by Brasserie de la Cambre (Brouwerij Het Anker)
This is the second of the two La Cambre label beers that have been produced by Brouwerij Het Anker since 2022.
I was intrigued by this beer given its name and the relatively low ABV – at least for Belgian beers. But knowing how good the Gouden Carolus beers that are made by Het Anker are, I thought it was worth getting some in to try.
The beer pours a soft golden colour with a really fluffy white head. The aroma offers some grainy malt and a slightly restrained tropical fruit character that actually made me think instantly of an XPA. And in behind all that is a little Belgian yeast.
The beer is light and crisp, bouncing off the tastebuds. There is a very early sweetness but that gives way quickly to the sustained hop bitterness. It isn’t aggressively bitter, but as the beer dries the prickly bitterness is what lingers.
I really don’t think I’d call this beer an IPA. Maybe the XPA or more likely a hoppy Belgian Pale Ale. Either way, I didn’t mind it and can see a place for beers at this ABV level with enough flavour to keep things interesting. I mean even if it is used to freshen up the palate for the next tripel, that is no bad thing.