Bitter Truth - Brouwerij Het Alternatief

nickd717

California

3.58/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

On tap at City Beer in SF, review dated 6/20/2010.

Pours a hazy golden-yellow color with a nicely-formed white head.

Aroma very Belgian. Other than that, there are hops. Not IPA-level hops, but hops nonetheless. Citrusy and floral. Some mild funk as well.

Flavor is moderately sweet and almost wheaty in a way. Belgian yeast, pale malt, mild funk, orange, lemon, and grapefruit. Not as hoppy as it should be, but still pretty good.

Medium-bodied with lively carbonation and a well-hidden 11% ABV - no booziness at all really.

Overall this is a good Belgian DIPA, but I’ve had far better.

Serving type: on-tap

08-26-2011 16:30:35 | More by nickd717

Tertullian007

Missouri

3.5/5  rDev -8.4%

05-07-2013 22:31:29 | More by Tertullian007

snaotheus

Washington

3.6/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12 (or 11.2) oz bottle poured into a snifter

Pours a dingy, cloudy yellow with a smallish but persistent head. Smell is funky, lemony.

Taste is all over. Lemon and funk, just like the smell. Some mild hoppy spiciness. Some sweet breadiness.

Mouthfeel is dry but a little fizzy.

Overall, this is an interesting beer, and it's pretty good, and I'm glad I tried it. I definitely can't detect the level of alcohol printed on the side of the bottle.

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2013 03:40:30 | More by snaotheus

UltimateLivewire

South Carolina

3.5/5  rDev -8.4%

02-13-2013 12:34:34 | More by UltimateLivewire

JeffreyJDavis

North Carolina

4.25/5  rDev +11.3%

10-19-2012 01:29:50 | More by JeffreyJDavis

samEBC

Belgium

3.75/5  rDev -1.8%

09-20-2012 21:55:31 | More by samEBC

ReeseMax3

Alaska

4.25/5  rDev +11.3%

09-14-2012 18:48:59 | More by ReeseMax3

t0rin0

California

3/5  rDev -21.5%

09-08-2012 00:22:51 | More by t0rin0

PhantasIPA

Delaware

3.98/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The appearance of this beer is very cloudy with a slightly golden color.

The smell is very earthy and wheaty mixed with a bitterness from the hops and a little bit of sweetness.

The taste is very sweet upfront, like grapes and brown sugar. Then the earthy tones come in followed by a nice wash of bitter hoppiness.

Mouthfeel is fine, it is a cloudy brew but still goes down smooth.
Carbonation is at a minimum.

Overall I like this beer. The balance of the brew is skewed a little bit to the sweet side; I was expecting more hop flavor but got a lot of grapes and brown sugar. Still a nice beer that is delightfully strong at 10%.

Serving type: bottle

05-12-2012 20:12:38 | More by PhantasIPA

Brewsed

North Carolina

3.5/5  rDev -8.4%

04-28-2012 01:14:42 | More by Brewsed

polishkaz

Massachusetts

3.5/5  rDev -8.4%

03-30-2012 04:09:27 | More by polishkaz

avalon07

South Carolina

4.03/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Poured from a bottle to a goblet. Had an orange color and a cloudy texture. There was an inch and a half of creamy, long-lasting head. Pretty good lacing.

S: A nice aroma of hops, yeast, and some citrus.

T: Like most Belgian IPAs, the hops content with this beer wasn't especially high, but definitely made its presence felt (the bottle indicated 70 IBUs). Also had a fair amount of yeast and malt, with a hint of citrus in the finish. A very well-balanced flavor.

M: A well-carbonated beer with a smooth finish. Medium-bodied.

O: On the whole, a solid, very drinkable beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-25-2012 12:03:53 | More by avalon07

LiquidAmber

Washington

4.2/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured into a Gulden Draak tulip. Pours a cloudy medium orange amber. Two finger fine white head and massive lacing. Sweet malt aroma with light fruit, Belgian spicing; slightly sour. Sweet caramel malt and light fruit followed by dark and light fruit and caramel. In the finish, turns dry with a hop kick and assertion of the Belgian spices. An odd progression of flavors, but works quite well. Pleasant medium body. An unusual Belgian ale that is a definite repeat.

Serving type: bottle

03-09-2012 03:48:15 | More by LiquidAmber

JAHMUR

Connecticut

3/5  rDev -21.5%

03-04-2012 18:13:41 | More by JAHMUR

zonker17

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev +17.8%

01-28-2012 20:34:55 | More by zonker17

Pamola

Vermont

3.5/5  rDev -8.4%

01-26-2012 19:28:36 | More by Pamola

chakadrum

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev -8.4%

01-14-2012 18:44:02 | More by chakadrum

OBIrish24

Connecticut

3.5/5  rDev -8.4%

12-25-2011 16:25:19 | More by OBIrish24

sholland119

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev -8.4%

12-20-2011 15:17:22 | More by sholland119

charladam

Colorado

4/5  rDev +4.7%

12-02-2011 22:38:23 | More by charladam

jenray

Texas

3/5  rDev -21.5%

11-30-2011 18:48:10 | More by jenray

Gatordaddy

Maryland

4/5  rDev +4.7%

11-18-2011 22:34:00 | More by Gatordaddy

oline73

Maryland

4/5  rDev +4.7%

11-16-2011 02:09:48 | More by oline73

Metalmonk

North Carolina

3.8/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Sucked in by the curious/strange artwork (which you don't see in the poor picture currently posted here), and the words "bitter," "triple," "IPA" and "Belgium" all on one bottle label.

Pours a nice enough appearance, with a very soupy burnt gold/peach color hosting a dirtied white head that, while never huge, sticks strings of lace onto the glass and remains a long-lasting thin skim otherwise.

Where American-brewed Belgian IPAs are clearly American in origin (it's the hops), this one is clearly Belgian in origin (it's the yeast). An unusual aroma, too, having the smell of a musty basement that's host to overripe-and-close-to-rotting peaches. While that may not sound appealing by its description, it does have an exotic allure, especially if you're into Belgian yeast, because that gives this beer a unique slant. A cotton-candy sweetness continues the "sounds gross, but smell nice" pattern. And I'm just talking about the aroma so far. Wonder how it'll taste...

Well, holy hell, I have never, ever tasted a beer and thought "tomato." It's subtle, and clearly something someone else would taste and get a completely different impression, but those seedy red orbs somehow have a presence in the flavor profile. More common impressions include a candy-like sweetness (not quite cotton candy this time); prickly and bitter citrus rind hops; a just-right dose of warmth from the alcohol; even a nuttiness which might be the malt, might be the yeast, or might be both conspiring to knock my palate all out of whack. Because this is one very different-tasting beer. And I like it. Tons of personality, if a little bit messy.

Feels absolutely great, playing with the tongue by soothing it with lots of bubbles, making for a soft-yet-tickling textural sensation...and very far from dry. "Wet," then?

I don't know, maybe the "tomato" thing is the lunchtime Bell's Oberon playing tricks on my palate, but that was hours ago. And the more I sit with this, the more I glean a careful balance between the hops and the yeast, the real stars of the show in Bitter Truth. In any case, this remains one of the most interesting and unique beers I've had from wonderful, wonderful Belgium.

Serving type: bottle

11-01-2011 23:31:34 | More by Metalmonk

BeerImmediately

Pennsylvania

3.7/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

11.2oz bottle into tulip glass at 45 degrees.

Big gusher which obviously netted a massive, sea foamy looking head over a very cloudy deep orange body. Suspended floaties. Plenty of lacing.

Aromas start with tropical fruits and orange, continue as it warms to include lots of sweetness/richness (bread like), and some Belgian yeasty quality. Alcohol becomes noticeable, too. Smells thick.

Flavors present a dull pineapple, over-ripened apple, rich malts, plenty of yeast. Ripe banana also comes through as it warms. Fairly boring, but not in a bad way - just that nothing really jumps out / no sharp or prominent flavors.

Creamy smooth, with just a touch of carbonation in the MF. Could've used more, as this may be the only thing holding this one back.

Overall, it's not a bad Belgian IPA - it has most of the flavors and characteristics you look for, but there are so many great ones that it makes it hard to rank this one w/them.

Serving type: bottle

09-28-2011 22:56:44 | More by BeerImmediately