If you live in Fairfield County, you are no doubt aware of the massive Fairway Market that opened in Stamford in November of 2010. This gourmet market has become a mecca for foodies, but the real story in Stamford was the opening of a Fairway Wines & Spirits right next door. This well-stocked liquor store offers a great selection of all things alcoholic, and they did not skimp on the craft beer selection.
A new find not seen elsewhere in the state - the interestingly packaged Embrasse, brewed by the Belgian Brouwerij De Dochter van de Korenaar. Translated from Flemish (a dialect of Dutch spoken in Belgium), this means "Brewery The Daughter of the Corn Ear." It may sound like the brewers were sampling too much of their product when they named the place, but "daughter of the corn ear" is an old Flemish idiom for beer dating back to the 16th century.
Fairway stocks the 1pt 6.4oz bottles of Embrasse and they come wrapped up like a present waiting to be opened. Each bottle is contained in a brown paper bag with the brewery name and logo stamped on the front. Adding to the present metaphor, there is a folded card stapled to the top of the bag. This card contains a message from brewer Ronald Mengerink and some technical stats on the batch, including the bottle number, alcohol content, and a bottle date. Some Flemish on the back of the card states, "Tenminste houdbaar tot 5 jaar na botteldatum. (Mits koel en donker bewaard)." This means the beer should last at least five years past the bottle date and should be stored (as should all good beers!) in cold and dark conditions. This is not surprising information for a beer that sports the motto, "Een bier om van te houden," or, "A beer to keep!"
Ripping open the bag like a kid on Christmas morning, the lucky drinker finds a large bottle with a classy label. The beer pours a dark, deep ruby with a thick, off-white head that sticks around awhile. The nose is classic Belgian - a thick, sweet malty aroma punctuated with raisin, chocolate, and cherry notes. As the beer warms, more aromas are released and one can detect a complex array of subtle notes - cinnamon, nutmeg, and brown sugar, to name a few. It might just be one of the best-smelling beers on the planet.
Aroma counts, but how does it taste? The first sip reveals as much complexity as the aroma - a big, malty beer with layers and layers of flavor that change as the temperature rises. There is a slight sour bitterness present in the finish - it is not unpleasant; rather, it almost helps to cleanse the palate. One surprise was the mouthfeel of this beer. Malt aroma this pronounced is usually accompanied by a syrupy, tongue-coating mouthfeel, but Embrasse was a bit thinner than expected. Combined with the low to medium carbonation, this made Embrasse an extremely drinkable beer. Good luck hanging on to a bottle for five years!
Embrasse represents a high point in Belgian beers. It has all of the complexity and flavor profile one expects from a Belgian without the cloying sweetness commonly found in the style. This brew is a fine example of how good beer can compete with wine in depth of flavor. Indeed, one could serve this as an digestif or pair it with dessert quite easily - the card attached to the bottle even recommends serving it hot with a dollop of whipped cream! Just make sure you enjoy this one responsibly - at 9% alcohol by volume it may not be the strongest beer out there, but it's strong enough to demand some respect.
Comments