A somewhat disappointing tasting

Sunday afternoon’s three new beers were mostly disappointments in one way or another. Let’s take them one by one...

First was Witte Vrouwen. Now, how a beer can be named, “White Women”, and get away with it, I really don’t know. I really cannot imagine it in the English-speaking world, anyway. I guess things are a bit different in the Netherlands, where Witte Vrouwen comes from.

But more important than the disturbing non-PC name is the taste. Unfortunately, it’s not very encouraging. For a Belgian-style witbier, there’s not enough spiciness, not enough florals. It’s a bit bland. There’s just not enough going on here, and then the aftertaste is annoyingly sour. Too bad.

Next up was Malheur Bière Brut, a beer I’d been wanting to try for ages, expecting it to be rather like Deus, as it’s also aiming for a spot in that rare champagne-like class of beers. Sadly, Malheur is too syrupy, sticky and heavy to merit much praise. It has none of those tiny bubbles like Deus, nor does it have those outstanding florals I love so much. It’s quite a let-down, particularly as the bottle wasn’t cheap.

Finally, we tried Gageleer. This is one of those unusual beers that follows a traditional method of production, making use of an herbal concoction, or gruit, of bog myrtle. Before hops became the big thing, bog myrtle was used as a flavouring. Apparently that means from the Middle Ages to the 16th century.

The taste here was interesting. Fiona says there’s something of Deus in this one, and yes, I can sense that herbal combination too. But only just. After a faint promise, it goes too bitter and woody. It is, I would say, “over-herbed”. It’s not impossible to drink, but I wouldn’t go for it again. I’ve had one other beer with bog myrtle, Dupont’s Cervesia, and I’d choose that one before this.