How do I explain this site to people?

"It is one man's journey to figure out what the best Belgian beer in the world is
(whether it comes from Belgium or not.)"
At one point in my life I had not tasted the sweet elixir which is a Belgian Style beer. My very first description of my first glass was - in a nasally voice-cracking nerdy tone -
"It tastes like bananas; but I like it."
No I was not prepubescent at the time but I certainly was green. It was in my youthful days of college, in Sonoma County, where I first tasted "Belgian Style Ale." At a small (although apparently world acclaimed) brewery called Russian River.
The beer: Damnation.
I did not realize what I had at that pub, great pizza, magnificent beer. It also opened me up to a new world of Belgian beer. Soon I was drinking Chimays and Unibroues and Ommegangs and Duvels. Enjoying each along the way. And now I continue that journey with a purpose:
To find the best Belgian beer in the world!

Monday, May 24, 2010

Belgians On The Road vol. 1

Travel vol 1

Russian river
Santa Rosa ca

On Saturday before the wedding in Hopland, I had a bite to eat and a couple of beers at Russian River in Santa Rosa, while Tempa was at the mall buying a last minute sweater. What an absolute treat! I sat down as soon as a bar table became available, which took a minute, and I had to vulture it, because they were packed on a Saturday afternoon. I ordered beer bites immediately (the greatest garlicky, sliced up, cheese pizza with warm marinara dipping sauce in the world. On a limb I say they're the best thing on the menu, better than their regular pizzas. They have a notoriously slow kitchen (I just think it's smaller than it needs to be.) but I also ordered a consecration, because it's one of their Belgians I have not had. Tasting notes:


Consecration 10%
dark sour aged cab barrels

Dark brown
No head from the draft
Smells like sour cherries
Tastes tart, but smooth (not like vomit ;))
Tartness masks the alcohol completely
Drinkable but barely
More of an experience than anything else

So that was something. The beer bites were exquisite, both because they are and because I had already enjoyed most of the 10% beer on an empty stomach. Tempa had not arrived yet, so I ordered another beer:
Temptation 7.25%
barrel aged sour blonde
No head, again, honey colored
Not much of a scent, smells a little sweet, not sour
Surprisingly tart, not so much as Cosecration.
Certainly more palatable but just beyond, again, what I would call an everyday beer, just a tad too tart

In the mean time chatted with some dude named Gary, nice fellow, about baseball on beer (Giants/A's game on - A's winning.) But Tempa finally arrived and helped me finish off the second beer and the beer bites. It was a beautiful time. Maybe not the most complete post of all time, but then again this is about me, and the beer. I will not rank these two beers for a couple reasons, but mainly because as Belgians go, with regards to my mission, the were out there. Wonderful experiments in the limits of Belgian Style Ale!
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1 comment:

  1. Gibson-USMay 25, 2010 at 11:47 AM

    I also can only take so much of the sours. I find that they are fun at first, but start hurting my tongue after awhile. Perhaps my tongue needs more conditioning?

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