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?

3 FONTEINEN “Cuvée Armand & Gaston 57, 17/18” (6,8%) 5/6

Bright golden visuals, pouring a beautiful, elegant head. Nose is bulging with fruityness; Here we can find citrus, peach with a small dash of seaweed on top.

As far as for the most interesting part goes, this is pretty much as good as it gets: over ripe green apples, presented by a flirtatious, quickly-passing sweet intro, develops into a freshly balsamico-sprinkled green acidic salad. But all in such smooth balance! Sharp, elegant, complex and clean.

Perfect after having been aged for 2-3 years. This is about as good as a gueuze gets… Close at least.

Photo: M. K. Burheim

DRUM BREW/SOLO «Gulrot gose» (6,2%) 4/6

This one has been lying around for a while now, enough excitement-factor: Tonight’s the night!

I’m familiar with Solo’s (Jikiun’s) brews from before, have had several of them. But the other part herein is new to me, and they’re playing the main part in this one. So how does this work?

Bright yellow in the glass, on the verge to orange. Pours very little head and nose is mildly buttery and fruity of orange/carrots.   Interesting that these guys teamed up with Kjetil Jikiun, previously of Nøgne Ø fame.

Taste is comfortably sour , with a pinch of salty edge to it. There’s distinct lemon in here, and very little carrot remaining intact. Somehow sweet aftertaste rounds it off. Quite smooth for a newcomer to be!

BAGHAVEN «Kriek Vanilje» (7%) 6/6

Oh heavenly, gorgeous bloodred beverage- what holdst thou in store? Being vaguely familiar with Baghaven through some of their works from before, I’m definetely exited for this one. A vanilla kriek? Sounds terrific to me, love those tastes. And besides the lushious burgundy looks, the nose reveals distinct cherry notes herein. But clearly also sweet, kind vanilla caresses the nostrils, together with subtle, exotic spices. So: What does it taste?

Oh divine, vineous, easygoing smooth beverage! Thou hast me enchanted! High levels of carbonisation, thin/mediumbodied presentation, sweet-teasing intro. Then a superb acidic middle of sour berries follows. Long-lasting, dramatic deliciousness. No alcohol traces at all, just a lot of fruityness going on, culminating in a very subtle cinnamon ending.

Absolutely stunning beer- a must-taste for kriek lovers.

 

Photo: M. K. Burheim

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

BOULEVARD “Love Child no 8” 5/6

Today, I’m in company with a fantastic beverage from Kansas… looks fantastic. Beautiful color in the glass. Nose is rose and subtle fruityness. Gooseberries and red currants is what comes to mind here. Judging by The looks I’d say it’s very little carbonation going on here… Let’s check it out.

Well, that was something quite different!There is definitely carbonation here, although it pours no head. At first, the tastebuds are paralysed by the extremely tart shock! Really, just extremely acidic before blending in with it’s seducing fruityness… almost like lemonade.

There is no defusing sweetness here, only hard-core sour attack. But a beautiful one for sure. Great maturity too… Leaving sour berries down your throat for aftertaste. Very, very nice (and I’m happy this wasn’t stored any longer!)

 

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

BUDDELSHIP/TO ØL «MAN O’STING» (4,9%) 4/6

It is always interesting to come across a brewery that one hasn’t tried something from before.

This German brewery has thus collaborated with Denmarks To Øl, in order to serve this bright-yellow beauty. For starters, it seems well carbonated with a great head when being poured- and the nose is nothing but splendid. According to the bottle information, this is a rose hip-infused sour rye pilsener, and flower’ish, mineral/fruity citrus notes does subtly emerge. Also acidic hints. 

When it comes to taste however, it starts off with a quick flirtation with sweetness before the acidity undoubtedly shows it’s presence… very sour for this type of beer to be. Very fruity middle with bitter high end to it. Also, it’s quite salty and I find hints of seaweed in here. Mildly sour aftertaste that evaporates quickly.

Very nice and fresh, this one.

 

Photo: M. K. Burheim

LINDEMANS «Oude Kriek blend 2017» (7%) 5/6

Well, isn’t that a close-to-perfect Saturday refreshment? The always so lovely Kriek from Lindemans is one that I know well from before, so I’m hoping that this years edition won’t disappoint. It sure looks like delish there, lying… Shining blood red in the glass.

A whiff of sharp, sour cherries immediately caresses the nostrils, accompanied by sweet rose notes. The thirst is becoming stronger now… i… must… have a swig!

At first, bubbly and a quickly passing sweet microsecond, before it’s almost shocking acidity tingles like a knifestab to the palate, and from there on through the spine. Sour berries, in it’s more raw fruity taste than what I could remember from before, corrodes throughout my mouth and down the throat. So, followed by that dry aftertaste. It’s this one… Just so easy to sum up in a few words: Delish, refreshing and tingling. 

If you’re a fan of sours: Go get it on!

 

Photo: M.K. Burheim

LINDEMANS “Cassis” (3,5%) 4/6

Photo: M.K.Brochs

 

I am familiar with this type of beer and this brew especially, but I haven’t tried this year‘s edition yet. What we have here is a fruit Lambic Belgian beer with a nose giving clear references to blueberry and blackberry, highly fruity and somehow sweet smell. It pours a big, deep red head- on the verge to red wine both in looks and colour. 

So, what does it taste like? For starters, it starts off mighty sweet before turning into that proper face-twisting Lambic-style, giving references to berries of the kinds red currant and black currant. I get real shivers down my spine midway through the mouthful here! A delicious, acidic twist to this fruit punch. Albeit and OD of fruity taste, it is easy to say that the beer though seems somehow young, in the terms of ageing. Perhaps it’d not lack much at all, had it been aged another half year in oakbarrels. Still, a very nice and summery drink which I could have again.