Try?
As one might
expect, hops are pretty important in Belgium. The Belgians brew a lot of
beer after all, and you wouldn’t get very far in life these days without
putting hops in your beer. As essential as hops are in beer, however, more
than a few Belgian beers accent attributes other than hop bitterness and
aromas, instead featuring spices or fruits. Indeed, some Belgian specialty
beers are made with aged hops that impart a far more mellow hop signature
than fresh ones do.
Rest assured, aged hops do not go into De Ranke XX Bitter, described
by the brewer as a Belgian Golden ale and, incredibly, the “Hoppiest Beer of
Belgium”. They may well be right. XX Bitter is certainly one of the hoppiest
Belgian beers I have ever tasted, and one I found to be a world-class treat
that any serious hophead is sure to enjoy.
The brewery says this about their beer:
XX Bitter or Extra Extra Bitter is a blond, bitter ale
containing 6.2% vol. Alc. It’s famous for it’s very bitter and strong
flavour. XX is being made with pale pilsner malt and loads of Brewers Gold
and Hallertau hop flowers. A perfect combination that has been nationally
and internationally praised. This ale has been a real trendsetter for the
current comeback of bitter ales in Belgium.
De Ranke XX Bitter pours to a deep, slightly cloudy golden color with
a light head formation and a rich, full malt body. I get a touch of fruit
here and some toasty, slightly nutty malt notes too, but without doubt the
beer’s most prominent characteristic is hops.
This wonderful brew is permeated with a resiny, aromatic hop character
similar to that found in Orval. In the finish, an intense bitterness emerges
and lingers on the tongue for quite some time. There is also a touch of
alcohol warmth too (the beer has an alcohol content of 6% by volume).
The latter is all the more amazing since my bottle is almost four years old,
having been
bottled in November of 2000. According to the brewer this beer should age
nicely for up to five years (its bottle conditioned). Since hops tend to
mellow over time, I can just imagine what this beer must take like when it
is young; as it is spectacular with a little age on it. So don’t be afraid
to buy a bottle that has been around for a while, as long as it seems to
have been properly cared for (refrigerated, out of heat and direct lighting,
etc.)
De Ranke XX Bitter ranks highly with me, as I’m sure it will with you too.
And remember, try a new beer today, and drink outside the box.
*Pricing data accurate at time of review or latest update. For reference only, based on actual price paid by reviewer.
(B)=Bottled
(D)=Draft
