Leuven Innovation Beer Festival 2017 (Part 2)

Leuven Innovation Beer Festival 2017 (Part 2)



Festival set:

Tasting glass.
Book.
Poster.
Bracelet (Ticket)
Water and Tokens already gone...

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Coffee Dark Lager

Brevonov Monastery Brewery (Czech Republic)

Not sure what to tell about it. Problem is that coffee has killed the beer. The effect is like you would dilute a coffee with slightly sparkling water. No matter how I try, I am not able to find any beer here. No malt, no hops, slightly carbonated watery coffee. Horrible.

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Amburana Barley Wine

Way Beer (Brazil)

Smells a bit odd, spicy, fruits and maybe anise. Taste is close to wine, bit sweet maybe honey, dry plum. Low carbonation, thick texture. Bit odd, not close to any barley wine I know but very positive. If you like original things, it is worth trying.

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TEA 'N BISCUS

Meantime (UK)

A beer brewed with a hibiscus tea addition. Bright pink, with pinky-hibiscus head. Sour, herbal and spice., very light but no watery, light body and low carbonation. Only blunt acidic finish is a bit disappointing, overall a wonderful summer beer.

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BB10

Barley (Italy)

Believed to be barley wine. Almost black with a cream-colored head. Aroma rather flat, very delicate and not appealing. Taste is the same, bit grape, bit dark malts some small chocolate hints. Overall, way too flat and not enough interesting to be a great barley wine. 

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Barrel Aged Hickory Stout

Scratch Brewing Company (USA)

That is one piece of the art here. Imperial stout aged in hickory barrels. I admit that the word hickory was new for me, therefore an info from Wikipedia:

“Hickories are deciduous trees with pinnately compound leaves and large nuts…” 

So basically, a far cousin of the walnut. Another new taste to add to the top 10 list. Aroma is vanilla, bit roast, maybe caramel and a bit alcohol. Medium body and soft, delicate carbonation. Flavor is marshmallow, roast and what I believe is hickory. Incredible, spicy, a bit like the effect you obtain when adding the leaves of walnut to a meal. Amazing stuff. 

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PIMP

Tempel Brygghus (Sweden)

Let’s go the whole hog. I am quite sure the brewers of Tepmel Brygghius had this idea in the morning, therefore they have created the PIMP. It is not an ordinary Imperial Stout. No, this one has been brewed with Kalaspuffar, muscovado sugar and molasses added through the boil.

I had 3 questions:

1. WTF is Kalaspuffar?

2. Is muscovado sugar another invention of Elon Musk??

3. Why would you add all this in your beer?

The answers are:

1. Kalaspuffar is a cereal style, popular in Sweden. Basically a honey-flavored breakfast cereal made from wheat. In UK known as Honey Monster Puffs.

2. Muscovado sugar is unrefined cane sugar. Most of it originates from Mauritius.

    Mr. Musk is free of any charges here.

3. Because we can!

Pimp is dark brown with a small brown head. Aroma and taste of chocolate malts, honey, dark bread, cocoa. Tiny sweet and malty taste. Soft mouthfeel, bitterness comes out after third fourth sip. Very delicate though not a high IBU. Overall effect kicks ass and. After finishing tis post I will probably forget the name of Kalaspuffar instantly, but PIMP will always be this beer.

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SOUR ANDRE

Brouverij de Leite (Belgium)

Smoked triple. Smoked notes, bit sour, going in the direction of filles, but a tad waterier. Not too intense, but incredibly drinkable. Bit plums, and sour fruits, maybe redcurrant. One time brew extra for the festival. Positively weird.

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Happy Hoppy Viking 

Hornbeer (Denmark)

It is good to know that also Vikings love hops. If I meet any on the way, I would try to “hop” them to make them happy.

Whatever.

The beer could be presented in any beer-brewing class as a typical West-Coast IPA. Fully loaded with American hops, bitter enough to make every beer geek happy. Grassy floral in aroma and taste. Overall, very solid example. Good to remember I you are in Denmark and have a problem with choosing a beer. This is your fail-safe option.

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Lobotomy Dextral BA Brandy

(Лоботомия Правосторонняя)

AF Brew (Russia)

As the name, Russian Imperial Stout clearly states, these beers originate in the UK. But, these were Russians who apparently loved this style, so the at the end the beer got the name. If they loved it, there is a fair chance that a Russians will know how to make a solid RIS.  AF Brew is the only Russian brewery invited to LIBF2017. Even more important for me – it is the first Russian craft brewer I met.

And the first contact is very positive, because their barrel aged RIS is just brilliant. It is the whole load of plum in the rich, thick body. Slight notes of smoking, caramel. Strong but not alcoholic. Bit bitter after third sip. And the amazing barrel-aged, tickling feeling on the tongue. Clearly landing in my personal TOP10 of the best beers ever.

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DARK HOPFLER

Weird Beard (UK)

New interpretation of classical dark beer. Jet black, huge white-beige head. Aroma slightly roasted malt, bit fruits but mostly herbal hops. Taste is the same, but hops are even more dominant an it is good. Not too bitter, very refreshing and very drinkable. Great example of a fact that craft is not only for beer geeks. A beer for everybody. 

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Experimental RBKM 1.0

Art Cervesers (Spain)

It is supposed to be experimental rice saison. Not sure what is experimental here. Rice gives the overall feeling of smoothness and makes the beer a tad more delicate, probably adding some balance to Belgian hops. Overall not too bad, but not my primary choice.

Clearly the end of LIBF2017 for me. Interesting observation is that the vast majority of the beers I liked are dark and strong, complex creations. Worth to see how this develops.