Zinnebir - Brasserie de la Senne

Bierman9

New Hampshire

3.55/5  rDev -12.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

This little bastard was poured from a green, 750ml bottle. Unable to find any bottling date, though the label was a bit disheveled. Bottle was capped and also corked; easily opened. Into the goblet, Zinnebir is a deep golden, apricot hued brew. Has a touch of haze within. There's a plentiful procession of carbo rising up, as some particulate heads in the opposite direction, seeking refuge at the bottom of the gob. A hard pour produces a mammoth, healthy head, an off-white dollop of meringue which slowly ebbs while leaving a lovely trace o' lace in the glass. Nose is not fully forthcoming, but gives off some bready touches along with a hint of ginger and some flowery action. Body was a smidge south of medium, with a light, airy, bubbly feel on the tongue.

Taste is lightly crackery, with some mild fruitiness also acting up. Some mild apple, and a lick of pear come out to play. A miniscule touch of a peppery character comes out, with some flowery hops laying down some bitter background notes in a very dry finish.

Overall? A somewhat better than average bier, but nothing to lose sleep for if you're trying to find it.

Zum Wohl!!

overall: 3.7
appearance: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | mouthfeel: 3.5 | drinkability: 3.5

945

Serving type: bottle

11-26-2006 20:32:38 | More by Bierman9

BuckeyeNation

Iowa

4.13/5  rDev +2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Significantly hazy, yeast-choked, well-bubbled rich amber. I love it when there's so much visual interest after the pour. Who needs perfectly clear, filtered-to-within-an-inch-of-its-life beer anyway? The eggnog colored head is richly creamy and is equally as lovely as the beer on which it rests, possibly more so. Large, pearl-like bubbles occupy the upper surface and result in big, soft craters when they pop.

Since the brewer eschews anything that isn't named malt, hops or yeast, the invigorating spiciness of the beer has to be due to an especially lively strain of yeast. While it doesn't quite have the chops of the best of this style, it's a damn fine nose all the same.

Zinnebir is relatively simple and straightforward (that isn't a knock) and is a wonderful Belgian pale ale that should be a pleasure all the way to the bottom of the bottle. It's unripe apple and pear fruity with a dry crispness that was expected once I learned that no candi sugar was added. It isn't especially parching though, so some amount of pale malt sugar made it through unscathed.

Beer of this style (if it isn't highly hopped like De Ranke XX Bitter) is often dependent on a quality yeast strain to provide zip and the zing. This one is up to the task and gives off spicy flavors of clove and cardamom. Speaking of hops, there's quite a bit of floral, grassy, noble goodness keeping things on the bitingly bitter side. A wee lack of complexity isn't necessarily a negative when the beer is this delicious and this drinkable.

Given the surfeit of bubbles, I would have thought the mouthfeel would have been more light and airy. It feels fine, it's just that it isn't as lush or as silky as it could be. No barrier to drinkability here either.

Zinnebir is a solid offering from the relatively new Brouwerij Sint-Pieters. It's a classic, back to basics, well-constructed pale ale that is disappearing with effortless ease. I'll be sure to be on the lookout for more of Mr. Bernard Leboucq's creations since it's obvious that he knows what good beer is all about.

Serving type: bottle

11-18-2006 16:18:55 | More by BuckeyeNation

Absumaster

Netherlands

3.2/5  rDev -21%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

This beer has a murky orange color with a big lasting head that sticks to the glass.

Smell is graint and yeasty with maybe some wheat in it. A slightly malty nose and some oxidation (cardboard).

Taste is bitter and yeasty, with some acidity that somehow complements the beer in a strange way. I could taste some oxidation in this beer, together with the slight acidity, I suspect this was an old bottle. Also given the previous reviews. Aftertaste is dry and grainy. Just an average blond, if not gone bad.

Serving type: bottle

10-26-2006 07:07:26 | More by Absumaster

OldSock

District of Columbia

4.13/5  rDev +2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance – 750 ml bottle poured into a pint glass. While the frothy white head falls quickly into the clear (gets hazier on successive pours) golden beer it manages to leave some nice sticky lacing behind.

Smell – Slightly mineral, with spicy Belgian yeast. Underneath the primary aromas there is a solid toasted malt backbone with some complimentary spicy noble hops. Simple and balanced.

Taste – Yeast character dominates, spicy almost peppery with some mild banana esters. The hops meld well with the yeast and water making it hard to tell what aspect to attribute to each component. The malt provides a clean base for the beer, but doesn't add much complexity. Dry, rather bitter, and not too close to anything else that I have had.

Mouthfeel – Lively carbonation does a good job concealing the light body.

Drinkability & Notes – Refreshing, but I wish that I had chilled this down colder that 60. Always nice to try a beer from a new brewery, hopefully we'll be seeing more from them in the future.

Serving type: bottle

09-17-2006 03:06:53 | More by OldSock

MABZ

Nebraska

4.53/5  rDev +11.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

This is a good Belgian blonde. Pours to a hazy golden peachy color. I poured gently but still ended up with an assload of sediment. Has a nice fluffy white head that sticks around for quite a while and leaves an awesome lacing.

The smell is interesting. No bullshit, just barley, hops, water, and yeast. Has a nice sweetness with good grassy, herbal hop aroma. The flavor is just as well. Very nice malt flavor with just the right amount of hops.

Very creamy and full bodied. Awesome mouthfeel. I have really enjoyed this beer and will probably try it again in the future. Very drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

07-03-2006 06:05:29 | More by MABZ

dogfooddog

Panama

4.05/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

750ml dated 16NOV2004, about a year out of date but lets see how it is.

large white head, active carbonation both in glass and in bottle. citrusy almost grapefruit-like odor, with floral overtones.

taste is mild bittery hops with hints of flowers, and a general barnyard feel to this taste. finish is also bitter and slightly spicy later into it. overall this is a fairly bitter beer.

this is a better-than-average belgian blonde/pale ale, well worth trying.

Serving type: bottle

05-27-2006 00:00:52 | More by dogfooddog

Billolick

New York

4.1/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Large bottle, capped, and without freshness dating. Pours yeasty cloudy, light orangey amber, with a light tan slight head and leaving fine and scattered lacing. Nose is of bright lime peals and grapefuit pith. Ultra smooth and rounded mouthfeel, earthy with soft notes of mellow malts, nutty yeastyness, honey, spice and peppery hops late. Spicy long finish. Complex and refined brew. Easy drinking and tasty Belgian. Beginner friendly Belgian. Well worth a try. Would be fine with a lunch of salads, cheese and whatever else you feel like.

Serving type: bottle

04-16-2006 23:03:01 | More by Billolick

putnam

Michigan

5/5  rDev +23.5%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Deep yellow with a thick topping of white. Candy cane minty aromas play with a pungent pale malty malt wine perfume (is he using La Choulette yeast here?). Tropical fruits, cream, vanilla, butter, honey ... this is like a beer version of a Thevenet Macon or Weinbach Gewurz. The texture is cream fluff. Trying to isolate any instance of gaseous prickle is difficult, but it can be seen. Piles of sweet green apple flesh bind to anise and green herbs flavors. Big pear notes. Appetizing, leafy bitterness resists drawing attention to itself. Light pastry dough texture and flavors keep pale honey sweetness lifted and clean. Pure, wholesome and natural drinkability. This item defies Belgian beer stereotypes deliciously. What a find!

Serving type: bottle

02-19-2006 22:39:43 | More by putnam

kmcnair

California

4.38/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

33cl bottle purchased over the summer of 05 while visiting Brussels.

Pours a light copper color and makes a fluffy white head, bubbles vary in size with some being quite large. Aroma is very full of green apple esters and sour fruits, light bready yeast and a bit of banana. Really interesting flavor, some of the apple from the nose carries over, nice chewy caramel malts, and the yeast seems very much like the one used by Dogfish Head. Light to medium body with peppery carbonation and has a really nice dry finish. Damn, this is good and I would love to try it again. Offers everything I like about a Belgian Pale and then throws in some curves that really makes it unique.

Serving type: bottle

12-16-2005 07:00:53 | More by kmcnair

paterlodie

Belgium

4/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Botteled Oct 19 2004. Best till 6 months after filling so well 6 months overtime but it was most of the time in my fridge. Good presentation with nice and lasting white head and golden/bronze beercollor with some particles in it. Nose is strange and heavy straw, hops, alcohol, allmond and even after this time still some hops. Taste is phenolic, whinelike, strong for 5.5% with hints of maltyness and probably quiet some candy making this one enjoyable but quiet strange.Good and balanced mouthfeel and a pleasure to drink. Certainly worthwile trying once IMO.

Serving type: bottle

11-24-2005 18:18:34 | More by paterlodie

elNopalero

Texas

3.9/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This pours a golden blonde with a pillow of foam. The aroma is estery with citrus notes present.

The flavor has a bit of spice, some citrus notes, a pronounced dry finish and an apparent bitterness without a hoppy presence (all bitterness and little aroma). This was a fun, flavorful and approachable little brew.

Serving type: on-tap

05-18-2012 19:53:27 | More by elNopalero

woosterbill

Connecticut

4.28/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On-tap at a restaurant in Brussels - I didn't catch the name. Served in a De La Senne goblet.

A: Hazy gold body under two inches of creamy white head. Strong retention, tons of lace. Gorgeous.

S: Fresh, vibrant, grassy; herbal hops are prominent, with some faint apple and tangerine. Very nice indeed.

T: Bready malt, huge grassiness, a touch of fruit, and a dry, phenolic, intensely bitter finish. Very crisp, but perhaps a bit too bitter.

M: Frothy, lively, and pretty smooth medium body.

O: While I found the intense bitterness to be a bit much, overall this was a really fantastic beer. Truly dynamic.

Cheers!

Serving type: on-tap

04-03-2012 14:24:31 | More by woosterbill

sfi

4.18/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

I currently live in Bruxelles, and this is definitiely my favourite Belgian beer on draught. I had tasted it in London before, bottle version, it wasn't as good as on draught. Loving American style pale ales, but also Belgian ales, this is just the good compromise and I never doubt when I have to order at the Bar. I find the draught versione, at least the way they serve it at my local in Bxl, way superior compared to the bottled one (of which I had really many)

Aspect: It comes out a bit cloudy, it is not a clear, transparent drink. I read this upset someone, I think it is a proof of the genuiness of the brewing process - the guys started brewing in a squat and recently moved to a larger place.
It hasn't much of a head, just couple of fingers of throath that fade away after few seconds.

Nose: Pretty plain, to my nose. Weedy and flowery, couldn't say more.

Taste: Hearty, weedy and bodily flowered. Sour finish, smooth body with notes of dark fruits, pomegranate but without its crispness. Instead, a quite robust body deriving from the yeast. I don't know what hops they use, it reminds me of some Kiwi/Aussie hops. Whatever it is, it's good and tasty.

On draught the yeast and bitterness don't come out as well as on tap. When I drank it from bottle it was crispier and less marked flavour-wise. I definitely reccomend the draught one, even if it is damn good also in bottles.

Serving type: on-tap

04-02-2012 18:19:28 | More by sfi

MsRif

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev -7.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Had on-tap at Teresa's Next Door in Wayne, PA. Poured a clear yellow color with a moderate white head that retained well and left very nice lacing. Had an aroma of earthy/floral hops, yeast and spices. Tasted of dark fruits, yeast, spices and earthy hops. Definitely more bitter than the XMas variety of this brew.

On the lighter side of medium-bodied with moderate carbonation. Overall, a tasty brew that is a nice representation of the style.

Serving type: on-tap

12-19-2011 00:20:46 | More by MsRif

jlindros

Massachusetts

3.65/5  rDev -9.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Had on tap at Armsby Abbey Ho-Ho Belgian Christmas.

Big fluffy soapy head with tons of lacing, super hazy dark ruby red bright color.

Nose is light, light reddish malts, bit fruity dark fruits and light straw like, hints of earthy hops.

Taste brings herbal hops, earthy, decent bitterness, chewy hops, almost medicinal herbal, light dark fruits, raisin, kinda sweet, not really balanced, a bitter mess. Finishes biter, spicy chewy herbal hops, light sticky sweet syrup, hint of fruit.

Mouth is med bodied, decent carb.

Overall meh, not my style herbal earthy hops, too bitter and sweet bit not really balanced

Serving type: on-tap

12-15-2011 03:37:43 | More by jlindros

Thorpe429

Illinois

4.3/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

On tap at Moeder Lambic Fontainas during our trip to Belgium last week. Reviewed from notes.

Served in a De La Senne cervoise.

Pours a clear yellow with a huge, fluffy white head and great lacing on the way down. Thin cap throughout.

Bright floral hops start the nose off along with a bit of pepper and spice from the yeast. A bit of earth there as well.

Body is light and crisp with a dry and bitter finish. Overall, fairly similar to the Allagash collaboration, but with continental rather than American hops. Quite tasty.

Serving type: on-tap

09-15-2011 13:38:41 | More by Thorpe429

Rifugium

Pennsylvania

3.98/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

First had: on tap at Monk's, Philly, PA

Poured golden with a white head, some lacing. Aroma of citrus hops and a bit of sugar. Taste of citrus, floral qualities, light spice and breadiness. Pleasant, light-medium mouthfeel with a bit of carbonation that didn't seem out of place. Very drinkable.

Serving type: on-tap

04-30-2011 19:30:47 | More by Rifugium

jrallen34

Illinois

3.75/5  rDev -7.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

On tap in Brussels...A dark gold with a huge fluffy white head, god retention, lacing is excellent...A light aroma of yeast and tons of lemons...Taste is lightly sweet, almost boring, but finish is strong, bitter hops show off nicely. Slightly boring to start but then some good flavor. An above average pale.

Serving type: on-tap

12-01-2010 22:57:27 | More by jrallen34

TheManiacalOne

Rhode Island

4.15/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On-tap 10/13/2010 at Julian's in Providence, RI, served in a tulip glass.

A: The beer is a bright gold/orange color, with a large white head that fades slowly and leaves a thick but spotty lace on the glass.

S: The aroma contains light malts, Belgian yeast, some spice and some hops.

T: The taste is very well-balanced with some spice and citrus flavors up front that are quickly followed by bready flavors from Belgian yeast and a hearty but not too heavy malt character. There's a good hops presence for the style. The after-taste is slightly bready and slightly sweet.

M: Crisp and very smooth, light-to-medium body, medium carbonation, finish is clean.

D: Tasty, goes down very easily, not too filling, decent kick, very good representation of style, this is a very nice Belgian-style beer worth pounding down for a long time.

Serving type: on-tap

10-14-2010 19:58:14 | More by TheManiacalOne

johnmichaelsen

Oregon

4.08/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On tap at Max's today.

The beer pours a honey gold color with fairly good head retention and lacing. The nose in this beer is pretty attractive, showing honey, lavender and bing cherry. The flavor profile replicates the nose pretty closely in this enjoyable, easy to appreciate beer. Mouthfeel is medium bodied, but there's a lightness to this beer that I really like. Drinkability is quite good, and I appreciate how this beer dries out on the finish, which enhances its drinkability.

Quite nice...

Serving type: on-tap

08-14-2010 21:17:44 | More by johnmichaelsen