Glazen Toren Ondineke Tripel

Glazen Toren Ondineke Tripel Ale.

Here's one I first tried on my birthday last year, courtesy of Brad the Beerguy. He just pulled out a 1.5 liter bottle of this (!), and I shared it with friends. Then, the Beerguy went back to his car and brought another one! This I saved in my fridge for months (on it's side, above the fruit tray...too big to stand up!) for a special tasting with a couple of friends. I tried to take notes (something I don't like to do among company), but never posted them, because they just didn't make the cut. (Wait, I just found them on my computer! You ready? Here they come..."Ondineke

Hazed amber. copper…slimmed ring of whitish head.

Aroma: spice, fruit, yeast. dry, even-tempered. all in check. 

Taste: dry and spice, wild and funky, crazy, messed up and earthy. Malt aplenty, chalky, aspirin, high hops…")

Yup. Didn't make the cut. 

Luckily, the distributor came through with some kegs for me, and this one is the final beer of this Belg-a-Rama #10 that I have yet to cover. (It's the fourth in the series so far, after Angelique dubbel, Jan de Lichte wit, and Erpe Mere saison.)

A unique beer, an atypical tripel, (full name: Ondineke Oilsjtersen Tripel (Tripel from Aalst) with an unusual name, and label art. After much searching, I learned it's named for a character in a book by a local author, and the drawing is a depiction of this "Ondineke" character. Still looks extremely odd. Did they ever translate it from the Flemish. I'd be interested to know why this beloved heroine is pigtailed, nude and possessed of strangely long fingers.

 Alas, this might not be the perfect glass for a tripel, but it is the only one I have with the Glazen Toren logo. So, I'm using it.

Gorgeous golden cast, with a constant stream of bubbling, and big snowy white head, starts large, drifts down, leaving lace.

Aroma: a perfect marriage of spice and citrus, soft and sensual. Some pepper, some coriander, geting close with orange and lemon, sliding into the nose and tickling it. Sharp, tangy, then a little sweet.

Many things in the mouth. Sparkling, spicy, sweet, juicy, then dry as she goes. Fruit goes hand in hand with spice, and it quits the palate with a quickness, drying off, yet enticing another sip. Gets more and more lemon-y as we go deeper in. Each new meet and greet on the tongue smack the lips and palate again with small amounts of spice, large amounts of fruit, that swiftly turns dry and begs it's pardon on the way. Lingers lightly. Spreads just enough of it's particular pleasure along the palate to urge on further consumption, and spread further delights.

I'm liking these Glazen Toren beers. Though expensive, they're definitely worth the drinking. There's a few more out there I haven't tried, but they won't escape my grasp, I can assure you.

Glazen Toren Cuvee Angelique Dubbel

Kleinbrouwerij de Glazen Toren, Erpe-Mere, Belgium.

Lovely russet brown coloring, bright ruby red highlights, beautiful off-white foam, lace-leaving. 

Aromatics: soft and creamy, vanilla and spice. Some caramel, a little date. Nice. Very nice.

Taste: Mellow, rounded and groovy. Flavors of apple, molasses, brown sugar. Caramel. Spice, pepper. Raisin and plum.Keen malty flavor, with a great buzz of hoppiness, matched with yeast character. This is a great little tango, medium malt body, sweetness kept in check with hop bitterness, dark fruit and mild cocoa flavor dominates. 

It's hard to really make a clear call on this one, for it's unlike any other beer I've ever had, and doesn't fit any style there is. A conundrum, a challenge, and a call to clear the mind and seek out every aspect.

It seems close to an abbey dubbel, but lacks the depth or sweetness. Not that that should be a detriment, not everything has to be thick and rich. This is elegance, it's classic, it's sui generis. 

At first I thought I had the key to this, when I read of it's origins as a doubled version of an old style called "speciale belge", and how it wasn't truly an abbey dubbel. But now, I'm getting just enough like one, and a whole lot apart from that, that still spells a terrific Belgian dark ale, regardless of the label. 

This is elegant, sophisticated, clean, clear and purposeful. It just is. Damn good, that is. Wow. 

Every Glazen Toren beer I've had has been like this, utterly unique and colored outside the lines. This is what's great about Belgian beers, and Kleinbrouwerij Glazen Toren is an excellent example of the non-conformist spirit of Belgian brewing. 

Glazen Toren Saison d'Erpe Mere

Here's another one I'm trying for the first time after putting it on tap. A 30 liter keg, and on the expensive side. We're doing 10 oz pours, in order to use the glassware. I hope it catches on.

Beautiful saison. Bright golden, highly hazed, slim ivory head.

Aromatics, light lemon and orange, delicate spice. Lovely. Particularly peppery, fragrantly fruity.

Taste: Mmmm, Meaty mouthfeel, while being watery enough for the style. Luscious citrus fruit dominates, with spice kicking in behind. Starts easy, gets more complex sitting in the mouth. Slight bitterness. Growing spice. Then turning just a little sweet.

Very interesting beer, this. Incredibly complex and refreshing, all at once.

Keeping it short and simple, all I need to say is: it's good, drink it.

Glazen Toren Jan de Lichte witbier

Belg-a-Rama begins again. I've covered two of them already, St. Bernardus abt 12 and De Dolle Dulle Teve (our first De Dolle keg!). Four to go, including one beer I've never had before. So, let's kick it off with a beer I first had in a bottle back in August of 2006. And here it is, pictured in my hand, fresh off tap, now in 2011. What a world, what a world...

Slightly hazed, bold and gold, under a huge, though crumbling pillow of froth.

Honey and lemon hit the nose first. Zesty, citric, clean, lightly spiced, he says at first, but growing. Sweet, floral, large and lovely.

Lemon is big in the mouth, almost too much so, and the rest of the flavors fall behind it. Body is too wispy and light, easily described as thin. But each new sip and gulp is a treat, despite the overbearing lemon at the front. Spicy kick in there. Nice texture, too. Really plays well on the palate.

Hoppy, spicy finish, body doesn't feel as thin as before...this is a beer that gets better as you drink it. Larger alcohol than a typical wit, but, then , this is a "double."

Drinks down very easy, with sufficient flavor the keep the tongue happy.

Don't know if I can taste the spelt in here...I'm sure I wouldn't know how to, though. All in all, a recommended Belgian wit, one I will purchase again, to share with a friend on a special night.