12 Beers of Christmas, Day 5: Alvinne Gaspar

Brewery: Picobrouwerij Alvinne, Belgium
Style: Belgian IPA
ABV: 8%
Date Poured: December 2009

I'm not 100% sure that this is meant to be a Christmas beer but I'm taking the Three Wise Men on the label as a sign that it is. The label claims that it is one of the hoppiest beers in Belgium, hopped with Hallertau, Goldings and Saaz.

The body is a lightly hazy copper in color and upon even a gentle pour grows an enormous, billowing white head that leaves a thick sheet of lace on the glass. Yeasty fruitiness in the nose, with apples, muscat grapes and ripe pear interspersed with a peppery spice.

The first taste reveals three competing major flavors: bitter, boozy and fruity. These major themes blend for various combinations throughout the glass of beer. Bright fruit (apples, pears, etc), herbal and citrusy hops, sweet rich malt and some understated alcohol flavors with a bit of warming in the mouth. Medium bodied with a finish that's more bitter than sweet.

Is this the hoppiest beer in Belgium. No way. I like Belgian IPAs and Urthel Hop It and Houblon Chouffe are hoppier in the same style and, off the top of my head, Westvleteren 6 is a hoppier golden ale. But Gaspar is still a pretty tasty beer.

Picobrouwerij Alvinne

Tasting Notes: Houblon Chouffe

Brewery: Brasserie Achouffe

Date Poured: January 2008

ABV: 9%

A burgeoning style, the Belgian IPA, is taken on by Brasserie Achouffe. But hell, if you're reading this blog, you know all about this beer. On to the notes!

Pours a pale, lightly hazy, yellow gold with a huge billowy ivory head that is the consistency of whipped cream. Lots of huge chunky lacing. Citrusy hop aroma, fruity Belgian yeast. Lots of estery, bready aromas.

Very hoppy flavors and bready, yeasty tripel type flavors. The perfect marriage of a tripel and IPA. The combination of Amarillo, Tomahawk and Saaz is odd enough. Then combine that with a fruity, earthy tripel...well that's nothing you see everyday. Dry in the mouth, lots of hops in the finish and aftertaste. Really drinkable for my tastes. Some hints of alcohol in there but the 9% ABV is masked nicely. Still unlike anything I have ever had before. Totally unique. Totally quaffable. It's amazing.

Brasserie Achouffe