Mybeerbuzz.com Highlights The Rare Beer Club Liefmans Kriek Brut & Blue Mountain Barrel House Isabel (Review)

I’ve been part of the craft and international beer scene for over 25-years, and I’m always amazed at how much that scene has changed. Twenty years ago, the options for beer clubs were really limited, but that has changed and now many breweries even offer their own "clubs" and "societies." But as much as things have changed, I’m really happy to see that one thing has remained the same and that is The Rare Beer Club.

I was a member of The Rare Beer Club for many years when it was gifted to me for Christmas by a family member. When that first box arrived, I opened it to find beers and breweries I had never heard of. It only took me one shipment to realize just how good these beers and breweries were and only years later did I realize just how amazing The Rare Beer Club and their beer selections really were.

Each month the club curates a selection of two exciting beers and members have the option to join with either 2-bottles or 4-bottles per month. The bottles are all 750ml and they come from breweries around the world as well as across the U.S. Each shipment includes detailed tasting notes and suggested food pairing and you even have the option to defer a month’s shipment or even purchase some of the previous month’s selections in addition or instead.

The club was started by the late Michael Jackson and perhaps one of the more exciting aspects for me is that they now feature beers that are brewed exclusively for the club itself and can’t be found anywhere else. To name just a few…Jolly Pumpkin’s L’épouvantail Noir (Oak-Aged Saison with Pumpkin & Blackberries), American Solera’s The Ground Is Shaking! (Flemish-Inspired Sour Brown Ale aged in Vin Santo Wine Casks), Upright Brewing’s August IPA (IPA/Saison Hybrid with Wild Yeast), Alesong’s Raspberry Gose (German-Style Gose with Sea Salt, Coriander & Raspberries)….and many more.

Today I’ll be sampling a current November selection as well as a previous month’s selection. The November selection is Blue Mountain Barrel House Isabel and the returning favorite is Liefmans Kriek Brut so off we go…

Liefmans Kriek Brut

ABV:  6%
Style:  Blended Kriek
Packaging:  750ml Bottles
Appearance:  Deep ruby brown
Aroma:  Fresh cherries and subtle oak
Mouthfeel:  Light carbonation and satisfying
Taste:   Tart dark cherries, vanilla, oak and mild cocoa.
Overall:  Liefmans Kriek Brut not only looks amazing in it’s paper-wrapped bottle, but it also checks every box for aroma, mouthfeel and of course taste. It’s no surprise that this beer is a blend of two my my favorite Liefmans beers (Oud Bruin & Goudenband) and I can’t say enough about just how good it is. The aromas and flavors combine for a wonderful sensory experience and the beer nicely walks the line between tart and sweet. Overall Kriek Brut is a wonderfully complex beer with a depth of flavor that makes you want to sip more and more.

Blue Mountain Barrel House Isabel

ABV:  8%
Style:  Bourbon barrel-aged imperial porter
Packaging:  750ml Bottles
Appearance:  Dark brown black
Aroma:  Chocolate mild citrus and vanilla
Mouthfeel:  Medium with moderate carbonation
Taste:   Rich chocolate up front, subtle orange followed by vanilla and Bourbon.
Overall:  Blue Mountain Barrel House Isabel brings some classic dessert flavors to the table with the blend of chocolate and oranges. The layers of dry, sweet and dark chocolate flavors are cut nicely by the citrus and orange and the resulting beer is really drinkable and satisfying. Overall this is a beer that leans more toward a stout than porter for me, but the flavor combination really works well and the Bourbon barrel-aging really adds a nice finish to the beer.

Blue Mountain Barrel House Isabel is available now as part of the November selections from The Rare Beer Club and Liefmans Kriek Brut is available as part of the previous club selections. These are amazing beers and I can’t say enough about how good a job The Rare Beer Club does at choosing great beers. Be sure to check out the club for yourself and I promise you that you will be glad you did. Keep in mind you can also mix and match clubs with the Design Your Own Club program to pair amazing beers with amazing other club offerings like cheese, chocolate and even wine (for your or as a gift). As always when you do check out these beers and when you do join The Rare Beer Club, be sure to let us know what YOU think…