Beer – #72 – De Molen – Heen and Weer (Back and Forth)

De Molen – Heen & Weer – Brewed by Brouwerij de Molen in the style of an Abbey Tripel and this one comes a long way to be here from Bodegraven, Netherlands.

It says on the label “Best within 5 years” to be honest I expect to be through with this in under an hour. This little treasure of a 9.2% ABV beer in a 330ml bottles was born on the 2nd February 2012. So in man years at a month per year it’s 8 years old already!

so Heen & Weer – pours a brilliant gorgeous orange colour, and with a fearsome head, slightly cloudy, well carbonated. I failed to take due care and at the last I managed the sediment and turned it all very cloudy.

Bazinga! What a glass full of flavour. That really did being a smile to the dial, based on the aroma I wasn’t expecting a huge drama, I love it when I’m surprised. Then of course it’s a Tripel, and that’s a big clue on what you’ve got in store.

The head settles into a pleasant depth, the caramel aroma escapes, nicely rich and sweet. it’s all a bit good. Taste is lovely fruity and ideal for a quiet Sunday in the afternoon sun. A couple could see you head off for a nap though at 9.2% ABV. As it sits longer the under bitterness becomes apparant, and creeps in, just a peek, not a jazz hands entrance, but it’s there, and the alcohol is well hidden in the overall taste of things.

The pdubyah-o-meter loves this, but then I’ve made no secrets of my enjoyment of all things Wit, Tripel, Trappist et al. Not sure I ever had a Dutch beer though, if this is the bar then they’re doing ok. Loves it at 8.5 from 10 arbitrary things from a thing, loves it like a comfort blanket.

There is no fancy packaging in this, it’s just a tidy bottle with a tidy beer inside. Just like it should be. Couple of these and a tasting platter of things would make a old man very happy.

and a late save face ……. ok look to make it all better, yes Heineken and Grolsh and Amstel all from Holland. All brewed in Onehunga locally, not dutch beer :-), besides which despite the odd lapse of judgement and ignorance I’m trying to pick the boutique beers from an expanding shelf of things. I’m going to sit in the naughty corner for a bit and think about my lapse.