Lozen Boer - De Proefbrouwerij (bvba Andelot)

deac83

Texas

4.26/5  rDev +15.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

A little perplexed by the lack of carbonation. Intentional or cork problem? I ventured ahead anyway.

Minimal head with small amount of carbonation present.

Dark brown in color.

Fruity but on the sour side.

Smooth in the mouth but agree more carbonation would improve overall.

FWIW, I had no point of reference for this beer and therefore low expectations but was pleasantly surprised.

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2013 03:43:20 | More by deac83

dieBlume

Pennsylvania

2.55/5  rDev -30.7%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

S: Served in a chalice from a 750ml bottle.

A: No foam, no lacing, no carbonation. The beer itself was dark brown in color.

S: Very boozey, chocolatey, and fruity.

T: Overwhelmingly alcoholic, which would have been fine if it has some sort of carbonation. Tasted like a thinned out chocolate with darker fruits infused.

M: Flat, a bit off - reminded me of a liquid candy bar.

O: I was really excited to try this, but it was certainly a letdown.

I was told by two people at the shop where it was bought that it was a good beer. When it was opened, I was already disappointed. No typical pop when opened - we then knew SOMETHING had to be wrong. I'm just thankful that my boyfriend doesn't mind flat beers...

Serving type: bottle

03-18-2013 21:50:06 | More by dieBlume

ommegangpbr

New York

4/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I likes me some quads and this one is a pretty good one. Some red wine tannins, some burnt sugar, some boozy cake. Something in this reminds me of marshmallow and bubblegum but only slightly. Mostly it's rich, dark ale goodness all around. I'll be happy to sit with beer for awhile and enjoy my evening.

Serving type: bottle

03-13-2013 00:34:41 | More by ommegangpbr

DrDemento456

Pennsylvania

3.66/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

Well shit looking at the latest reviews this beer is kind of crap. Ow well I at least only paid like 5 bucks for a 10% Quad bomber.

A - The cork is quite strange like made of some kind of rubber or plastic. Could this be what caused the off flavors and low carbonation people are reporting? Opening the bottle I get a very lively full inch of mocha colored head, fizzy from ABV but still sticks around for a bit. Beer itself is a very deep chestnut brown almost pitch black like a stout.

S - Strong alcoholic esters with some sugary malt and very little actual fruit. The booze is strong in this one.

T - Has a very weird herbal woody flavor that seems to be a mix of oak and stone fruit. Next the fruity yeast kicks in giving a sweet malt flavor and then mild sherry kind of boozy taste. Finish has a touch of hop bit and a warming character.

M - Medium to heavy, rather syrup like ABV shines in taste which is kind of offputting.

Overall a very boozy quad that has rather weird flavors than your typical fruity/low ABV lasting counterparts (ST Bearnard 12) Worth getting if you like boozy Belgium's.

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2013 01:32:28 | More by DrDemento456

superspak

Michigan

2.3/5  rDev -37.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

750 ml bottle into chalice, 5/10/2009 stamped on the cork. Pours very hazy dark reddish brown color with a nice 1-2 finger dense khaki head with great retention, that reduces to a nice cap that lingers. Nice soapy lacing clings to the glass. Aromas of huge raisin, prune, red wine, molasses, light chocolate, earth, pepper, yeast spices, and slight booze. Decent aromas with ok balance and complexity. Taste of big raisin, prune, chocolate, toast, molasses, toffee, biscuit, nuttiness, earth, yeast spices, and light booze. Lingering notes of dark fruits, toast, biscuit, nuttiness, molasses, chocolate, earth, and yeast spices on the finish for a good bit. Large amount of cloying sweetness and odd off flavors after the finish. Feels very unbalanced and rather unpleasant in the taste. Light carbonation and medium-full bodied; with a slick, oily, and chalky mouthfeel that is not pleasant. Alcohol is well hidden with nearly zero warming noticed after the finish. Overall this is a pretty horrible quad. Don’t know what happened to this over the few years since bottling, but I could not finish this one.

Serving type: bottle

10-15-2012 02:59:22 | More by superspak

b_sid

Illinois

2.5/5  rDev -32.1%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 2

Let's start with the most obvious issue here. This beer is flat. Dead flat. Like a 2 liter of soda flat, that's been opened numerous times and stuck in the back of the fridge for you to unfortunately come across when your totally craving a fizzy thirst quenching beverage.

Anyway, it's hard to review something that's so off from the start. I love Belgian beers, and I was really hoping for something special here (it even says Brewers Reserve on the bottle), but it was not to be. Immediately after pulling out the cork you could tell something was off. No pressure. No champagne bottle pop. Actually, no pop whatsoever. Barely even a hiss. OK... but there were subtle bubbles forming after the pour, so initially thought, "OK, well at least we have some life here." Kinda wrong there. No life, just dead beer (and it had so much potential).

The beer actually smells great, and leads you on to thinking this may still actually be amazing. The aroma reminds of a nice Barley Wine with a strong fruit character, but that's where the promise ends. The flavor (while initially hopeful) is actually quite disappointing. It's brevity is unmatched (not a good thing). Since it lacks any carbonation, the flavor lasts for a nanosecond, followed by burning, which if you're drinking a nice whiskey is great, but not here. Not at all.

It's actually quite amazing that I've even devoted this much to review this beer. Probably cause there was so much anticipation of greatness, followed by unprecedented weakness. Maybe it's the plastic "cork" they used here. Maybe if they used a real cork the beer could have actually developed and kept (or begun to develop) it's carbonation. Cause underneath the overwhelming lack of carbonation there is an exceptional beer lurking, but unfortunately it's just not here.

Serving type: bottle

08-19-2012 01:18:33 | More by b_sid

zachary80

Indiana

2.85/5  rDev -22.6%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Cellared for 10 months. Poured into a Globe. Cork opens with a really really weak pop.

Dark brown, some reddish highlights, looks good. No real head, some whitish bubbles that persist; not normal for a quad.

Aroma is fruity and complex. One of the better smelling quads, reminiscent of La Trappe.

Flavor is a let down. Starts off tasty - follows the aroma, finishes pretty bad, tastes more like a liquor, and the finish is extremely short. Reminds me of bad alcohol flavors, big turn off.

Carbonation is too low, mouthfeel is off.

Overall I like the smell and taste but the alcohol is harsh and I think its negative side is combining with another character in the beer that I'm not fond of. Perhaps its very oxidized, although it is less than a year since purchase and doesn't have as much of the cardboard type taste. (Might be worth noting that I shared a Baller Stout earlier in the evening...and its 13.8% didn't show half as much as this beer's 10%)

Serving type: bottle

06-25-2012 05:37:16 | More by zachary80

impending

California

3.9/5  rDev +6%
look: 2 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

B+

750ml into a tulip. Pours a bright cola copper, low carbonation, little head lasted briefly, insubstantial lacing.

A strong vinous quality as if port split upon dark fruits that have begun to rot. Thick and sweet with caramel. Wonderful

Taste is in accord with the scent, again wine notes with a long phenolic aftertaste. Medium bodied. Medicinal in a nice way. Shines at room temp.
cheers
jd

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2012 06:53:37 | More by impending

barleywinefiend

Washington

3.13/5  rDev -14.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A: Poured a cola color with lower carbonation than I expected. Left a small white cap, minimal lacing and some white bubbles

S: I get cola, caramel with some caramelized sugar, toffee and some dark fruits on the nose

T: Taste has an immediate caramel, light candy sugar with some dark fruits, toffee, more caramel and cola midway to finish with some underlying booze. The taste falls flat on the end leaving only a sweetness with booze and sticky flat and bitter taste.

M: Rather thin, plain and medium bodied. Not what I was wanting nor expecting

O: Average

Serving type: bottle

04-12-2012 00:56:02 | More by barleywinefiend

metter98

New York

4.25/5  rDev +15.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A: The beer is very hazy brownish amber in color and poured with a thin layer of beige bubbles covering the surface that died down and left a thin layer of bubbles covering the surface. There are some visible particles floating near the bottom, but it is unclear if these are yeast particles or remnants of the cork that shattered when opening the beer.
S: There are moderately strong aromas of dark fruits in the nose.
T: Similar to the smell, the taste also has flavors of dark fruits. Notes of plums, prunes and raisins seem to stand out in particular.
M: It feels medium-bodied and very smooth on the palate with a low to moderate amount of carbonation.
O: This beer definitely improves with age as it becomes very smooth and drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2012 23:29:50 | More by metter98

clayrock81

Virginia

3.9/5  rDev +6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured a dark brown body w/ minimal head and lace as the thickness just drags it down. A very yeasty/orange aroma, typical of Belgians, plus that nice sugary caramel malt rush, althugh I seem to also pick up dark fruits and a touch of bread. For a heartier beer I must say the smoothness, creaminess really through me off. Passes easily with citric and dark fruits piping in, and the fruits balance w/ this chunky caramel and sugary sweetness but everytthing is held in check, even the ABV as it does not bleed into the beer and it finishes ultra clean. Somewhat simplistic but rather a really enjoyable beer and made for a great sipper.

Serving type: bottle

11-05-2011 19:02:41 | More by clayrock81

frankypoo351

Wisconsin

1.65/5  rDev -55.2%
look: 2 | smell: 1 | taste: 2 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 1.5

Very cloudy and had an acrid smell as though they fermented it with sugar that was not inverted. Little to no carbonation to hide the unattenuated malt and it gave me a headache very quickly. the flavor is very very flat on the tongue, like watered down brown sugar. I do not understand why this beer is rated as a B+.

Serving type: bottle

10-29-2011 01:20:51 | More by frankypoo351

puboflyons

New Hampshire

4.25/5  rDev +15.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Sampled at Julio's Belgian Beer Fest on August 14, 2011. It begins with a medium-amber pour with nice clarity and a decent head. While malts are noted in the aroma immediately there is also something more nutty than fruity there. The medium-to-bold body is smooth and creamy with excellent stability while swirling. The aroma begins candied sugar sweet but evolves into a sour, dryer finish. This beer was very nice altogether.

Serving type: bottle

08-14-2011 19:55:20 | More by puboflyons

SkeeterHawk

Texas

3.43/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 3.5

I've been doing quite a few of the De Proef beers here lately, so here is another one, which is one of their bigger ones, so hopefully this will be a treat. Let's see:

Appearance: I carefully removed the cork, but I had to pull it out rather than holding it back. There was very little foam after a pretty aggressive pour for this style of beer (right down the center of my tulip). There are some bubbles rising as you can see at the edge of the glass, but they don't stick at the top. The beer itself is very dark, but you can tell that it may lend a Garnet color if you hold it up to intense enough light. I can't remark on the clarity.

Aroma: Lots of fruity notes going on in here with plums and raisins being the most noticeable. There are some yeasty notes in this beer that are a pretty big player, but there is some dark caramel to toffee in here to support the whole thing. Overall, it is a pretty bold aroma, but there is nothing that seems overly dominant at this point in time.

Taste: The flavor is also fruity like the aroma suggested, but it is thinner and more palatable than I thought it would be. The carbonation is super low in this beer, and it is actually showing subtle signs of oxidation with some sherry and paper notes, but these aren't screwing the beer up yet. The finish is sweet with far too little carbonation to back it up, but the balance is pretty good overall with the dark malts providing as much balance as any hops are.

Opinion: This beer was really hurt by the lack of carbonation. I assume that the "cork" just leaked, but it was a plastic cork that didn't do a whole lot of expanding even after it was pulled out, so it looks like it didn't try very hard. I am not a fan of the plastic corks, so perhaps their decision to go with these corks hurt them on this review as the lack of carbonation is the major draw-back on this beer. I would try it again, but I am not sure if it will be me buying it. Perhaps I will come across a more presentable sample at a beer meeting coming up or something.

Serving type: bottle

04-09-2011 06:24:26 | More by SkeeterHawk

boulderaz78

Texas

4.22/5  rDev +14.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

**Update** I now realize this bottle is flat. No bueno. Still tastes delicious, but you know why I'm unhappy right now.

I've given up the quest to find a replacement for Rochefort 10 (that is until I finally try a Westy 12), so now I'm trying to find the best substitute. Up until now, St. Bernardus ABT 12 has been the answer, but I think this Lozen Boer might be the new leader. I first had it at the Bar Lamar in the back of the Whole Foods in Austin, and now I'm drinking it while watching the Final Four while the wife is out of town. Maybe everything tastes better while I have a sense of bachelorhood, but both times I've had the Lozen Boer, I've been extremely impressed.

(All comments are in comparison to Rochefort 10.)

Probably the darkest of the available quads. Pours a deep, deep amber with not much residue.

Smells very sweet but not absent of the richness that a quad requires.

Its best quality is the taste. Not much of a hint of hops, which is probably why I'm so drawn to it. It's also not too sweet, which gives it a very nice yet hearty balance.

Pours very light. Not much head, and decent lacing for what head you to get.

Overall drinkability is top notch. As long as I can find this as easily as St. Bernardus ABT 12, I'll choose this 8 times out of 10.

Enjoy.

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2011 01:48:03 | More by boulderaz78

sprucetip

Alaska

4.22/5  rDev +14.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

From notes. Mahogany liquid rests under a fluffy off-white head that has great retention. Ruby red and hazy with yeast when backlit. Head leaves thick lacing initially, but it eventually washes away.

I could smell this from arm's length while pouring! Boozy esters, dark fruit, and green apple. I find a faint vinegar like sourness to be, surprisingly, slightly stronger than the malty sweetness. Rich and complex. Very nice.

Dark fruit, a bit boozy and spicy, rich malty sweetness, Belgian yeasty, and light bitterness leading into the dry finish. Smooth, balanced and complex.

Stongish carbonation with a few tingles leads into a rich full body with medium viscosity, and then a dry finish.

This first date went over very well, and I look forward to the next. She is a legitimately authentic Belgian gal. But I'm not quite as smitten with her as I am with St. Bernardus, Pannepot, and Chimay Blue.

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2011 17:28:57 | More by sprucetip

mmmbeer

Massachusetts

4.25/5  rDev +15.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

750 mL dark brown Belgian bottle, and underneath the cage is a synthetic cork. Brewed to 1.088 and hopped to 40 IBUs. Pours a clear deep crimson, almost purple, with lots of carbonation and a thin yellowed-parchment head that leaves a few threads of lacing. Smells fruity and well-aged, with rich and caramelly/biscuity malts. There are notes of dark fruits, apricots, cherries, raisins, prunes, blackberries, pecans and a bit of spicy hops. The complexity follows through to the palate, which adds rich Munich malts and raisiny dark caramel malts. Perhaps some red apples and roast as well, with a few sharp phenolic notes that are eased by a light sweetness. It has a deep-seated carbonation, with a smooth, fullish body that finishes light and dry. The alcohol is well-hidden here, and it is complex and quite delicious - a well-crafted brew that would age very nicely.

Serving type: bottle

01-24-2011 16:46:13 | More by mmmbeer

corby112

Pennsylvania

3.88/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

From notes:

Pours a very dark brown color with slight plum hues when held to a light source and a thick two finger frothy yellowish tan head. Decent retention, only slowly fading into a lasting cap that leaves sporadic spots of lacing behind.

Chocolate malty aroma with hints of peppery spice, candy sugar and dark fruit. Hints of plum, raisin, fig and dark cherry.

Soft carbonation up front with lots of roasty chocolate maltiness, sweet cany sugar, plum, raisin, date, fig, cherry and grape. Well balanced with rostiness from the malt, sweetness from the fruit, spice and alcohol warmth in the finish. Slightly sour aftertaste.

Serving type: bottle

12-12-2010 08:33:14 | More by corby112

aerozeppl

New York

4.2/5  rDev +14.1%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A:Pours a murky brown color with a little bit of cola colored head. Quite a bit of lacing which was kind of a surprise.

S: The nose is off brandy soaked raisins which I kind of dig. Not the most complex of noses but I did like what I smelled. Little bit more dark fruit as it warmed.

T: Really well integrated taste. You get the dark fruit and then some. Dark raisins. Malt. Slight warming alcohol. Little bit of sweetness. No candi sugar to speak of they did this the old fashioned way.

M: Very low carbonation. Super smooth. velvety almost.

D: Super easy drinking. Not the most complex example of the style but a nice sipper for sure.

Serving type: bottle

11-27-2010 00:07:32 | More by aerozeppl

tempest

Pennsylvania

4.15/5  rDev +12.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Finally pulled a bottle of this out of the beer cellar after a year or so, maybe two. After pouring I'm struck by the big plum and raisin aroma jumping out of the glass. The flavor has more the sweet dried fruit, but with a hint of juice, along with dried cocoa, leather, and an herbal spice mix. The body isn't too heavy, just light-medium like a dry wine. The finish is fruity with toffee candy note. Hardly bitter, it's sort of the same feel as a rich dark chocolate.

Serving type: bottle

11-03-2010 02:43:31 | More by tempest

mexikrainian

Ohio

3.58/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

750ml poured into a Petrus chalice.

Appearance: murky brown with short-lived off white head and minimal lacing.

Aroma: overwhelming sweet malts, cherries and nutty.

Taste: a bit sour, lacking dry finish and watered down

Mouthfeel: creamy medium body with light carbonation.

Overall impression: a lackluster quadrupel. thin and flat, this is worth a try, but average for the style.

Serving type: bottle

10-09-2010 00:10:18 | More by mexikrainian

GilGarp

Colorado

3.88/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

750 mL bottle with an artificial cork.

Served cool into the Watou glass, Lozen Boer Abt is a dark chestnut brown, slightly hazy, with thin short-lived head. A few spots of lace but otherwise pretty ordinary.

Aroma is bozy and fruity in roughly equal measure. It has a nice caramel apple thing going on here.

Flavor is strong and complex with lots of sweet dark fruits up front, spice towards the middle, and finishing somewhat dry with the alcohol making itself known once again.

Mouthfeel is medium-plus in body, low in carbonation, and reasonably well-balanced though leaning towards the sweet side.

Overall a tasty quad but not a memorable one given some of the greats out there.

Serving type: bottle

09-02-2010 22:46:07 | More by GilGarp

tubacharlie

Michigan

4.47/5  rDev +21.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

The scent of treacle wafts out of the glass following a slow, relaxed pour. After a minute, a smooth and creamy head emerges from the depths to coat the top layer with a perfectly flat, light caramel-colored carpet of micro bubbles. The dense brown brew is hazy with yeast and unfiltered fun.

Molasses dominates the flavor, as the scent, and combines with mellow hops for a nicely balanced, rich, full-flavored experience. Effervescent carbonation enhances and expounds on the malty base, exuding esters of alcohol and the essence of flowery hops.

One of the best beers I have had in a while. Excellent with strands of dried cuttlefish or some Stilton and a Baguette.

Serving type: bottle

07-29-2010 03:27:20 | More by tubacharlie

mcallister

Ohio

3.93/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Nearly a five for appearance. Just a beautiful color amber/mahagonny, brilliant and sparkling almost with an off white head that leaves a thick splotchy lace in its path.

Quite a nose on this as well. Thick rum raisin, dates, caramel, red currant, toffee, bready malts, woderfully sweet aromas very enticing with a little earth on the back.

Very good beer with nice flavors but the mouthfeel is way to thin and watery for the style. Taste is nearly identical to the nose with even more caramel and some fig. Quince paste as well as pecan type flavors.

Serving type: bottle

07-13-2010 22:11:25 | More by mcallister

BeerAdvocate

Massachusetts

4.22/5  rDev +14.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Beer review from BA Mag Aug 2007.

The beer geeks have tagged this a Quadrupel, but essentially it's an Abbey-style ale. Lozen boer means "gentleman farmer," yet on the label it says, "Legend of the Cow Smuggler." An inside joke, we think?

The lace is out of this world, surprising for a higher-alcohol beer. It starts off with a good two fingers of light tan head and literally sticks to the glass all the way down. A deep burnished chestnut hue comes through the glass when put up to the light. Brown sugar aroma from sweet malts; then the nose turns to raisins, currants and blackberries from fruity esters and an ever-so-faint solvent alcohol in the back. Lush, creamy smoothness rolls off the tongue with each sip. The alcohol is evident from the get-go, but it's never overpowering, thanks to the muscular maltiness that flexes with notes of dark bread, caramelized/burnt sugar and toasted biscuit flavors. Underlying fruitiness. Modest hop bitterness and flavor, with enough phenolics to balance out the sweetness with light clove. Finishes semisweet, with a plum and toasted grain aftertaste.

Wow, a balanced Quadrupel. You don't see that too often. This one is well worth the hunt. We're curious to see how it cellars.

Serving type: bottle

07-06-2010 13:59:00 | More by BeerAdvocate