Saina Nieminen
Saina Nieminen
Mostly a beery weekend, but it was a new name to me and so exciting that if the Shelton Bros don't already import them to the States, they soon will. My ex-colleague from the bookshop, now full time beer importer, invited me to taste through a range from Brouwerij De Dochter van de Korenaar. First up was a Pale Ale called Noblesse which was a bit strange for a Belgian ale in being so pure, delineated and citric. I don't think I've ever before tasted a Belgian quite so clean - perhaps some batches of De Ranke's XX Bitter come close to this style, but this is lighter. Lovely stuff.
Then we opened Finesse which is supposedly a Tripel, but I can't see much Tripelness about it. First of all, it was too dark, second, it was too roasted and malty - it seemed to me like an exceptionally good Dubbel, one with better hoppiness and a drier finish than most in such a style. Very good beer - as long as one doesn't approach it expecting to get a Tripel.
They also had an intriguing smoked beer, Bravoure, which was very like bacon in its aromas and greasy taste (as opposed to the aromatics more akin to smoked fish in Aecht Schlenkerla). Lovely beer, if one likes smoke and bacon in liquid form. Perhaps one can fault smoked beers for being one note wonders. But on occasion I really love that one note.
Embrasse and one whose name I have forgotten are basically the same beer, a strong ale of 9% abv, but with second matured in whisky casks. Much like a Porter in style, roasted, malty, with lovely refreshing bitterness from the hops. I didn't so much care for the harsh, grassy, peaty aromas of the whisky aged beer - I have become quite bored with both the fads of adding coffee to beer and ageing it in cask. I prefer the purity of plain beer with hops and yeasts the only "added" aromas (if such traditional additives really can be said to be additions in this brewing tradition).
Sadly the last beer, Courage, their winter beer, wasn't to my taste. It had an absurdly strong smell and taste of bitter, dark chocolate. Now, I like properly dark chocolate, but it was painfully intense in this beer so one sip was enough. Strangely for one so strongly chocolaty, there isn't any in the beer - it is achieved entirely with the malts.
This last one excepted, these were among the most interesting new beer experiences I have had recently.
But it wasn't a completely beer dominated weekend. I saw a new vintage of an old, moderately priced favourite, so I couldn't resist buying one. And I couldn't resist opening it either.
Weingut Brndlmayer Zweigelt 2008 - 12,5%; just under 14
Since the 2004 I've been trying to put into words why I like this wine so much. The closest I can come to is to say that it is fun in a very serious kind of way. Full of boisterous, almost Bojo-like fruit, but mixed with dark and brooding, peppery, almost Syrah-like aromas. And this strange but lovely mix follows on the palate: fruit that wears its heart on its sleeve and crisp tannins - a mix of fun and brooding. A seriously depressed comedian of a wine.
Then we opened Finesse which is supposedly a Tripel, but I can't see much Tripelness about it. First of all, it was too dark, second, it was too roasted and malty - it seemed to me like an exceptionally good Dubbel, one with better hoppiness and a drier finish than most in such a style. Very good beer - as long as one doesn't approach it expecting to get a Tripel.
They also had an intriguing smoked beer, Bravoure, which was very like bacon in its aromas and greasy taste (as opposed to the aromatics more akin to smoked fish in Aecht Schlenkerla). Lovely beer, if one likes smoke and bacon in liquid form. Perhaps one can fault smoked beers for being one note wonders. But on occasion I really love that one note.
Embrasse and one whose name I have forgotten are basically the same beer, a strong ale of 9% abv, but with second matured in whisky casks. Much like a Porter in style, roasted, malty, with lovely refreshing bitterness from the hops. I didn't so much care for the harsh, grassy, peaty aromas of the whisky aged beer - I have become quite bored with both the fads of adding coffee to beer and ageing it in cask. I prefer the purity of plain beer with hops and yeasts the only "added" aromas (if such traditional additives really can be said to be additions in this brewing tradition).
Sadly the last beer, Courage, their winter beer, wasn't to my taste. It had an absurdly strong smell and taste of bitter, dark chocolate. Now, I like properly dark chocolate, but it was painfully intense in this beer so one sip was enough. Strangely for one so strongly chocolaty, there isn't any in the beer - it is achieved entirely with the malts.
This last one excepted, these were among the most interesting new beer experiences I have had recently.
But it wasn't a completely beer dominated weekend. I saw a new vintage of an old, moderately priced favourite, so I couldn't resist buying one. And I couldn't resist opening it either.
Weingut Brndlmayer Zweigelt 2008 - 12,5%; just under 14
Since the 2004 I've been trying to put into words why I like this wine so much. The closest I can come to is to say that it is fun in a very serious kind of way. Full of boisterous, almost Bojo-like fruit, but mixed with dark and brooding, peppery, almost Syrah-like aromas. And this strange but lovely mix follows on the palate: fruit that wears its heart on its sleeve and crisp tannins - a mix of fun and brooding. A seriously depressed comedian of a wine.