La Chouffe

2008 Flour City Brew Fest. Pours with an excellent light foamy white head, clean crisp smelling ale. Flavor is sweet with a light fruit taste. Excellent Golden ale, with a sour taste to end.

750ml tipped into trappist glass. wonderful head that rages nearly as whipped into a frenzy as its dobblein brother but not quite. aroma is wonderful of yeast with a strong backbone of belgian spice. i have had this a few times but never formally enough to pen a review; however, the aroma alone before the first swig feels like a visit from an old friend. meaty and chewy, strong but without even a hint of unprocessed booze. this is as pure and clean as a refreshing babbling brook. this is a drink for good times and laughter. hints at sweetness but then dissapates before any real attack, the back of the tounge aches from the splice but revels in it. this is a small masterpiece even to the most jaded pessimist.

Presents a hazy golden orange colour with a towering, rocky collar of foam, which is tightly packed and laces quite well. Aromas of lemon and spice dominate with some hinting caramel and honey notes. Palate is complex, displaying chewy caramel malt, citrus rind and an abundance of Chinese five-spice. High carbonation matched with dry yeasty notes give the perception of a dry finish, when in reality substantial sweet malt is present and proves to add great balance.

750ml from Whole Foods, Raleigh. I am a huge fan of all things this brewery produces, but I suppose it’s hard to overlook how good the base beer is. I’m a sucker for the earthy, cloudy strong ales like this, with a sweet spicy flavor balanced out by grassy bitter hops and bit of a poke in the ribs from the yeast. Delicious stuff.

Great gold and cloudy color. Nice thick white head. Complex and evolutive taste. Notes of spices : cinnamon?. Floral and fruity smells. A good one.