03/03 - Enjoying the great weather

The weather on Saturday was absolutely perfect, so I decided to make a little tour and left home early. I made a roundtrip starting (and ending) at the guest house Lehmen.

My way led over along the impressing rock face of the Saentis mountain range with all the well known summits... the most obvious is the so called "Oehrli".

A very nice side fact is that a fox crossed my way while a walked up... luckily I´d my camera available to make a pic...

On the highest point of the tour at app. 1´400 m / 4´600 ft I made my lunch break and enjoyed a great Partagas Coronas from 2005 while having a wonderful view on the mountains around me...

The way down led my to the Potersalp (it´s closed at this time of the year, of course) and then back to the point where I started... I also came along the Leuenfall, a waterfall which is not frozen even at this time of the year...

A very nice tour, I hope you enjoy the pix as I enjoyed my walk...

Starting and end point, guest-house Lehmen (app. 930 m / 3050 ft)

A fox crossed my way

Perfect view on the Oehrli

A milestone on the way: Vordere Leu

Another milestone: Grossleu (1´142 m / 3´750 ft)

One more milestone: Schwyzeraelpli (1´324 m / 4´350 ft)

Time for lunch with some cheese...

After-lunch-cigar: Partagas Coronas from 2005

Leuenfall... a nice waterfall

Bolivar Petit Libertador ER France 2008

Colorado-colored and matt wrapper, smell of wood and tobacco, that´s the first and obvious impression.

The first third is dominated by an intensive note of fresh ground black pepper which starts initially with the first puff... After a while some decent earthiness and hints of oak wood are joining it.

During the second third it´s getting more woody and earthy, aromas of leather, it seems to be a really strong (and good) Bolivar which fulfills the expectations.

The last third is a real powerhouse: wood, leather, still some ammonia and really strong. Great little stick... it would be more tempting if they´d be little bit cheaper.

The smoking time was surprisingly 75 minutes, not too bad for a Petit Robusto.

Blond Belgians in the glass, Part II

Here's part II of III of my report about some blond beers that I tried in the past weeks and months...


St. Bernardus Tripel

Sweet malts, light earthy hops, hay, leather and white pepper in the nose... With the first sip some decent sweetness hits the tip of the tongue and quickly falls off, revealing earthy flavors of hay and leather. Dry, earthy hoppiness. Full bodied with light carbonation and a dry, lightly hoppy finish. Very nice beer with an ABV of 8 %.

Maredsous 6

Fruity, very light citrus notes and biscuity malts in the nose. The taste is mainly malts with some hints of candi sugar, decent notes of pineapple, some spicy hops and a low bitterness. Pleasant and creamy and the mouth... no overwhelming alcohol, maybe due to the fact that it´s "only" 6 %. Nice blond, but nothin spectacular. 

Tongerlo Prior Tripel

The smell is very fresh, notes of malt, yeast, but also some grassy and herbal notes. Bittersweet taste, with bitterness as dominant character, some fruity aromas in the background, very decent. Very nice blond beer with 9 % of alcohol which is well embedded.

02/19 - Carnival in Altstaetten, Part II

On Saturday the weather was really awesome with a lot of sunshine and pleasant temperatures. Unfortunately it changed on Sunday and we´d snowfall and low temperatures. But the crowds came to Altstaetten anyhow to see the traditional parade with app. 60 groups making their way through the village...

A definitely great event, the weather didn´t dampen the atmosphere...