Christoffel Robertus

Brewed by Sint Christoffel Bier
Style: Vienna
Roermond, Netherlands

Date: 06/01/2005
Mode: Bottle
Source: Tasting

foamer, dark opaque amber, sweet chocolate aroma, rich malt flavor, low carbonation, light bitterness, uninspiring

Aroma: 6/10; Appearance: 6/10; Flavor: 2/10; Palate: 2/10; Overall: 5/20
Rating: 1.7/5.0
Score: 4
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One of the highlights of the Upper Canadian beer calendar is the annual release of the Christmas gift packs every November. I make it a point to buy as many as I can, as there is no better way to build the glass collection and try some good oldies. I spent fifteen minutes trying to figure out why the Corona gift pack had glasses in it (how do you shove a lime wedge into a broad-rimmed glass? And what self-respecting Corona drinker would even use a glass? After all, using a glass is the beer drinking equivalent of flushing the toilet, and we all know Corona drinkers don’t do that every day...where was I? Oh yeah, my first gift pack this year was the Christoffel one, since you need to have the Blond fresh. But that also means I get to have a nice, fresh Robertus too! Luminous reddish-brown, cloudy Vienna lager; malty, a little alcohol showing as well in the nose and some toasted marshmallow. Smooth, malty palate with lots of Vienna malt and toffeeish notes. As far as Vienna lagers go, this is the antithesis of Eliot Ness, but they’re both among the top of the style.

2008-03-12, draught at Ris Ras, Århus, 6-3-6-3-12=30
Red-brown color. Aroma and flavor, it’s a quite simple beer; it has a dry caramel flavor, it’s balanced, and there is not much more.

2006-11-13, bottle, 6-4-7-4-14=35
Dark brown-amber color; small head. This beer is based on the caramel (aroma and taste), but it has much more malt taste than most of the similar beers, giving to it a particularly rich body. Good bitterness level, with some hidden hop quality, and full mouth still in the end. A very good example.

Red amber with off white head. Light fruity aroma. Flavor is sweet with caramel and5 hoppy notes. Ends bitter.

(11.2oz bottle, notched 02/2005) Hazy copper body topped by a medium-sized beige froth fills out the rest of the pilsner glass lightly. Aroma is sweet, caramel, bready, plum/raisin -- seems like it belongs in a freshly produced pastry. Taste is medium sweet, caramel, raisin and light cherry, floral hoppiness. Light-medium body seems a bit thin.

330ml bottle from Trafalgar Wines, Brighton. Crystal clear russet colour until the yeast was poured in and made it cloudy russet. Lasting tight beige head. Very toasty, fruity malty aroma. Very toasty in mouth, richness and depth. Depth has a vinous nature to it and then this toasted breadiness takes over. A bit like strawberry jam on golden brown white toast but no butter. Hugely drinkable even in the bath, reading a book on Kent pub signs. Oh dear, I fear I may have lost some of my readership with that image.

Draught
Nut brown - orange, good off-white head. Fruity hoppy aroma. Medium-bodied, fruity - a bit banana, mango and water melon mixed with flowery hops. Long fruity aftertaste. Unfortunately this patch was a bit out of date.

The head is nice on this dark mahogany red beer. The aroma made me curious because I expected something boring. But is has a nice, full and malty aroma with fruity notes. The flavour is full, round and has notes of harvest fruits, caramel and light sweetness, and the hops are there from beginning to end. A nice surprise.