N’Ice Chouffe

On tap, had this several times in winter @ Café Gollem. This is the stuff that makes you go through the storms of winter to a bar. Nice dark reddish/brown appearance, off white head. Aroma of dark fruits, brown sugar, some alcohol, some yeast. Flavour is just perfect, really smooth flavours of dark fruits, molasses, some spices, brown sugar. Soft alcohol finish. In general the alcohol is very well hidden. Soft palate, making this highly drinkable. Very, very N’Ice.

750mL bottle, 2007 vintage. Pours a clear, medium reddish-brown color; decent light tan head with good retention and solid, mixed-bubbled lacing. Soft raisin and cola notes dominate the aroma, followed up by a solid yeastiness, dates, and light spicing; the alcohol is very well-hidden in the nose; loads of dried dark fruits and restrained sweetness. Medium-to-full mouthfeel: good levels of carbonation; following the aroma, lots of dried dark fruits (raisins, dates), yeast, cloves, and white-pepper spiciness; a very restrained, intricate Belgian strong, although I wasn’t completely taken in by the depths of the malt character; very upfront in its dark fruit character, some spice, but lacking an appropriate level of density at the core; very good, but not nearly as good as many of my favorite Belgian strong ales; still, careful in its presentation considering its youth; just a touch rough around the edges. Long finish: dried dark fruits, solid yeast and dough coming through; soft ending; very well-hidden alcohol throughout.

Tap at Blind Tiger. Deep dark reddish garnet colour, creamy white head. The aroma is awesome. Loaded with rich toasted plums, toffee and rich sweet stone fruit. Very spicy and sweet with lots of clove, orange, dark burnt sugar, brown sugar and even a bit of vanilla and chocolate. So complex and so inviting. The palate is very soft and wheaty wit a silken quality that just lets the brew coat the tongue in silken deliciousness. Sweet dates, toasted sugar and lots of mintiness on the back. This stuff is really tasty. Warming lets the caramelly and plummy malts really come into harmony with the spicy yeast. Lightly peppery on the back. Man, I love this brewery.

75cl, from De Hopduvel Gent, complex Winter brew, hazy, rocky head, very good

Bottle. Pours dark amber with a big beige head. Dark fruits, spices, candy and malts in the aroma. Flavour is pretty complex with many spicy notes. Creamy mouthfeel. A really good beer indeed.

kind of a mahogany amber color nice thick head nose is slightly tart kinda fruity with some dried fruit, definate belgian spices too, flavor follows suit tart fruit some spices some fruit definate clove some roasted malt really really nice beer the alcohol is well hidden except for the little warming feeling.

750ml bottle. 2007 edition. Dark brown wiht a nice layer of foam maintained by my Chimay glass. Warm spice and malt aroma, Dubble-like. Hard to taste 10% ABV but you can feel it after half a bottle. You can taste the dark candy-sugar, dark malt and a caramel-molasses touch. Nice spice residue on the tongue.

Bottle from Party Source. Poured reddish brown color with an average frothy head that lasted with good lacing. Complex dark fruit and yeasty aroma. Medium body with a smooth texture. Medium fruity sweet flavor with a medium sweet finish of long duration with a small alcohol bite. This is a good beer