Gribousine DHiver

Brewed by Brasserie La Binchoise
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
Binche, Belgium

Corked bottle. Reddish amber color. Plums and citrus in the aroma. malty, slightly alcoholic sweetish flavor with pineapple, plums and mango. Just a hint of nutmeg. Pleasant fruity ale with just a hint of flowers.

In short: A rather bland Belgian amber ale with a light spicy touch. Not offensive, not interesting
How: Bottle 330ml, about 1 year old but still before best-before date
The look: Almost clear dark golden body topped by a medium beige head with medium retention
In long: Nose of bakery with a light spicy touch. Taste is surprisingly bland, less tasty than expected. Grainy malts, bread crust, brown sugar, sweetened dried fruits. Winter beers spices (ginger, cloves, cinnamon, others) that fortunately in small quantities. A bland but not offensive seasonal winter beer. Nothing to improve my winter mood, this time of year when like all Montrealers I’d like to tie-up Al Gore and make him eat his slide-show.

75cl, from De Bierloods Adegem, complex brew, not balanced, hazy, good head, nice Winter brew

Tap at Kerstbierfestival Essen: More orange than amber looks, with an cinnamon smell and very spicy taste.

<i>Bottle (330ml) shared with HogTownHarry and biegaman -- courtesy of HogTownHarry.</i> Pours a murky orange-amber with tons of sediment and no head. Mild malty aroma with fruit and spices. Watery and dull sweet malty flavour. Light to average bodied. Very ’meh’.

Bottle (300ml). Shared with blankboy and biegaman via trade with gloublouburp. Best before NovemClear deep amber, off-white head. Light matly aroma, slightly herbal. Pungent, sweaty taste, iron, minerally, honey and paper - not great. Light, minerally mouthfeel - sort of harsh, not something I’d want again.

Bottled at Kerstbierfestival 2007. A hazy amber beer with a thin orangey head. The aroma is sweet with notes of malt and fruit as well as lighter notes of spices. The flavor is sweet malty with notes of spices and fruit, leading to a dry spicy finish. The body is thin, and the beer is a bit boring.

(Bottle bbe 04/2006) Dark reddish brown, small off-white head. Nose is sweet syrupy malts, spices and strong sweet pear. Flavor is sweet malts, spices and pear. Rye puddingy finish with some warming alcohol, hops and liquorice. It’s got something going on, but not for me. That sweet pear gives me goosebumps.