The Conversion: 6.0 – It’s a sour. About as basic a sour as you can get, and the spare point is because it’s well executed enough to not have any glaring issues. There’s nothing too crazy or extremely flavorful going on here sadly.
Price Average: $16
Website: http://www.farmhousebeer.com/
Queen of the Seven Kingdoms: 7.0 – Now we are a more long form review site, very rarely paying attention to hip new things, but we have fallen into the Game of Thrones Marketing trap with this purchase. (Being from Ommegang helps immensely) We will be continuing this 4-pack for the next 3 weeks because we already reviewed one.
As for the beer itself as a sour it’s not too crazy, but as a blonde it’s quite unique. The citrus is lovely and overall it’s simply a well executed beer as expected from Ommegang.
Price Average: $25 for 4-pack with glass
Website: http://www.ommegang.com/
DMD Target Bond: 3.25 – This is an odd one. It is not as actively hated as other beers, and there are certainly those that are far worse. The uniqueness also implies that for someone this is exactly as desired. That’s because the closest way to describe this beer is a mix of birch beer and stale cigarettes, with more cig than birch. It’s unclear why this is, but at least it’s distinctive we guess?
Price Average: $10
Website: http://www.fantome.be/
Orval Trappist Ale: 6.0 – There’s a nice hoppy aspect to this, but it’s not gone crazy with it, and most of that is just a small lingering aftertaste for what is otherwise an easy to drink beer. Beyond that bit of flavor though there’s not much going on and it feels rather ‘short’ and near tasteless, which could be a boon to not realize how much you’ve had.
Price Average: $8
Website: http://www.orval.be/
Grain Reaper: 4.0 – The barley wine style certainly has an input here but that barrel aging just overrides so much. It’s just an awkward blend of sugar and malt
Price Average: $12
Website: https://springdalebeer.com/
Pannepot Old Fisherman’s Ale: 3.0 – It is certainly a bit too ‘rich’ by way of being a tad too mellow and sweet to enjoy drinking, especially a full pint. There is some spices here (chocolate, nutmeg, mint?), but you only get it at the very end. Overall, not a fan of the beer, but it was much nicer used in making a gravy. It might have simply sat for too long though (5-6 years)
Price Average: $4 half bottle
Website: http://struisebrouwers.be/
Ola Dubh Special Reserve 16: 1.0 – Well if Highland Park (the most baseline scotch) is what’s used – how does that affect this beer? Well it removed all head. However we’re sad to report that as for aging a beer in whiskey falling on the side of sweet or successfuly, this is far too sweet. There are some nice flavors there, but it’s all so overshadowed, and quite frankly the rest of this beer was poured out.
Price Average: $10
Website: https://harviestoun.com/
Grimbergen Dubbel: 6.5 – This is actually a delight, and very delicious. Points however have been taken off because this on that list of beers where it’s difficult to finish, and suicide to have more than one. That’s because this beer is like a warm candied molasses cookie transmuted into a beer. It’s not even like over sugared or sickeningly sweet, it is just peak Christmas beer (yes we’re aware it’s March), and is invariably tasty.
Price Average: $7.50 draft
Website: https://www.grimbergenbeer.com/
Baroque Belgique Pale Ale: 3.0 – The side of the bottle says to open like a champagne bottle, what it really means is that as soon as that wire cap is loose, duck + cover. If that wasn’t an indication of the head be warned it’s a big dome, literally spent the first 10 minutes to get a glass, and you do have to wait because that head is bitter. The beer itself is very hoppy, a bit bitter, and you only get a twinge of that brettsour at the very tail end. Overall this is a miss.
Price Average: $13
Website: https://www.greenflashbrew.com/
Honest Weight Lightworks: 3.5 – It’s a blonde ale, but it’s more like a blonde ‘joke’ ale (as in there’s not a lot of substance there and it feels cheap). Beyond the small bit of a malt-ness, there’s just not much to go on.
Price Average: $8 draft
Website: http://www.honestweightbeer.com/