Belgian IPA, the Unconnected Life, and Homebrew Mishaps

Its been a tough week!  My Internet at home has been down for almost a week now.  I had forgotten what's it like not having instant access to sports scores, news, and weather.  I even tried a local coffee shop last night to get this post up, but they were also having issues.

Compounding the lack of connectivity was disappointment on the homebrew front.  2 of the last 3 beers I've made have been well below expectations.  An amber clone lacked the necessary solid malt backbone and was slightly tainted by some wild bugs along the way.  After handing out some advice on sanitation to the guys over at Monday Night Brewery, it seems only fitting that I would run into issues of my own.  Hoses have been replaced and the bleach is on stand by for use before my next batch (and no that's not going into the beer).  I also ended up with an IPA at the low end of the bitterness threshold while a bit heavy on hop flavor, but it was an experiment and I am less upset about that one.  It is still drinkable.  Luckily my kolsch finished up quite nicely after 2 months of lagering in the fridge.  I expect that keg to go quick!

Enough lamenting about my woes and on to some beer...Back two weeks ago I was at Cafe Hollander here in town which offers a solid selection of Belgian beers in the bottle and on tap.  In fact, the only American beers on tap are all Belgian Wheat beers with a few other European imports thrown in for variety.  So if you go, designate a driver, order up some Patat Frites, and work your way down the extensive beer menu.  On this trip, I was there with a couple of people from work and one of the guys was a homebrewer.  He recommended that we try this Belgian IPA he had sampled before.  Yeah...a Belgian IPA.  How could this be?  What would this taste like?  I was sold and the bottle of Chouffe Houblon Dobbelen IPA Tripel by Brasserie d' Achouffe was ordered.  Here is the breweries description of the beer and its pertinent specifications:

A unique marriage between the English tradition of IPAs, the new American revolution of Imperial IPAs and the classic Belgian way of brewing. Houblon Chouffe, although very much hopped as it is, showcases the unique balance between a very strong IPA and a very special Belgian Tripel exclusively created for this ale (Big malty body, distinct dryness, expressive estery fruitiness). - IBU: 59, Original Gravity: 1092

The beer poured with an amazing head of thick creamy foam that rode all the way to the bottom of the glass maintaining a pyramid-like shape imparted from the special glass.  Rarely do I get too excited about head retention, but this was absolutely amazing and added to the enjoyment of the beer.  The beer was a pleasant mix of a Belgian tripel and the higher hopping rates typically found in IPAs, although not at the Imperial IPA level currently showing up here in the states.  Overall I found this to be an intriguing beer with a complexity of flavors that change as the beer moves from the front of your tongue to the swallow.  I didn't take detailed notes on the tasting, but wanted to share my general enjoyment of the beer nonetheless.  For more detailed reviews be sure to check out notes on Rate Beer.  Better yet, run by Whole Foods (I have seen it there in multiple cities) and pick up a bottle yourself.  You won't be disappointed!  If you do, be sure to come back and drop your tasting notes in the comments.

Comments

[Jonathan]

My, how the tables have turned! I think ultimately our problem, after the initial sanitation meltdown, was our bottles. Make sure you sterilize those bottles that got the bug before using them again. Those wild yeasties are persistent...