The Cantillion beer labels are pretty cool. Website is
http://www.cantillon.be if anyone wants to check it out.
Anyway, I cracked open another bottle of one of my belgian-esque homebrews. I made it really basically, just using the brewferm triple kit, substituting actual sugar for caster sugar, and boiling the water I used (and then cooling it). Followed the instructions on the pack, aerated the yeast and so on.
My first tasting was after 8 weeks, the head didn't last long enough, the beer tasted like normal beer, not belgian-esque at all.
I had another tasting last week (after 16 weeks) and the head problem was solved (nice and generous and good retention), the flavour was maturing (though a bit sweet still), and hopefully with a bit more bottle conditioning under the house it should come along well.
My other belgian brew, made with Gallia kit has a nice colour, and plenty of head, but the flavour is severly lacking, not in intensity, but in "niceness." I don't think it had anything to do with how I made it (again pretty basic, but this time used Belgian candy sugar). It reminds me of Orval, which for my palate, is merely a ludicrous attempt to combat rising petrol prices...
Has anyone else had a go with the Brewferm kits? I think I'm going to try the Ambiorix next, largley because I like the name (ref From Caesar's Gallic Wars, but conjures up fond memories of Asterix and Obelix cartoons).
Would like to know how others are getting on.
Thanks,
Mic