Right after really, really ridiculously good-tasting beer, I also enjoy interesting beer. Last night at the Farmhouse, as usual, I opted for the new-to-me beers on tap over the known good stuff. Often, trying new beers when surrounded by sure-winners, there's a let down when the new brew is mediocre, boring, or just plain bad. Thankfully, Brouwerij Van Steenberge's Atomium Grand Cru didn't suck at all. In fact, it had one of the most interesting aromas (there was peppermint, wtf?) I've smelled in a long time. Check it out:
Atomium Grand Cru
Brouwerij Van Steenberge
Belgian Strong Pale Ale | 8.00% ABV
B+ / 4
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | drink: 4.5
On-tap at The Farmhouse in Emmaus, PA. Served in a red wine glass, it appears slighty hazy and amber with a tall, fluffy white head. It's funny, I'm used to finding beers that have great flavor but are a little dull in the aroma department. This was the opposite. It was bursting with coriander, cinnamon, and peppermint (unusual, but interesting). The flavor follows the coriander with a hint of orange peel - sort of like a wit, but without wheat character - and then a subtle but delicious candied apple malt flavor slides in before the beer finishes. Still, the beer's taste is too mild for a beer of this strength. Overall, I was pleasantly surprised to find a fresh take on this style.
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