La Maitresse
Brasserie Artisanale De Rulles SPRL

750 ml bottle

A luminous cloudy yellow-gold with a billowing snow white head. The head dissipates fairly quickly but leaves behind a lot of fine lacing. The aroma from this ale is quite herbal and floral. Some crisp pale malt in the nose as well.

Very lively in the mouth. Herbal bitterness (perhaps from the woodruff?) intertwined with a citrusy and strident hoppiness. Underpinnings of a full bodied sweetish malt. Nice body for an ale that claims to be only 6% ABV. Nice carbonation scrubs the tongue as it finishes. A clean aftertaste save for the bitter hops and perhaps the herbal bitterness of the woodruff. Exceedingly drinkable and refreshing. A very unique and surprisingly well-crafted ale. Get some if you can.

(This beer is listed as retired but the hops are too fresh in this one for me to believe that. Still actively brewed in Wallonie.)

Poured from 750ml bottle into a pint glass.

A - semi-cloudy straw color, head disappears in a couple of minutes.

S - strong aroma of spices and pepper come out nicely.

T - a bit spicy (not too much) and just a touch of honey and ground at the end. improves as it warms.

M - balanced and well carbonate.

D - very drinkable. goes down easy.

Presentation: 750ml crown capped green glass flask like dimple based bottle which was handed to me during my recent trip back home to England by my good friend Barry “The Mad Axeman” Smith, who is the Brewer for Tigertops Brewery and good friends with Grégory Verhelst, the Brewer at Rulles. Has a single main obverse label that has a picture of Asperula Odorata and Humulus Lupulus on the front set against a cream and purple colored backdrop. Labeled as ‘La Maitresse – Bière Parfumée à L’Aspérule Odorante’ and listed at 6° alc., with a nicked label edge Best Before Date of October 2007.

Appearance: Hazy Peach Melba body with a decent 1½” honeycombed white head at first, this soon breaks to reveal a thin smattered covering that clings to a solid white ring around the edge of the brew. Nice lacing on the edge of my Duvel Glass. Highly attenuated fine conditioning in the body of this brew. Subsequent top-ups deposit some fine crumbs of detritus in the

Nose: Lovely spicy perfumed floral aroma, medicinal almost, I guess that must be the Asperula Odorata in action. Solid body in the back of the nasal passageway leaves remnants of the perfumed aroma for some time. This has a gorgeous nose that has an indescribable “something” that is very appealing.

Taste: Sharp fruity citric start that has a lot of bitter hops which always have a slick spicy backbone as well a strong perfumed floral demeanor. Deeper down a light tangerine character adds a fruity dimension to the back end. Lovely lingering tastes…..beautiful stuff.

Mouthfeel: Has a lovely spicy and spritzy carbonation, effervescent and bold yet talcum soft on the tongue. Below medium body that surprisingly does not feel thin. Retains a simplistic feel which benefits from a starch like hoppy strata that has a fruity orange feel.

Drinkability: Lovely inviting brew, spicy and floral yet light and drinkable. Never overpowering this is a nicely balanced brew that slips down easily. Had a higher feel that belies its stated 6% strength. Wish I had more of this.

Overall: A rare brew indeed, for which I must thank my old mate The Mad Axeman for saving me a bottle. An incredibly refreshing light hoppy and floral brew that makes for a marvelous Spring offering. I'm reliably informed by my mate Rapopoda that Asperula Odorata is the sweet woodruff flower, it certainly makes for a damn tasty brew!