Bieken and Barbar: Two Honey-Loaded Delights

Bieken Ale
Br. Boelens, Belsele
750 mL capped bottle
8.5 percent ABV
Sampled: March 20, 2009

The nose comes off with a graininess more common to saisons but with that key ingredient – honey – right in the mix. The head fizzles out into a thin, almost nonexistent lace. The label claims Bieken a descendant off brews native to Land van Waas, undoubtedly in Flanders. But the ancient tradition of brews based on honey shines through in any culture.

There’s a little herbal bouquet and some heather to round it out. Bieken feels like the product of an old brewing era. The honey falls in the right spot, beyond all the mango and lemon flavors, snuggling up against the finish. Murky orange in color, only slight traces of that fruit bubble up.

To just call it honey and be done with it does Bieken a disservice – it imbues this brew with a soft, mellow palate that other ales with honey can only gawk at. As a result, it closes clean, without a trace of bitterness, the gift which honey gives to ale.

Bieken pushes forward with the spiciness of a saison, but not the other factors. Despite being stronger than most saisons at 8.5 percent, Bieken offers a much smoother drinking experience. Don’t let the light sediment bother you; it’s not even a minor hindrance because the smoothness carries over to Bieken’s every facet.

In the end, there’s really only one rating for a beer so rounded and strong.
Rating: 8.5/10

Barbar Ale
Ale brewed with honey and spices
(Coriander and orange peel)
Brasserie Lefebvre, Quenast, Belgium
11.2 oz. capped bottle
8 percent ABV
Sampled: May 22, 2009


Forget the elephantine name – this ale never lumbers or sways.

From the first whiff, the burnt orange melts into the undeniable ingredient, honey. Despite its expense, it makes an ordinary beer intriguing. Plus, it’s connection to beer runs deep and ancient.

Barbar’s taste follows the template of the nose, skillfully shifting from the orange to the honey richness. The thin lace still lends a nice creaminess, and the effervescence common to many strong Belgians never manifests.

The honey imparts softness to the taste, and keeps the hops (Styrian and Hallertau) from sneaking in any bitterness. The bitterness comes on the front end, thanks to the coriander and orange. Most Belgian ales might not meet muster of the Bavarian Purity Law, but it’s hard to argue with the results of the spicing.

Barbar deserves credit for dodging easy categorization, picking elements of tripels, Belgian wit, bier de miel and Belgian golden ales. Mashing them together here works wonders, creating ale that comes off complex and easy to quaff.

As much as I enjoy Barbar, it outpaces Bieken by a trunk at least.

Rating: 9/10

Stockyard Oatmeal Stout

Chicago, IL

Sampled: May 24, 2009

Trader Joe’s beers are too easily dismissed, but their alcoholic beverages are no different than their other products.

The specialty grocer contracts with craft breweries for its ales – the holiday ale is a Unibroue product, and I’m convinced this stout’s Windy City origins connect it to Goose Island, its outstanding craft brewery.

This ale hits all the stylistic marks. Oatmeal stout can easily miss the target – too many craft brewers want to push it to imperial extremes when this stout can express more complexity and taste at the strength of a session beer.

The roasted malt comes on strong with a chocolate bouquet. Molasses, oats, raisins and other flavors lurk beneath the opaque surface. The oats give rise to vanilla bean as the stout cruises to the finish, which eschews all bitterness. It just requires a pinch of oats in the mash to generate that taste, but it works here. The vanilla is a refreshing change, but it works better because the vanilla does not become obtrusive.

At $5.99 a six-pack, this is the most economic oatmeal stout on the market. Since Goose Island does not market in Tennessee, I do wonder whether this is the same stout or not. Three years have passed since my last Goose Island Oatmeal Stout. Trader Joe’s just opened down here. While I cannot compare the two, I will find it simple to stick with Stockyard for an affordable, roasted oatmeal stout.

Rating: 8/10

Lozen Boer

Brewmaster’s Collection Private Reserve

De Prouef Brouwery

Original ABV: 10 percent

ABV after aging: Unknown, but I’ll estimate 13-15 percent

750 mL corked bottle

Time aging since purchase: 30 months

Sampled: May 24, 2009

Year of aging finally means I can taste this quadruple Belgian I socked this away 2-and-1/2 years ago. Lozen Boer was one of the last beers I bought for aging in Columbus, but because you can’t break out a quad every day, it has sat longer than expected.

A quad can thrive after five or more years of aging, This ale proves it can hang with the big dogs of the style – Chimay Grand Reserve, Rochefort 12 and St. Bernardus Abt 12.

Creamy laces clings to the dark ruby body that appears unchanged from a young bottle. But the nose betrays its age. A sharp pepper reveals what the yeast culture has done during its time in the dark. Shoot, I can smell the pepper and a complementary molasses tones from across the room. Pepper signifies a heightened alcohol content

With time, the complexity of a young quad/abt enters new dimensions as a few flavors begin to dominate and others fade away. Lozen Boer winnows down its lineup to molasses and a finish ripe with dried fruit – dates with an undercurrent of raisins.

Even with the pepper, the alcohol sneaks up thanks to its unbelievable smoothness. Lozen Boer becomes dangerous if imbibing more than a glass.This sucker blows past the alcohol threshold for wines and straight into port territory.

While Lozen Boer comes off as balanced when sample new, it’s well worth the $10-12 expense to stand up a bottle in a cool, dark place for a few years. Quads mellow wonderfully with age, and anyone overwhelmed by the strength and complexity of a young bottle would enjoy the august, port wine developments aging produces.

Rating: 9/5/10 (I added a full point due to aging's effects).