Claire B

SeaQuench Ale B

Our last can of this is all fine and lime and salty again.

Toøl-ator Helles Bock B

A hoppy bock; rather reminds me of a mead, which is no bad thing.

All Night IPA B

Another of Nigel R.'s beers. Black IPA variant is inevitably my sort of thing.

SeaQuench Ale B

That's better, although I think fading a bit now it's past its best by date. Which to be fair is precisely what that implies.

50°N-4°E (2022) B

The blending and regular cognac aging already sounded boggling, and this has multiples. So much going on in a gentle way... or so it seems to start with. So smooth on top of the lambic sourness.

Cuvée Saint-Gilloise (Champions) (2003-2004) B

It smells like cake now, albeit with an ingredient you can't quite deduce. It tastes remarkable: a more robust sourness, with a slight sense you could breathe fire after, and lingering. Brewed for footballing success, apparently; it's held up well.

Sang Bleu (2023) B

Aha, honeyberry again. Have to get past the raw meat nose (maybe not quite as bad as chicken) to get into the berries and sourness. There's a creaminess underlying that, which it would be interesting to see whether it develops or fades over the years.

Lou Pepe Framboise (2018) B

Very raspberry: jammy on the nose in a way that someone described as 'old jam', but then full of tartness with a tiny fruit sweetness coming back at the end.

Kriek 100% Lambic Bio (2022) B

As usual with this kriek, there's a whole lambic sourness on the nose before the fruit (still very tart fruit – someone said like cherry stones and I think that's it) comes through in the mouth. Score increases even over the time of a tasting pour.

Fou' Foune (2020) B

MASSIVE APRICOT. Really ripe (although still quite tart) up front but almost plummy to drink. I liked the draught version at The Bear but this is really full of flavour. And impressively sour.

Gueuze 100% Lambic Bio (2017) B

Very complex (and a bit astringent, like metal polish) on the nose but then woody and funky and faintly metallic. Very interestingly changed; apparently the last time I had this it was another big cricket time too.

Classic Gueuze (2022) B

Tasting at The Rake. This still smells quite fresh and grassy – and a little barnyardy on the nose in fact – but it's come together really well in the mouth. It already feels a little more mellow* than when I had this at The Bear (when I was).

Black B

Our last bottle of what's been one of my favourite beers in the world for about a dozen years now. And it's still sensational.

Boon Kriek Selection B

Well, that's cheerfully as tart and cherry as I'd hoped, and everyone is now here for lunch and our sort-of meeting. I might just drink Belgian beer all afternoon...

2-Year Unblended Oude Lambiek B

Not as puckering as I was expecting (OK, hoping for) but there's some Brett going on and a hint of lemon. Maybe this is a sensible enough way to start, especially since the others are running late...

Classic Gueuze (2022) B

I started with Cantillon on draught and we're finishing (I think) by sharing a big bottle of Cantillon three ways. So that's been a good day.

Fou' Foune B

A new bar, and Cantillon I've never had before. That'll do nicely.

Reptilicus In Space B

Citrusy and vinous and a little bit stone fruit and just maybe tea.

Nocturnal B

Good beer to accompany the acorn and squirrel theory in the virtual pub.

Castle Black Stout B

Chocolate and (boozy) dried fruit. Bar now quite loud, but this beer was worth staying for.

Ich Bin Raspberry B

Refreshing gently fruity thing that goes very well after a spicy Scotch egg.

Kentucky Breakfast Stout (KBS) (2019) B

I like this beer a lot but I still think the 2019 version is a little subdued, especially after time. Or subtle, maybe, like I'm really now not. But nothing can quite follow This Never Happened.

Game of Thrones - Iron Anniversary IPA B

GoT branded beer; I'm not surprised it exists but I'm quite surprised it's Mikkeller. Juicy and quaffable; light-touch tropical.

Kriek 100% Lambic Bio B

The downside is that after this we have no more Cantillon.

Gueuze 100% Lambic Bio B

I observed last year that this goes surprisingly well with gingerbread mince pies. We have confirmed this hypothesis. Beer's still great, obviously.

Framboise Boon B

Happy birthday, Doug! From both of us.

Cramboozle B

Tart citrusy herbal alcoholic cranberry juice? Don't mind if I do.

Particle Horizon B

Wow, fruit tart. Almost like the intensity of a really fruity ice lolly.