Pilaarbijter (Tripel Ale) Bruin (Red Cap) | De Brabandere
Brewed by:
De Brabandere
Belgium
bavik.be
Style: Flanders Oud Bruin
Alcohol by volume (ABV): 7.00%
Availability: Year-round
Notes / Commercial Description:
No notes at this time.
Added by BeerAdvocate on 02-18-2004
Ratings: 66 | Reviews: 47
4.21/5 rDev +16.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.57/5 rDev +26.9%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
look: 4.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
3.75/5 rDev +4.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.59/5 rDev -0.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
The Pilaarbijter brown poured out of the bottle with a big and tall foamy head. A lot of carbonation here. A light and translucent (almost clear) brown color, a shade over to the red side. At first, all I could smell was the malty yeast scents coming from this long-lasting head: an overpowering yeastiness. After the foam settled (after quite some time), perhaps a little cherry sweetness mixed in with the malty scents.
It tasted fairly sweet — a bit sweeter than I expected — mixed with that roasted chestnut flavor that I really like in browns. Very typical of browns here. Maybe again also hints of cherries, and then with a little bitterness — but not too much — on the finish. The carbonation was lost on the head, however, as this beer went flat very quickly.
After several sips, my main impression was that this 6.5% ABV beer is very easy to drink: Maybe too easy to drink. The flavors are there, but they’re less bold than in other browns. This is a mild brown, a bit thin -- it even seemed “watered-down” to me. This is a beer that would pair easily as an accompagnement to a meal, but is perhaps less impressive as a standalone beer. Quite drinkable, however, and surely a pleasure for those who like sweet brown ales!
(NOTE: Though the page here says 7% ABV, my bottle marketed for northern Europe is clearly marked 6.5%.)
1,355 characters
look: 3.75 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
The Pilaarbijter brown poured out of the bottle with a big and tall foamy head. A lot of carbonation here. A light and translucent (almost clear) brown color, a shade over to the red side. At first, all I could smell was the malty yeast scents coming from this long-lasting head: an overpowering yeastiness. After the foam settled (after quite some time), perhaps a little cherry sweetness mixed in with the malty scents.
It tasted fairly sweet — a bit sweeter than I expected — mixed with that roasted chestnut flavor that I really like in browns. Very typical of browns here. Maybe again also hints of cherries, and then with a little bitterness — but not too much — on the finish. The carbonation was lost on the head, however, as this beer went flat very quickly.
After several sips, my main impression was that this 6.5% ABV beer is very easy to drink: Maybe too easy to drink. The flavors are there, but they’re less bold than in other browns. This is a mild brown, a bit thin -- it even seemed “watered-down” to me. This is a beer that would pair easily as an accompagnement to a meal, but is perhaps less impressive as a standalone beer. Quite drinkable, however, and surely a pleasure for those who like sweet brown ales!
(NOTE: Though the page here says 7% ABV, my bottle marketed for northern Europe is clearly marked 6.5%.)
1,355 characters
3.97/5 rDev +10.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
On tap at La Trappe, San Francisco. Served in a 25 cl Tulip Glass.
Appearance: Ruby-red to brown clear beer, with a light tan 1/4" dense head. Lots of persistent lacing all over the glass.
Smell: Slightly musty, oak, some vanilla.
Taste: Roasted malt mixed in with some woody/oak flavors, sweet malt (again a hint of vanilla) and some sourness at the finish.
Mouthfeel: Smooth at first, but lingers a bit sticky on the teeth. Nice thickness and light carbonation.
Overall / Drinkability: Nice looking beer, but with my first few sips I wasn't sure. However, as I drank more of it, it grew on me and I ended up having another glass. While I ended up sipping on it over the dinner, I found by the end of the first glass I could have easily downed it and definitely wanted another glass to savor a bit more. So drinkable in regards to the fact that you want to enjoy it, slowly, over a longer period than a 25 cl glass can provide.
936 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
On tap at La Trappe, San Francisco. Served in a 25 cl Tulip Glass.
Appearance: Ruby-red to brown clear beer, with a light tan 1/4" dense head. Lots of persistent lacing all over the glass.
Smell: Slightly musty, oak, some vanilla.
Taste: Roasted malt mixed in with some woody/oak flavors, sweet malt (again a hint of vanilla) and some sourness at the finish.
Mouthfeel: Smooth at first, but lingers a bit sticky on the teeth. Nice thickness and light carbonation.
Overall / Drinkability: Nice looking beer, but with my first few sips I wasn't sure. However, as I drank more of it, it grew on me and I ended up having another glass. While I ended up sipping on it over the dinner, I found by the end of the first glass I could have easily downed it and definitely wanted another glass to savor a bit more. So drinkable in regards to the fact that you want to enjoy it, slowly, over a longer period than a 25 cl glass can provide.
936 characters
3.12/5 rDev -13.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Pilaarbijter Bruin has a hazy, orange brown color with lots of floaties. The creamy head is beige and abundant. It slowly leaves a nice lacing on the elegant Pilaarbijter glass.
The aroma is dominated by roasted malts with a touch of tart and spicyness (cloves). Not really complex but not bad.
Tasting the beer is not surprising at all: more roasted malts, sweetness upfront and some bitterness in the rather long aftertaste. The syruppy mouthfeel and roasted taste make me think of a stout, certainly considering the very low level of carbonation.
551 characters
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Pilaarbijter Bruin has a hazy, orange brown color with lots of floaties. The creamy head is beige and abundant. It slowly leaves a nice lacing on the elegant Pilaarbijter glass.
The aroma is dominated by roasted malts with a touch of tart and spicyness (cloves). Not really complex but not bad.
Tasting the beer is not surprising at all: more roasted malts, sweetness upfront and some bitterness in the rather long aftertaste. The syruppy mouthfeel and roasted taste make me think of a stout, certainly considering the very low level of carbonation.
551 characters
2.68/5 rDev -25.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5
Served on-tap at Cafe Samson in Nijmegen, Holland into a Bier van het moment tulip. Reviewed live.
A: Two finger slight tan head of nice cream, fair thickness, and average (~2.5 minute) retention. Colour is a semitransparent dark amber. Not at all brown in colour.
Sm: Amber malts is all me broken nose can pick up per the light strength of the aroma. All apologies, lads.
T: Amber malts, caramelized malt, and a bit of cream. Some bittering hops on the climax. Very simple. Not really bold and certainly not complex. A bit disappointing. Badly built and poorly balanced.
Mf: Too coarse. Wet. Very generic and not tailored to the flavours of the body.
Dr: Hides its relatively high ABV well, but is lacking in quality and even drinkability on account of the unwarranted coarseness. The price isn't bad in Holland, but it's still a beer I wouldn't havve again. It's very generic, but I wouldn't call it bad. Maybe fans of the style would appreciate it.
961 characters
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5
Served on-tap at Cafe Samson in Nijmegen, Holland into a Bier van het moment tulip. Reviewed live.
A: Two finger slight tan head of nice cream, fair thickness, and average (~2.5 minute) retention. Colour is a semitransparent dark amber. Not at all brown in colour.
Sm: Amber malts is all me broken nose can pick up per the light strength of the aroma. All apologies, lads.
T: Amber malts, caramelized malt, and a bit of cream. Some bittering hops on the climax. Very simple. Not really bold and certainly not complex. A bit disappointing. Badly built and poorly balanced.
Mf: Too coarse. Wet. Very generic and not tailored to the flavours of the body.
Dr: Hides its relatively high ABV well, but is lacking in quality and even drinkability on account of the unwarranted coarseness. The price isn't bad in Holland, but it's still a beer I wouldn't havve again. It's very generic, but I wouldn't call it bad. Maybe fans of the style would appreciate it.
961 characters
3.72/5 rDev +3.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Poured this baby into a goblet and it came out highly carbonated (as expected) sporting a nice white head. The nose was very wine like with apples, honey, and berries.
The taste is quite malty and fruity sweet up front (apples and dark cherries), then becomes dry juniper on the finish. The taste of this beer is quite good, but the finish is a little drab.
I enjoyed this beer quite a bit, but one can easily find beers of this style with quite a bit more substance. There's certainly nothing wrong with it, but I don't think I'd seek it out. There are better ales of this style that are more plentiful in this neck of the woods.
632 characters
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Poured this baby into a goblet and it came out highly carbonated (as expected) sporting a nice white head. The nose was very wine like with apples, honey, and berries.
The taste is quite malty and fruity sweet up front (apples and dark cherries), then becomes dry juniper on the finish. The taste of this beer is quite good, but the finish is a little drab.
I enjoyed this beer quite a bit, but one can easily find beers of this style with quite a bit more substance. There's certainly nothing wrong with it, but I don't think I'd seek it out. There are better ales of this style that are more plentiful in this neck of the woods.
632 characters
4/5 rDev +11.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
A good and honest brown old Flanders. I bought this one in Gent a few weeks ago. This is an old style beer and i loved it.
Poured in my Struise glass the beer itself is darkred to brown. Big big broken white head with some carbonation.
Good and sweet smell. Tasted some sugar, burned malt and very faint the yeast.
A very nice and drinkable beer!
349 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
A good and honest brown old Flanders. I bought this one in Gent a few weeks ago. This is an old style beer and i loved it.
Poured in my Struise glass the beer itself is darkred to brown. Big big broken white head with some carbonation.
Good and sweet smell. Tasted some sugar, burned malt and very faint the yeast.
A very nice and drinkable beer!
349 characters
Pilaarbijter (Tripel Ale) Bruin (Red Cap) from De Brabandere
Beer rating:
36.4% out of
100 with
66 ratings
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75