haw thorne

Le Plaisir thorne

Extraordinary aroma of the flowering forest, the laundry, fruit & oak, but not obviously grapes. Nashi, green apples, fresh honeycomb. Off dry, mod sour, acidic, q oaky. More obvious grapes in taste but also both autumnal & early spring fruit & flowers.

Boon Schaarbeekse Kriek Millesime 2020 thorne

Aroma is not hugely fruity w old laundry & oak before cherries & their stones. In taste the cherries are an accent, albeit a strong one to the underlying lambic. They have that booming richness though (& mod juicy sourness). More elegant than deep but VG.

Sang Bleu (Camerise) thorne

Very deep clear red w a lasting dense pink head. Rich berry aroma w a feral sharpness in the background. Floral notes emerge later. Don't know the berries, but they seem to have richness, depth & some acid of their own. Mod sour. Some bark @ end. Majestic

60 Minute IPA thorne

1st time since 2010? Can. LAcks a bit of grunt in the middle for 6% but dryish and with nice toppy citrussy hops, gentle pine. Bitterness is decisive but not overdone.

90 Minute Imperial IPA thorne

Appreciating this a little more if still not loving it. bb 3/24. Boozy, stewed fruits, inelegant bitterness. But q creamy w wafting pine and grapefruit.

50°N-4°E thorne

A: old lemons, crackers, the barn, apple box, brooding grapey oak, glacé pineapple. Not bone dry. Mellow autumnal fruit, sour but not acetic w old lemons, pears, pineapple. Moderately oaky at the end. I suppose Cognac fills palate the rounds it out.

KBS thorne

3/23 bottle. Nice aroma, smooth but flabby and oversweet. I guess this puts the previous "too old/ not a good year" thing to bed for me. Nothing special.

Dirty Bastard thorne

Bottled 3/23. Rich spiced toffee, strong bread. Lifted away by a firm but discreetly bitter finish. Solid, balanced drop.

Brabantiæ (2019) thorne

Aroma of the barn, old lemons, oak, hints of tired grapes. More Port in the taste but it's hard to say just where it sits - w the old lemons & the wood I suppose. Mouthfilling, more funky than sour, just a bit of older Cantillon feral feel. Brief dry end.

Grand Cru Bruocsella Lambic Bio (2012) thorne

Sheesh, last tried the 2006 in 2010. 2012 bottle, bottled 2015. Clear gold. Still still. Mellow funky aroma with autumnal fruit, old lemons. Then a little sourer than suggested with apples, grapefruit, vague stone fruit, gentle wood.

Oude Geuze Boon Black Label Edition N°5 thorne

Stone fruit, old lemons, bracken. Creamy. Sourer than once it was but still not very. Theory: one reason for the popularity of lambic amongst fancy beer likers is it lasts at least until you can't remember what you paid for it.

Oude Geuze Apogee thorne

Aroma of old lemons, the laundry, yeasty crackers, almonds, brackeny funk, oak. Disappointingly hard texture but nice flavours. Fruity & bright with peach, old lemons, almonds. Medium sherry. Moderately sour. A little bitterness and a bit zingy at the end

Oude Geuze Boon Black Label Edition N°5 thorne

Never rated here, not even the Mikkeller version? More laundry than barn. Old lemons, flowers, tight funk. Not very sour at all. Stone fruit, old lemons, bracken. Lovely, easygoing but sophisticated gueuze - they don't have to be assertive to be good.

Curmudgeon's Better Half thorne

Another 2018. Testing "maybe has another peak". Not v sweet. Maple but otherwise a bit empty but not really thin. Oak is a little sharp. No overt booze. Still some bitterness. Holding up but not improving.

Heated Seats thorne

Aroma of old orange peel, peach, spices, crackers. And so it tastes. Dryish with a firm breadiness to the texture. Modest bitterness at the end. Odd but refreshing.

Oude Geuze Boon à l'Ancienne - VAT 31 Mono Blend thorne

Aroma of old and Moroccan lemons, the laundry, brandy, cut flowers shortly before they give up. A lot of body for a geuze. & it's warming! Really q a lot of brandy w citrus & damp laundry behind. Some almonds/ apricot stones, then zingy oak. Will age well

90 Minute Imperial IPA thorne

Been a decade. Perhaps I've softened or perhaps it's fresher but I like it a little more - yes compressed flavours, thudding bitterness & stewed fruit notes but there's a creaminess and the tenor register hops do have some charm.

Oude Geuze Boon thorne

First time in a while. F Boon carefully doses these things. Some depth, gentle sourness. Wants to be a bit drier and to play a little more. But hints at what lies beyond.

Oude Geuze A L’Ancienne VAT 108bis Mono Blend thorne

Clear golden amber w a cm of white head that never q disappears. Horsey aroma w old lemons, the laundry, apples, prickly spices. Tastes like a late summer sunset. Sour w sweeter fruity notes gradually gathered up by lemon & both woody & prickly spices.

HORAL's Oude Geuze Mega Blend (2019) thorne

Aroma of almonds, citrus & citrus blossoms, green apple skin, damp hay. A hint of cognac? A bit of body, somewhat slippery, Some Autumnal fruit & grain gives a softness. Moderately sour w a bit of zing @ a dry end. Well mannered w lurking wildness behind.