Summer Release notes

lister · Post by **lister** » Wed Jul 20, 2005 9:09 pm

I had the Erdinger a little while ago. Wow, I actually agree with most of the ratebeer opinions on this one. It's pretty bland. It could work if you mix it with some fruit juice like in the summer cocktail thread.

I'm having the Rogue Half-a-Weizen now. The initial tastings were pretty cold so there wasn't much coriander flavour but I did notice the ginger which I don't care for. I don't dislike it but at the same time I don't like it either. Sort of leaning towards a slightly negative indifference.

Now that it's warmed up a bit the coriander smell and flavour makes an appearance. Fortunately so far it's nowhere near as strong as Hoegaarden, Brussels White and Blanche de Chambly. I'm about half way through the bottle. I think I'm going to pick up the pace before it warms up much further.

I'll pick up a bottle for my girlfriend before the weekend. (BBQ!!!!) I think she's going to like it.

She's the opposite of me. She prefers the Belgian coriander ones over the German weisse beers. She doesn't dislike the latter as intensely as I the former but she shrugs her indifference at the weisse's when she takes a gulp from my glass. Ah well, more for me!!

Belgian · Post by **Belgian** » Thu Jul 21, 2005 12:30 pm

pootz wrote:Erdinger dunkle weizen.

It's spelled Dunkel. Dunkel Weizen.

Belgian · Post by **Belgian** » Thu Jul 21, 2005 12:35 pm

lister wrote:I'm having the Rogue Half-a-Weizen now. The initial tastings were pretty cold so there wasn't much coriander flavour but I did notice the ginger which I don't care for. I don't dislike it but at the same time I don't like it either. Sort of leaning towards a slightly negative indifference.

0

The H-E-W does have a kind of an unexpectedly easy-going quality that I've warmed up to in repeated trials. It confounds the initial expectation that's all.

Perhaps try it again? It's a unique beer I find... not a robust Wheat, yet very charming and so darn perfecty summery.

lister · Post by **lister** » Thu Jul 21, 2005 3:32 pm

Belgian wrote:The H-E-W does have a kind of an unexpectedly easy-going quality that I've warmed up to in repeated trials. It confounds the initial expectation that's all.

Perhaps try it again? It's a unique beer I find... not a robust Wheat, yet very charming and so darn perfecty summery.

I'll be having a gulp or two on the weekend. I'm just not going to get myself another bottle. I'd rather get the regular hefeweizens.

Belgian · Post by **Belgian** » Thu Jul 21, 2005 6:58 pm

I found the Yellow Snow Juniper Pale Ale very nice too. And I'm glad the Chocolate Stout will be making a comeback - I just knocked off a nicely aged bomber of the stuff last week-end & it was killer. Try giving it over half a year to integrate.

Rogue beers are so interesting even if they confound me a little at first. I'd be very proud if I were these guys.

lister · Post by **lister** » Fri Jul 22, 2005 9:01 am

Belgian wrote:I found the Yellow Snow Juniper Pale Ale very nice too. And I'm glad the Chocolate Stout will be making a comeback - I just knocked off a nicely aged bomber of the stuff last week-end & it was killer. Try giving it over half a year to integrate.

I had a Yellow Snow back in December. It didn't get a fair shake as it spent no time in the fridge and was consumed pretty close to room temperature. I don't mind some wines at room temperature but not beer. So if I see it again I'll give it a go. The Chocolate Stout on the other hand will have to be a sample of someone else's. I'd hate to waste that big of a bottle if I don't like it.

Belgian · Post by **Belgian** » Fri Jul 22, 2005 3:02 pm

Surprising how easy it is to slide back that 'big bottle' of that stout.

I wonder if it would taste the same in 330ml bottles. They say large bottles of wine age better so maybe there's some physics at work here.

lister · Post by **lister** » Mon Jul 25, 2005 9:46 am

I gave Rogue Half-A-Weizen a shot again yesterday. My opinion still stands. My girlfriend who drank most of the bottle didn't like it as much as Brussels White and Blanche de Chambly but likes it more than Hoegaarden.

GregClow · Post by **GregClow** » Mon Jul 25, 2005 2:07 pm

Has anyone seen the Belgian Peches anywhere in downtown/central Toronto? The distribution for this one seems to be really screwy. According to the LCBO site, there are tons of bottles in places like Ancaster, Hamilton and Ottawa, but only three stores are listed for central Toronto (Cooper St., Dundas & Jane, and Coxwell & O'Connor), and none of them have had any inventory listed that I've seen.

lister · Post by **lister** » Mon Jul 25, 2005 2:23 pm

I've been looking for the Peche as well but have come up empty. I was hoping to get some ahead of the strike.

Fruli is out though. I've picked some up at Cooper St. and Davisville.

esprit · Post by **esprit** » Wed Jul 27, 2005 5:20 pm

As happens periodically, there has been some sort of distribution foul up with Belgian Peches with most of the order still sitting in the warehouse in Durham. I contacted the LCBO yesterday asked them what had happened and they gave no explanation just "we'll try to get it out today".

Belgian · Post by **Belgian** » Thu Jul 28, 2005 10:02 pm

esprit wrote:As happens periodically, there has been some sort of distribution foul up with Belgian Peches with most of the order still sitting in the warehouse in Durham. I contacted the LCBO yesterday asked them what had happened and they gave no explanation just "we'll try to get it out today".

How unusual.

Wheatsheaf · Post by **Wheatsheaf** » Sat Jul 30, 2005 11:26 am

Saison Dupont got a nice mention (complete with large picture) in Michael Vaughan's weekly wine column in the Toronto section of today's (Saturday) National Post. (Christoffel Blond, too, but only in the web edition.) The Ontario Craft Brewers get some coverage, as well, with tasting notes of Robert Simpson Confederation Ale and King Pilsner.

http://www.vintageassessments.com/np-jul30-2005.html

Belgian · Post by **Belgian** » Sat Jul 30, 2005 12:01 pm

Wheatsheaf wrote:Saison Dupont got a nice mention (complete with large picture) in Michael Vaughan's weekly wine column

You know he's right, it is a gem and I recently gave in & got one more case for the cellar. It's a crazy good deal I think.

Ahh, beer...

esprit · Post by **esprit** » Mon Aug 01, 2005 12:27 am

Get the Saison Dupont while you can as I intend to buy up almost every case in the GTA in the next week or two because of demand from various bars around the city...no fooling! We'll also be pouring it at the beerfest next weekend along with Rogue HEW and the usual suspects.