Top Shelf Thursday: March 2013

Last night was the third Top Shelf Thursday of 2013, & with spring in the air (hardy-har), the flight list skewed a little lighter to start off.  The focus was on more obscure ales made by artisanal Belgian breweries, beginning with Very Speciale Belge, a collaboration from Allagash & Brasserie de la Senne of Brussels.  This Belgian pale weighed in at a mere 5.2% ABV, with a light straw color & a fairly dry, herbal flavor, pretty refreshing for the warm weather we all wish we were getting.

Also in defiance of the winter weather was the light, effervescent saison (“season”, as saisons were traditionally brewed in spring & consumed in summer) Bronze Age, a collaboration between the itinerant Stillwater Artisanal Ales & Belgian farmhouse brewery Hof Ten Dormaal.  Made with barley & spelt grown on the Hof Ten Dormaal grounds, Bronze Age has lightly sweet lemon notes & finished dry & crisp.  Stillwater’s Brian Strumke chose to work with Hof Ten Dormaal based on their self-sustaining practices – much of the ingredients for their beers are grown on premises, & even their brewery is largely powered by rapeseed oil from crops the farm grows itself.

Continuing in the farmhouse vein was V Cense from Brasserie de Jandrain-Jandrenouille, the night’s most fun tongue-twister.  Medium-amber in color & made with American hops & “proprietary spices”, it was interesting comparing this farmhouse ale back-to-back with the Bronze Age.

There was a little goof-up with the fourth course, Dominus Vobiscum Double from MicroBrasserie Charlevoix, as it was thought to be Belgian but, on closer inspection, is actually made in Quebec.  Folks didn’t seem to mind, though – after the first three drier beers, this abbey-style dubbel seemed to satisfy those looking for something sweeter & fuller, with a round, dark fruit & spice character & coming in at 8% ABV.

Things took a turn for the sour with Cuvee des Jacobins from Brouwerij Bockor, a Flanders red ale spontaneously fermented & barrel-aged for 18 months.  Some were turned off by the acidic, tannic character, but those with a taste for sour ales loved the complex layers of balsamic vinaigrette, cocoa, green apple, leather, & oak that unfurled over the palate.

It’s safe to say that “Most Outre” of the evening went to the Oudbeitje Lambic  from blenders Hanssens Artisanaal.  Also spontaneously fermented, with strawberries added, it was an unusual blend of sweet & organically funky (that more than one guest said reminded them of un-smoked cannabis.  Hmmm…).  Not without its charm, but definitely an acquired taste.

Hanssens also brought us Scarenbecca Kriek, a lambic made with the prized sour cherries from Belgium’s Schaarbeek region.  This was a full-bodied, full-flavored kriek that poured a beautiful crimson with a taste reminiscent of a tart, rich cherry pie. 

The sour ales always tend to be polarizing – folks either love ‘em or hate ‘em, with some very vocal critics.  Everyone found common ground as we moved onto the St. Stefanus Grand Cru, brewed by Brouwerij Van Steenberge for the Sint Stefanus abbey.  In the wheelhouse of a tripel, this strong, golden abbey ale started sweet, with some fruity & spicy notes, ending with a nicely dry twist & balancing alcohol.

Bersalis, from Brouwerij Oud Beersel, kicked the tripel character up a notch, bringing to the table a honey-like sweetness & spice notes reminiscent of apple sauce.  Like the two farmhouse ales earlier, comparing this to the St. Stefanus was a fun exercise in distinguishing flavors & picking up on nuances in the style.

The flight of small Belgian brewers was capped off by a taste of the new, with a collaboration from The Perfect Crime, a gypsy “supergroup” comprised of the brewers from Stillwater & Evil Twin, & the proprietor of 12 Percent Imports.  Their Smoking Gun, brewed at Belgium’s Scheldebrouwerij, is a “smoked Belgian stout”, with the roast & maltiness of an imperial stout, the dark fruit & spiciness of a Belgian quadruple, & the strength of both styles, with a subtle smokiness that tied it all together.  

If one thing categorizes Belgium’s brewing culture, it’s a defiance of categorization & a fluidity of style, & Smoking Gun falls well into that character, retaining an identifiable “Belgian-ness” while creating something that’s all its own.  Tonight’s tasting showcased that freedom of creativity, with beers that stayed well within tradition & those that respectfully diverged from it.  Belgian beer, with its small & innovative brewers, remind us that the only constant is change, & that can be a wonderful thing.  Gezondheid!