Delirium Noël

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

Bottle Vintage 2002
For some reason this beer did not come into Florida last Winter, but I managed to find and then hold onto a bottle of the previous years release.

D-Noel pours a dark mahogany colored body with a thick dollop of light tan head. The aroma and flavor are bursting with robust notes of caramel and toffee, then a deranged orchard of , apricot, plums, dates, apples and pears…. I wonder if anybody has a garden with all 5 of these fruits in them? There is a large presence of sweet, toasty and robust malt, as well as a nice toasted bready-ness that sits aside a thick overflowing scoop of toasty molasses. Also finding a big nutty, lightly smoky, a bit yeasty and a slight spiced-cider like note and dryness in the finish. This is a rather enjoyable and surprisingly complex brew.
I’ve had this years 2004 release, and I feel that the extra time in the cellar really helped facilitate the roundness and complexities in this beer. The time really pulls forth an almost black peppery and leathery flavor, which I enjoy. This Holliday Ale has been far more pleasing than I had anticipated!

bottled: this one sat around a while since i bought it in probably xmas 2002. so it was time....so i thought.....poured dark mahogany brown, with a slightly tan head. nose was sweet and malty. had same feel in the mouth crystal, choc malt, rock candy, sweet, prunes. this wasnt that enjoyable or complex to me, just real chewy and heavy...made you scrunch the nose after a large swig, suppose this stuff could f’you up if ya drink much of it. the rates on this one are kinda funny, one high, one low, one, high one low...wonder how big/bad it was 2 yrs ago?

Aroma- spice and apple/plum. Color - copper hues and some purple. Didnt sit too well on my palate, almost tough to drink the last few sips. Tasted the alcohol, very drying on my throat. Could have been masked better. Overall, pretty decent.

an interesting beer, sweet and tart with a very distinct belgian charavter, cherries and apple, brown sugar. nice enough.

Crushed with Jakebra. Very fruity nose, with something else thats different and interesting, but maybe not good. Flavor is the same but the finish stings in a bad way. But its aight.

pours a hazy dark orange with a large light beige foamy head, heavy carbonation, and a very good lacing. smell is of caramel, dark fruits, spice, and roasted nuts and malts. taste is thick, very carbonation, burnt caramel, roasted malt, dark fruits, white pepper, and spice, ends somewhat bitter and with a definite alcohol warming.

bottle--Pours a hazy golden hue with a aromas of spearmint, yeast, and spice. Flavors of cinnamon, honey and roses.

#964, Bottle, sampled at the Champaign Urbana Beer Club meeting in December of 2006. Yeah its a belgian.