#218: Brooklyn Brewery » Hammarby Syndrome (Spiced Amber)

Brooklyn heads to Stockholm, pays homage to ancient Swedish beers...

The Brewery: Brooklyn Brewery (Brooklyn, NY)
The Brew:  Hammarby Syndrome (Spiced Amber)
Availability:  Bottles, draft (limited)
ABV: 8.0%
Rating: 8.8/10
Location: Victoire

On my way up to see my cousin for her birthday last month, I had a chance to stop into Rochester's Victoire on East Ave for a bite and a pint with my partner and one of my best friends in the area. After some serious decision difficulty between the Bison Meatloaf sandwich and the handmade Belgian Sausage (and happily moving forward with the former), I picked up a flight of 3 Belgian-style favorites, but made room for the oddly monikered Hammarby Syndrome, from Brooklyn's Brewmaster's Reserve series.

The beer was created in celebration of the Brooklyn's New Carnegie Brewery in Stockholm, Sweden and a nod to the local Football team (Stockholm Syndrome... Hammarby Syndrome... get it?). It's a unique Amber Strong Ale, brewed with spelt and spruce fonds - both paying homage to ancient Swedish brewing.

The beer itself is a deep, glowing amber, topped with a ring of white head and emitting pleasant aromas of fruit, especially strawberry. On to the palate, it's deep, dark fruit flavors with a mild earthiness and esters, backed by prickly carbonation. Notes of grain, sweet malt, and soft caramel are in there as well. More flavors of pecan, spice, and faint peach continue to swirl, but never dominate

Overall, it's elegant, rustic, and subtly intricate. Recommended for those with a delicate palate looking for complexity without shock value.

#117: Brouwerij Verhaeghe » Duchesse De Bourgogne (Flanders Red Ale)

The Brewery: Brouwerij Verhaeghe (Belgium)
The Brew:  Duchesse De Bourgogne (Flanders Red Ale)
Availability:  Bottles, draft
ABV: 6.0%
Rating: 9.4/10
Location: Victoire

The Story? Second Belgian down at Victoire! On first glance, I initially thought I read "Deschutes" Flanders Red Ale, which would have been fantastic. However, I haven't run across Duchesse De Bourgogne from Brouwerij Verhaeghe on draft before, so that was equally exciting. This Flanders blends 8 and 18 month old beers, matured in oak casks.

The Beer? The fizzy head quickly dispersed, too fast for my camera in fact, but left a leggy ring and thin remnants atop the deep, translucent brown liquid. Sweet and sour notes on the nose are compelling, but subtle and the rest of the nose is otherwise transparent.

The taste is beautifully tart and effortlessly smooth. Flavors of cherry, passion fruit, mild apple, and hint of chocolate rise, meld, and settle. Duchesse De Bourgogne's shining point comes in the superb balance of sour and sweet. There's a distinct dark, sweet malt element to the beer along with sweet fruit notes that softens the sourness, but is never sugary. An oaky dryness builds further through the glass, claiming some of the aforementioned sweet aspects.

Overall a wonderful, complex ride through an excellent sour blend.

#116: Brooklyn Brewery » Cuvée La Boîte (Spiced Grand Cru)

My first visit to Victoire Belgian beer bar...

The Brewery: Brooklyn Brewery (Brooklyn, NY)
The Brew:  Cuvée La Boîte (Spiced Grand Cru)
Availability:  Bottles, draft (limited)
ABV: 7.9%
Rating: 9.3/10
Location: Victoire

The Story? Over the summer, while on tour, the owner of Ithaca's The Westy asked if I'd had a chance to swing by Victoire during our stop in Rochester. I hadn't. In fact, I hadn't even heard of it yet. A Belgian beer bar on East Ave?  I vowed not to miss that opportunity again. Having returned to my old stomping grounds this past weekend, I kept up that promise to myself. It's good to promise yourself good beer.

Victoire itself is tucked into the lower level, on a corner on East Ave's vibrant strip. One boastful parallel-park job later and I'm on my way in, noting the outdoor patio for when warm weather returns to Rochester. I was greeted by friendly staff and an elderly couple kindly scooched over to allow me ample access to the bar and a seat while a jazz band started up. A quick glance at the beer menu showed numerous familiar flagship and seasonal offerings from Belgian and Belgian-style staples such as Chimay, Duvel, Ommegang, Stillwater, Unibroue, Leffe, and DuPont, even Kwak and Rodenbach. For me, the Brooklyn Cuvee La Boite and Duchesse de Bourgogne were immediate stand-outs that I hadn't experienced yet.

Cuvee La Boite is part of Brooklyn Brewery's Brewmaster's Reserve series and is brewed in the Grand Cru tradition with Wildflower Honey, Lior’s unique blend of Mishmish N.33 (lemon, saffron, crystalized honey), fresh kaffir lime leaves, and rare Espe- lette peppers from the French Pyrénées. Wow.


The Beer? Cuvee La Boite serves up with a thick, white head of foam perched on cloudy, golden liquid. The nose is a complex menagerie of spices with subtle notes of lemon, honey, and yeast. Every scent and spice appears interwoven, relying on the others and is all about the bouquet sum rather than it's individual pieces.

I take a long first sip and immediately take note how incredibly smooth this is. At first the flavor is straightforward and typically Belgian, but in an instant, it blooms with all sorts of interesting characteristics.

The silky smooth mouthfeel is complemented by an amazing array of flavors - pepper, crème brûlée, mild banana, honey, honey comb, vanilla, wheat, with a slight touch of ester far off on the finish which coats the tongue nicely with all that spice.

Overall this is probably the smoothest beers I've ever enjoyed. The whole experience is elegant and sublime. A recommended reserve for the discerning enthusiast that won't break the bank.