CBR 86: Belgian Bonanza
Wed, 2007-08-15 21:52 — jbearer
- Artist: Craft Beer Radio
- Title: CBR 86: Belgian Bonanza
- Album: Craft Beer Radio
- Track: 86
- Year: 2007
- Length: 61:33 minutes (21.14 MB)
- Format: MP3 Mono 44kHz 48Kbps (CBR)
This week we do a mixed Belgian show - ever hear of a Belgian Black Beer? We also have some special treats with a Flanders Red and a Oud Bruin. Yum.
- Petrus Speciale Ale (Belgium)
- Midnight Sun Conspiracy (AL)
- Monks Flemish Sour Ale (Belgium by way of PA)
- Duchesse de Bourgogne (Belgium)
Ranking
- Jeff - Monk's, Duchesse, Conspiracy, Petrus
- Greg - Monk's, Duchesse, Conspiracy, Petrus
Craft Beer Radio is an Internet talk show about craft and micro brewed beers. The mission of the show is to spread the word of good beer. We introduce people to craft beer, and teach them about different beer styles, brewers who make them, and beer history. Whether you are new to craft beer or have been drinking it for more than 20 years we have something for you.
If you have comments or questions that you would like us to read over the air, Email Us.
Comments
Pictures?
While listening to the postshow you guys took a picture but I can't find it on here or the message board. Could someone point me in the right direction? Thanks!
EDIT: For the listener looking for a Whisky podcast give the Whiskycast (whiskycast.com) a try.
http://penut.net
Soon...
It will be up soon, we hope. Jeff needs to find it on his camera.
Rankings are reversed on the web page
Before listening the show, I thought you guys might have gone off your rockers, ranking the Monk's last. Then, all was redeemed when I listened to the show.
Monk's is a fantastic beer. In fact, I just picked up a bottle in Savannah, of all places.
If you have a chance, you should re-order the beers in your ranking from best to worst as you have done previously.
Skunked Beers... a suggestion...
Guys,
On the subject of “Skunked” beers, don’t ever, ever offer to buy beer for me… you are just too unlucky to spend my money…
If you do find a skunked beer.. Just drop them... as quick as you can, and have extra "fill ins" available.
If we assume it's just your really bad luck or maybe it's just our inability to distinguish skunked beer in deference to your "trained palettes" in either case just don't waste your time or ours listening to you talk about it...
For example, try to have 6 beers in the style ready to go when you plan on reviewing 4, then if you open one and it's skunked, just pour it down the drain and cut the references to it
You could even start each beer with a non-sequential preface: “Our next beer of the evening is blah blah blah” instead of saying “Our Second beer of the….” or “Our Last beer….” That way then would not even have to be in sequence…
Of course if it’s the first beer of the night, you can pour it out and know that the next one will really be “Our first beer…”
You might have to change your recording order, perhaps "going back" to record the list of beers you will be reviewing at the end of the recording session and "pasting it" back in at the front.
On this...
They addressed this recently on the show. They attribute it to the fact they drink SO much beer that they will get one or more every few weeks.
I wouldn't be surprised also if because many of their beers are shipped somewhat dubiously that that has an increase in the number of skunked beers.
And some of it may be that Jeff has some training in beer too that it makes a difference.
Yummy show
Good episode and an interesting line-up. Having tried all save the Monk's I can sort of agree with the ranking ... sort of. The Duchesse has long since fallen off my list of even drinkable beers; a little too sweet in a way that drowns out the wonderful sourness. Somewhere I thought I read something about it being brewed like a standard sour red and then sugar syrup (or something like it) is added.
As for the sours not being introductory beers, I've had the same experience as Jeff. A local was pouring the puckeringly sour New Belgium La Terroir and I spread it around in the same fashion. To a person, everyone had at least 2 glasses and loved it. I've found, interestingly, that it seems to be a sort of an un-acquired taste ... new beer drinkers seem to love them while old-hand beer-tasters seem to go "why?"
Looking forward to the next show.
Thank you...
Ben, I whole heartedly agree with your Duchess observation - I can't drink it without thinking about cough syrup.
I hosted a vitners beer tasting over the holidays last year and brought several sour beers - this was definitely a crowd that knew nothing about good beer. They loved it right up until I said they had Brett in them. Evidently they don't think they like brett. I have had, however, several instances where new beer enthusiasts have had adverse reactions to sour in their beer and know many who just don't like them whatsoever.
Duchesse
I wonder if they export different versions of Duchesse to NZ than to the US? I love it, don't find it sweet at all. The dominant characteristic (to me anyway) is a kind of red wine vinegar, with hints of sour apples (in a good way), and the sweetness is just a mild wash over the front of the tongue. It's a beer I tried early on in my tasting days, and one I still go back to when I want a really nice example of the style. I waver, but I often like it more than Rodenbach Grand Cru. That said, I've not had it in over a year, so it might have changed. It's been hard to find here recently.
Maybe?
I definitely don't remember it as syrupy as I find it now so it may have changed as its distribution expanded.
I was, last night, in the position to share beers with beer neophytes (sort of "I like hoppy" people) and our local had the Duchess on tap. First sip of the Duchess brought rave reviews and more than mild "wow that's sour" exclamations. A taste of Petrus Aged Pale (yeah yeah, not a Flemish but ... ) a moment later, however, was wholeheartedly agreed to blow the Duchess out of the water. The previously "great" Duchess was suddenly relegated to syrupy and unimpressive in comparison.
Monk's availibility
Jeff,
Regarding your comment about the availability of Monks Cafe Flemish Sour. It is distributed outside of Monk's cafe. My local distributor (Westy's in camp hill) has it available. It is also available at Stateline in Md (http://www.statelineliquors.com/beer.php?page=39&sddesc=BELGIUM)
for under $60 a case (a terrific price for a sour beer).
I've even read reviews where the beer has been sampled on tap in states as far west as California. It is a beer brewed for Monk's in Philly but it can be found elsewhere and is not has hard to find as you think.
Cheers,
John