Lapin Kulta- Ei tippa tapa eikä ämpäriin huku

This is my first Finnish beer. While it was a tad expensive for the size-I spent almost four euros for a 33cl bottle-I can't really complain as the beer, for me ,was a fresh surprise. The head was very small, the taste didn't overwhelm the palate(very sweet , honey mixed with a "malty" taste), odours were very common, quite redolent of Heineken and a typical Belgian Lambic( somewhat fruity and grainy all at once), and the color was a nice golden yellow.


It's a decent beer for Summer barbecues and chilling, but not for the price. Unless I am in Finland and can get the beer at local price, this was my first and last one.

Price: 4€


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Fun Facts:
Lapin Kulta (in English, Gold of Lapland, arguably Lapp Gold) was a brewery in the Lapland town of Tornio, Finland. It was founded in 1873 under the name Torneå Bryggeri Aktiebolag (Tornio Brewery Limited Company in Swedish).

La Montreuilloise Blanche- un chef-d'œuvre organique( An organic masterpiece)

Whenever I hear the words "organic" and "beer"mentioned in the same breath, I usually run the other way. I'm not sure how much more organic a beer needs to be , at least in regards to how organic most beer already is(at least here in Europe, save of course for cheap water in cans that passes for beer, Budweiser and Coors, *cough*) . However, I had recently been presented with this beer at our last BBQ by a friend, and was expecting to be underwhelmed. Boy was I wrong!

I won't dive into why I dislike "organic" foods, let alone the labels, but this beer was truly a surprise. Upon opening the bottle, I was immediately overtaken by the smell of yeast(the cloudy pour with various particles, easily visible, prepared me for such) and a different tasting variety of hops(not sure where they came from, but they tasted slightly bitter sweet, almost "pickley" ). It had a lively, slightly fruity taste, with a mix of citrus and light floral notes, and was so smooth that, thanks to the mixture of heat, heavy eating , and the excellent taste of this beer, I was able to quaff a 75cl bottle in under ten minutes ,with the help of my brother in law of course.  I'm still wary of organic, but this brew is definitely worth a try.

Price:  €3,50

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3 Monts Flanders Golden Ale: Une véritable bière ( A real beer)

The first thing that stands out about this Belgian style beer is the  ABV of 8.50%. I say this, as this is usually off-putting to me in regards to beer.  I like to keep it around 6-7% max so that the alcohol doesn't mask whatever flavor the beer may have. This is not the case here. The beer pours a nice golden yellow with a pinky finger nail sized head, plenty of small bubbles, and a nice misty after fizz. Upon taking your first taste, your nose is greeted by an aroma of anise, cloves, and yeast. The taste is somewhat fruity and bitter at the same time, with accents of lemon, pineapple, pear, and maybe even white grapes. This beer is definitively better with a big meal, as again, the abv is surprisingly well-hidden. Definitely a tasty Bière de Garde worth a try.



                                                 






Price: 2,65 €  for a 75CL bottle




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Interesting fact: The name of the beer refers to three hills in Flanders, Mont Noir in Belgium and Mont Cassel & Mont des Cats both on the French side of the border.

Liquid gold : Marks & Spencer Sussex Golden Ale

This is a wonderful, low ABV(3.8%) golden ale marketed as a traditional Sussex bitter. The beer pours a light-golden color with a 90 second lasting quarter-inch head. Plenty of yeast sediments can be seen on the bottom( a good thing in my opinion), and the aroma is quite "grassy", with hints of floral, lime, and malt. The taste is a nice mix of grapefruit, light orange , and minimally sweet leaving a perfect "bitter" aftertaste in the mouth.  This is one of my favorite beers from M&S's, though it is a bit on the expensive side.

Price: £2.29 per bottle(about €3,49)

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American IPA from my home state of California: Anchor Liberty Ale(aka the first modern American single-hop and dry-hopped ale)

One thing I do miss about my home state are all the good APAs/IPAs . I was happy to see a local store out here in France had this one in stock, as I had never  tried it before. Upon opening, the bottle let out a flurry of various aromas  that included grapefruit, vanilla, orange-peels, and even a bit of a floral smell.  The carbonation was akin to that of champagne,-small bubbles that continued fizzing until the end,  and the taste was delicious.

It had that typical bitterness that usually accompanies traditional IPAs without being too much.  The abv was perfect at around 6 percent, so you aren't overwhelmed by the alcohol content, and you can enjoy a few and still be able to play table tennis on a nice day like we have been having out here. All said and done, this beer really set the standard for me for any future APA  I might try, and yes, I would definitely recommend it to anyone who loves pale ales.




Fun fact:
"Liberty Ale® was first brewed to celebrate the bicentennial of Paul Revere’s historic ride. As the first modern American IPA brewed after prohibition and the first modern American single-hop ale and dry-hopped ale, Anchor’s Liberty Ale® is the original craft brewed ale and the historic beer that started a revolution."

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Price: € 2,47

Pelforth Radler: La bière parfait pendant l’Été

When it comes to  Radler/Shandy type drinks, I'm usually not a big fan. However, this offering from Pelforth, a subsidiary of Heineken, hits the spot. The spring is bringing with it plenty of sun, and so darker beers just won't do for now. Upon opening this can and pouring, I was immediately hit with a light and very spritzy carbonation, hints of lemon and malty citrus. The beer is very "fruity" in taste, has a light head and pours a very clouded yellow. It is very refreshing and one or two should hit the spot. This is a must try, especially with the days becoming hotter and hotter, and this beer should please anyone who likes beer.



Fun fact: Pelforth is a French brewery founded in 1914 in Mons-en-Barœul by three Lillois brewers. It was originally called Pelican, after a dance popular at the time. Production was stopped during World War II, restarting in 1950. The brewery name was changed in 1972 to Pelforth. It was bought by Français de Brasserie in 1986, which was acquired by Heineken International in 1988.

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Price: 1,68 €