Delirium Noël

Brewed by Brouwerij Huyghe
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
Melle, Belgium

750ml bottle. 2005 edition. Ruby brown hue. Slightly muddled. Minimal white head. Cinnamon bready nose. Caramel sugary nose. Sweet, malty caramel flavor. Full bodied with an alcohol middle with a tight burn. Then, the bitter hop citrus finish. As it warms, the fruit bread, holiday spice malt character really shines. Second glass is fuller and thicker. Same hue, but with thick swirling sediment. Little more of a citrus sour flavor on the hop finish. It really compliments the cinnamon malt sweetness. More cookie yeast notes. Still a great burn. Solid brew with great aging potential.

A deep red beer with a thin but lasting light brown head. The aroma is sweet and quite complex with lots of fruity aromas - a bit on the "older" side - peaches, black currant, and plums, but also notes of yeast, alcohol, and wood. The flavor is very sweet with strong fruity notes, oranges, peaches, plums, and some grapes, on a background where the alcohol is more felt than tasted, but there’s no question, that the alcohol makes its presence known leaving a warmth and a tingling sensation on the tongue.

(Bottle at Delirium Cafe, Brussels) Pours clear red/brown with fast decreasing white head. Aroma: Caramell and over-ripe bananas. Black currant. A bit lemonade. Really sweet. Some rum. Yeast and alcohol. Taste: Sweet beer with good body. Unsweetend dried plums and a typical Delirium sourness. Some iron and minerals. Some vineous notes.

Porus a dark, cloudy brown with a minimal tan head. Aroma is very sweet, some cloves and spiciness. Fruitiness and candi sugar dominates the palate. Quite sticky as it goes down, with a slight burn. A seasonal favorite.

2004 vintage. 750 ml bottle into a 2 oz Snifter glass. Pours a amber golden brown hue with a semi-foamy white head that hugs the rim of the glass throughout the whole bottle. Aroma consists of a very spicey and appley consistency with a solid hint of alcohol. Flavor brings out much of the same as in the nose, with a very fruity and appley flavor mixed with various spices. A hint of yeasty Belgian sweetness is also present. Moving into the finish a waft of alcohol climbs into the nose. This one aged quite nicely. A very solid XMas brew from Delirium!

Aged sample on draught at the Half Moon in Kennett. Poured a dark brownish color, tripel fermented, they said. Nice initial head that subsided and provided ok but not outstanding lacing. Aroma was spicey and of dark fruits and caramel. Flavor was much of the same, mouthfeel nice and creamy. A very enjoyable beer with a touch of bitterness to finish.

Bottled, 75cl champagne-style. 2004-vintage. Sold as Delirium Christmas in Norway. Copper/red with a nice off-white head. Carbonation and lacings. Sweet, cellar, candi, some caramel and dried fruits in the aroma. Flavor has yeast, cellar, dried fruits, some alcohol and candi. Full-bodied and sweet. Nice beer, both on its own, and with food. (060527)

Pours a bright amber with antique lace head with the large bubbles typical of belgian ales. Pleasant sour malt aroma. Sour citrus flavor with a dryness not unlike wine. Spices, sweet maltiness and mild hop bitterness are there as well. Very warming alcohol feel after swallowing. A delicious winter warmer type of belgian.