I haven’t done a #struisemonday in months, and for a moment I was wondering if I had made a mistake in going for one today... First up was Tom8, a relatively flat not dry Saison with tomatoes - worth the experimental try (poging) but I’ll definitely pass in the future. Then I pulled out this 2019 edition Kill & Destroy IPA, and after it poured flatter than Tom8, I wondered if I should just end the night early. Yet I knew patience was needed for an 18% ABV beer, and patience paid off - just loved this Bourbon barrel aged IPA, from the sweet balanced bourbon alcohol, the dried tropical fruit juice, the dry wood, the cinnamon spice dancing on my tongue, the lingering bitter dried citrus peel, to ... . Loved it. Cheers! #tom8 #killanddestroyipa #killanddestroyipa2019 #struisebrouwers #belgium #belgië #belgie #belgique #belgian #belgianbeer #belgischbier #bièrebelge #bierebelge #beer #bier #bière #biere #instabeer #beerphoto #beerlover #beerstagram #craftbeer #beertasting #BeTheBelgianBeer (at Balen, Antwerpen, Belgium) https://www.instagram.com/p/CDKIESkJf8J/?igshid=gx9iedfr6o5t

A Belgian APA, honestly I don’t even know what a traditional American Pale Ale tastes like; well, this Peil Ijl (pronounced “pale ale”) from De Struise Brouwers was mild and easy, meaning mild earthy citrus fruity hops, mild pale malts, and light & easy to put away. As I already said, I’m no expert in APA’s, but I prefer Californian Pale Ales from this century: they tend to be full(er) malted with much more pronounced citrus fruity hoppy bitter. Cheers! #struisemonday #peilijl #destruisebrouwers #americanpaleale #belgium #belgië #belgie #belgique #belgian #belgianbeer #belgischbier #bièrebelge #bierebelge #beer #bier #bière #biere #instabeer #beerphoto #beerlover #beerstagram #craftbeer #beertasting #BeTheBelgianBeer (at Balen, Antwerpen, Belgium) https://www.instagram.com/p/B1W8uhQCg1N/?igshid=6f7yk467fizq

The sun bowed down all day to the overcast skies and the occasional thundershower, plus now Sharknado 2 is on the Telly... so why not a rich & lovely roasted caramel chocolate fudge latte dark berry’d red vinous Black Damnation XXVII 2016 Master of Darkness, a 12% ABV Armagnac and Margaux barrel aged collab blend of Black Albert (De Struise Brouwers) and Marius (RIS from Vliegende Paard Brouwers)? Bottled 1 year + 1 day ago. Cheers! #struisemonday #blackdamnationxxvii #blackdamnation #mastersofdarkness #destruisebrouwers #vliegendepaardbrouwers #stoutbeer #barrelagedstout #belgium #belgië #belgie #belgique #belgian #belgianbeer #belgischbier #bièrebelge #bierebelge #beer #bier #bière #biere #instabeer #beerphoto #beerlover #beerstagram #craftbeer #beertasting #BeTheBelgianBeer (Enjoying a couple Sharknado casting moves: Airplane’s savior pilot Robert Hays was the pilot, and Judd Hirsch was the taxi driver; plus I’m sure I missed other stuff...) https://www.instagram.com/p/B1E3OGViLr_/?igshid=1ou5288nk6t7p

No bbq today, just a nice hike to one of Balen’s small nature reserve jewels, De Vennen. And later, after making sure I had stayed hydrated, I chose for the dark side as clouds moved in to cut a sunny evening on the back terrace short with this Black Damnation XXVI, aka Froggie. This time the Struise Brouwers ripened their Black Albert massive stout on Bordeaux wine barrels from the Margaux, Pauillac & St.-Estèphe regions, all west of the Gironde estuary. This one’s a rich boozy dark fruity red vinous woody dark barrel aged Stout with smoky creamy dark chocolate & coffee. Very nice, but quite boozy. Cheers! #struisemonday #blackdamnationxxvi #blackdamnationfroggie #destruisebrouwers #barrelagedbeer #barrelagedstout #belgium #belgië #belgie #belgique #belgian #belgianbeer #belgischbier #bièrebelge #bierebelge #beer #bier #bière #biere #instabeer #beerphoto #beerlover #beerstagram #craftbeer #beertasting #BeTheBelgianBeer (at Balen, Antwerpen, Belgium) https://www.instagram.com/p/B0zAfQZFIBf/?igshid=9w3vyc8h4x3w

Tsjeeses! This Tsjeeses Reserva 2011 Port BA from De Struise Brouwers was lovely, a delicious (bitter)sweet caramel fruity woody Porto vinous delight. Cheers! #struisemonday #vintagebeermonday #tsjeesesreserva #tsjeesesreserva2011 #barrelagedbeer #belgium #belgië #belgie #belgique #belgian #belgianbeer #belgischbier #bièrebelge #bierebelge #beer #bier #bière #biere #instabeer #beerphoto #beerlover #beerstagram #craftbeer #beerporn #beertasting #BeTheBelgianBeer (at Balen, Antwerpen, Belgium) https://www.instagram.com/bethebelgianbeer/p/BryWb6_A8M2/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=7k7o65ycr5j6

Well, tonight I’d normally call it a #struisemonday , but because the Hendig family is vacationing in the Netherlands, I just had to find something from here to help warm me up on this cold wintery autumn evening... and both Je Moer Op Een Bakfiets (Brouwerij Demoersleutel) and Moord & Doodslag (Brouwerij De Molen) are doing me well... though I just fear I should also have purchased a coffee infused beer for tomorrow morning. Cheers! (Doei! / Tjuus!) #jemoeropeenbakfiets #brouwerijdemoersleutel #moordendoodslag #brouwerijdemolen #dutchbeer #nederlandsbier #beer #bier #bière #biere #instabeer #beerphoto #beerlover #beerstagram #craftbeer #beerporn #beertasting #BeTheBelgianBeer (at Lattrop) https://www.instagram.com/bethebelgianbeer/p/Bph1iNClB4s/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=b919qtgmyh2p

A nice afternoon, but MAN it was COLD this morning... the only benefit to such weather is the craving for more substantial stuff, like this anything but hollow Black Damnation XXIII Hollow - Black Albert on Lagavulin Islay Scotch whisky barrels from De Struise Brouwers. Cheers! #struisemonday #blackdamnationxxiiihollow #blackdamnation #destruisebrouwers #barrelagedbeer #belgium #belgië #belgie #belgique #belgian #belgianbeer #belgischbier #bièrebelge #bierebelge #beer #bier #bière #biere #instabeer #beerphoto #beerlover #beerstagram #craftbeer #beerporn #beertasting #BeTheBelgianBeer (at Balen, Antwerpen, Belgium) https://www.instagram.com/p/BorkZyJl2nr/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=15fo85bwooh8g

Just lovin’ what 4 years solitary confinement on oak Bordeaux wine barrels has done to this Pannepot Special Reserva 2014 from the Struise Brouwers. Cheers! #struisemonday #pannepotspecialreserva #pannepotspecialreserva2014 #struisebrouwers #barrelagedbeer #belgium #belgië #belgie #belgique #belgian #belgianbeer #belgischbier #bièrebelge #bierebelge #beer #bier #bière #biere #instabeer #beerphoto #beerlover #beerstagram #craftbeer #beerporn #beertasting #BeTheBelgianBeer