Thiriez LAmbrée dEsquelbecq (Amber)

Brewed by Brasserie Thiriez
Style: Bière de Garde
Esquelbecq, France

Bottled.
Amber red, floating fine yeast. Steady cloudy head. Grassy and fruity lemony nose. Crisp, grassy, a bit alcoholic flavor. Some caramel and sugars also can be tracked. Quite "Belgium" ale, not French or a bière de Garde at all.

Bottled. Reddish orange colour with yeast floating around, mediumsized beigeish head. Aroma is hops, yeast and barnyard. Flavour is sour fruits along with some caramellish notes. Gets quite nutty in the aftertaste.

Not a lot of aroma. Head is carbonated in character. Very different from the Extra I just tried. Lots of mouthfeel, some creaminess and some malts. Indistinct flavor, but lots of earthiness.

Bottle and served in my NB Worthy glass: Upon opening I was greeted by a moderate gusher which I was able to save 3/4 of the bottle, the pour of course had a huge head initially on top of a hazy sunset with little floaties and there was okay lace. Lucky the head did fade enough to drink the beer. The nose has grainy and floral qualities with grassy hops notes and a finishing touch of subdued sugar and ripened fruits which appear more as it warmed. The flavor profile starts slightly sweet with equal parts malt, honey, sugar before leading off to a yeasty and earthy midsection. The finish is herbal and a bit woody even, short and fleeting. The best part is the aftertaste which has a apricot and pear note that I like. The mouth feel is lively as expected with a dry finish. Overall it is an average beer with the whole greater that the parts.

Mild gusher, as I am force to quickly grab the bottle and start sucking the foam as I reach for my largest available glass (Duvel - damn it) more foam and the bubble still acting like a micro Mount Vesuvius. OK, me thinks things have settled down. Orange amber color with a fluffy dark cream colored head. The color darkens slightly with each additional pour. Fall wildflower breeze flowing through the attic haymow,with old wood and dry grain included. Gentle pours required with this one. Light and airy on the palate, with enough heft to keep it on the tongue. I interject that I have been quite pleased with the brews from this brewery. Fairly light in flavor, but balanced and pleasant. Pale malt, honey, peaches, mild apples and herbal/wild flower hops balance. Finish is quite dry and rather uneventful. Some mild caramel and apple. Linger returns to herbal roots and a hint of light toffee. A perfect end of the day potation.

(Bottled) Hazy amber color with a large, foamy head and a still-standing starfield of yeast. Quite saaz-hoppy, very slightly roasty pine needle aroma. Slightly roasty, sweetish-malty flavor with flowery hops, a hint of metal, and an ashy, dryish and mildly acidic finish. Medium-bodied, quite bitter and fizzy-carbonated palate. A nicely hoppy, quite well-balanced and very easily drinkable brew.

Bottle. Pours a hugh head that stays, very cloudy amber appearance. Smell is crisp with a fruity essence. Taste is full flavored with a slight carbonation feel and smooth aftertaste. Refreshing during the summer and goes down smooth. Good farmhous ale. Cheers!

Bottle from Kent Beer Festival. Unfiltered. Fresh tasting. Hints of chocolate and fruit. Perfumey hops. Very refreshing, softly carbonated, easy drinking, nicely balanced beer. Nothing too sweet, too dry, too bitter or too aggressive. An assortment of flavours that work together in harmony. Slightly different so catches the interest without being heavy or oppressive. There’s possibly some wheat in here. And some chocolate malt. It’s an interesting mix. Quite serious without being clever or stunning. Very enjoyable. Nice one.