Delirium Noël

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

Near rudy color with a tall off white head and sheets of lace. Strong nose of yeast, dark fruit and touch of licorice. Sweet earthy malt flavors with undertones of dark fruits and dry yeast. Acidic in the finish. Not as clean as the DTs.

Re-rate, Bottled: Aroma of sweet apple and orange. Red color, beige head, good lace. Very sweet, sourness underneath, light bitter, orange, light spices. Pretty full and warming. Nicely balanced. Jan 2005, 2.7, Tap: On tap at ’t Tribunaal in Tilburg. Very spicy, malty aroma. Dark brown color, off-white head that diminishes fast, fair lace. Sweet, overwhelming spices, malty, full, little sticky, warming. Too much of it all for me. Couldn’t finish a whole glass.

Translucent dark brown/ruby color with very light head, lots of carbonation, and no lacing. The aroma is very rich with lots of dark malts and fruits; light calamata olives, fig, brown sugar & molasses. The alcohol presence is noted in both the nose and that taste, but is still very smooth upon drinking. The flavor is very rounded with a spicy creamy malt base topped by a blend of herbs/alcohol and finishes with the light hop bite. Belgian Strong Ales make the best christmas beers, especially when they're bottle conditioned belgian beers!

Bottle from River’s Bend. Poured hazy brown color with a large fizzy brown head that was mostly lasting with excellent lacing. Aroma was as complex heavy spicy sweet and yeast. Medium body with a smooth texture. Heavy dark fruit bittersweet flavor with a heavy bittersweet finish with medium alcohol bite. Good brew.

On tap. Dark amber colour. A little off-white head. Lots of yeast in the aroma with some maltiness and hints of spicies. Sweet malty flavor with lots of yeast and caramel. Hard to feel the alcohol.

Bottled. I think Huyghe get a lot of bad press because they brew a huge range of beers, alot of which are decidely dodgy. However I think when they think about it they can do a good job, and the Delirium range prove that. This is a dark reddy brown coloured beer which pours with alarge off-white head, which shrinks down but leaves good lacing. the aroma is yeasty with moussey fruit and peppery spices. The taste is also yeasty. The 10% comes through to a certain extent. There are peppery hops and red fruits. Well brewed with a long tasty finish.

On draft at Half Time, Poughkeepsie, NY. Pours deep copper with great lacing. Aroma of malt, hops, big spices, cinnamon, brown sugar, and cognac. Tastes malty, with spices, hops, nutmeg, and cognac at mid palate and finish. Slight dry finish. Very nice.

Cloudy amber with small flakes, beautiful lasting creamy off-white head. Aroma has raisins and figs, some spice and sherry. Somewhat sweet, fruity and spicy flavour. Too sweet for my taste, and not quite as complex as I would like. Disappointed my high expectations.