4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Belgium, Gueuzerie Tilquin, Lambic - Fruit

Tilquin Oude Viognier À l’ancienne

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Brewery: Gueuzerie Tilquin
Country: Belgium
ABV: 8%
Style: Lambic – Fruit
Other Notes: 2022-2023

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Beer of spontaneous fermentation, the Old Viognier Tilquin is made from the fermentation of 250g of grapes by liter of lambic. Unfiltered and unpasteurized, this beer is refermented in the bottle.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.09
My ratebeer.com rating: 4

Intro: A 750ml corked and caged bottle, with a neck label of 2022-2023, and a best before date of 20th January 2033. Poured into a Tilquin stemmed glass.
Appearance: A hazy golden orange colour with a half finger white head that dissipated fairly quickly to a ring around the glass, while leaving only sparse lacing.
Aroma: Lightly tart, green apple, wood, grape skin, white wine vinous, with funky notes.
Taste: Sour, tart, green apple, grape skin, white wine vinous, green vines, gooseberry, wood, a splash of lemon zest, and a touch of funk.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: Enjoyable and easy to drink, although not one of my favourites among the Tilquin grape lambics.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Belgium, Brouwerij 3 Fonteinen, Lambic - Fruit

3 Fonteinen Speling van het Lot XI.xi: Kriek/Mirabelle

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Brewery: Brouwerij 3 Fonteinen
Country: Belgium
ABV: 6.2%
Style: Lambic – Fruit
Other Notes: Blend°14, Season 22/23. Number of bottles – 737

Brewer Description: (from bottle) This Kriek/Mirabelle is a co-maceration of sour cherries and Mirabelle plums on a small oak barrel. We let the fruit sit for over three months on two-year old lambik. The fruit blend was later blended with another two-year old lambik before bottling. The weighted average of the blend hits almost 22 months upon bottling. The final fruit intensity is 509 grams of sour cherries and plums per litre.

My rating: 4-
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.04
My ratebeer.com rating: 4

Intro: A 750ml corked and caged bottle, blend°14, season 22/23, bottled on 7th December 2022. Poured into a Tilquin stemmed glass.
Appearance: A very nice ruby red colour with a one finger pinkish head that dissipated quickly, and left some nice but sparse lacing.
Aroma: Lightly tart, cherries, grape skin, plum, and lemon zesty notes.
Taste: Sour, tart, acidic, cherries, plum, lemon juice, with berry gummy candy sweet notes.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: Nice cherry and plum fruitiness, but the sourness and acidity felt a touch too high and not as balanced as it could be. Some berry gummy candy sweet notes here and there helped a bit, and especially appeared as it warmed, but doesn’t balance it entirely.

4 - Good (buy), American Strong Ale, Beer Reviews, Firestone Walker Brewing Co., USA

Firestone Walker 25 (XXV Anniversary Ale)

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Brewery: Firestone Walker Brewing Co.
Country: USA
ABV: 11.5%
Style: Strong Ale – American
Other Notes: 2021 vintage. 25th Anniversary. Special Reserve Barrel-Aged Blend

Brewer Description: (from sheet notes in box) Final blend was:
41% Parabola (14% ABV) Aged in Bourbon Barrels
10% Stickee Monkee (12.3% ABV) Aged in Bourbon Barrels
28% Tequila Barrel Merkin (7% ABV) Aged in Tequila Barrels
13% Brandy Barrel Barley Wine (13.8% ABV) Aged in Brandy Barrels
8% Whiskey Barrel Wheat Wine (11.7% ABV) Aged in Bourbon Barrels

(from box) In the fall of 2006, Brewmaster Matt Brynildson asked a handful of his winemaker friends for their input on blending a diverse stash of barrel-aged strong ales. Together, they came up with “10” – a trailblazing beer commemorating our 10th anniversary. And so began an annual autumn rite that now continues into our 25th year. This year was different, however. When our brewers convened with their winemaker friends on July 15, 2021, it marked a return to in-person blending after conducting it all remotely the previous year. The significance of this moment was not lost on anyone, and it was made all the more special by the occasion of our 25th anniversary. The beer you are holding in your hands – 25 – was created on that day. It is a work of talent and togetherness that we are now privileged to share with you. Thank you for being a part of our journey as we conclude this milestone year for Firestone Walker.

My rating: 4+
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.49
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.4

Intro: A boxed 355ml bottle, 2021 vintage, 25th anniversary, bottled on 14th September 2021. Poured into a snifter glass.
Appearance: A clear dark cola brown in colour with a thin tanned head that had pretty good retention but left only sparse lacing.
Aroma: Light roast, chocolate fudge, oak, caramel, bourbon, tequila, dried dark fruit, and notes of vanilla.
Taste: Light roast, chocolate, oak, a touch sweet, dried dark fruit, raisin, dates, caramel, toffee, vanilla, bourbon, and tequila.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with soft carbonation.
Overall: An enjoyable sipper with balanced and complex aromas and flavours.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Belgium, Brouwerij 3 Fonteinen, Lambic - Fruit

3 Fonteinen Honingbes

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Brewery: Brouwerij 3 Fonteinen
Country: Belgium
ABV: 6%
Style: Lambic – Fruit
Other Notes: Blend°103, Season 21/22

Brewer Description: (from bottle) For this second iteration of honeyberry, we macerated a larger volume for four months on three-year old lambik. We afterwards blended it with young lambik for the continued fermentation in the bottle. The weighted average age of the blend upon bottling clocks at more than 18 months. The final fruit proportion is 417 grams of honeyberry per litre of fruit lambik. Of the 3 Fonteinen lambikken, around 65% of the cereals used come from our own cereal collective. Bottle count: 807

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.1
My ratebeer.com rating: 4

Intro: A 750ml corked and caged bottle, blend°103, season 21/22, bottled on 12th August 2022. Poured into a Tilquin stemmed glass.
Appearance: A deep red colour with a slight orange tinge, and a half finger pinkish head that dissipated fairly quickly but settled to a ring around the glass, while leaving some lacing.
Aroma: Tart, mixed berries, black currant, green vines, blueberry, blackberry, woody, with light funky.
Taste: Sour, tart, mixed berries, blueberry, blackberry, black currant, green vines, with light notes of wood and funk.
Mouthfeel: Light to medium bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: I have not tried honeyberries before, but it seems to taste like a cross between black currant, blueberries and blackberries. The green viney notes were a bit raw, so the berries weren’t jammy sweet. But it is different, and worth a try.

3 - Indifferent (might buy, probably drink), Beer Reviews, Czech Republic, Métaphore, Wild Ale

Métaphore Vorrei Un Aperitivo

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Brewery: Métaphore
Country: Czech Republic
ABV: 4.6%
Style: Wild Ale

Brewer Description: (from bottle) The world around us serves as an endless inspiration to me. This appetizing beer is a nod to the classic bitter cocktails of Italy, all the while keeping its roots in local soil. It was brewed from local organic ingredients, rested for seasons in oak barrels, carefully blended and married with Zweigelt grapes, sour cherries and black currants. The magic touch comes from a dozen carefully selected botanicals which impart delightful, grown-up flavours of bitter, beyond the scope of hops. Best when enjoyed and shared in good company. Na zdravi!

My rating: 3+
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.02
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.9

Intro: A 750ml corked and capped bottle, with a best before date of 1st July 2032. Poured into a Tilquin stemmed glass.
Appearance: A very nice mostly clear reddish purple colour, with a one finger pinkish head, that had decent retention and settled to a ring around the glass, while leaving some lacing.
Aroma: Lightly tart, black currant, cherry, grapes, grape skin, a herbal botanical mix, slight funk, and a splash of wood.
Taste: Lightly sour, tart, mixed red berries, black currant, grapes, cherries, band aid, with a herbally bitter finish.
Mouthfeel: Light bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: Looks great, with good aromas. The black currant notes were nice, while the botanical herbal bitter bits added a different dimension to the beer.

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