Urthel Parlus Magnificum (was: Vlaemse Bock)

Brouwerij De Leyerth
Brewed at De Koningshoeven (Bavaria - Netherlands)
Style: Abbey Dubbel
Ruiselede, Belgium

From a caged corked 750 ml. bottle with an upside down back label with a (coded?) freshness date I couldn’t read. Sampled at cellar temperature in a chalice. Poured a reddish hued brown with a foamy, creamy fluffy head that settled into a thin, tiny bubbly lacing, minimal amount of ringed laced sticking. Aromas of Milky American chocolate and sweet caramelized malts, honey, spicy, Belgian yeasty, and a subtle herbal hoppiness. Good steady carbonation and a crisp, dryish, velvety smooth medium-light bodied mouthfeel. I really like the combination of the Belgian yeast and German malts and Saaz hops, a unique taste, light milkiness meshed with honey, caramel and toffee malts, spicy bready yeast, a soft sour fruitiness, a mild herbal spicy hoppiness with just enough bitterness to cut some of the sweetness, the alcohol is pretty restrained and provides a slow warming presence in the back of the throat, and a dry yeasty, malty finish. For me, easy, smooth drinkability, very enjoyable, new to my area, I will be buying this again.

NorCal tasting Jan 07 - What an outstanding beer. This has all the excellent qualities that I love about beer. The aroma was dark malts, dark cherries, fruity, raisiny and inviting. It just begs you to drink it. The appearance reminded me of a deep cherrywood color, with a nice off-white head. A lively mouthfeel, perfectly conditioned. The flavor had a perfect balance of grassy hops, cherries, raisins and dark malts. Excellent.

Pours a dark bronze amber color w/ a full semi cremy froth the recedes slowly to a few clumps w/ lacing. Aroma is slightly sour w/ clean sweet malts and biscuits. Medium nectar w/ mellow residual effers creates a refined squeaky texture. This is like a Flemish sour meets German Bock. It’s very Belgian in look and feel. Mildly sweet malts carrying a defined tartness. Licorice, fig, glazed caramel, black cherry, dried plumb. As she warms more cocoa, creamed coffee, and leather show up. Alcohol is noticable but not distracting. Finish is bittered only slightly. It’s a unique brew worth a try.

Bottle. Pours a dark brown body with good size head, great looking beer. Aroma is of yeast and candied sugar, currants, malt. Flavor is sweet with a little alcohol kick. Intresting beer. Enjoyed it.

750ml. Demonic red pour with near purple hues interwoven, frothy, soap bubble looking head of quite the persistent nature. Aroma is of sweet candied apples and other darker fruits, caramel malt, molasses, clove, raisins and soured milk. Flavor is very sweet, almost too much so, but rounds off with a tinge of drying alcohol in the end, hops are without a notable presence, this a complimentary aspect to a unique tasting beer. Lacks the spicy pepper taste I associate with so many European bock beers, not so much a fan of that aspect. Overall, full of vibrant character, but missing something in the finish, I think just not dry enough in the end, or maybe a little too thin.

(Bottled) Dark ruby red with a largeish, foamy and lacy head. Neutral, slightly yeasty, dried-fruity and malty aroma. Slightly sweet, quite malty, dried-fruity flavor with a salty licorice finish. Medium-bodied, neutral and very slightly thin palate with smooth carbonation. Very balanced and enjoyable. Feels more like a dubbel than a bock. If this really is bottom-fermented ... nice!

Frothy and very persistent dense beige head on a deep violet-amber body. Aroma of molasses, caramel, and sweet potato. Sweet molasses and soy meat marinade flavor with some tangy figs and dried plums. Sticky palate and medium body. Somewhat underattenuated with notable complex carbs. Good overall.

Mahogany color. Pretty straight beer, malt a lot of caramel, quite dry, meat flavor, nothing special.