De Ranke Noir De Dottignies

Brewed by Brouwerij De Ranke
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
Dottignies/Dottenijs, Belgium

Bottle. Head is initially large, frothy, light brown, mostly lasting. Body is hazy dark brown, bottle conditioned. Aroma is moderately malty (toasted grain/bread, cookie), moderately hoppy (herbs, flowers), lightly to moderately yeasty (cobwebs), with notes of pepper, wood, cinnamon, gum. Flavor is moderately sweet, lightly to moderately acidic, lightly bitter. Finish is lightly sweet, lightly to moderately acidic, moderately bitter. Medium body, velvety texture, lively carbonation, lightly to moderately alcoholic. Brightly aromatic, well-balanced, well hidden alcohol, etc. A delicious beer.

De Ranke brew a 9% dark ale?? Top ten material, surely? Not quite. Yellowy beige swirled on almost stouty red-black. Sweet mysterious Belgian plum waftings, candy sugar, soy, Cola, apple, ash and corroding girders. Immediately warming, burnt and metallic, with a dominating note of blood that eases as you drain the bottle. Discreet noble hop presence; herbs, pine needles and wholemeal pasta; soap, roasted barley,hazelnut and soft lactic touches. Some of that deep Westmalle/Westvletern yeastiness, bitter chocolate, praline and hop, watered down with brine, soap and blood. Mixed bag.

Hazy brown with a big and lasting off-white head. Yeasty aroma with bubblegum. Sweet and yeasty flavour with chocolate, and a hint of hops in the finish.

RBESG Sheffield 2009 Grand Tasting at the Harlequin. Hazy dark brown colour, off white head. Aroma of yeast, sugar, fruits. Flavour is sweet, sugary, light roasted malts, dark fruits, hint of ash. A bit underwhelming after all the big hoppy beers.

Bottle from robert at SL, Brown in color, small head that didnt stick around. Nice nose on it... brown sugar, raisons... Taste is the same, malty, brown sugar, raisons and some other dark fruits. Smooth and easy to drink. Nice beer, thanks roberto!

Colour is brown and unclear. Han an off-white head, fully lasting. Sweet aroma, yeasty, laqurice. Flavor is nice bitter, heavy bitter finish. Full body.

Name: Noir de Dottignies
Date: June 20, 2009
Mode: Draft
Source: Brick Store Pub
Appearance: opaque dark brown, big creamy beige head, sheets of lace
Aroma: sweet and fruity aroma, dark fruits, light spicyness
Flavor: sweet malt flavor, lots of dark fruits, well balanced with an earthy bitterness that takes away a bit too much of the sweetness and detracts from the dark fruits but add a spicy hoppy character, light spicyness blends with the earthyness, picks up a breadyness upon warming
Aroma: 7/10; Appearance: 7/10; Flavor: 7/10; Palate: 6/10; Overall: 14/20
Rating: 3.5/5.0
Drinkability: 7/10
Score: **4

Dark brown color, with a bit of haze and a rudy component on the edges. Mammoth head of creamy, taupe bubbles. Confluence of small bubbles continue up the side of my Tripel Karmeliet glass. Fairly light aromas. Hints of dark malt, caramel, herbal to minty hops and just a hint of dust. Light and airy liquid. A light sweet start of dark chocolate covered malt. Herbal hop join in the middle. Hints of licorice and dark caramel jump in and out. Herbal finish. Not catching alcohol either in the flavors or in any other normal receptor. Dry linger with a slow return of pale and caramel malts. A lot of small somewhat intricate flavors with not big bow of fanfare to bring it all together.