Top Tastings 2008. A shorter version appeared on facebook January 2009.
ABV: 5.5%
Origin: Beerzel, Antwerpen, Vlaanderen
Website: www.thofbrouwerijke.be
't Hofbrouwerijke hofblues
Hobby brewer Jef Goetelein dipped his toes into commercial brewing as a hirer of other brewers’ kit. In 2005, frustrated with this arrangement, he set up on his own “little farmyard brewery”, although still on a very small scale. His dry stout, hofblues, was one of the more obscure beers to get selected by Tim Webb and Joris Pattyn for their 100 Belgian Beers to Try Before you Die in 2008. I’ve heard some complaints about gushing, contaminated bottles from Jef’s plant but my sample, bought at the Pigs Ear festival, was fine and very enjoyable.
The beer is a solid and rich dark ruby with a thick deep fawn head. A leathery, spicy blackcurrant, marmite and coffee aroma heralds a dry and spicy caramel and coffee palate with a bite of hops and a slight washing up liquid note. There are chewy roast spicy flavours in a chocolatey finish, with a little more caramel signing off a decent and rich beer. Stout, especially in its sweeter manifestations, has a long if obscure history as a Belgian beer style to which this example is a worthy addition.
Read more about this beer at ratebeer.com: http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/t-hofbrouwerijke-hofblues/70595/
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