Mc Chouffe

Brewed by Brasserie d’Achouffe (Moortgat)
Style: Scotch Ale
Achouffe, Belgium

Dark mahogany pour, off white head and sheet lacing. Tangy malts, spices and floral hops in the aroma. Woody roasdted malt flavors, more spices, hops, and some wood. Sticky palate full of spice, well defined body, and a finish of alcohol and spice.

Distant cirrus clouds scrape the landscape of this ruby amber pour, topped copiously with an airy soap of banana. Aroma is distinctly belgian with wild fruit and a faint gentle run of diacetyl and fusels. Fresh grain heads and moist nut bread. Flavor is subtle and gentle, with complex muddled fruit running down a stream of light cream and cranberries. Some vague vinous qualities and estery runs of banana and figs, that follow a general thin bodiedness. A hint of alcohol thickens and warms. Malt doesn’t bludgeon you into submission, almost sessionable. A hint of gray salt and some waterness slides the palate downward. Interesting belgian take, but lacks some body and fullness.

Nice...thought this was a Belgian strong or a dubbel when I picked it up...apparently I missed the "Mc" part. Anyway very delicious. Pour was a beautiful dark brown witha 3 finger slightly off white head. Aroma of yeast, dark fruit, leather and spice. Taste was more like a Belgian that a Scotch (just my opinion). Medium carbonation and mouthfeel. Dark fruit and spices are strong. The licorice aftertaste had me gagging, however, as I HATE licorice. It only comes out long after the swallow so I just kept swallowing. Felt a little tipsy afterwards, too.

Clear copper with a khaki head. Nice, but mild spice, herbal smell with a caramel sweetness. Full bodied and smooth. Taste is caramel sweet bread with some pit fruits. What i found here was not what i expected which is what i usually find in beers from d’achouffe. 5247

Pour is a murky brown with a large tan head. Aroma is big malts with some caramel and spice. Flavor is molasses with some candi sugar and toffee. Finish is wood smoke and oak. The flavors are all there but nothing comes out to the forefront to put this in the outstanding category. Still there is enough to find in this beer to be one to try.

750 ml that says 8.0% abv. Nearly opaque chestnut, with a lasting one-finger cap of sugary foam. Nice mix of sugary frosting and soapy lacing on the glass. Spicy apple and toffee aroma later gives way to some smoky cabbage. Flavors of caramel, apple, raisin, with finishing touches of earthy smoke, alcohol and cocoa for a delicate balance. Almost-medium body is slightly watery but finishes nicely dry with some alcohol warmth.

750 ml bottle purchased from BevMo. Pours walnut color with a creamy beige head that lasts well. Interesting this combination of Scotch and Belgian styles. Aroma is quite sweet, lots of dark fruits, hints of maple, molasses and spicy yeastiness. Flavor is also sweet, dark fruity malts, molasses, tea, lavendar and floral notes. Medium to full body, smooth on the tongue with gentle carbonation. Quite nice.

Draught at a Belgian bar near Gare d’Nord, Paris. Reddish brown with a rapidly fading off-white head; fruity malts and a rounded peaty finish, but otherwise rather ordinary.