St. Sebastiaan: Grand Réserve

After grabbing a couple beers with my friend Chris at TAPS the other day, we decided to make the short trek over to Total Wine and explore their beer. I picked up this little guy just because the ceramic bottle with the Grolsch style/Flipper top and rubber gasket is pretty sweet. Considering my favorite growlers have the same system, I thought it was a neat little guy. I've seen them before, obviously, but I've never tried this one. The bottle actually does not say much about the beer at all, and I love that. In terms of reviewing beers, sometimes the words presented on the bottle shift the mind to taste or smell certain things that an individual may not pick up at all. Either way, let's get to the beer.

The "top fermented abbey ale" pours a wonderful golden color with a lot of slightly off-white head. I'd say the initial pour presented me with about two inches of foamy beer protection. As expected with Belgian-styled Abbeys, it pretty much fits the stereotype. The nose is fruity with apples, pear, spices, and even some caramelized sugars. It smells absolutely delicious; however, it also seems bold.

(The beer looks a lot darker backed by the Penguin Classics. I knew I should have gone with the Oxfords.)


Initially on tasting, I actually do not get much flavor out of the beer. This is, to be quite honest, disappointing to me. However, as it warms up more of the flavors come out. Just as it smells, apples, pears, spice, and even some slight raisin. The consistency somewhat surprises me as well. As I swirl it around in my mouth, it feels more like a cream ale or a beer on nitro. However, considering the size of the head and the bubbles still floating up from the bottom of my glass, I assume it is the carbonation. The finish is also disappointing as it is just a rather strong yeasty aftertaste. No bitterness (I didn't expect there to be) or lingering fruity notes. This beer does not have the ABV listed on the label so I really do not have the slightest idea what it is. Notice I didn't list alcohol in regards to the smell or the flavor. On the other hand, I am no fool and I know that beers from Belgium are, more likely than not, deceiving when it comes to alcohol content. I'm sure it is pretty high up there with the rest of them.

Am I enjoying this beer right now? Absolutely. After working tonight, nothing could be more enjoyable than a product of Belgium. Would I buy it again? Possibly. Do I want to try the other beers coming out of St. Sebastiaan? Absolutely. The real question is: would I recommend this beer to others? My answer is yes. I have certain friends who say they hate Belgian-styled ales (this statement baffles me in its entirety), and they are the only ones I wouldn't recommend this to. It's not too expensive, so go grab yourself one and pop it open. With the flipper top, you could drink half today and half tomorrow. It is the best way to save beer (if there is any way at all once oxygen has hit it).

Bellegems Bruin: West Flanders Ale

Apologies are in order for my absence for almost a month. This past holiday season was filled with excessive growler consumption on a nightly basis. For example, we all enjoyed growlers from Taps, BJs (ugh), Inland Empire Brewing Co, Hangar 24, Packinghouse Brewing Co, Bootleggers Brewery, The Bruery, and Stone Brewing Co. T'was the season for growlers (and weight gain). However, all good things must come to an end and it is time to return to reviewing some brews and calming things down a little.

I purchased this beer on a whim. The glass was only $2.99 and I picked it up because I thought it was a pretty sweet goblet for such a cheap price. I then went and found the brew to match (every beer lover appreciates matching glassware). I've had it in my refrigerator for over a month now, and I think it is finally time to try it. I do know that a "Flanders-styled Ale" is usually a sour and from Belgium. This little guy seems to fit the mold perfectly.

It pours a dark amber with a red glow if held up to light. It possesses a nice khaki head that remains on top. This is a nice-looking beer if you ask me. Aromas: green apple, sweet malts, and candied notes. I know these aromas, and they usually mean I'm about to drink a sour.

While the range of sours is monstrous, just like the range of differences in any category, this is only slightly sour. It reminds me of Monks Sour Ale quite a bit, but it seems more relatable to Duchesse de Bourgogne. Anyways, the flavors are sour, acidic, malty, and oakie as I swirl it around in my mouth. The finish is clean with sour apple and those candied notes I mentioned earlier. Overall, this is a relatively easy-drinking beer and quite delicious. It is not too complex, nor is it too strong of a sour to turn off a first-time sour drinker either. This would also work as a nice palate cleanser if you are switching beer styles on a night of tasting.

At 5.5% ABV, it's not a monster but it does pack a nice collection of flavors. I will definitely buy it again and use my sweet goblet.

A lot of people have asked me why I do not "rate" the beers I review. Here is my reasoning behind the lack of ratings: whatever point scale I give to any sort of rating system would be misleading, considering that I am the only one who knows what the top of that scale tastes like. I personally think rating systems are often misused and relied on too much. In turn, my rating scale for beer goes as follows: I like it or I do not like it. It's that simple. It is up to you, the reader of this blog, to decide whether or not you want to try it on your own. The point of this blog, for me, is not to rate whether some beer is higher on my B.S. scale than another. The point is to let you all know what I taste when having a specific beer and whether it was worth my money or not. You will find no ratings on here, only my personal observations. Cheers!