Beers on the train

When we took the train to Enköping last saturday I brought two bottles of beer with me and Per brought some sandwhiches. The sandwhich was really nice with some nice high quality blue cheese and beer sausage.

The sandwhich.

Estrella Damm Inedit 4,8%

It poured a hazy golden liquid with a big foam that left allot of lacing. The smell was fresh with a hint of citrus. It tasted sweet and malty. Very fresh and easy to drink but a bit to bland to get a better score. I can definitely see myself drinking this on a spanish beach though.

Total: 2,9/5

Biere Nouvelle 8%

It poured a clear golden liquid with a nice big bubbly foam, which left big chunks of foam on the side of the glass. The smell was very weak. The taste was maly with a dry bitterness and a warm alcoholic finnish. At the end it had a hint of sour apples which tickled the top of my mouth.

Total: 3,2/5

Testing La Goudale, Stella and Milk Stout

I have a couple of fun tests coming up but I’m either missing a bottle to make it a full set or the quantity of beer is too large for a solo test. Yesterday I was running out of beer to drink so I headed off to Systembolaget to buy me a couple of beers. I went for the beers I’ve tried before but forgotten what they tasted like. First up was la Goudale (7,2%) from Gayant.

Background: It is a Biére de Gardé which translates to “beer to preserve”. According to Micheal Jacksons book “Beer”, this type of beers works wonders with lamb. But unfortunately I rarely eat lamb so I haven’t been able to try it out.

Apperance: Clear golden colour with a medium foam, which left a nice lacing.

Smell: The smell is very faint, either I'm sick or this smelled like water.

Taste: Has an alcoholic taste, also bread, malty with a hint of pears or apples. The aftertaste had a hint of honey. The taste improved when the temperature went up.

An easy to drink beer, it’s not bad but slightly boring.
Total: 2.8/5

While drinking the above beer I made some homemade pizza and I figured a lager would be suitable. So I opened a Stella Artois (5,2%), a beer I last had 8 years ago. I think I know why now…

Background: Stella has roots all the way back to 1366 and the founding of the brewery Den Horen (the Horn); the symbol for the brewery is visible on the label. In 1717 Sebastian Artois, the current brew master bought the brewery and changed its name. 1926 the beer Stella Artois was introduced. The brewery has since then grown and later on came to merger with another brewery creating InBev.

Apperance: Clear yellow colour, big foam that disappeared fast and left a lacing.

Smell: Had a very weak smell, almost not existent.

Taste: Had a lean and slightly bitter taste which saves it, besides that it was very watery and boring. Probably the worst Belgian beer I’ve ever tasted. However it has the highest score for a lager so far. But I haven’t tested many lagers seriously so far.

Total: 2/5

After those two beers I wanted something better so I pulled out a Milk Stout (5,2%) from Left Hand Brewery. Also a beer I haven’t tried for several years.

Background: The brewery is named after Chief Niwot whose tribe wintered in the area close to the brewery. The name Left Hand is derived from the southern Arapaoe word “Niwot”, meaning Left Hand.

Apperance: Black colour and small light brown foam.

Smell: Smells of dark chocolate, tobacco, smoke and a burned smell I can't describe.

Taste: Tastes of dark bitter chocolate and left a smoked/burned aftertaste in my mouth. A lean but dry beer and I really liked it.

Total: 3,7/5