N’Ice Chouffe

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

Bottle shared with HogTownHarry, GregClow & tupalev -- my bottle. Pours a hazy reddish-brown with a good size off-white head. Sweet, sugary aroma of malt, spices and alcohol. Complex flavour of sweet malt, spices, alcohol, brown sugar, citrus and herbs (thyme and the like). Full bodied. Wow, this is a great beer and a pleasant surprise -- fantastic!

Shared with blankboy, gregclow, and hogtown harry, thanks for the bottle blankboy. Dark brown, medium bubbly off white/orange head, looks nice. Alcohol, spice, sweet aroma. Wonderful taste! Lots of spice, lots of malt, some alcohol. Full bodied for the style, yet balanced with a perfect amount of carbonation. A near perfect taste for the style. Bloody lovely.

Bottle (750ml). Shared with blankboy, GregClow and tupalev - blankboy’s bottle. Poured cloudy deep red-brown with a solid creamy rocky beige head. Lovely aroma of nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice and brown sugar/caramel roast malt, yeasty, mild alcohol - it smells like winter, wished there were an open hearth nearby. Flavour is spicy, the malt is sweeter, more candyish (hint of candy cane), still a little roasty, slightly chalky, with some herbal notes, citrus zest and alcohol emerge as it opens up and add a welcome pleasant hint of bitterness to the warm malt linger and finish. Mouthfeel is lively, sweet, sticky and creamy - I love these seasonal belgian strong ales, my ears turn red and I get a big goofy grin on my face.

Købt i Netto for 30 kr. (70 cl. flaske). Øllen er rødbrun med flot brunt skum, der dog ikke holder så længe. Øllen er dejlig afrundet, og den skal nydes ved omkring 10 grader. Eftersmagen varer længe, og er god og varm. Alcohollen dominerer ikke volsomt, men man er ikke i tvivl om at den er stærk. Øllen prøvesmagt 05/2007 efter 1½ års lagring: Øllen er blevet mere afrundet og viniøs - og er stadig en del krydret.

75 cl bottle, ’bbe’ 2009. Very dark cherry red with a dark copper hue, unstable off-white head. A complex spicy sweet nose with every sniff revealing something else: coriander, orange peel, toffee candies, perfumed chocolate, biscuits, plums. The alcohol is not obvious in the smell, but it does tickle the nostrils with its ‘inhaling’ effect. Much more alcohol in the taste, which is otherwise grainy, pretty sharp spicy and bitter; less refined than the aroma. Juicy body, very warming alcoholic finish. Should have more character for this strength.

Dark brown, beige head. Complex malty sweet aroma. Malty flavour with christmas spices. Yeast. Banana. Hides the ABV very well. Devine.

Bottle courtesy of Lou18. Dark hazy brown body witha creamy beige head. (3+) Spicey alcoholic aroam, mild malt and whisps of orange peel. Deep malty flavour base underscores a spiciness aggressively eager to come through. Lightly fruity waves are overshadowed by dominant stereotypically Belgian alcohol character. The booz is prominent but not unpleasant; warming. Fruity Christmasy feel to it. Medium to full bodied palate. Quite nice.

e75cl Bottle. Poured a murky dark reddish brown with a white tan head that lasted to the end lacing the sides of the glass all the way down. Aroma was a had a alcohol smell with a sweet fruity aroma. The hops just hints the flavor of this beer giving it just the right kick that it needs. Be care with this beer it is 10% alcohol but you don’t really notice it in the flavor of the beer to much. With the sweetness of honey or carmel and the fruits and with the roast malts you should enjoy this beer all the way to the bottom of the glass.