Into the Westmalle chalice she goes, bottled April 7th 2022, Best Before 2 years from that date.

Had this beer several times since May of 2021 when I used it to christen the re-launch of this blog.

Honey colored, clouded pour with a great head out of the bottle. Thin, persistent folio on the surface, and some thinnish, clinging lace.

Nose gives up some simple malts, maybe a little honey or banana, but it’s pretty muted. Opens a little on warming of course.

Mouthfeel is extraordinary considering the ABV, and offers beautiful, soft, micro bubbles and gentle smoothness which is hard to describe other than ‘silky’.

Tastes are perhaps surprisingly hoppy, with a really quite bitter, dry finish to the beer. Prior to the ending there’s a quintessential yeast based, light sweetness. Some light, spice-based coriander (or something like that). There is even some greenish, hard fruit or even vegetable in the beer as well. Very complicated and difficult to pin down. It continually rounds out to be big and full flavored.

In the end, the hop bitterness (along with the mouthfeel) is the abiding memory of this beer which for me, is a surprising thing. The after taste is especially bitter considering everything.

There’s huge flavor in this beer; it’s very bold and not really as easy drinking as one might anticipate.