Delirium Noël

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

Delirium Noel 2001: On the pour a delicious orange to cherry red color as it sits in the glass. The body covered by a voluminous head, frothy in texture that melts to a fine sheet of lace that drapes the glass. Aroma’s of ripe fruit, such as pineapple and banana with hints of yeast also an underlying malt sweetness, quite a refreshing. Start is agreeably sweet, the top voluptuous in feel, the finish has a razor-sharp acidity and the hops scrumptiously hopped, malt dry aftertaste that has a slight alcohol bitterness. The big 10% ABV, warms the tummy and seals off a quite quaffable beer. Ranks #313 on my current 1000 beer master list.

2001 Vintage: The color is slightly reddish orange. Slight whiff of alchohol to the nose. A bit of alchohol to the taste, but still a very sweet malt taste. Not what you would expect of a Christmas beer, but very good nonetheless. 2003 version on tap at Monks: Overall rating hasn't changed. Perhaps some fruits hiding in there with the malt sweetness to the nose. Very warming.

2004 vintage, 750ml bottle. Huge, sweet, fruity, spicy aroma, plenty of brown sugar and toasty malt with lighter notes of cinnamon, allspice, apple, berry, raisin, doughy yeast and wafts of peppery alcohol. Deep garnet in color, some hazy particles drifting about with a lasting, creamy, ivory head and patchwork lacing. Flavor profile is substantially malty and sweet, plenty of brown sugar throughout. Finish is long and lightly acidic with a burst of yeast esters and spice. Mouthfeel is lightly syrupy and thick, some creamy effervescence, body is undoubtedly quite full. Nice. Better than the Tremens or Nocturnum, and for some reason just really made for a pleasant experience tonight. Satisfying, as it were.

On tap at Hopleaf, Chicago, December 2003. I didn't take great notes on this one, alas -- too drunk by then, or just reeling from the nectar that was Girardin? Never mind, this was an excellent spicy brownish strong concoction, with nice raisins and brown sugar along with hints of allspice and cinnamon. Not the most complex thing out there, but very drinkable and balanced.

Tasty, strong beer. I am partial to the tremens golden ale line myself. But it seemed right for the season.

2004 Bottle: This beer is a hazy brown color with a foamy thick beige head with decent retention. Nice lacing. Aroma of yeast, apples and malt. Medium-bodied and spicy, with fruit, yeast and hops flavors as well as a light malt balance. The alcohol is not overly noticeable but I was definitely feeling it after this large bottle. The finish is tart and lasting. Very enjoyable overall.

Bottle. Copper/amber colored beer with a big off-white head. Yeasty, malty aroma. Very rich malt and stone fruit flavor with lots of spicey yeast. Easy drinking for 10% and the alcohol is fairly well hidden.

Pours with a great creamy head with good retention. Taste is so full and malty, the mouthfeel ends up being more important than the actual taste. Slightly sweet with some esters (plum?), with a roasty bitterness in the finish. Great beer.