Westoek X (6% ABV)

Assignment by John Vanloo of San Francisco-based Waterloo Beverages LLC to develop & manufacture the Westoek Ale – 6% ABV at & by the Deca Brewery. As this was a very complex recipe to deal with, Deca asked Urbain Coutteau, brew master at Struise to collaborate on this project.

4 grain Blond dry triple ale married to a soft English bitter. Urbain’s Magnum hops for bittering, Styrian Goldings for different aroma hop gifts in the boil, late boil & flame out, Hallertauer Mittelfrueh for dry hopping.

3.4

257 reviews

Oostvleteren, Belgium

Community reviews

3.2 Bottle. Hazy orange, low white head. Marzipan, rum and belgian yeast nose. Medium body, ligt sparkly mouthfeel. Cake flavors - light wheat, rum, dried fruit, orange peel, one of those artificial candied cherries retronasal. Liquid desert, pleasant enough actually.

3.2 "Not sure what the plan was with this "Flemish triple". Less than a majority of the reviews even mention the funk present in this beer (especially the aroma) but its obviously there. A little more hops than usual in a triple, spicy and a little bitter, but really no hint of English bitter. Very fruity aroma and taste. Very musty apple is the dominant player, with a little bubble gum and dough too. Definitely open fermented or bugged. Interesting, unique, good but not great. unfocused."

3.2 Cloudy orange coloured beer with white foam head. Aroma of fruit, yeast and malt. Taste dry, bitter and grapefruit.

3.7 Pours an orange brown hazy body with a medium head. Nice and yeasty aroma. Shifting malty taste with a bitter end.

3.9 Bottle - Perfumy, stone fruit and some citrus. Cloudy orange with a rich beige head. Perfumy, stone fruit and citrus. Well balanced and very nice. Must like perfume.

2.9 It bites in the beginning but becomes smooth with an even tone. Overall, a ok beer that’s somewhat enjoyable.

3.6 Een heel lekker biertje met een wat speciale smaak aan, een aanrader om eens te proberen

2.8 Golden to light orange, hazy with airy white head. Nose. Grain malt bread yeast, sugarish. Slightly sourish, sweet finish. Definitely had better struise brews...

3.1 On sent la petite touche de De Struise, ce qui fait toujours plaisir. Il y a une petite acidité qui est assez agréable avec du poisson.

2.6 33cl flesje via Être Gourmet Alcoholpercentage van 6% Uitgeschonken in Grimbergen glas Uiterlijk: goudoranje kleurig bier. Schuimde hevig bij opening wat zorgde voor bier verlies en snel inschenken. Schuimkraag daarna snel weggezakt. Aroma en smaak: zurig, ruikt als een geuze, rozijnen. Smaakt ebt snel weg. Conclusie: Niet mijn smaak, Struise brouwers wordt niet vermeld. Normaal vind ik deze lekkere biertjes maken. Nu vind ik deze in samenwerking met Waterloo in San Francisco toch minder maar dit is door de zuurgraad van dit bier wat mij niet ligt.

2.9 From bottle. Pale golden, white foam. Nose is yeasty and citric. Taste is herbal citric, yeasty, a bit tart, spicy.

3.2 Bottle sample at a tasting at our place. Thanks Stas. Murky orange with white film. Peach in syrup aroma, a little sourish then sweet taste. Medium-to-full body, carbonated, long, somewhat yeasty finish.

3.5 12 oz bottle into a tulip glass. pours a clear dark amber with a massive white head which slowly fades, leaving good lacing. Nose is sour fruit. Taste is very dry, crisp, with little of the typical sweetness. Different, but not outstanding. Not a bad effort, but not one of my favorites.

2.6 Pours a light yellow color with a fruity aroma. Taste is very light and apricot fruit flavors that disappear quickly. A lasting fruit flavor on the palate, that isn’t too sweet but has notes of sugar. A tasty beligan ale.

3.9 Flaska från Etre Gourmete. Mörkt gyllengul och disig med lågt vitt skum. Söt fruktig doft med honung, mogna äpplen, sav och lönnsirap. Fruktig smak med äpplen, päron, persika, honung. Lätt beska. En söt, men ändå välbalanserad belgare. Känns som en lätt fruktig trippel eller en korsning mellan en engelsk strong och en belgisk blond. Hur som helst mycket trevlig.

2.5 Bottle sample at a tasting at kerenmk’s place. Thanks. Pours yellow hazy with a nice head, aroma is slightly sour with diacetyl, vanilla and peach, flavor is a bit acidic with vanilla alcohol, unpleasant, light bodied.

3.4 Bottle 330 ml, poured into a tulip, ABV 6% Orange golden colour on a clear body. One finger of white froathy head, with average retention, leaving medium lacing on the glass. Faint aroma of yeast, malts, peaches, grains, light funky. Taste of malts, sugar, funky notes, some grass. Moderate bitter on the aftertaste. At first the taste is a bit weak but it manages to become interesting soon enough. Medium thin body, average carbonation, mildly dry palate. Overall okay beer, seems a bit boring initially but the funky and yeasty notes give it some depth.

3.9 11.2oz bottle picked up at Supermarket Liquors in CO Pours slightly cloudy reno sand (orange) with a medium sized white head and lots of sticky lacing. Aroma is sweet malts, straw, oranges and citrus. Flavor is bright citrus, straw, grainy, yeasty, lemon zest and mild bitterness in the finish A very nice, easy drinking beer.

3.2 a bit of light sweetness and fruits in the taste wih light bitterness. Overall a very light and easy drinking beer but with enough taste to call it tasty.

2.7 Pours a cloudy apple juice / cider with a mild, musty aroma. Taste is yeast, orange peels but overall dusty and forgettable. Very fuggy indeed.

3.5 Ins Glas ergießt sich ein leicht trübes goldenes Bier mit ordentlicher Schaumkrone. Geruch hefig, malzig süß, leicht würzig. Geschmack leicht hefig, fruchtig malzig, Gewürze, blumig.

3.0 330ml bottle @ home. From Saveur Biere. Very fuggy, doesn’t feel fresh like Westoek XX. Sadly this is not memorable.

3.0 Draft at Ei8ht Ball. Pours a pale yellow color with a small white head. The aroma and flavor have herbal notes, grass, yeast, a light fruit character without too much to cause it to stand out. Fairly bland.

3.0 Bottle @home. Pours clear golden with a white head. Aroma is fruity and yeasty. Medium bitterness and dry finish. Easy drinkable, but for sure not the best Struise. 7/10, 4/5, 7/10, 3/5, 14/20 Re-rated 17/5/14 on tap @Schooltje. Tried next to the Westoek XX. This one is lighter, clear golden with a white head. Spicy and fruity aroma and taste. Rated lower than last time : 6/10, 4/5, 6/10, 2/5, 12/20.

2.3 Taster on tap at Ei8ht Ball. Was labeled simply "Struise X - 6% pale ale", made this kind of a challenge to find. Nate the bartender helpfully directed me to this alias. Mostly clear golden color. Good thin white head, leaves nice thicker lace. Ehh... Distinct old musty hop aroma. This could very well be a 2-3 year old keg. All these super old belgian pale ales have this same unpleasant flavor. Musty, kind of grassy. Moderate bitter taste, light bite to it. Minimal sweet. Some very light belgian yeast character. Medium body. Soft, kind of smooth lighter carbonation. More dry finish. Tastes almost like a Stella. Pass on this....

3.4 Draft sample. Poured clear yellow color with an average frothy white head that mostly lasted with excellent lacing. Moderate yeast balanced aroma. Medium body with a smooth texture and soft carbonation. Medium balanced flavor with a medium balanced finish of moderate duration. My expectations where met.

3.3 Draft pour. Hazy pale yellow with a white head of foam. Aroma is dry, floral, and yeasty. Taste is big floral bitterness that lingers on the tongue. Lighter palate and higher carbonation.

3.6 Hazy orange, medium creamy white head with lasting retention, pretty nice lacing. Aroma is fruity, toasty malts, caramel, oranges, belgian yeast. Taste is medium sweet, light to medium bitterness. Finish is quite long with light to medium bitterness. Medium body, soft and smooth carbonation.

3.0 bought a bottle at deca some time ago. poured a golden orange colour with a big white head. smell is a lot of belgian yeast, fruits like pears and apples. floral aroma. a lot of carbonation.

3.1 Golden clear color with white head. Light malt aroma, at taste is light sweet and dry, so easy to drink.