De Struise, Black Albert

A desert island stout. I had the 2013 version (I'm guessing?) at new year 2013/2014 (preceded by some Laurent Perrier) and another a few months later. The first was out of the fridge and left to stand for 15mins or so, the second at 14°C (approx). 2 very different experiences in taste terms. The appearance is standard: butterscotch head, oily and black pour. For my first bottle, there was only a minimal nose but it increased throughout. Coffee. Dark sugar + dried fruit (raisins). Balanced with burnt malt and a coffee bitterness. Meat: marmite and dried mushroom. This was one of my first 'Belgian stouts', so the high(ish) carbonation was a bit weird (having been used to Kernel impy brown slickness). Occasionallly in the drinking, it reminded me of a supercharged Guinness Foreign Export. Overall impression was sweetness and stickiness, good but not blown away.

My second bottle however: oh my days. The hops appeared and changed the thing entirely. A powerful nose this time - rainwater mushrooms and grassy hops, some nail varnish. The taste was as above in places but more akin to a well made cappucino with hops. Some liquorice at the death but I could live with that. I've bought up a few bottles of the 2015 vintage - I can confirm that it's just as good and I'm quite smug in the knowledge that I still have 3 bottles waiting.

Mikkeller, Black Hole

Barnstorming impy from Mikkeller. First had it on keg in Copenhagen. Mushroom, coffee and fruit nose, possibly some hops. Medium carbonation. Taste is coffee, only sight choc, some wood then hopping: citrus and pine. Super body with a long finish (both the roasted and hopped varieties). NB: not a DBIPA, this is certainly a stout. Very possibly one of the best impys out there, but at £10/11 (or more probably) for a 375ml bottle (you know who you are), it's bit of a piss take I'm afraid. Worth about £7 IMO.

Mikkeller, Imperial IPA Centennial

Another smashing DIPA (imperial) from Mikkeller, every bit as good as their Nelson. Super strong fragrance, low carb, robust mouthfeel. Orange, grapefruit and pine. Long, very bitter finish. These are possibly the best DIPAs around.

Camden, 2013 Tripel

Drank this back in March. Fruity, yeasty, bordering on medicinal. Soft carb (uncharacteristicly) but decent mouthfeel. No booze. Birthday present from Vicky, shared with Vicky!

Brasserie Fantôme, Saison

A very popular Belgian saison, particularly in the US I understand. It's pretty 'complex' I suppose - there's a small sourness going on (cider vinegar on the nose), ripe orange, sweaty farmhouse (brett?) - the taste is kind of all over the shop. It's kind of cool though - I quite like the jumbly nature of it. It's not heavy going like the Moneuse, even though it's a similar abv and the colours aren't particularly dissimilar. After I'd acclimatised to it, my overriding impressions was that of a dry hopped saison: overripe fruit style hoppage - some pineapple, sweetness (malts?), acidity too. Finsh was bitter, some more hops there too iirc. Warming but not overly boozy. A warm up drink would do well I think. Fantastic saison overall. I have another one.

Brasserie de Balugies, Moneuse

Dark orange pour, yeasty aroma + ripe fruit. Mouthfeel is heavy. High carbonation (obv). Taste is yeast, saison (:/), some fruit, but no funk/sweat/barnyard (unlike the D'Epeautre). Some bitterness in the finish. Hard to drink all if this. A bière de garde rather than a saison? I do like Blaugies though - hope to one day get hold of that one they did with Hill Farmstead.

Brasserie de Blaugies, Saison d'Epeautre

Big fat pop as the cork came off! No gush though. Purchased from Bottledog for a semi-decent £6.50. Sweet + sweaty nose, light body. Taste had some funk, coriander?? Quite sweet and some yeast. Small bitterness in the finish. Dry. Good. Will buy again.

Brasserie Dupont, Moinette Biologique

Probably a belgian golden ale rather than a saison I think. My notes say "solid strong belgian beer". Pleased with the photograph though - took me ages to balance the damn thing.

Brasserie Dupont, Avec Les Bon Voeux

Don't drink this often enough unfortunately. Have had a bottle every Christmas since 2013, planning to have another this year to make 3 years on the trot. An easy 4.5/5 this beer, love it. Can't pronounce that last word in the name though.

Brasserie Dupont, Saison Dupont Cuvée Dry Hopping 2014

Shit-the-bed good, this saison. Shading the Elusive/Weird Beard collab on vicosity and mouthfeel, this 2014 cuvée was hopped with wohle challenger hops for big marmalade and dank orange aromas and taste, married with Dupont farmhouse signature yeastiness. 2015 wasn't quite as pungent (Minstrel hops from the UK) but still excellent. This drink is released in April/May and I tend to get hold of one towards the end of the year so I'm not even drinking them at their freshest...