Herevana -#204 – Emerson’s JP

Here we have somewhat a surprise, firstly that here’s post! I know I’d been off my game for a while but this is the first post in something like 7 months, it’s just not good enough. I’m fairly active on the Insta if you want to find me there, you know if you’re fan of pictures of beer.

To celebrate a bit of a return, even if it is a bit sporadic, I have scored an Emerson’s beer. Emersons’s are based in Nelson , and JP is an annual release, This iteration is a Belgian Strong Dark Ale, and this is 9.3% ABV

I’m also a bit unsure that starting my evening with a ‘big’ beer is going to be the wisest thing I’ve ever done, and saying they’re an annual release and actually having had them though, well that’s been another thing, there are gaps, of years, and I can see that back at the end of 2017 I had 3 variations for an afternoon of merriment. I was younger, more foolish possibly, slightly more indestructible.

Sometimes we drink to remember.

Pours like it looks like a ruddy red rather than a deep brown, might have been the light, the aroma is light and airy, but mostly that slight sweet Belgian yeasty ester.

The initial taste is also quite sweet, and readily enjoyed, with, naturally a really strong forward of the Belgian contingent. Despite this air of lightness and gentle this and that the underlying with this is that it is a bit heavier than you’d imagine.

It might be that it still might be too warm and the promised cherry, cloves and dried fruit flavour may have yet to walk up, I can make up words whilst I wait, which shouldn’t be a problem, I may have a few saved up.

My patience isn’t what it used to be, so I ventured again, having turned to album to the B Side in the meantime, and yes the spice part of this is more pronounced, not barking, but it is there, not really well defined as one thing or other, but definitely a big curve of catch-all spiciness, which I mean in a polite way and not as a criticism.

Where did I end up with this? Well I am enjoying it for what it is, but whilst special isn’t quite spectacular, but is really worth of consideration and enjoyment at a medium pace, preferably with good music, and some accompanying platter of things, which MrsPhil refused to conjure up, claiming I was quite capable.

This is more than a beer. It’s a monument to the late, great Jean Pierre Dufour. Food scientist. Biophysicist. Beer legend. Most years on his birthday, we release a Belgian style beer in his honour. This one’s a Belgian Strong Ale. A strong dark ale fermented using belgian yeast, with cherry, clove, dried fruit flavours and a spicy finish. Sometimes we drink to remember.
said the notes on the bottle…

The Pdubyah-o-meter rates this as a 8 on the arbitrary scale. Very approachable and not very daunting beer this starts as it goes, really nice looking , soft accessible flavours, but a lurking feeling that it is all of the 9.3% and best enjoyed without haste.

Music . I’m playing the vinyl of the Prince Album “Piano and a Microphone” it really is very good, and it’s been a while since I last payed it.

Herevana beers are those I drink at home, I’m not at some beer festival, like, for instance, Beervana, but am just in my kitchen, usually, dining room table, sometimes, or outside, occasionally, where I can take an average picture and write in real time about the beer that I’ve invested in, both in a monetary and emotional way.

Philip himself.

BELGIAN STRONG ALE

Belgian Strong Ales can vary from pale to dark brown in color, darker ales may be colored with dark candy sugar. Hop flavor can range from low to high, while hop aroma is low. The beers are medium to full-bodied and have a high alcoholic character. Types of beers included here include tripels, dubbels and ultra-strong abbey ales.