Chimay Rouge @ The Bohemian, Deal

Following a our summer holidays, interspersed with a guest reviewer and plenty of dog pictures, I met up with Pen to take on the brews of Deal’s newest eater, The Burger Brothers – or, more precisely, The Tap Room – a bar occupying the same location. Boasting a broad range of English craft brewers on tap and in the bottle, we were excited to have access to so many beers we had previously had to travel to or order by mail.

Our excitement was unfortunately cut short as the restaurant was closed between 3 and 6 but The Bohemian was two doors down and, like The Tap Room’s rich uncle, it had a fine selection of beers itself.

The Bohemian remains a place of eclectic wall decorations and overpriced drinks but in its prime location it is rarely quiet and offers one of the best beer selections that we have come across in addition to good food, good music and a nice little beer garden.

Following my Honest Brew craft beer experiences I was longing for a return to Belgium and after expecting more IPA’s from London’s bearded best at the Tap Room I am not ashamed to say I was a bit pleased to be in the Boho.

I had never tried a Chimay but I knew it was one of the bigger Trappist brands so that is where we began. Following a headache Penfold claimed was the result of a Gulden Draak (a claim I find highly dubious and somewhat criminal) he insisted upon the lowest abv. variety – Chimay Rouge at 7%.

Back in the saddle.

A deep, dark red – approaching amber and brown, this beer looks like the Trappist family it comes from. A thin but persistent white head sits on top and leaves some lacing on the glass. There is some visible carbonation but we are a long way away from “normal lager” here (more on that phrase in Penfold’s blog in a couple of weeks).

On the nose we got very little. There is a slight sweet smell of strawberry, and Pen thought he could make out a musky smell, but overall the aroma was very weak.

The taste however was anything but. The texture is lively in contrast to the more sedated visible carbonation and carries a strong sweet taste of red berries but leaves a sour, acidic, hazy cloud on the tongue and the back of the throat. Complex stuff, with the aftertaste comparable to inhaling hairspray after Pen’s dad had just finished styling. Although it sounds unpleasant I found myself enjoying the slightly tart sensation countering the sweet flavours.

Although this was a nice tasting, complex beer I felt something was lacking. The flavours were nice enough but the lack of harmony, whilst characterful and enjoyable, became the main event rather than a side show, and rather than having another it left me wondering what the Blue and Tripple from Chimay were like.

COMPLEXION: Deep red and amber, medium visible carbonation

FLAVOUR: Sweet red berries, sour acidic aftertaste

INTOXICATION: A low Belgian – but high everywhere else – 7%

CHANGE FROM A TENNER: -£1. An eye watering £5.50 for a 330ml bottle.

Next week we have one more at the Bohemian, Lindemans Kriek Cherry, before Penfold takes us out to dinner… Goes for dinner… A business dinner… Dinner with the business… For the business… Tasting the business… No, I mean, the business of tasting… Two hetro chums in the beer tasting biz grabbing a burger… What?

Hopefully this picture of Pen getting ready to group an inverted boob seat clears up any confusion.