The Off-Menu Bottle List

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MICHAEL’s SECRET BEER COOLER

Since the Hopleaf opened the new bar side, what we call the South Bar, there was a cooler that housed rare and special bottles of beer.

Visitors to the Hopleaf had to “know” that this list existed; no bartender or server, or even Michael, would tell you about this list unless you asked. When you did ask you were presented with a crinkled, torn and ripped packet of papers detailing what lay inside that elusive cooler.

During Covid times, as we downsized significantly the number of beer bottles we had on our list, we decided to move our beautiful collection of white wines to “Michael’s Secret Beer Cooler.”

But because we love beer at Hopleaf it was hard for us to pass up rare and special offerings! Since things have started to get back to normal we realized we had yet again amassed a collection of limited quantity specialty beers that only had a home in Michael’s Secret Beer Cooler.

Brouwerij BOON-Belgium
Oude Geuze Apogee 
7% 750ml  . . . . .$80

Oude Geuze Apogee is a celebration of Frank Boon’s extraordinary achievements. At the same time, this one-off edition celebrates the handover to Jos and Karel Boon. This transition from one generation to another is reflected in the composition of this geuze—because for Apogee, Frank created a special blend with lambic beers from the oldest (N° 79) and from the newest (N° 83) foeder.

The Oude Geuze Apogee was bottled on 29 April 2019.

Oude Geuze a l’Ancienne
—numbered casks—8% 330ml . . . . $28

• Vat 108, brewed on 2/15/2015 and bottled on 12/20/2016 —The very wine-like accents of this Oude Gueuze combine with a distinctive ‘old beer’ character, which provides full-bodied & robust flavor, with unmistakable hints of volatile acidity that never overwhelm.

LINDEMANS-Belgium

Oude Gueuze Cuvée René (2021)
6% 3L  . . . . . .$200

An exclusive release and one of the jewels of the brewery. With its golden color, its sparkle and its beautiful sherry aromas, this is the queen of gueuzes. This old gueuze is a blend of old and young lambic matured in large foudres.  Slightly carbonated and tart, perfect to share for a special occasion.

Cuvée René Kriek (2016)
7% 750mL  . . . . . .$45

To produce this beer, the cherries ferment in lambic that is at least 6 months old in huge 10,000-liter oak barrels (foudres). After another 6 months the beer is bottled and then undergoes a spontaneous second fermentation process which, after a few months, will produce the CO2 to which this authentic beer owes its carbonation and distinctive foamy head. Bottled February 2, 2016.

RODENBACH -Belgium

Rodenbach Vintage (2018)
7% 750mL  . . . . . .$60

A unique, unblended Flanders Red-Brown ale matured in oak casks for 2 years. Only the best casks are used, after which the beer is subjected to a strict sampling selection. It has a uniquely balanced acidic taste and a long, fresh and fruity aftertaste. Tasting beautifully for an 8 year old beer.

ALVINNE -Belgium

Wild West Grape
6% 500mL  . . . . . .$25

Golden blonde ale brewed with their own hops and fermented with Morpheus house yeast. Aged in wooden Bordeaux barrels for eight months. Then fermented on grapes for five months.

Wild West Plum
6% 500mL  . . . . . .$25

Flemish Sour Ale aged in French Pomero (Small Bordeaux Region) l barrels with French plums. Fermented with in-house wild yeast strain ‘Morpheus’. Barrel aged version of Omega.

Brouwerij GIRARDIN-Belgium
Gueuze Limited Edition (2021)
5% 3L  . . . . .$250

Limited edition release to commemorate Paul Girardin’s 60th birthday, only 670 bottles made. A blend of 100% 3 year lambics. Very special beer, to be shared for a special time.

3 FONTEINEN-Belgium

Oude Geuze Cuvée Armand & Gaston (season 19/20) Blend No. 6
7% 375mL . . . . . $40

This specific blend of Oude Geuze consists of eight different lambikken that have fermented and matured on five different barrels. The oldest lambik was brewed in 2016 rendering the weighted average age of this blend upon release to about 55 months. Bottled 11/21/2019

Tuverbol
9.6% 375mL . . . . . $25

Blend of Loterbol Blond and 3 Fonteinen lambik. Spontaneous refermenation in the bottle. Unfiltered and upasterized.

Nocturne (season 21/22) Blend No. 47
8% 750 mL . . . . . $40

A spontaneously fermented full malt beer. Not your typical lambik beer, but their take on a Vlaams Oud Bruin. The beer was brewed with five different barley malts, from pilsner malt to dark roasted malts, and no wheat whatsoever.

Perzik Geel (season 21/22) Blend No. 14
6.7% 750 mL . . . . . $70

In 2022 local harvest had been non-existent for the last three summers. So for this blend they macerated freshly hand-picked yellow peaches from an organic producer in Northern Spain. They used only two-and three-year old lambikken for macerating, and the maceration took almost five months. The weighted average of the peach blend upon bottling is almost 24 months. The final proportion of fruit used is 384 grams per liter. Bottled 5/1/2022.

Druif Muscaris (season 21/22) Blend No. 23
8.3% 750 mL . . . . . $70

Made with macerated muscaris grapes (a white grape varietal), picked at Hoenshof in the summer of 2021. The grape must was macerated on two- and three-year old lambikken. Maceration took almost four months before blending and bottling. This brings the weighted average age of the blend to more than 22 months. The final fruit proportion is 396 grams of muscaris grapes per liter of lambik. Bottled 1/27/2022

Oude Geuze (season 18/19) No. 50
7.2% 1500mL . . . . . $150

A blend of one-, two-, and three-year old lambikken. No two bottles are alike, as there are multiple variables in the blending process. A high variety of barrels, differences in aged lambik proportions. When cellared properly these beers can be aged for decades.

Gueuzerie TILQUIN-Belgium
Rullquin 2018-2019
7% 750ml  . . . . .$42

Beer of mixed fermentation, obtained from a blending of 7/8 of Rulles Brune (Stout de Gaume) and 1/8 of a blend of 1 year old lambics, which has matured for 8 months on oak barrels. Unfiltered and unpasteurized, this beer is re-fermented for 6 months in the bottle.

Cuvee Marie Catherine 2021-2022
7% 750ml  . . . . .$45

Blended on 15 February 2022 in honor of Marie-Catherine Tilquin-Rousseaux, mother of Pierre. Made with 40% 1-year old lambics, 30% 2-year old lambics and 30% 3-year old lambics, all matured in oak barrels. Unfiltered and unpasteurized, this beer was refermented and matured in the bottle for 1 year.
It is part of their Family Tree Project: a different blend for each member of the Tilquin family tree.

Westmalle – Belgium
Tripel
9.5% 750ml  . . . . .$35

The slow brewing process and secondary fermentation in the bottle produce a complex beer that has a fruity aroma of ripe banana and a lovely nuanced hop nose. The soft and creamy flavor, with its bitter note carried by the fruit aroma, is full of finesse and elegance. Also enjoy the deliciously long, dry finish.

De La Senne – Belgium
Brett Porter
5.7% 11.2oz  . . . . .$15

Inspired by old London Porters of the 1800s, which were kept in huge wooden tuns where Brettanomyces yeasts would develop. It has not been barrel-aged, but co-fermented with their own Brettanomyces, and brewed from magnificent English special malts. The Brettanomyces are very present on the nose, giving it a vinous character with very ripe cherries like an old kirsch, and and slight leather notes. A roasted and slightly smoky touch completes the picture.

La Brasserie de Blaugies – Belgium
La Vermontoise
6% 12.7oz  . . . . .$20

Hill Farmstead collaboration, a saison made with malt, spelt and American hops. It stands out with its substantial bitterness and its dry and subtly lemony finish.

Darbyste
5.8% 12.7oz  . . . . .$20

Saison made with wheat, fermented with fig juice. Figs are not evident in the flavor, which is light, lemony and dry.

TIMMERMANS – Belgium
Faro
4% 375mL  . . . . .$15

One of the most historical beer of Belgium and is obtained by adding sugar-candy to Lambic beer. The sweetness of the candy sugar and the acidity of the lambic is a very nice balance. Sweet and light aroma, hinting at a slight expression of Lambic. It has a clear golden-amber color topped by a dense and creamy foam.

DE KONINGSHOEVEN – Netherlands
La Trappe Quadrupel (2021)
10% 1.5L  . . . . .$80

First Quadrupel ever made, great to share with friends. Warm, amber colored, heart-warming and intense taste is malty with sweet tones of dates and caramel.

La Trappe Tripel (2021)
8% 750mL . . . . .$35

A classic Trappist ale with floral, fruity aromas of peach and apricot. It has a candy-sweet and light malty character, the aftertaste is bitter and slightly dry.

SIDE PROJECT BREWING St. Louis, MO
With Tarpey (2025)
15% 375mL  . . . . . $50

A special collaboration blend created with their longtime friend Matt Tarpey of The Veil Brewing Co. This beer is a blend of 57.1% Barrel Aged Imperial Stout and 42.9% Barrel Aged Barleywine, featuring threads from barrels of MJK, OWK, Vibes, and Horchata that rested in oak for 15 to 26 months. After blending, the beer was conditioned on 20lbs of Uganda, Comoros, and Madagascar vanilla beans, highlighting their shared love for rich, complex vanilla character.

PERENNIAL ARTISAN ALES St. Louis, MO
Barrel-Aged Abraxas (2025)
12.8% 750mL  . . . . . $65

Barrel-aged imperial stout with ancho chili peppers, cacao nibs, vanilla beans, and cinnamon sticks. Aged 26-31 months in a combination of Willet Bourbon, Willet Wheated Bourbon, Reclamation Rye, Willet Rye and Wild Turkey Rare Breed. *Contains Lactose