I won this beer at a beer casino hosted by Igor Samsonovich at a Brasserie 0.33 birthday party. It’s a fun and exciting event. The essence is that you are brought a certain sample of beer and you have to determine whether it is a lager or an ale, style of beer, country of origin, strength, etc.. You put chips on the appropriate field and whoever has more chips at the end of the game wins.
After the first game, Igor said that I will not receive more prizes, because it is not fair to the others. I do not mind. All the same, it was interesting to play. And as usual with blind tastings, there were many surprises. In the last round, everyone (myself included) identified the beer as an ale, Belgian and strong. They only guessed by strength. It was Motor beer from MPK, which won the gold medal in Frankfurt as a light side! Beer, which is usually treated with disdain, they say Baltika № 9 with a different name. But no!
Such tastings put snobs in their place, saying that they can spot our beer and imported one with closed eyes! If anyone needs a Beer Casino for an event, turn to Igor.
Now back to the Westmalle Trappist Extra beer. I don’t think the Westmalle Trappist brewery needs any introduction? Beer has been brewed since 1836. They’re the ancestors of the Tripel style. But, Westmalle Trappist Extra is a Belgian Enkel or Patersbier style that is rare on our shelves. Enkel translates as “single”, single. Patersbier means “father’s beer”, i.e. beer for “holy fathers”.
This beer began to be brewed for sale relatively recently. Before that, it was consumed exclusively within the walls of the monastery. After all, if you drink dubel or triple during the day, not to mention work, it will not be possible to read a prayer by evening. So the monks drank light beer, and the laymen were sold something stronger :). Expect from this style should not be any frills, but it is interesting to try!
Westmalle Trappist Extra (Belgium, Westmalle) – 4.8/10.5 Chic fine foam. Aroma is weak, slightly citrus. Taste dry, sparkling and what is called “crisp. In the aftertaste a light refreshing acidity. Citrus, fresh grassy bitterness, a little white crust of white bread.
Very refreshing, encouraging in the morning beer, which is really nice to quench thirst. A grade.
I wonder if you can get the same yeast or ferment from the bottle and brew something similar here? And would it be in demand?
