Angelia and I got out of town this weekend and spent a day and a night in a turn of the century "Belle Epoque" village on the coast called De Haan. The town was cool, but its beer bar was even cooler and fully merits noting in this blog.

Its beer selection squeezed more variety out of 150 labels than I could have imagined, and the beers were stored at correct temperature in the bar's cellar. Only the tap beers were too cold. Quite interestingly it had a Spanish name, El Torre, and offered a chic, trendy atmosphere with fine, creative dining at very reasonable prices. Anyway, the beers I sampled that had not previously washed my palate were Dupont Bier de Miel, Abbaye des Rocs, and Dupont Cervesia. All three were outstanding, and I will offer each of them my full respect.

Dupont Cervesia is a strong 8% abv Saison style ale with one of the most intriguing and balanced hop flavors I've ever had. Subdued by American standards, but bitter by Belgian ones, this beer is easily in my "top 5 most enlightened beers" list. It starts hoppy, then flutters through pockets of malt, fruit and citrus before gradually fading out with an herbal, hoppy dryness. I was usually headed back for another sip before this disappeared. Probably hard to find anywhere, even here.

Abbaye des Rocs is a massive brown ale of 9% abv that is, along with Rochefort, Carolus, Watou and Dolle one of the leaders in this category. Drinking this beer is like stuffing your mouth full of chocolate covered raisins. Angie said she thought it finished with coffee. I've got one of these bad boys in my cellar in a 750 ml bottle and I may just have to get myself a few more.

Dupont Biere du Miel is a honey flavored beer made by one of the best breweries in the world. Though I never tasted, or even smelled, honey I could certainly appreciate the flower from which the honey was born - orange blossom. The flavor of orange and cream balanced by a woody dryness lived up to the reputation of this brewery's other beers. Angelia described it as "like sucking on the stick of a creamsicle after you finished it." I admit, it was the most succinct beer review I ever heard.

Cheers!