De Ranke Noir De Dottignies

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

Appearance: Opaque, dark brown body with a full finger of ecru-colored head. Smell: Dusty, dusky malt nose with notes of cocoa powder, ground wood bark, standard issue cola nuts, and caramel with some slight, slender fruit hints tucked in back. Taste: Dark, roasty malts with tastes of cocoa and chicory with a light amount of caramel sweetness. Fruitiness coming across as sliced pears and stewed plums. Touch of yeastiness. There’s a darkened grain roastiness as well as some earthy, spicy hops imparting a bold bitterness. Dry, bitter, lightly warming finish. Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied. Well carbonated. Drinkability: Reasonably decent and entertaining enough to hold my attention for one dose at the Brick Store Pub.

Tap @ Capones. Dark pour. Wheaty beer texture. Had a hard time deciphering what this beer was about. Candy and fruit flavors dominate.

Bottle from Bottle Barn in Santa Rosa, CA. Pours a dark ruby brown with a foamy beige head. Dark fruit aromas. Medium body with foamy carbonation. Really light fruits, underlaid by darker fruits, dark malt, and some toffee and coffee and perhaps chocolate. There’s a lot going on here, and dispite the biggish ABV, it’s not at all heated. Very tasty, and way too easy to quaff.

Draft at Capones. Pours a dark amber body with an off white head. Wheat, banana light spices and a hint of smoke. Fruity esters and some light lemongrass. Decent.

This dark brown ale poured with a huge beige head that took a while to bubble away. There is a fruity malt aroma and a roasted malt and toffee flavor.

Bottle. Nice head with good duration. Color is dark brown. Aroma and taste are fruits, roast malt, yeast and caramel.

Tap at Deep Ellum. Pours a dark brown with a small white head. Aroma of yeast and dark malt. Flavor of roasted/charred malt, sweet malt. Pretty decent actually and quite drinkable. 7/4/7/4/14 (3.6/5)

Update 12/31/09. Forgot I had this and had it again at Ginger Man. Aroma of roasted malt and sweet fruits. Flavor is very bitter at first followed by light fruits, jam, toast, and raisins. I warmed up to it a little but overall wasn’t impressed. 6/4/7/4/14 [3.5/5]

Bottle. Rich toffee color with a dark cream colored head. Rich malt and caramel aroma with yeast. Toffee and light roast flavor with caramel, yeast, and light spice. Medium-plus bodied. Toffee and light roast lingers with yeast and light spice. Some harshness.