Tournay Noire

Much better this one, it's a vast improvement on the blonde from the same brewery. The key thing being it actually tastes of something. Living up to its name it is very dark almost black. It has the look of a stout about it. On tasting it has a lot in common with a stout, almost like a stout light. Now my dislike for stouts is well known but I was rather happy with this one. It wasn't quite as intense as most stouts and quite frankly I was just happy to drink a beer that had flavour.

2.5 out of 5

Tournay Blonde

I like blonde beer, it's my favourite. I like that it's not too heavy, I like it when it's really hoppy, I like the colour. And so I was excited to have this blonde Belgian beer. It was an utter disappointment. It was like having a fizzy water. Just didn't really have any flavour.

1.5 out of 5

Corsendonk Pater

I'm in the final furlong, the big push, the last 50. I know I haven't blogged about every beer but sometimes work and life gets in the way. I have decided to put the effort in and really go for it. I want to be finished by Christmas. To that end I have taken up going for a beer straight after work at least twice a week.  

So after work I had this brown Belgian abbey beer and I was highly impressed. It was rich with good flavour, malty and slightly sweet, a real delight. I got a bit carried away and drank the beer before I took a photo, it was a deep dark beer in case you are wondering. 

3.5 out of 5

Chimay White

I didn't actually order this beer but the barman stamped my book first in the wrong place and so I had this one instead of the one I had ordered. It is a very nice beer. A Belgian tripel brewed by some Trappist monks. It has a lovely almost warm flavour, it really helped with being at the end of a long week at work. 

 While having this I was chatting to a fellow passport booker. He was well into his session and decided to start drinking Deus, the £35 a bottle champagne beer from the list which I am saving as a final treat. He decided he so liked the first one he should have another bottle. An expensive night for him. 

4 out of 5. 

Slaapmutske Bruin

I like the name of this type if beer, Slaapmutske, it rolls off the tounge nicely. I've had various brews from this range before and the brown version is a nice example of a Belgian brown beer without being super strong, it's only 6%. It's go a good flavour, quite sweet. 

Rodenbach Grand Cru

When I order this the bar staff thoroughly approve telling me it's a great beer. On pouring it's quite dark  and doesn't really give any head. The first taste brings a big surprise, it's a hit of vinegary sourness. Another sour beer. I find with sour beers at first I hate them, about a third of the way through I start to like them. I think a lot of it is getting over the initial shock to the system and after that they are palatable. It was the same with the Rodenbach it got better as it went on.

2.5 out of 5. 

Adriaen Brouwer Dark Gold

I'm informed by the barman, Ian, that he has never sold a bottle of this beer before. Is that a good thing? I think probably not. 

The bottle depicts Belgian artist Adriaen Brouwer who was apparently famous for doing paintings of people after having a fair few and engaged in bedauchery.

The beer itself is very pleasant. A well balanced strong dark Belgian style beer, I can't really imagine why it doesn't sell more in the vaults. It's by no means a brilliant beer but it's well above average. 

3.5 out of  5. 

Goller Rauchbier

Rauchbier, it's not a good thing for me to see on the list but at least there is only one more left after this one. This one comes in a very nice bottle, I really like that pop cap style you get on some beers. The beer is quite dark and has a smokey flavour but is not as strong as the previous smoked beers I have tried. Overall it was ok if you like that kind of thing.

While having this beer I got to witness a grand event, the decorating of the pub with new hop vines. As I walked in the hop vines were piled up and I got tk watch the quite comedic attempts of the owner mike with the help of a very tall guy trying to mount these above the bar. After some time and much trial and error they managed this feet but left the rest of the vines to the employees rather than the owner to put up. 

2 out of 5

Kellerbier

The first week back at work after the summer holidays is a tough one, and by Friday I was absolutely gasping for a beer. Straight off the train and to the post office vaults it was. The beer I had was the Anno 1417 Kellerbier. Like in most things in life context is very important with beer and I must say that can't remember enjoying a beer more. A nice full flavoured refreshing larger straight after work, it was brilliant. I think I drank it in about 5 minutes such was my enthusiasm for it. Looking back the beer was a very nice larger but not as special as it seemed in the moment.

3.5 out of 5

Palm special

This is an Amber Belgian beer and it claims to be "special". All I can say is that it's not really special. It is distinctly average, it lacks a bit of flavour but has a good aroma. The beer itself comes in a smaller than usual bottle which is a bit disappointing. Belgium is. Small country which seems to produce a truly staggering variety if beer, I don't see how there can be a market for something so indistinct within such a crowded market place but I guess that's why I only got a C at AS level economics. 

2.5 out of 5

Gentse Strop

This beer is a Belgian pale ale from Ghent.  It's name is something to do with the citizens of a suburb of Ghent who lead an uprising against an Emporer. These people got called noose bearers and this gives rise to the name of the beer. 

The beer itself is nice. It has a light fizzy taste and is quite warm in the mouth. I don't think it will be my go to Belgian beer but it's a nice relaxing refreshing tasting beer that doesn't blow your socks off like some Belgian beers. 3 out of 5

Achel Bruin

More Trappist beer this time from Achel. It sometimes seems like every other beer I have has been brewed by a monk. This was typical and unexciting I wasn't a great fan but it wasn't a bad beer. 2.5 out of 5.