Belgian & Netherlands Draught.

Belgian – De Ryck Special: ABV 4.7%. 1^st time at Paisley, this is the base for the Kriek. A brown ale with a bitterness and hop characteristics of an English ale.

De Ryck Kriek Fanatastiek: ABV 4.9%. Making a comeback this stunning cherry beer is an absolute must try. This is a dark red Christmas beer with black cherries, a slight underlying sweetness not normally associated with this style. This is a must try for lovers of the style.

Netherlands - Christoffel Blond ABV 6.0%: This is what real beer tastes like, massive resiny hop aroma, hoppy on the tongue, long dry and bitter finish? Not a beer for woosies, if you drink MGD, try this baby and you will never drink MGD again. Brewed according to the Reihetsgebot.

De Prael Heintje ABV 5.4%: This one comes from the Prael brewery, a co-operative set up by the Amsterdam city council, to help people with mental health difficulties find employment. This is a wheat beer. Fruity, with a peppery / citric spiciness. A bitter finish with orange and hop aromas. A masterpiece, 1^st time of draught at Paisley.

Gulpner Korenwolf ABV 5.0%: Yes on draught and we will be able to open it this year, the beer made from freshly squeezed Hamsters. Get one before they, escape captivity. Ask for a Hamster!

These draught beers are naturally cloudy, it just adds to the goodness and flavour, its how it’s done outside of Stella or Heineken Pilsners.

Trappist

La Trappe Quadruple ABV 10.0%: The strongest blond Trappist beer in the world. La Trappe were only readmitted back into the Trappist league, last year. We had to have it back. For the brave, or an end of session beer!

Lambic

3 Fonteinen Gueuze ABV 5.4%: It’s like sucking a lime; this is the bar manager’s favourite Gueuze. Sour, slightly acidic in nature, perfect to cleanse your palate before you hit the fruit beers. An absolute must try.

Kriek

Cantillion Rose de Gambrinus ABV 5.0%: A stunning blend of Kriek and Frambozen give this beer a unique flavour. If you like either style, you cannot miss this opportunity.

Hanssens Kriek ABV 5.0%: Surely the finest Kriek on the planet (we can’t comment on the rest of the universe!) Dark and bittersweet it just oozes cherries! The bitterness depends on the source of the cherries, which due to bad recent harvest can change year to year.

Frambozen

Girardin Frambozen ABV 5.0%: Words fail us, this is Paisley’s sweetheart beer, sweet and sour, stunning. One taste (Raspberries) and you’re hooked.

Amber / Blond Ales

These are styles of beer in Belgium and the Netherlands and do not always indicate the colour of the beer, some are quite dark.

Angerrik Boerke Blond ABV 6.5%: A blond ale with a deep fruity flavour, with underlying caramel.

Caulier Bon Secours Blond ABV 8.0%: This deceptively easy drinking blond triple, has a full fruity taste that is so moreish, take it easy, it fights back

Celtic Angel ABV 6.2%: An amber beer with a spicy aroma and a malty dry finish.

Ellezelloise Blond ABV 8.0%: A very malty version of the style, with a surprisingly dry finish. If you like the Saison 2000 last year this is right up your street.

Brown / Dark Beers

Alvinne Podge Belgian Imperial Russian Stout ABV 10.5%: Sweet and roasty with a good hop bitterness. Honey and warming alcohol make this an easy-drinking beer despite the strength.

Sold at the management’s discretion!

De Molen Stout ABV 7.7%: A majestic version of the black product. Very dark, slightly heavy with the roast barley overtones you expect from Guinness, for stout lovers everywhere.

De Schans Van Vollenhoven Stout ABV ??: It’s a long road these past seven years, but it’s back. This small Dutch micro purchased the recipe from Heineken and set out to match the recipe. Well it’s here, and we have no idea what it’s like. It will be an experience, and we only have 20 bottles, so you know the motto, if you’re not fast you’re last.

Dolle Brouwers Arabier ABV 5.8%: Well it’s got a parrot on the label, not in the bottle. The official tasting notes class this as a blond ale, its actually quite dark, so is included here, nice and spicy with a dry hopped finish.

Klein Duimpje Honing Porter ABV 5.5%: Starts with a slight sweetness, almost jam like, becomes fruity and hoppy with a hint of liquorice in the background.

Wheat / White Beers

Grain D’orge Witte Kosberger ABV 5.0%: A brand new beer from this brewery, a white beer in the true Belgian tradition of Hoegaarden. Destined to become a true classic of the style.

Ij Wit ABV 7.0%: A beer from the windmill just off CS in Amsterdam. All you have to do is catch the 22 bus, get off when you see it (ask Robert for details). Unfiltered, sharp and as Tina Turner says “simply the best”. This year’s Hamster friendly beer.

Real Fruit Beers

These are made with real fruit in the mash not cheap fruit syrup and may be quite sour as a result.

Please ask for the fruit you require, not the beer name, unless you can pronounce it correctly, because we can’t.

1) 3 Horne Kandinsky (Date) ABV 8.3% This baby features dates, yes dates. The dates are added late in the brewing process so the flavour is not over powering.

2) 3 Horne Bananatana (Banana & Sultanas) ABV 7.0%: Whole bananas and sultanas fermented in amber ale. Full of fruit and flavour, the name says it all.

3) 3 Horne Besselaer (Blackcurrants) ABV 7.0% Blackcurrants, slightly sweeter than its stable mates. Dark in colour from the fruit, with a slight taste of Ribena!

4) 3 Horne Wiegeleir (Apricot) ABV 8.7% The apricot flavour is not obvious but underlying. We recommend you add the sediment as this is where all the flavours collect, no idea why, trust us.

5) Smisje Sloeberry ABV 6.0%: A blond fruit beer made with sloeberries, if you like sloe gin this will be a slightly different take on the experience.

6) Smisje Guido ABV 8.0%: Stunning golden ale with a spicy honey & brown sugar flavour.

*** Note: We recommend adding the sediment to all of the real fruit beers as this improves the taste / aroma. It’s worth it. ***

France

Belzebuth (Jeanne d’Arc) ABV 13.0% Yes it’s really 13%. It’s no wonder she burned so well at the stake. One for the end of the evening! Once it’s gone, it’s gone. So go on be a devil, ask for a Belzebuth!!

Sold at the management’s discretion.

German Draught

Hacker Pschorr Weisse ABV 5.4%: A classic wheat beer from Munchen, brewed by one of the big six of Octoberfest fame. A delicate floral nose with the usual banana and cloves flavour. Stunning, if you like weisse beer this is a mission target.

Jever Pils ABV 4.9% Along with the Hamsters the only constant feature on the Foreign Legion Bar. Delicate and refreshing balance of malt and hop in the mouth leading to a stunning dry finish with a superb blend of hop and honey sweetness. Returns on draught, for your delectation.

Jever Dark ABV 4.8% Rich dark beer, with sweet chocolate overtones, leading to the typical Jever finish. Simply splendid. 1^st time on draught at Paisley. (Note to the train spotter, yes Jever, do a dark beer!)

Mahr’s Hefe Weisse ABV 5.4% Full blown banana and cloves aroma, with a slightly citrus flavour.

P. J. Fruh Kolsch ABV 4.8% A light delicate palate with a dry fruity finish.

Schumacher Alt ABV 4.8% Possibly the finest of the Alt beers, light in the palate and body with a lovely aroma of fruit and hops. Useless fact number 1, it is owned by the sister of the owner of Uerige.

Uerige Alt ABV 4.8% The classic Alt, dark delicious with underlying maltiness. Good hop balance in the finish.

German Bottles

Andechs Special Hell ABV 5.8%: Pleasantly mild and aromatic. It is loved and gladly drunk, by all who try it.

Augustiner Edelstoff ABV 5.6%: Paisley’s once favourite German draught beer, returns in magnificent style. Smooth creamy with a stunning dry finish, the way all “lagers” should be.

Bolten Ur Weizen ABV 5.6%: A wheat beer from a small brewery near Monchengladbach. Ur means original. Dark with masses of yeast, slightly chocolaty on the tongue, add everything to the glass.

Gatweilers Alt ABV 4.8%: Every year there is a complete shot in the dark, this is it. We have absolutely no idea what to expect

Hirschbrau Weisser Hirsch ABV 5.2%: This is a typical weisse beer (and favourite of Denis Blair) with the cloves being slightly more pronounced in the aroma and taste. Ask for a White Stag.

Hirschbrau Neuschwanstiner ABV 4.7%: A beer with the ability to match the beautiful label. Sharp, crisp and so easily drinkable. One will not be enough.

Koestrilzer Schwarbier ABV 5.7%: A beer from the former East Germany, a deep black colour with a light creamy head and a light roasty nose. The palate is slightly roasty and coffeeish, but with a touch of sweetness.

Maisels Dunkel Weisse ABV 5.4%: It’s black, with a strong coffee and caramel flavour. Lots of wheat compliment the flavour, giving a wonderful balance.

Monschoff Lagerbier ABV 5.4%: Pale malty and heavily hopped. Tobacco, pepper and butter aroma; bitterish taste with butter, pepper and grass aromas.

Muhlen Kolsch ABV 4.8%: The malty one, this kolsch is totally different from the rest of the style. Predominant malt in the nose and flavour, a must try. If your in Koln it’s worth negotiating the industrial strength tram line to get to the brewery!

Radeberger Pils ABV 5.0%: An easy drinking pils from the former East. Light and tasty, the idea starting point.

Reissdorf Kolsch ABV 4.8%: The classic Kolsch: Everything you want from the style, light, floral refreshing. Slightly hoppy at the finish. A masterpiece.

Schwelmer Pils ABV 4.7%: Brewed in the Plzen tradition with the taste of aromatic hops. Its unique rounded taste provides a smooth beer enjoyment.

Schwelmer Weizen ABV 5.2%: A beautiful fresh taste, not only for summer days. Lightly sedimented. Brewed according to the Reinhelsgebot.

Tegernsee Spezial Hell ABV 5.6%: Very pale in colour with a light delicate flavour. Refreshing and easy drinking.

Tucher Hefeweissbier Hell ABV 5.3% A stunning pale wheat beer from the town of Furth (apparently Paisley’s twin town in Germany – useless fact No. 2) Cloves and lemon aroma, neutral taste with cloves, lemon and hop aromas; bitterish lemony finish. Pleasantly spicy, with a slight uncharacteristic (for the style) hoppiness.

The Heineken Experience

This year we feature two examples from the World Of Heineken, both on draught.

Draught – Affiligem Blond ABV 7.5%: Now this is essentially an Abbey beer. Light red / brown in colour with a beautiful sweetish taste. The malt dominates the finish. This is what the world of Heineken is all about, not the mass produced yellow fizzy pilsner.

Draught – Affiligem Donnker ABV 8.5%: Now this is serious bit of kit, and has to treated with respect. Deep, dark and dangerous, the gravity is well hidden. An initial coffee rush is complimented by Dutch chocolate leading to a beautiful sweet malty finish

Sold at the management’s discretion.

An aid to your enjoyment of the Foreign Legion

Abbey beer: In Belgium and the Netherlands, commercially brewed beers based on the products of; or brewed under licence from, Trappist monastic breweries. Altbier: “old beer” a beer brewed by top fermentation, associated with Düsseldorf. Bok: A strong lager beer. Often dark or tawny in colour. Stronger versions are known as Doppelbocks. Dunkel: German for a dark lager beer. Fruit Beer: Beers made with the addition of fruit to the mash. The proper versions using real fruit can be sour and slightly tart. Commercial versions use fruit syrup and are therefore sweet. All the fruit beers at Paisley feature real fruit. Hefe: German for yeast. Indicates a sedimented beer, usually a wheat beer. Helles or Hell: German for light or Golden, the everyday beer. Kolsch: Fruity ales associated with the German city of Cologne (Köln). Lager: Please take note; the German word for store. The conditioning stage of beers produced by bottom fermentation. Lambic: Belgian beer produced by spontaneous fermentation. Gueuze the blended version, Kriek is lambic with cherries and Frambozen with raspberries. Pilsner: A style of beer named after the beer from the city of Plzen in the Czech Republic. Reihetsgebot: the Bavarian ‘Purity Pledge’ of 1516 that stipulates that only malt (barley or wheat), hops, yeast and water can be used in brewing. Trappist: Beers brewed by the Trappist monks in Belgium and the Netherlands. The member union is now back up to the full six, as La Trappe has seen the light and once more comply. Wheat Beer: Known as Weisse, Weissbier of Weizenbier in Germany. Beers brewed from a mixed mash of wheat and barley. Top fermenting, fruity and sometimes slightly sour.

*** Please Note *** In the manufacturing process of Gulpner Korenwolf, no hamsters are harmed. The brewery actually sponsors a breeding program to boost the population of this endangered species.

Robert Raine, April / May 2008