Kronenburg 1664 Blanc has been hanging around my local Atsumi Foods for awhile. But with its 500 yen price tag and snobby French writing, I've mostly ignored it. Loitering in Atsumi Foods yesterday, I noticed a last ditch effort to dump this beer on the consumer. The price was slashed to 200 yen! The bait was set and I bit. Also, if you look closely at the picture you will see 330 ml bottles of Premium Malts for 208 yen. It's OK to be jealous.1664 Blanc is a white ale in the style of Hoegarden. Imagine if Hoegarden was sweeter and had more of an orange taste. Not Japanese mikans or those bitter summer mikans, but a good ol' Florida navel orange. A really full, citrusy, sweet tasting orange flavor that keeps the spicier coriander in check. This beer tastes good but does the good taste like beer?
Herein lies the problem. Hoegarden is flavored with orange peel and coriander but manages to keep it's integrity as a beer. 1664 Blanc tastes good, but the sweetness brings it dangerously close to, dare I say...a bitch beer. Now, I am using the phrase "bitch beer" in a completely stereotypical way, so as not to offend anyone. Kronenburg 1664 Blanc could be the best bitch beer I have ever drank (not that I make a habit of drinking bitch beer, but hey, everybody's curious).The tagline on the bottle says "Differente. Fraiche. Et Fruite." My French is a bit rusty but I assume this translates to "Different, Fresh, and Fruity." If you want to laugh at the French some more then go to 1664 Blanc's website. Only the French could have made this.
7 comments:
The French make some good beer. Just not very much of it.
I heard that this is not actually available in France, only for export. Typical French, to not allow the french to drink their own beer. Yes, it's sweet. a bit too bitch for me.
Had it for the first time a few years back, back home in Wales.
I once had a French History professor who said, "The only problem I have with the French is the temperature at which they keep their beer." He said it in a great Georgia accent. Classic.
Jeffery, well said. Glad you are posting here!
Don't believe everything you hear, Chuwy. Kronenbourg 1664 is the most-sold beer in France, according to my ami francais.
Quand j'ai habite en France, j'ai bu le 1664 chaque jour! Not so fast Sarah! 1664 is probably the most popular and widely available brew in France, but the 1664 Blanc is somewhat less accessible...However it looks like it is for sale in France as well as other places...I still have never seen it in the states!
Now you can all laud me about my excellent French abilities. Now, Japanese on the other hand....
Felicitation pour ton francais, DH. ;-) Et merci pour la clarification. OK, I'll stop now...
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