Belgian Beer no. 352: Stillwater A Saison Darkly

Guest Post Written by Beer Club Reviewer

Belgium is one of those European countries best known for beer. The brews that come from the country are known for its superior overall quality and exquisite, world-class taste. Meanwhile, the United States is known to be a beer loving country that makes many unique brews. So what happens when an American brewer goes to Belgium to create Belgian-style beer? You get something like Stillwater A Saison Darkly.

A Saison Darkly is part of the Stillwater Import Series. Stillwater Artisanal Ales is a brewery based in Baltimore, Maryland; its founder and brewer Brian Strumke visited Belgium to brew A Saison Darkly. Named in reference to the movie “A Scanner Darkly,” this beer may be criticized for not being a genuine Belgian brew. However, A Saison Darkly was brewed in Belgium, with the brewing equipment of Sint-Canarus.

As the name suggests, A Saison Darkly is a dark saison but very different from a Belgian Saison. A saison from Belgium is often blond or amber in color, while this brew is colored dark black. The color of A Saison Darkly is attributed to the amount of burnt malts added in the beer. In a sense, this beer resembles an Imperial Stout more than a saison. When poured into a glass, one can see the great, creamy, long-lasting head.

A Saison Darkly may be considered Belgian beer, but the flavors have been influenced by American craft brewing. It has the trademark citric hop flavors of many American beers. The taste has a tart, floral quality, thanks to the rose hips and hibiscus added in the brew. Upon tasting, one will find a pleasant fruitiness and the flavor of black berry juice may come to mind. The beer drinker may even detect a hint of chocolate in the brew. The taste concentrations are impressive, resulting in the dark, spicy and fruity 8% ABV A Saison Darkly.

The beer is not the only thing worth raving about with A Saison Darkly. Even the packaging of this beer is unique. The label artwork is done by tattoo artist Lee Versoza.

Try to get your hands on a bottle of this unqiue Belgian brew!

Belgian Beer no.351: De Dolle Stille Nacht

Please welcome Paul from the Beer Club Guide for this guest post. Another beer by the same brewers was the no.33 Arabier

Guest Post Written by Beer Club Guide

Some things are seasonal. However, some seasonal things are so good, you still want to enjoy it after the season is over. This is the case for De Dolle Stille Nacht. I've saved a few bottles. If you can get your hands on one I'd highly recommend not waiting until next year.

The Stille Nacht is a prestige beer from De Dolle Brouwers, an established Belgian brewery based in Eden. The Stille Nacht is considered a seasonal brew since it is brewed for Christmas. In fact, Stille Nacht means 'Silent Night' in English.

It is already February, so people may be wondering 'why put the spotlight on a beer meant to be consumed on Christmas dinner?' Good beer is good beer, regardless of the season. The Stille Nacht may be Christmas beer, but who says you can’t have some on Valentine's Day?

The De Dolle Stille Nacht is tawny; its color ranges from clear amber to dark orange. The appearance may remind one of barleywine. When poured on a glass, it reveals a big, fluffy and lasting off-white creamy head.

The aroma and taste of this Christmas brew is also worth noting. The aroma of the Stille Nacht is a combination of sweet and spicy: one can distinguish a fruity smell, like that of strawberry, just as sharp notes and traces of leather and tobacco can also be detected. As for the taste, beer lovers who want something sweet will not be disappointed with the Stille Nacht. It is said that the beer is boiled for many hours, brewed with pale malt and white candy sugar in the kettle. This is probably the reason why the beer possesses such sweetness. The flavors to be tasted in the Stille Nacht include cocoa, caramel, pit fruits, plums and raisins. However, this beer is not just sweet. Nugget hops were added for bitterness to balance the sweetness. It has lots of carbon, and the big and sharp carbonation may be too much for some. It is malty with a dry and clean finish.

The De Dolle Stille Nacht is a delicious, but strong beer. If you can find a bottle don't wait until Christmas 2012.

Stella Artois and the SuperBowl

Not really a Belgian Beer review as such but still great fun to watch - the Stella Artois SuperBowl commercial
Belgian Beer reviews coming up soon.