Beer Reviews by SIGMUND

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# Beer Origin Style Score Date
7301 Einbecker Dunkel (Schwarzbier) Germany Dunkel / Dark Lager 3.7

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 8

Reddish brown colour, bread yeast and just a hint of coffee in the aroma. Flavour leaves you with the impression of drinking this beer in a bakery (this is not necessarily an insult to the beer - it's probably an OK accompaniment with a few sandwiches or even Danish pastry). Drier than I expected. Not as good as the Einbecker Ur-Bock Dunkel (and not nearly as good as Aass Bock, which I enjoyed 1 hour earlier) - a bit watery, but still a drinkable dunkel that won't offend anyone.

Sep 12, 2003
07:08:12 PM
7302 Sea Dog Windjammer Blonde Ale United States Blonde Ale 4.6

Aroma: 9 | Appearance: 10 | Mouthfeel: 9 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 9

(Bought in Sweden - not in Systembolaget's ordinary selection, listed as "coincidentally in store"). This beer has a deep golden colour and pours with a good head. It has a lovely fruity aroma - there is some oak and spices too. Flavour is malty and rounded, still with a great bitterness. This is quite simply a good beer - wish it were imported to Norway!

Sep 12, 2003
07:03:12 PM
7303 Orval Belgium Belgian Ale 4.7

Aroma: 10 | Appearance: 10 | Mouthfeel: 9 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 9

(330 ml bottle, ABV 6,2%). This fine beer is cloudy deep golden with an enormous creamy head. It has an intense, overwhelming but lovely aroma of ensilage, horse stable, leather and spicy fruit cake. The flavour is complex and spicy, hops stand out, the aftertaste is dry but could have lasted a little longer. Still, this is clearly a world class beer. Definitely moreish!

Sep 12, 2003
06:59:12 PM
7304 Rochefort Trappistes 10 Belgium Abbey Quadrupel 5.0

Aroma: 10 | Appearance: 10 | Mouthfeel: 10 | Flavor: 10 | Overall: 10

(330 ml bottle). Pours with an enormous and thick light tan head, beer is cloudy, very dark brown colour. Heavenly complex aroma: oak, port wine, dried fruit and spices. 10 points for aroma is not enough! Flavour is complex, spicy and oaky - toffee sweetness is well balanced with hops. Warming mouthfeel, otherwise the high ABV is well hidden. Long lasting aftertaste. Can't find any faults with the beer - therefore a straight 10. Does that imply that any "perfect" beer has to be as strong as Rochefort 10? Certainly not - but in the strong division, this one is in the lead, at least untill I have sampled Westvleteren... (But the price in Norway is outrageous: USD 9 for a small bottle - in the store!)

Sep 12, 2003
06:54:12 PM
7305 Rochefort Trappistes 8 Belgium Belgian Strong Ale 4.7

Aroma: 10 | Appearance: 10 | Mouthfeel: 9 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 9

(330 ml bottle). This superb Trappist ale pours with an enormous thick head, colour is cloudy dark brown. It has a lovely aroma of oak, leather, dried fruits and a hint of cigar tobacco. Flavour is malty and spicy with a warming mouthfeel, otherwise alcohol is well hidden. Dangerously drinkable! Moderate bitterness, rounded aftertaste. This ale truly belongs in the Premier League of Beers

Sep 12, 2003
06:50:12 PM
7306 Westmalle Tripel Belgium Abbey Tripel 4.1

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

I actually prefer the Dubbel to this one. The Tripel is nonetheless a great beer. Colour is blonde and hazy, beer pours with an ENORMOUS head - too much, really. Lovely aroma of spices and citrus, flavour and aftertaste is spicy and quite bitter, not as complex and rounded as the Dubbel. Very potent with its 9.5% ABV, but the alcohol is relatively well hidden for a blonde. Like all trappistes well made, but not quite in the class of Rochefort

Sep 12, 2003
06:44:12 PM
7307 Westmalle Dubbel Belgium Abbey Dubbel 4.5

Aroma: 9 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 9 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 9

ABV was 7% (bottle bought in Finland). This beer pours with an enormous lasting head, cloudy brown colour. Lovely aroma of oak, leather and spices. Well balanced spicy flavour, slightly bitter finish. Aftertaste could have lasted a bit longer, but this is still a thoroughly well made beer.

Sep 12, 2003
06:40:12 PM
7308 Köstritzer Schwarzbier / Kostritzer Schwarzbier Germany Schwarzbier 3.4

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 6 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 7

Sampled 500 ml can, later also 500 ml bottle (now available in Norway). Advertised as 'Das Schwarze mit der Blonden Seele' (= The Black with the Blonde Soul). Dark brown to ruby colour, nearly black. Large brown head. Fairly weak but decent aroma, smells like German Schwarzbrot. Roasted malt flavour with coffee and burnt toast. A bit watery mouthfeel. (Is that what the brewers refer to as the 'blonde soul'?) By all means, this is a very drinkable Schwarzbier, but the style unfortunately seems to lack the rich velvety mouthfeel of a good stout or a Baltic porter. Still, this is a beer well worth sampling!

Jul 28, 2003
03:33:28 PM
7309 Caffreys Irish Ale Ireland Irish Ale 3.5

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

My can (bought in Norway, ABV 4,8%) says 'Premium Irish Beer', but surely this must be more or less the same thing?? An easily drinkable ale, perhaps not all that much character, but good, GOOD (not great). I don't hate nitro cans, but would like to sample this one on tap. (Maybe I have, without noticing....) Rerate: ABV 4.2% version, 440 ml can says "Premium beer" but this is clearly the same stuff, just a little more watery version. Very smooth.

Jul 28, 2003
03:30:28 PM
7310 Löwenbräu Hefe Weissbier / Lowenbrau Hefe Weissbier Germany Hefeweizen 3.8

Aroma: 9 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

(500 ml bottle, under its alias Löwen Weisse, ABV 5,2%). Typical hefe cloudy golden colour, large head. Delicious aroma of ripe bananas and spices, typical hefe flavour with cloves and hints of citrus. Short aftertaste. Great in summer, but I'd prefer this one to Löwenbräu Original at any time of the year.

Jul 28, 2003
03:24:28 PM
7311 Augustiner München Dunkel Germany Dunkel / Dark Lager 3.7

Aroma: 10 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

Beautiful chestnut colour, very good head. Aroma of caramel, dried fruits, oak and roasted malts, initially weak but improves as the beer warms up. Roasted malts and some caramel in the flavour, still a bit thin mouthfeel. Relatively short aftertaste without much bite. A decent Munich dunkel, but I did like the Neumarkter Lammsbräu better!

Apr 28, 2003
02:30:28 PM
7312 Ayinger Altbairisch Dunkel Germany Dunkel / Dark Lager 3.7

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 8

Reddish brown colour, good head. Moderate aroma of oak and caramel malts. Medium body, typical dunkel, some toffee flavour but not too sweet. Must be good with food. Lightly hopped, pleasant, easy drinking. Maybe not the greatest beer in the world, but impossible to dislike, if you like beer at all.

Apr 27, 2003
06:19:27 PM
7313 Ayinger Brau-Weisse Germany Hefeweizen 3.6

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

Cloudy light golden colour, large head. Typical hefe aroma (which is good), cloves, flowers and some citrus. Light bodied, typical hefe flavour but there's just too little of it, thin mouthfeel. Finish / aftertaste is definitely too thin / weak. The Ur-Weisse is a better choice.

Apr 27, 2003
02:17:27 PM
7314 Andechser Weissbier Hefetrub Germany Hefeweizen 4.0

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

Lovely cloves aroma, typical hefe. Cloudy golden colour, pours with a large head. Fairly dry flavour, typical wheat/cloves, slightly peppery. A bit more hops would do, still this is a well made hefe.

Apr 26, 2003
05:56:26 PM
7315 Ayinger Ur-Weisse Germany Dunkel Weizen 4.2

Aroma: 9 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

Very cloudy, rather murky light brown colour. Like most weissbiers it pours with a large head. Plenty of cloves, ripe bananas, oak and hints of smoke in aroma and flavour. A little more hops for the aftertaste would have been good, but this is none the less a first class hefe-weizen. Recommended!

Apr 26, 2003
02:10:26 PM
7316 Schneider Weisse Tap 6: Aventinus Weizen Doppelbock Germany Weizenbock 4.7

Aroma: 10 | Appearance: 10 | Mouthfeel: 9 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 9

Theoretically I might encounter a better Weizen than this one, but I doubt very much that will ever happen. Murky brown colour, large head, aroma of Paradise: Cloves and other undefinable spices, dried fruits (figs), oak and sandalwood. Oaky cloves flavour with hints of burnt caramel. Alcohol is present, but not overwhelmingly so. Dry aftertaste. This is a thoroughly well made beer!

Apr 26, 2003
02:06:26 PM
7317 Guinness Stout Ireland Dry Stout 4.1

Aroma: 10 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

On tap it's a safe bet, easily available - for most people Irish stout = Guinness, but if given the choice I actually prefer Beamish.

Apr 21, 2003
05:20:21 PM
7318 Dommelsche Pilsener Netherlands Bohemian / Czech Pilsener 3.4

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

(On tap in Amsterdam). A decent and refreshing pilsener, better than its competitors Heineken, Amstel and Grolsch.

Apr 21, 2003
05:10:21 PM
7319 Carlsberg Carls Porter (Gammel Porter/Imperial Stout) Denmark Baltic Porter 4.7

Aroma: 10 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 9 | Flavor: 10 | Overall: 10

After a rough start, this beer is pure velvet - sweet, robust, rich, malty and roasted with lots of coffee in the flavour. Nice bitterness in the aftertaste. Just the right strength. A beer I'll never grow tired of - one of my definite favourites.

Mar 17, 2003
06:35:17 PM
7320 Aass Juleøl (klasse F) Norway Vienna / Amber Lager 4.2

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 9

Norwegian Christmas beers are brewed in the original strong (appr. 6,2% ABV) and a watered down (appr. 4,5%) version. Make sure you get the strong versions (applies to all breweries) - they are just so much better! Aass is the best of them all. Spicy, caramelly, rich and rounded flavour that goes well with traditional Scandinavian Christmas fare.

Mar 17, 2003
06:07:17 PM
7321 Paulaner Hefeweizen Germany Hefeweizen 3.5

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 6 | Overall: 6

Slightly sweeter than I expected (and would have preferred), this is still a very drinkable Hefe. Lovely aroma, generally a good beer but somewhat overrated.

Mar 17, 2003
06:01:17 PM
7322 Aass Bock Norway Bock 4.7

Aroma: 9 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 9 | Flavor: 10 | Overall: 10

The ABV in Norway is 6,5%. This is the best Norwegian beer you can get. Beautiful, very dark reddish brown colour, moderate carbonation. Complex aroma and flavour, hints of spices, oak and liqourice. Very well balanced. Great aftertaste.

Mar 17, 2003
05:49:17 PM
7323 Warsteiner Premium Verum Germany Bohemian / Czech Pilsener 2.7

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 5 | Flavor: 4 | Overall: 5

A strange metallic bitterness makes this hyped lager no favourite of mine.

Mar 17, 2003
05:37:17 PM
7324 Chimay Cinq Cents (White) Belgium Abbey Tripel 4.2

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 9 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 8

Spicy and peppery are the key words here. An interesting brew, something quite out of the ordinary - but given the choice, I would most definitely still prefer the Chimay Blue.

Mar 17, 2003
05:32:17 PM
7325 Chimay Grande Réserve (Blue) Belgium Belgian Strong Ale 4.7

Aroma: 9 | Appearance: 10 | Mouthfeel: 9 | Flavor: 10 | Overall: 9

An outstanding beer, very close to "perfect". I agree with all the positive things said by other reviewers, and has little more to add. The spicy, oaky complexity of the aroma and flavour is "out of this world". Wonderful, lingering aftertaste. Alcohol is well hidden. Simply exceptional!

Mar 17, 2003
05:28:17 PM