Melchior - Picobrouwerij Alvinne / Den Bierzolder

vince4953529

California

4/5  rDev +10.5%

11-15-2011 04:10:14 | More by vince4953529

DeutschesBier

Maryland

3.75/5  rDev +3.6%

05-19-2013 18:05:42 | More by DeutschesBier

magictacosinus

California

4.1/5  rDev +13.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Served on tap at Trappist Provisions into a 6oz wine glass. Beer brewed with mustard seed?? Sounds awesome!

Pours a brownish amber color with a decent amount of head and lots of carbonation lodged at the bottom of the glass. Definitely contains a hazed, near cloudy coloring, even on tap, and an enormous viscosity that is expected at 11% ABV. Lacing holds together really well, although the alcohol legs do seem to drag it down substantially, especially as it warms up. Definitely thickened in appearance, which makes this far more hearty and inviting overall.

The aroma is filled with sweetened caramel maltiness and a spiced backdrop that I have trouble putting my finger on right away. Is it the peppery notes arising from the mustard seeds, or perhaps a byproduct of that ingredient that remains still slightly astringent and zesty? Nevertheless, it's still fainter than expected, but still really interesting. There's a sour, sort of farmhouse-like finish in the aroma, especially as it warms up, but the malts and fruity, red fruit focused yeast seem to be the focus here. Hops are virtually nowhere to be readily found, but the spices make up for it right away. As it warms up, the yeast really opens up, often resembling tamarind and apple peel, albeit still quite subtle. Really soothing overall, despite any malts overpowering here.

The flavor is a little bit of a different story, however, as the mustard and spices become a little bit more predominant. At first, the palate finds itself awash with caramel malty characteristics with light graininess and yeasty esters. Eventually, however, the aftertaste becomes chock-filled with the spices, to the point where this starts to resemble hearty rye bread coated with Dijon mustard and perhaps a bit of cheese, or (as my friend pointed out) chicken like features. It's definitely different, but very flavorful overall. The alcohol is incredibly masked here, and the dry finish makes you linger to try another sip to get the initial sweet breadiness, creating a vicious yet addicting cycle that makes this a rather dangerous concoction. Very different, and surprisingly soothing due to the large alcohol backbone.

I really enjoyed this beer more than I expected, especially with the fact that the initial flavor and finish are very different from each other. As indicated earlier, this is like eating mustard-filled sandwich without all the extra condiments! As an experiment, this turned out just find, and is well balanced despite what it has going for it. Would work well on a summer or winter day for sure. Great stuff.

Serving type: on-tap

03-04-2013 06:34:05 | More by magictacosinus

larbush

Illinois

4/5  rDev +10.5%

12-08-2012 19:51:04 | More by larbush

brbrocc

New York

3.5/5  rDev -3.3%

12-08-2012 19:49:45 | More by brbrocc

t0rin0

California

2.75/5  rDev -24%

12-07-2012 17:13:08 | More by t0rin0

CWhite

Wisconsin

3.5/5  rDev -3.3%

11-18-2012 00:11:45 | More by CWhite

tylerzander

Arizona

4.23/5  rDev +16.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - pours slightly hazy (maybe owing to a poor pour, though some sedimented yeast chunked out mid-pour), on the straw side of golden with a one finger white head that is as dense as it is long-lasting, which is to say, quite

S - classic Belgian golden strong aromas of pineapple, banana (more runts than the actual fruit, without coming across as chemical), green apple/cider, a light hoppy spiciness from EKG hops and maybe from the yeast as well

T - anticipiated some off the wall mustard spicing but without seeing that ingredient on the label, I would never guess that as an ingredient, though I suspect it's the a contributing cause (along with the hops, naturally) to the lingering herbal/spicy kind of aftertaste and bitterness; ethanol comes across as a contributor to sweetness more than bringing any kind of heat, though there is a slight warming effect

M - dry and not overly carbonated, suiting this beer well and allowing the simple combination of Pilsener and Munich malts take a supporting role to the ester and hop/spice-forward profile of the beer

D - maybe the most distinguishing and interesting feature of this beer, the lingering herbal and spicy bitterness, doesn't do much to aid the drinkability of it; I think this a one and done beer, though it is a fun short-lived ride

Serving type: bottle

10-28-2012 05:46:21 | More by tylerzander

Hanzo

Virginia

3.75/5  rDev +3.6%

09-07-2012 02:10:19 | More by Hanzo

bc102782

Massachusetts

5/5  rDev +38.1%

09-03-2012 00:33:03 | More by bc102782

PeteRiz

Connecticut

3.25/5  rDev -10.2%

08-29-2012 23:02:22 | More by PeteRiz

ILiveOffHops

New Hampshire

4/5  rDev +10.5%

08-26-2012 18:29:39 | More by ILiveOffHops

kayrex

Pennsylvania

3.25/5  rDev -10.2%

07-13-2012 21:49:20 | More by kayrex

samEBC

Belgium

3.75/5  rDev +3.6%

07-05-2012 17:28:54 | More by samEBC

ehammond1

California

3.93/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Bottle (2005)

Thanks for opening this with me, JealousChalice!

(Aged for 7 years)

Dark orange and light brown with a small light brown head that quickly fades away to a thin ring atop the beer. This leaves dots of lace down the glass.

A sweet, though complete, aroma of caramel, bread crusts, brown sugar, and mild citrus. Very nice.

The flavor too is quite nice, with a delicious, complex, bready sweetness leading the way, accompanied with very mild citrus, caramel, and toffee.

Medium bodied with low carbonation.

This has held up exceptionally well over the years.

Serving type: bottle

06-29-2012 15:05:55 | More by ehammond1

WilstonOreo

Germany

3.25/5  rDev -10.2%

06-11-2012 22:41:29 | More by WilstonOreo

UCLABrewN84

California

3.8/5  rDev +5%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 4

Thanks to JealousChalice for sharing this at DarthKostrizer's tasting.

2005 vintage.

Pours a slightly murky honey orange with a beige head that fades to nothing. Small dots of lace slowly drip into the remaining beer on the drink down. Smell is of malt, citrus zest, brown sugar, and alcohol. Taste is the same with some honey and Golden Grahams flavors. This beer is flat with no carbonation but does have a medium bodied mouthfeel. Overall, this is a good beer but the mouthfeel is quite lacking.

Serving type: bottle

06-03-2012 21:28:33 | More by UCLABrewN84

MrVonzipper

California

4/5  rDev +10.5%

06-03-2012 18:57:32 | More by MrVonzipper

halo913

Connecticut

3.5/5  rDev -3.3%

05-27-2012 14:17:39 | More by halo913

vegasmac99

Massachusetts

3.75/5  rDev +3.6%

05-16-2012 21:28:30 | More by vegasmac99

Naugros

New Jersey

3.48/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

This more like a Belgian amber than a pale, but there's no such style so I guess that's as close as it gets. It poured with quite a bit of fizz, as if I were pouring a soda. And the aroma that arose was like apples, pears and pineapples had been juiced and mixed with soda water. Not bad, but not what I was expecting at all. Definitely some classic Belgian yeast esters. Not getting any mustard out of it, though. The beer settles down with a thin ring and a murky, murky body...like water from the bottom of a cedar swamp.

I was not prepared for how sweet this is...cloyingly so. It's got nice flavor, but I fear I'm getting diabetes drinking this. It tastes a lot like unfiltered apple cider that has been fermented with some hops. Still no hint of mustard seed that I can discern, but how could I through all this fruity sweetness? What I do taste, I don't mind, but I'd want this to be a bit drier, especially in the finish where I expected some balancing bitterness because it said so on the bottle.

Nothing I'd get again and we'll see if it's sister beer, Balthazar, is any better tomorrow night.

Serving type: bottle

03-19-2012 02:23:25 | More by Naugros

chrispoint

Connecticut

2.5/5  rDev -30.9%

02-18-2012 17:42:55 | More by chrispoint

mcphish22

Maryland

3.5/5  rDev -3.3%

02-12-2012 15:00:16 | More by mcphish22

ygtbsm94

Virginia

3/5  rDev -17.1%

01-29-2012 06:59:42 | More by ygtbsm94

bminor7

New York

3.53/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12 oz from beers of the world?

no head upon pouring. light amber color, more of a golden tinge. some suspended material from the bottom of the bottle. viscosity is high. the nose is of honey, banana bread. Flavor follows with some candi sugar, some bitterness in the aftertaste, an almost vegetal flavor. agree with previous reviewers on the honey mustard notes. sweet, almost too much. this one is a bit heavy and not too complex.

Serving type: bottle

01-25-2012 00:39:09 | More by bminor7