SIDE PROJECT “Blueberry Flanders” Bl . 3 (6%) 4/6

It’s always with great anticipation that I approach any beer that rides under the Side Project/Shared-banner, being aware of their extremely high quality stouts and Barleywines. However, they’re also incredibly competent when it comes to sour beers, giving the European competitors such as 3 Fonteinen and Cantillon a run-for-the-money, for sure. (I’ll always cherish the moment when tasting that “Fuzzy” of theirs… Amazing!)

Back to the beer-at-hand, namely Blueberry Flanders blend 3: It demands me to take off my sunglasses to really take in that beautiful deep blue-red/brown colour, pouring close to no bubbles at all. Nose is deep dark mature from super-ripe berries, highly acidic and lots of oak from the barrel.

As for taste, the oaky elements are enhanced for a split second, together with blueberries, that in turn becomes extremely sour- lingering for a very, very long time. It’s almost as it corrodes through the throat… Extremely sour, on the verge between delicious and pungent to the degree that I must question a second as well as a third time… I land on it being very delicate and refreshing. And highly interesting, to the extent of a mindblowing taste-trip.

It’s great to challenge people’s taste like SP does here- whoever said it was going to be such an easy quiery summery experience under the sunshine?

RODENBACH «Caractère Rouge 2013» (7%) 6/6

Well, this beauty has been a long time coming… After years of storage in the cellar and more recently laid cold. Now the time is up; no more days of temptation in the fridge! With its lush looks and elegant sofistication packaging (a brown nude bottle with the label in a noose around it’s neck), it is with great excitement that we’re getting acquainted tonight. The beer looks stunning, carrying a deep red colour (almost blood-like) and traces of carbonation, despite the fact that this is a limited edition dating back to the year 2013.

Oh my god! The nose is just… I’m totally floored. That ripe fruityness, delicious cherries and other red fruits, such as raspberries and even cranberries are present, even just by smelling. The mateurity og oak-aging has helped tremendously.

Lots of bubbly action going on. Sweet candy’ish start, then transforming into tingly, teasing acidity of greatness before it’s long lasting aftertaste. Vineous and dry, this is beyond good taste, no wonder that the beer carries a gold medal award in it’s year of making. Wish I could swim in a sea of this, forever!

 

Photo: M.K. Burheim

SIREN «008 Odyssey» (8,7%) 5/6

A collab between the front soldiers Siren, who has teamed up with Stillwater and Prairie Artisanal, is what we have here. An exiting, intriguing artwork on the label is good and all that, but the real exitement starts when reading about the contents here. A bunch of different ingredients in this blend, where grapes, blackberries, cherries collides front-to-front with lactose and coffee, creates this fine favourite beer type of mine, Flanders ale. 

Needless to say, it looks striking. Nose is becoming more and more right down towards room temperature. Insanely dark fruit infusion, stingy acidity, lightly spiced and deep subtle sweetness… Right, I’m dying to drink this. 

At first, the berries welcomed midway/far back in my mouth, great balanced tart taste. The berries’ taste span from sweet cherry taste and deep dark raisins, to tart, to oak mateurity, before rounding off with sweet, delicate outro. Amazing stuff! Will definately have again.

 

Photo: M.K. Burheim

RODENBACH «Crand Cru 2017» 5/6

RODENBACH 2017I know when opening this bottle, that I’m in for a treat. I’ve tasted quite a few flanders now and I never seem to go tired of a good one… Which brings us to this magnificent gold-awards winner.

The colour is strikingly ruby red, on the verge to light brown, but still letting shimmering light through. As for the nose: Here we are faced with ripeness all the way; nice notes of cherries, red currant and it has a strawberry-like sweetness to it.

So, lets get down to it and what one really is waiting for: Tasting. There’s bubbles giving the first fresh introduction, natural sweetness, exiting sour elements comes forth and tingles the tongue, even more so strawberry than in the aroma. A massive fruit infusion combined with mateurity.

Absolutely splendid, this is it!