BFM Abbaye de Saint Bon-Chien 2004

Formerly brewed at BFM (Brasserie des Franches-Montagnes)
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
Saignelégier, Switzerland

25 oz bottle, consumed 12/2008. Pours a clear dark amber body with a small fizzy beige head that retained as a thin fizzy covering due to the vigorous carbonation. The nose is very vinous with lots of red wine, oak, loads of dark fruits, and lots of sweet malt. A very intense aroma. Very big and malty flavor at it’s base, but the flavor is really driven by the complex barrel aging process that they have used for this. Red wine, oak, cherry skins, light alcohol, sherry, maybe a little touch of bourbon, and some light spicing. Very intense and complex. Mouthfeel is full and soft with a slight clingy stickiness and nice soft carbonation. There’s a nice oaky dryness that comes out on the end as well. Overall, this was pretty great, with such a complex production process using all these barrels and blending them together, it’s a beer that won’t ever see the light of day again.

Bottle shared by moejuck, I think. Pours a dark amber color with a thin beige colored head. Aroma is oak, alcohol, vineous. Flavor is blast of alcohol reminiscient of grappa, vineous, oak, spice. Palate is medium bodied, medium carbonation, finished super hot. Decent stuff if you can get past the alcohol, definitely gets in the way of enjoying this one. Not good.

Bottle shared by SDbruboy, thanks Cliff. Pours with a cloudy red-brown body topped by a thin to medium thick head with a good amount of lacing. It’s slightly sweet and malty with an underlying sour note, a touch of fruit and some yeasty notes. Medium bodied and slightly dry.

750 ml bottle, from sloth - outrageous man, thanks! Pours hazy chestnut amber with a small head. Aroma is wonderful, woody and vinuous, tart fruits and florals, brandy notes. Flavor is complex, tart and sweetish, dry, rich woody and unripe fruit flavors, wine barrels, tannic and spice. Smooth, full body, gentle carbonation.

Bottle at P1HG. Pours brown amber with white 2 finger head. Decent co2 4 years later. Good aroma with sweet merlot, sour mash, dark fruit, and some etoh. Flavor is vinous, tart, woody. A nice score.

Bottle shared by Brandon. Huge thanks! Tart aroma, dark fruit, smells a bit like garbage. Lightly metallic. Nice fruity flavor, very mellow, vineous, with a light tartness, oak, and wine finish. Good drinkability. I wish I had a bottle of this of my own.

Bottle, shared generously by notalush. Brown pour with a reddish hue. Aroma is some light leather, kriek-like cherry presence (maybe from the cask aging), and sugary malt. Flavor is the same, kriek-like tart fruit and wood, leathery, and some other dark sweet malt. Good.

Bottle at Paul’s Hoboken Gathering: Muddy brown/amber pour with a thin tan/bubbly head. The nose is very complex with some oak and lots of cherry/almond character. Smells almost like a complex Kriek. Soft and silky texture. The flavor is a complex blend of cherries, almonds, oak and some mildly tart tannins. Some vinous qualities as well. Very complex and easily quaffed.