For those who recognize Brasserie De La Senne, you’ll know this is quite a big beer for them. They tend to concentrate on lower alcohol, sessionable beers. But it would be a short session on this tasty black IPA.
De La Senne is the second brewery in Brussels (Cantillon being the first). It began operations on 22nd December 2010, and has prided itself on becoming the locals brewery.
Two Brussels locals, the brewers look after their Brussels market first. They don’t export a lot of their beer, so we are fortunate to try this one. All the beers are very traditional in that they are not pasturised or filtered, and use only natural ingredients.
There beer has a deep roasted malt character, with hints of bitter chocolate. But the solid hopping, that is a trademark of this brewery, is not overpowered. The earthy bitterness and medium carbonation make for a beer that is lighter in body than you might imagine; and very drinkable.
A delicious Black IPA that balances the roasted malt character with a resiny, fruity hop character
A big dark Black IPA combining the fruitiness of a traditional IPA with the body and complexity of a dark beer
by Brouwerij Emelisse/Slot-Oostende
The new version of Emelisse Black IPA, now with a changed recipe being produced by Slot-Oostende brewery
by Brouwerij Emelisse/Slot-Oostende
A West Coast US-style Black IPA - floral, punchy and delicious
This black IPA from La Debauche is full of dark chocolate, coffee, liquorice with a little fruit and sustained bitterness
The 2014 vintage of De La Senne's commemorative brew - a ripper Belgian Pale Ale
De La Senne's once-a-year birthday celebratory pale ale, this time using an experimental hop from Slovenia
A Belgian ale 100% fermented with a Brussels Brettanomyces yeast, conditioned for 4 months in the bottle before release
This is a mixed fermentation ale aged in oak barrels for one year
This beer is known as the most bitter Tripel style beer in all of Belgium!
A refreshing over-hopped pale ale with a Belgian touch, from Brussels second only brewery.
A Christmas beer that is lighter, drier and hoppier than a standard winter seasonal
A malty blond ale with a pleasant peppery bite from only the second brewery in Brussels