Beermas Day 11

On the eleventh day of Beermas I poured out for me
Eleven roosters pipping
Ten kingly pilsners
Nine ladies sighing
Eight cream ales fizzing
Seven spicy mockswans
Six stones a-hanging
Five golden caps
Four calling birds
Three speckled hens
Two flightless non-doves
And a pear cider fresh from the tree
 
Brabante and I do not have a 100% positive relationship, but I've certainly had worse.  I've been pleasantly surprised by others of its ilk, but Brabante Oscura has a little something to prove tonight.  Beermas is almost over!  The last ones better be worth the wait!  Pipers are hard to come by even on labels, but a rooster has a sort of piping quality, don't you think?  You don't?  Screw you, then.  Find me something better, I defy you.

The color is a nice dark brown, nothing to complain about there.  The head is just off-white, nice and fluffy though, not given to disappear.  The smell is interesting, slightly sour, less like most darker beers and more like a lager.  The taste, though, is not lager-y, being sweet and light, but with something going on in the background.  It's much like a German dark beer in flavor, but not as heavy as the ones I remember drinking.  A little bit of sour hangs around, tempting you to have another sip of the sweetish beer, even though you know why that sour taste is in your mouth.  It's a very pleasant beer, perhaps not as forceful as other crafts, but definitely a drink to be recommended when you're out with a crowd.  The flavor is there, but not overwhelming, and no weird aftertaste startles you.  To be perfectly honest, it would not be my first choice if other crafts are available, but Brabante knows how to make a beer that pleases the palate without being too strong for anybody.  Long life to Brabante!

Supplier: Carrefour
Price:€2.25

too late for a medal

One might think this was a special brew for an Olympic year, but it's just one of Brabante's regulars.  I think I haven't come across it out of the bottle, but maybe it has been on tap at Toast in the past.  The Olympic thing is mostly because of the name: Oro.  It's a double fermented golden ale, so it should pack a sweet little kick, like it's Belgian role models.

There's a little tangy sweetness in the smell, more like many dark beers, although Oro definitely lives up to its name in the color.  It has a heavy, sweet, malty flavor, again recalling a darker beer than this one, probably most like a bock.  While not sugary or syrupy, it feels like a beer that would be better on cooler evenings than we're having.  It's smooth and easy to swallow, but not as snappy as the bitter of an IPA or even a stout would be.  The strength of the sweetness fades a little with some time, but it doesn't go sour or leave a weird aftertaste, which is pleasant.

Supplier: Carrefour
Price: €1.99

take two

It's time to try a Brabante again.  If they've so helpfully put it in the supermarket, I might as well take advantage of that.  I picked up the wheat beer this time, which is probably what I've had in bars, since I remember Brabante being on the sour side.

There is noticeable sediment at the bottom, so careful pouring is necessary.  It's also very foamy, but once the head dies back it's an appetizing light lemon color.  Not too strong in the smell department, just a little bit of olfactory sourness.  The wheat is pretty powerful at first, with a strong grain and grass flavor.  Just underneath, the sourness waits to come out and coat the mouth.  It's an interesting sweet and sour combination, like a candy.  The wheatiness gets less pronounced sip after sip, leaving a tangy brew that feels just right on a summer evening.

Supplier: Carrefour
Price: €1.99

super!

Brabante is a successful craft beer, I think.  It's popped up on signs outside of bars all over town and is even on tap at my favorite restaurant empire.  At least, in the toasty parts.  Like Cibeles, it's become easy to find even in regular supermarkets, so after a couple of shopping trips and seeing it just so available, I decided to grab something easy.  It is local, after all.  Brabante Lager, for those bright summer evenings.

Pride, strength, independence...what else do you want from your beer?

The smell is especially beery, I think, much like regular lagers.  The color is a little light for my taste, accustomed as I am to ales and stouts.  It's a light lemony straw color, fluffy white head, very bubbly.  I remember Brabante being on the sour side, but it must have been another style, as this lager isn't sour at all.  It's mildly sweet, as many lagers are, with just a hint of grain in the aftertaste.  I'm reminded of a good many German lagers that have come by my table.  It's mild and refreshing, although not nearly as awakening as some IPAs and the like.  A good table beer to go with a good conversation or other evening entertainment.

Supplier: Carrefour
Price: €1.95