Engelszell Nivard: An Absolutely Enjoyable Ale
Tasting a Trappist for the first time is always a great moment. Until recently, the three Austrian Trappists were not easy to find outside their borders. Today it’s not a problem anymore.
For my part, after the ruby Benno, here is the blonde Nivard — the three beers produced by the Engelszell monastery (Engelhartszell, Upper Austria) bear the name of three monks who served as superior in the monastery: Benno, Nivard, and Gregorius.
With this 5.5%-ABV Belgian ale, it’s quite simple: This excellent beer is fruity, bitter, herbal, and leaves a spicy (lemon and peppery) aftertaste. It’s a model of balance, with a nice full grassy mouthfeel.
Nivard is not spectacular, but it’s splendidly brewed. There are a lot of flavoured and superlative-laden beers around, but it’s good to run across the efficiency of simplicity. No further comment needed…