
The label design on these three beers needs a bit of work, I’d say. And the peel-away plastic cap covering cheapens the image. But it’s what’s inside that’s important, so, time to crack one open...
Tonight, I’m trying Gottschalk, Želiv’s black label product. The colour of the beer is a pleasing dark amber. The initial whiff is a bit pongy though. I’m wary.
The first taste is sweet. Actually, I’m immediately hit by a flashback to 1970s Christmas parties with the extended family. There used to be these boiled candies on the table at my aunt’s house -- pillow-shaped, hard and shiny white, with little red and green stripes on them. The taste is lightly minty and sweet. Just like this beer.

Part of the problem may be that I’m just expecting too rich a taste. This is not a bottle-fermented brew, and comparing it to a Belgian abbey beer or a Trappist beer really isn’t fair.
But still, there are two more offerings from the Želiv Monastery Brewery here to try, the yellow and the red labels, and Juliette says the yellow one is good. I’ll save that for another day.
Told you! This Czech abbey beers can't match Belgians. I think they are still learning their craft since they have considerably improved in the last couple of years.
ReplyDeleteI had Gottschalk on tap once, and I liked it a lot more than bottled.
My favourite of the three is Castulus.
I agree with you, they should be bottled fermented....