The Mad Brewer Explores the Low Countries
Kulminator

November 6, 1998

Just a short walk down the street (don't ask me which one) from Cammerporte Pension, the pub with the larges good beer selection I know of.

The last time I was here, I signed up for the mailing list, and now I get a card from Dirk on my birthday every year.  It's good for a free draught beer.  So I brought him a bottle of "Old Crustacian" from Rouge Brewing, and presented it to him as a thank you gift.

After a while Chris showed up, so we kind of got carried away with some of the aged beers.

Gulden Draak: 270 BFr/75 cl, 11 %, and a ton of malt in every bottle. How do they do that?

Bornem Trippel:
My draught birthday beer (brewed by Van Sttenbeerge, of course) weighs in at 9%.  A lot of character, and not of hint of the sugary finish of lesser tripples.  Doesn't even taste alcoholic.  Note: This is the same beer as Agustin Grand Cru.

Gordon Christmas Ale (draught)
Very dark, very cold.  No spices, not sure what makes this a christmas beer, or different from the Scotch Ale from the same brewery.

Goudenband '83
625 Bfr/1.5L, 8%
Winey flavor is not intense as the aroma, which shows sour, cherry.  Dry aftertaste, but no astringency.  Rather delicate, but no noticeable oxidation.  Lots of carbonation, but all in the head, none stays in solution after the pour.  Foam is very bitter!  No sugar in this beer.

Rodenbach Grand Cru '81
160 Bfr/25 cl, 6.5%
Very sour complex aroma, sharp and lively flavor.

Rodenback Grand Cru, New
Sweeter, not as sharp.  Very nice, but lacks the complexity of the '81.  Aroma is much more subtle.  Toffe aroma as it warms up.

Deneve Gueze '85
Dry sour flavor.  Tinny aroma.  bitter.  Not much good to say about this one.

St Benedict '86 Levure
33 cl, 6.5%, "The last bottle"
A bit watery, malty.  De Kluse Hoegaarden.

Campbell's Barley Wine '83
Great malty flavor.  In wonderful condition.

Cantillon '78
In very good condition.  Well, a lot better than me, anyway.

Mannikin Pis
Yea, I know this is in Brussels, but I don't have any pictures of the Kulminator.