De Proef Brouwerij is a brand new entry into the Minnesota beer market. The brewery was founded in 1996 by brewing engineer and professor Dirk Naudts, who’s nickname is “The Prof”, or “de Proef” in Flemish. For the last few years Naudts has been creating wild-fermented collaboration beers with well established brewers in the US, including Signature Ale created with Tomme Arthur of Port Brewing/Lost Abbey and Les Deux Brasseurs with Jason Perkins of Maine’s Allagash Brewing. The newest release brings the Brewmaster’s Collaboration Series closer to home. Van Twee was brewed with John Mallet of Bell’s Brewing. They describe it as a “mash-up of the porter and dubbel styles blended with sour cherry juice from Michigan and brettanomyces in the secondary fermentation.” Here’s my notes:

Van Twee
DeProef Brouwerij, Lochristi-Hijfte, Belgium in collaboration with Bell’s Brewing, Kalamazoo, Michigan
Style: Porter/Dubel Mashup with Cherry Juice and Wild Yeast
Serving Style: 750 ml bottle

Aroma: Chocolate and cherries with a good dose of barnyard funkiness. Some dark fruits dance in the background.

Appearance: Dark red and clear with a thick, creamy, persistent off-white head.

Flavor: The malt character is like malted milk balls. Lovely dark chocolate with some caramel. Dark crystal malts also add a huge dose of plum fruitiness. This plays well with the cherry that is the second most pronounced flavor. The brettanomyces funkiness is noticeable, but not overwhelming. A nice background barnyard and light sour that supports the cherry. Some nice clove notes and hints of the Belgian cotton candy character round the flavors out. Medium-low bitterness.

Mouthfeel: Velvety. Creamy. Medium body. Moderately high carbonation.

Overall Impression: OMG! This beer doesn’t market itself as a Christmas beer, but the combination of fruit, spice, and chocolate would certainly qualify it as one. This was beautiful from start to finish. Great right from the refrigerator and still great warm at the bottom of the glass. I will need to pick up another bottle. Note to the Perfect Pint Beer Club, this might be on our holiday beer list. I had this with a home-made fennel risotto and it was a splendid match.