N’Ice Chouffe

Draft at Max’s Belgian Fest. Medium brown color with a slight head. Sweet body with a slightly bitter end. Very smooth. Alot of caramel and burnt sugars.

750ml bottle (bb.12.08.2011) from Vinmonopolet in Hamar. Dense and rocky beige foam, mostly resting on top of a murky, dark orange body. Fine lacework on the glass. Sweet smell of brown sugar partly subdued by dark fruits. Rather rich taste profile with raisin, almond, candy drops and with hoppy yeast to the finish. The well integrated warming heat from the alcohol makes the beer a solid dark winter warmer (shared with friends in Hamar after the world speed skating championships, 08.02.2009).

Bottle shared with pineypower and supplied by his buddy Dave, excellent choice Dave. Poured a deep mocha brown with some lighter brown outer edges and a small foamy off white head. Aroma was exquisite with lots of sweet notes, honey, raisin, fig, dates, dark tropical fruits, flowers, lots of general mead like qualities overall. Drinks with a medium body some active bubbly carbonation and a rather sweet finish. Flavor of honey sweetness, dough, floral petals and earth notes. I’m finding a hard time to really express this beers complexity but lets just say if you find it buy it!!!

Bottle at a beer geek event at The Bruery in OC. A "n’ice" Belgian Strong Ale but not a standout. Cloudy copper color with a medium off-white head. Aroma of candi sugar, yeast, dark fruits, and spice. Flavor is lots of spices, candi sugar, raisin, date, and other dark fruits. Nice medium-full palate with some alcohol.

75 cl, 2007 vintage, bbe 2010. Hazy, dark copper-brown with a disc of lasting cream. Aroma of earthy dates and spicy brown sugar. Flavor is prunes, bitterish earth-spice, rum, plus some light cherry and wood. Spicy wine and rum barrel on the finish. Medium body is spicy-dry and has some alcohol warmth. Too fizzy-frothy in the mouth but leaves nice frosting on the glass.

2007 Bottle shared by Butters @ the Barrios tasting. Poured a nice ruby brown with a creamy off-white head that had some lasting and good lace. Lot of particles drifting about. Plums and raisin aroma with a backing of spice and light alcohol. The flavors of fruits, spice, and some yeasty tones. Medium body, tingly carbonation, but an easy drinker.

(bottle 750 ml - 2007 vintage) Dark ruby pour with a very thin tan head. Aroma is sweet and spicy with hints of cloves, toffee, plums, raisins, caramel malts, and alcohol. Flavor has lots of sweetness and spice. A lot of raisin, plum, and pear notes at the beginning with a spicy middle of cinnamon, cloves, and anise, and a lightly bitter and warming finish. Medium bodied with good carbonation.

A bridge between a dark strong and spiced holiday ale. Nose is of anise, clove, chocolate, toffee and plum, raisin and fig esters. Medium to lighter body, slight warmth but no slickness. Additional coffee, dark chocolate and brown sugar notes in the flavor, with a slight citrus and earthiness from the hops. The overall impression isn’t too sweet, more rich and complex and warm.