Steve Holoien

San Carlos, CA

Seeking brand new beers every day. IPAs & sours, punctuated with top stouts. Great conversations with great ales!

Checkins

16

General rating

4.53

 

Fou’ Foune (2022) Holoien

Right one. Delicate apricot, delicate carbonation. This perfectly embodies a sour without biting tartness, which I prefer.

4.5

over 1 year ago

 

Blushing Monk (2018) Holoien

Second in flight. Tart yet luscious overload of raspberry-jam character. Fermented with Belgian yeast for more fruit and subtle spice esters. Intense, large 9.2% ABV fruity sweetness.

4.0

almost 2 years ago

 

French Toast Bastard Holoien

Second one. Smooth maple syrup on warm cinnamon French toast. Maybe topped with sweet vanilla cool whip. Certainly a brunch-inspired brew. Malty, bourbon barrel-aged Scotch ale provides the base.

4.0

about 2 years ago

 

Fou’ Foune (2021) Holoien

Middle one. 18- to 24-month aged lambik batches, conditioned on Bergeron apricots. Started in 1998 by grower with the name “Foufoune” recommending these apricots to Cantillon, and it took off.

4.5

over 2 years ago

 

Kriek 100% Lambic (2021) Holoien

Far right, my favorite. The cherry flavor is sweet/tart, rich and pure.

5.0

over 2 years ago

 

Rosé de Gambrinus Holoien

Far left. Triple of Cantillon draft offerings. The raspberry is so subtle and wonderful.

4.5

over 2 years ago

 

Rosé De Gambrinus (2022) Holoien

Fabulous! Simply loaded with raspberry deliciousness. The Rosé de Gambrinus Cantillon is obtained by macerating fresh raspberries in two years old Lambic. Its complex aromas and sour taste make this unique beer an excellent thirst-quencher.

5.0

over 2 years ago

 

Gueuze (2021) Holoien

Nice oakey character. It’s sour, but not too tart. Mild apple flavor.

5.0

over 2 years ago

 
4.5

about 3 years ago

 

Fou' Foune Holoien

What distinguishes this from other lambics and fruited sours? There’s a fascinating hint of earthy, leafy foliage funk here. Plus a lot of Bergeron apricot goodness!

4.5

over 3 years ago

 

Passion Pool Holoien

Beautiful light gose, exuding guava and passion fruit on the nose, and in what I taste. Sour, not too bitingly tart. Perfect crisp cutoff with no bready aftertaste.

4.5

almost 4 years ago

 

Oude Geuze Boon à L'Ancienne - VAT 110 Mono Blend (2016) Holoien

Bottled 12/15/26. Pretty dry. Oakey and sour, with lots of character.

4.5

almost 4 years ago

 

Rosé de Gambrinus (2020) Holoien

Cantillon bottled this delicate flower of perfect flavor layers just last June. It isn’t too tart, and not earthily funky either. There’s a load of raspberry juiciness and underlying oak cask character. Dryness and sweetness, bonded.

5.0

over 4 years ago

 

Grand Cru Bruocsella Lambic Bio Holoien

Unexpected and a tad disappointing. Sweet bottle aroma; apple glass aroma; flat oak taste. Earth, dirt, bitter, flatness. Weirdly bitter and funkified. Rare unblended lambic!

4.0

over 4 years ago

 

Iris (2016) Holoien

Big oak on this one. The spice factor almost gives me a rye connotation. The hopping (after all the cellaring) gives it a rye IPA-like character.

4.5

over 4 years ago

 

World Wide Stout Holoien

Lots of similarity to previous MOBarleywine post. More chocolatey; less caramelly but still in the same vicinity. Solid.

4.5

over 4 years ago