Weird Beard, Rye Smile

A genuine surpise - this beer was absolutely delicious. Vicky and I have shared 2 bottles of this so far and i sincerely hope I can track down some more. Lovely Gold Bears (very ripe clementine) and sherry aromas, viscous mouthfeel with good carb, sipping only. Some peppery spice, desert wine sweetness followed beautifully by symbiotic bitterness. Need more.

De Struise, Delphine Cuvée

I hate Goose Island Bourbon County. I loved the Magic Rock Bourbon Bearded Lady. This one had me trepidatious: Black Albert (blog post pending) is a hallowed drink for me, almost shading the Kernel 1856. I took a guess that this'd be a sweeter version thereof, but had hopes that the chaps from Vleteren wouldn't let me down and make it something less Goose Island and more Magic Rock. I bought 3 bottles just to be sure and it was.....somewhere in the middle.

I mightn't buy this again, perhaps if I saw it on tap somewhere I'd be tempted. (Unless it was at a Craft Beer Co where I'd almost certainly have to mortgage my coat to drink a half. Stupid Craft Beer Co.)

Buxton, Battle Horse

Ever since a trip to Denmark where I sampled the glorious Mofo Stout, I've always expected my ideal drink to be a DBIPA, although up until now, I'd never actually had one. I've discovered that Kernel did one but I'd not seen any other versions until this one from Buxton. It was excellent of course, low viscosity, big DIPA character with burnt malt bitterness at the edges. An Untappd friend described it as 'a DIPA but black', which is more or less spot on: the 'black' characteristics were very much at the sidelines.

(On a purely personal note - as much as I fiended for this drink upon discovering it, the actual experience of drinking wasn't particularly epiphanic. I think my tastes (currently) lie with saisons, so as excellent as Battle Horse is, the lack of effusery in this post is possibly down to some sort of lupulin fatigue syndrome rather than indifference.)