Notch TafelBier

Holy Damn. 

That was my initial reaction to tasting this beer. I picked it up while visiting Boston because:

A) I've had some Notch beer before that I enjoyed,

B) Notch does not distribute to NY,

C) Table Beers might be one of my favorite styles. 

Frankly, it's a bit of a travesty that I haven't posted about Notch yet, as they are rapidly climbing the ladder on my list of favorite American breweries. They specialize in Session beers, which I have talked about. To refresh your memory, Session beers are meant to be low in alcohol and light and refreshing in flavor. The BJCP defines session ales as beers with less than 5% ABV. Notch kind of takes this to a fantastic extreme, with their most alcoholic beer sitting at 4.5% ABV. I could go on and on about Notch, but I'll save some for other posts. For now I will just talk about the Tafelbier.

The Tafelbier (Table Beer) is a style that was very popular in Belgium for serving with dinner. The entire family would drink the beer, including children. Now, before you freak out about this, know that in Belgium (like many countries), the parents have the option of introducing their children to beer at a younger age. Table beers are also known for being extremely low in alcohol. Table beers are less common in Belgian homes now-a-days, getting replaced by sodas and the like, unfortunately. 

 Notch did the world (and the US beer industry) a favor by brewing their Tafelbier. The Tafelbier is Notch Brewing's lowest ABV beer, coming in at 2.8%. It is also delightfully refreshing and crisp. It has beautiful floral notes that are complemented well by the subtle hops. It is one of the more thirst-quenching beers that I have ever tried. I cannot wait for them to release it again (it is a summer seasonal) so that I can buy a case to slake my summer thirst. 

Honestly, I could keep saying wonderful things about this beer, but you won't really know until you try it. Some people might not even get what I am talking about after trying the beer. However, if you get it, then you will be in heaven. 

Glassware: Saison, tulip, or Notch suggest drinking out of the bottle

Synonym Beer: Dupont Avril (it isn't the same, but it is the closest beer that I have tasted)

If you want me to look at a particular beer, drink, place, or have anything to say to me, email me at monksandmalts@gmail.com. Find me on Facebook and Twitter (@ofmonksandmalts). You can also buy my pictures here: http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/robert-rizzolo.html.