De Proef Brouwerij Flemish Primitive Wild Ale

The September shipment of the Michael Jackson Rare Beer of the Month Club brought a bottle of De Proef Brouwerij Flemish Primitive Wild Ale. The beer pours a golden color with an overly lofty bubbly white colored head that leaves a nice lacing on the glass on as it subsides. The aroma consists of horse blanket, hay, barnyard funk, lemon, and earthy tones. The taste is funky with a strong lemon presence on the front end before lots of horse blanket, hay, barnyard funk and earthiness settles in. There is some peppery and grassy notes in the finish. The alcohol content is 9.0% ABV. I enjoyed the funkiness of this beer with its wonderful farm-like aspects and nice earthy tones.

De Proef Brouwerij Zoetzuur

My buddy Matt brought over a bottle to share of De Proef Brouwerij Zoetzuur while I was brewing. The beer pours an amber color with a bubbly white colored head. The aroma consists of cherry, strawberry, vinegar, sourness, and sugary crust. The taste is lightly sour with vinegar, cherry, raspberry, and strawberry. A light crusty finish comes out with a dry after taste. The alcohol content is 7.0% ABV. The light tartness to this made it very enjoyable with a cherry dessert-like experience. I would get another bottle of this beer if I ever saw it again.

De Proef-Hair of the Dog Flanders Fred

As part of the Rare Beer of the Month Club, I received a bottle of De Proef-Hair of the Dog collaboration Flanders Fred. The beer pours a golden color with a frothy white colored head that lingers for a while. The aroma consists of lemon, tart cherry, grass, and a light hint of vinegar. The taste is light and refreshing with a good tart flavor. Hints of lemon and cherry make up the tart flavor, and it finishes with a a grassy and light peppery finish. The alcohol content is 7.5% ABV. This was a nice light and and refreshing beer with a good tart twist to it. It was nice and fruit with hints of vinegar, all making an enjoyable experience.

Sly Fox-De Proef Brouwerij Broederlijke Liefde

My buddy Matt brought over a bottle of the Sly Fox-De Proef Brouwerij collaboration Broederlijke Liefde (Brotherly Love), the beer brewed for Philly Beer Week. The beer pours an orange-tinted golden color with a lofty and frothy white head. The aroma consists of pepper, lemon, orange, yeast, funk, and vinegar. The taste is smooth and sweet with lemon, yeast, orange, yeast, biscuit flavors on the front end. The finish bring out a slight sour tinge and dry peppery flavors with an earthy hop accent coming alive in the after taste. The alcohol content is 8.0% ABV, very high for a saison. This was a wonderful saison with great earthy and citrus notes, all while packing a nice alcohol punch. As far as collaboration beers, this is one of the better that have been made.

De Proef Draeckenier

I ordered a glass of De Proef Draeckenier from Al’s of Hampden. The beer pours a yellow gold color with a think filmy white head. The aroma consists of Belgian yeast, banana nut bread, and lemon squares. The taste is smooth and yeasty with a lemon and meringue flavor, similar to a lemon square. There is a pepper bite on the side of the mouth in the finish and the after taste is light and wheaty. The alcohol content is 7.5% ABV. This is a very different tripel than I am used to drinking. It is not quite as sweet and Belgian-y, but is somewhat refreshing with a good lemon flavor.