St. Louis Premium Peche

Brouwerij Brasserie Van Honsebrouck
Ingelmuster, Belgium

APPEARANCE: 2/3
Brown color. Minimal head that doesn't last.

AROMA: 2.25/4
Some sugary peach. Almost a peach Jolly Rancher or peach syrup aroma. Sour - pungent. No hop aroma.

TASTE: 3.5/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 1.5/4: Malty - sweet. No hop bitterness. Sour. Peach syrup, maybe cherry notes?
Aftertaste: 1/3: Sour overwhelming. Fades to a slight sweetness. Vinegary.
Mouth-Feel: 1/3: Fizzy. Sour. Almost mouth puckering so.

OVERALL: 1/3: Vinegar was the flavor we couldn't identify right off. It became much more apparent and overwhelming as the beer warmed in the glass. Neither of us could finish it.

TOTAL: 8.75/20–Tab Me Out

NOTES:
Matt: Tastes like something somebody accidentally left out, and by the time you tried it, it bore no resemblance to what you thought it was suppose to be.
Ben: Started out with potential, ended up like I was drinking a glass of vinegar with peach syrup. Not a fan. There are much better lambics out there.

Mikkeller Cascade Single Hop IPA

De Proef Brouwerij
Lochristi-Hijfte, Belgium

APPEARANCE: 2.25/3
Hazy copper color. Effervescent. Lasting, creamy head.

AROMA: 3/4
Strong alcohol. Grapefruit, some piney notes. Overwhelming citrus, huge hop aroma.

TASTE: 5/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 2/4: Really malty. Huge hop flavor. Pine. Way too much alcohol.
Aftertaste: 1.5/3: Alcohol finish, lasting bitterness. Fades quickly at the front, astringent at end. Prune, grassy, nutty, woody.
Mouth-Feel: 1.5/3: Lots of alcohol–huge beer. Very bitter, lingering bitterness.

OVERALL: 1.5/3: Alcohol needs to be offset with malt. This fails–bitter, alcohol-y, disappointing.

TOTAL: 11.75/20–Anything Else On Tap?

NOTES:
Matt: I bought this at 50% off, and I can't imagine paying full price for it. The astringent, bitter end overwhelms all else.
Ben: 1st sip: wow, maybe too much. 2nd sip: Maybe okay. 3rd sip: yeah, I was right the first time. Too big, too boozy.

Saison Dupont

Brasserie Dupont
Tourpes, Belgium

APPEARANCE: 3/3
Awesome head–very rocky, creamy, foamy, yeasty. Beautiful gold color.

AROMA: 3.5/4
Very aromatic–earthy, citrusy.

TASTE: 8.25/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 3.5/4: Good balance. Clean, dry, very bright. Could be maltier.
Aftertaste: 2/3: Grapefruit and pineapple notes. Very earthy. Some bitterness. Needs to be spicier.
Mouth-Feel: 2.75/3: Ah, there's the spice! Fruity tones, very slight astringence.

OVERALL: 3/3: A beautifully crafted saison. Potential for skunkiness, so try to make sure the bottle you buy hasn't been sitting around too long.

TOTAL: 17.75/20–Pour Me Another

NOTES:
Matt: Aromatic and very earthy. When I hear the word "saison," this is the mental image I conjure. One of my very favorite saisons.
Ben: Refreshing and clean, a good beer for the end of a long day.