Mitchell Mulder

9.6

2015 release, one I look forward to every year, excellent stout, great to cellar as well, big roasted malts, coffee, chocolate, big stout, but smooth easy drinking, do not miss this one, disappears very fast — 9 years ago

Devin Bray

9.4

Still overpriced, but this scotch is still one of the richest sherry finished malts around that doesn't go overboard (as some might claim of the Aberlour Abunadh.) Thick and substantive in the mouth, it's giving with piney malt and rich red fruit from the sherry butts. Perfect neat - like all good whisky. — 10 years ago

Jim McCusker

9.7

Unbelievable. This is a reconstruction of a blend from 100 years ago. An unreal combination of a lowland, peaty malt with hints of sherry components you'd expect from Speyside or Highland malts. One of the most surprising scotches I've ever had. Awesome! — 10 years ago

Chris Leon

9.5

One of the more exciting single malts I've had in awhile: aged in PX barrels, bottled cask strength — 10 years ago

Bradley P. Friedman

9.8

Roasted Carmel, chocolate malts! So delicious — 10 years ago

Mitchell Mulder

9.5

This one the best American West Coast Pale Ales, big hops, citrus notes, big English Malts, only problem, it is seasonal, out now, always a must get for me. Excellent!!! Cheers!!! — 10 years ago

Mark Livings

9.4

Shoe polish, thick caramel malts and diesel smoke, incredible length with hints of white pepper, stewed fruits and ham hock. Luscious caramel, malt and smokestack finish. — 11 years ago

with Michael

Noah Carlson

9.3

Noah had this 11 years ago

Nicola Morvillo

10

Regalo di santo 1974 linkwood natural cask strength bottle n.4479 — 11 years ago

Joe Carroll

Owner/Wine Director Spuyten Duyvil, Fette Sau, St. Anselm & Gotham Artisanal Provisions

9.5

Jean Van Roy's amazing story of Zwanze 2013. When we started renovation works in the cellars of the brewery two years ago, much to our surprise we came upon the remains of some very old walls. In agreement with the medievalists of the city of Brussels, the works were stopped in order to allow archaeological excavations to take place.

Shortly thereafter we were astonished to find out that Cantillon brewery had in fact been built on the ruins of the very ancient Abbey of Cureghem! According to the medievalists, this religious community was well-known during the middle ages for its fowl fed on draff and, more specifically, for its dish of stuffed Cureghem capon, which was served with a beer brewed at the abbey and apparently drew pilgrims from all over Europe.

Yet it was truly a heavenly surprise when the excavations uncovered the cell of the abbot, Father Faro. In the small room the archaeologists found quite a few old reference books, one of which contained the original recipes for the beers brewed at the abbey several hundred years ago. We didn’t hesitate for a second and decided on the spot to recreate one of these mythical beers.

This beer, which will be our Zwanze for 2013, therefore bears the name of its illustrious place of origin, Abbaye de Cureghem (Cureghem Abbey). Cureghem was formerly a village established many centuries ago on the banks of the Senne, the river running through present-day Brussels. The area was very heavily industrialised during the 19th century and, among other things, became home to many breweries. Today, it is part of the municipality of Anderlecht.

Since beers commonly referred to as “abbey beers” are not, or not any longer, products of spontaneous fermentation, we decided to brew a top fermentation beer, from a technical point of view in any case. The yeasts were selected in collaboration with Institut Meurice, a post-secondary college in Brussels specialising in biotechnology. Brewed in March 2012, our “Cureghem” beer fermented four weeks in stainless steel tanks before being blended with 10% lambic and pumped into 400-litre barrels of various origins. After maturing for six months, the beers were blended and put into casks or bottles to undergo re-fermentation and reach 7.2% ABV (Alcohol by Volume).

Inevitably, a top fermentation beer brewed in a spontaneous fermentation environment will be affected by the wild yeasts in the air, and this is certainly what happened in our case. For our Cureghem, the cultured yeasts were clearly the main factor behind primary fermentation and I think that the wild yeasts in the beer will instead play an increasingly important role as the product ages. However, despite the addition of the lambic to give it a little “extra something” in terms of character and ageing characteristics, this Zwanze cannot in any case be considered a spontaneous fermentation beer.

The long fermentation period coupled with the presence of wild yeasts lends this beer a solid character with a dry finish that lingers on the palate, while the combined use of fresh and aged hops yields both freshness and bitterness. Moreover, the different malts used give this year’s Zwanze a coppery colour along with a touch of caramel and candied fruit that provide body. Clearly, this is not your standard “abbey” beer but, perhaps, it is representative of what these beers were one or two hundred years ago — 12 years ago

David Kline

9.4

Cocoa powder wafts from the bottle, fresh pumpkin, cinnamon and brown sugar, uncut apple and mocha coffee. Pumpkin at the fore on the palate. Cinnamon on toast, cappuccino into mocha, creme de cocoa, hazelnut, and the malts have integrated so well with the brewed pumpkin and the hops! There is light sweet tobacco, chicory, pecan pie, and clove. — 10 years ago

with Courtney

Tom Wood

9.7

What a brew! Creamy, intense espresso backed with milk and dark chocolate. Licorice, tar and malt to drive this one home. Holy shit 👌👌👌👌👌 — 10 years ago

Dmitri

9.2

Dankness, orange rind, pineapple, guava. Light malts, medium body. Velvety texture, fresh, little bitterness. Outstanding balance. One of the best IPA's available. — 10 years ago

Gabriel Vaughan

9.2

One of the finest peaty single malts ever. The long gone 17 year old batch was superior by a hair, but this is some of the finest. Like a bed of sweet moss, misted with brine and caramel. — 10 years ago

Mitchell Mulder

9.7

Big Monster Imperial IPA from Dogfish Head, big hops and sweet malts, takes the best of their other popular IPA's and combines them with Oak Aged, Excellent, My favorite beer from them — 10 years ago

Tracy Hall

9.2

Malty IPA hoppy nose but hops and malts in balance on palate. Very refreshing! — 10 years ago

Ludwig Louw

9.6

One of the best Single Malts! — 11 years ago

Simon Bourne

9.7

One of the finest single malts I've tasted — 11 years ago

Jonathan Haysom

10

Pow! Right in the kisser. Full blown malts and hops. — 11 years ago

Antoine Pin

Wine Buyer Kroger/QFC

9.3

Oh man! Was this good!! Hoppy and super dark. Toffee and intense roasted malts. $10 / 90pts — 12 years ago

anderld47

9.4

Aged in sherry butts. One of the great Speyside single malts. At a cask strength of 59 to 62% alcohol it readily stands up to ice. Cherries, apricot, prune, oak, malt, maybe orange, with a chocolate finish. No matter the batch, always one of my favs. — 10 years ago

Luke Thompson

9.1

Lots of malts n shit for an ipa I guess — 10 years ago

Nathan S

8.9

Lots of malts. Enjoyable. Thanks to my former tenants for leaving this behind. — 10 years ago

Mitchell Mulder

9.0

Very good Amber Ale, big bold malts and bitter hops, seriously? Does Ballast Point ever make anything that not above average? Very rarely, Very good — 10 years ago

Mitchell Mulder

9.7

Excellent DIPA, big tropical and citrus malts, for a double, it drinks so smooth, cannot taste the ABV at all, taste profile is similar to Stone's " Enjoy By" but not as big fresh hopped, but close, when fresh, This is Beer Republic's Crown Jewel IPA, so if you are like me and love their other beers, Racer 5, Racer X, you will love this — 10 years ago

Matt Tucker

9.5

Great porter, roasted malts, chocolate, and coffee. Carbonation gives a tingly finish with bitter chocolate aftertaste. — 10 years ago

Tyler Binner

9.6

Obviously this is not a wine, but I wanted to check out this app and this has become one of my favorite single malts!! Amazingly smooth! — 10 years ago

Mitchell Mulder

9.2

Very fine brown ale, rich malts and nice spices — 11 years ago

Mitchell Mulder

9.5

The King of the Belgian Ale, big malts and yeast, apple and lemon with a slight pepper finish gives that great bitter finish, Above average in style and taste, A true classic — 11 years ago

Christopher Parks

Sommelier Per Diem Restaurant

10

Allagash Four Ale. 4 hops, 4 malts, fermented 4 times and it's good stuff! — 11 years ago