N’Ice Chouffe

From a 75cl bottle, the 2003 edition (no I couldn’t wait very long...) Pours into the goblet a dark brown, almost pitch black with a thick tan head. Some dark reddish hints around the edges. Smells heavenly. Spicy and yeasty. Alcohol flavors but mixed in with orange peel aromas and sticky sweet malt aromas too. Very inviting. My limited palate will not do this beer justice. Spicy and sweet. Orangey flavors, fruity. The fruity yeasty flavors meld wonderfully with the dried orange peel flavors and I am unable to descern where one ends and the other begins. The thyme mentioned on the bottle is evident in the background. The bottle also states that it is brewed with "alot of dark candy sugar" and they do not lie. Lots of sweet, sticky molasses-like flavors. Hints of brown sugar? Lots of sweet malty flavors that I can’t identify. Just know that they are good flavors. Mouthfeel is sticky and the finish surprisingly bitter. Lots of those molasses tones stuck to the roof of your mouth. With all of this big flavor, very very drinkable. The perfect beer for a cold snowy evening. This beer only gets better as it warms. The bottle suggests 60 degrees. My cellar is close to 50 at this point but it warms beautifully. Easily my favorite Chouffe beer. I just have to get some to cellar before this winter is over, I can only imagine how this would taste with a year or two under its belt.

On tap at The Wellington, Hull, UK, also from bottle. Excellent beer, pours deep dark brown/black with a big tan head. Smell is good belgian yeast, hops, alcohol and spice. Taste is wonderful hops, dark spices, sweet raiseny fruits and a warming lightly alcoholic finish. Even better on tap. Dangerously drinkable, great xmas beer!

Bottle. 22.5 oz. (2007 Limited Edition) Drank this Belgian Strong with Vinny and Sean. Popped the cork and the aroma immidately smacked me in the nose. Boquet of spices, malts, caramel, and sweet fruits. Thick, beige head, almost solid. FIrm body, creamy texture, and a magical finish. A truly epic brew enjoyed by surprise on sunny afternoon. Highly, highly recommended.

Draft: Dark, reddish to purplish brown, nice tan head, wicked aroma... deep ripe dark fruits, plum, concord grape, some spice, flavors are some candy sugar, wood, and potent fruits, the aforementioned grape and plum, finish is pleasant, mildly bitter and drying. EXCELLENT

This strong ale pours a clear, deep, reddish brown color with a big, long lasting, off-white head. The aroma is very spicy and yeasty, with hints of herbs, yeast, malts, and oranges. It has a medium to full body with moderate carbonation and a smooth, creamy mouthfeel. The flavor is tremendous, with lots of spices and yeast. Oranges, plums, and raisons all burst forth in the flavor. The finish is spicy and full of dark fruits as well. The head is lasting the entire glass and leaving nice lace. Wow! What a beer! I think this is my favorite Chouffe beer so far. Wonderfully complex, spicy, and just damn tasty.

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.

From the 2002 bottling. This dark amber beer pours with a tall lacy tan long-lasting head, eliciting a pleasant malty aroma. There is a concomitant strong malt flavor with a chocolate finish. As the beer warms, various spice flavors become apparent. In my opinion, this is the best brew from Achouffe.

75cl 1999 best before end 2004 bottle drank on 3/2/2: I liked everything about this beer. Deep rich chocolate taste that just slides down your throat.