a quickly disappearing head. In all honesty, it looked like apple cider with bits of cinnamon floating around. Aroma was very strong with raisin, honey, apples, and light spice and yeast. Very fizzy carbonation. I got a lot of apple in the flavor along with very light honey and dark fruit. Very sweet taste profile overall which I actually thought was pleasant. Again, not so much like the Belgian strongs I have had but it was good. I’m glad I tried it.

Bottle. Head is initially small, fizzy, light brown, fully diminishing. Body is medium to dark amber. Aroma is moderately malty (caramel), lightly yeasty (basement), with notes of cherry, charred jalapeno pepper, brown sugar. Flavor is moderately sweet, moderately acidic, lightly bitter. Finish is lightly sweet, moderately acidic, lightly to moderately bitter, slightly unclean. Medium body, watery texture, lively/fizzy carbonation, lightly alcoholic. Some disturbing off-vegetal smell in this one reminds me of roasted chiles. Pair that with an unusually sour tang and I’m wondering if this might be an infected bottle. Not much carbo though, so I dunno. A revisit may be in order, but virtually all of the other brews I’ve had from Regenboog have rated in the 2’s, so could just be poor house character that disagrees with my senses.

33cl, brew with raisins, from De Hopduvel Gent, complex, cloudy, rocky head, good brew

11.2 oz bottle from Willow Bend Liquors (Tampa, FL). Pours a dark hazy brown with a thin white head that settles quickly. Aroma is dark ripe fruit, raisins, plums, and prunes. Flavor is somewhat woody with sweet malts, ripe dark fruit and some bitter herbs. Medium body with a slightly sweet finish. Interesting ale.

The Dan Journal #192. Tasted 7/3/08. 330ml bottle. Sedimented with a brown amber hue. Spotty ring of head. Earthy figgy nose. Floral and estery. Musty truffles. Raisins and brown sugar. Good nose! Medium bodied with cocoa and cherry flavors. Fruity and bitter. Bready with a mild sour note. Good citrus flavor. Another decent brew.

Dark, murky in colour, with notes of dank raisins, plums, honey, and tree bark. Slightly bitter yet suprisingly tart in the finish. A descent session beer for sure!

Bottle thanks to ronnie. Tart berry fruit, cany sugar, floural, alc very well hiden, an interesting little beast. Id have never guessed it a honey and raisin beer, but there you go.

Another belgian ale with a terribly complex and unique aroma and flavor. Poured mostly clear amber/copper color with a rocky somewhat persistent head. Aroma includes nuttiness, raisins and other sweet malty notes with a bit of alchohol. Flavor has a sour acidic twang with roasty, nutty, and sweet raisins. Fairly light fizzy mouthfeel with coffee and other roasty flavors coming through in the finish and some residual sourness.