Affligem Noël (Christmas Ale)

Brewed by Brouwerij Affligem / De Smedt (Heineken)
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
Opwijk, Belgium

April(?) 2008: Affligem Noël is sweet and reminds me of a candy cane with some other spice(s) included. There are also flavors of caramelized candi sugar and nice holiday spice. The beer pours a cloudy amber-brown color and is capped by a beige head. It has a good medium-full body. This beer is very balanced and flavorful.

750 mL bottle (9% alc./vol. / 6 271 15) shared by Rob. Thanks! Rating #377 for this beer.

"I hate Christmas, but I’d like it to Christmas all year ’round if it meant I could drink this all the time. Had a couple of pints in Paris last week, at Kitty O’Shea’s. The establishment was okay, but this beer was simply brilliant. Bad ambient lighting made it hard to rate the appearance, but the colour looked a hazy brownish orange beneath a fluffy white head. Aroma was inviting, with lots of spices, and not really a suggestion of the 9% ABV. Taste was every bit as good as the aroma, delicious is all I can say. Mouth and finish were very pleasing. "

Aroma of belgian yeast, apples and spice. Pours cloudy caramel. Flavor is big time cinnamon, Belgian yeast, sweet malt and a little sour fruit and a tiny bit alcohol. Fantastic balance of spice, alcohol and malt.

This Belgian offering pours a dark opaque brown that has a slightly orange hue to it, and a nice tan head that left some nice lacing behind. Phenomenal smell; very sweet and consisted of yeast, cherry, apple, and some pleasant spices. This brew has a very warm taste to it; sweet yeast, cherries, almond, cloves, and coriander mix to make a unbelievable taste. This was a very smooth beer to drink, and the high alcohol content could hardly be detected. The flavor was not over powering like in some other strong Belgian ales what makes this beer very drinkable.

bottle from metzlers in denton, tx. poured brown/amber color with a beige head. aroma of caramel, dark fruit, slight liqourice, and some spice like maybe nutmeg. flavor was pretty much right on with the nose. body was medium-full with high carbonation. a pretty sweet beer, but would match up with the holiday spirit very nice.

Pours a deep translucent brown with a fantastic thick and dense creamy head. Smells of rich sweet malts, caramel, and chocolate. Sweet caramel malts show themselves first but they are soon followed by some hints of spice. There is a bit of grain flavor as well and small hint of chocolate. Medium bodied. This is definitely sweet, but not overly so.

Bottle, Geers, Oostakker. Pours ruby red with a small head. Malty nose. Malt and spicy aroma’s. Also fruits and a bit of yeast. Quite well balanced and medium bodied, a bit alcoholic as it warms.

Dark colour with malt, caramel nose. Taste is full in the mouth with malt, caramel and spices. Extremely pleasant palate with a solid finish. Can’t wait till next year.