N’Ice Chouffe

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

This was my New Year’s Eve beer, served in a champagne glass of course. A pretty good way to end the year! Pours a dark reddish-brown with a medium thin light beige head. Lacing is pretty good. Aroma of herbs and berries. Flavor is a rich medley of fruit, alcohol and a little malt. Very good!

Bottle: Dark burnt orange, brownish, large foamy beige head, lovely lacing.   Musty aroma, semi-sweet, soft dark pitted fruit.   Spicy start, rich citrus bitterness, earthy, with minor dark pitted fruit.   Nice body, moderate mouthfeel.   Earthy/musty finish, not as flavorful as the start.   Good, but compared the Gouden Carolus Classic before it, not as tasty or robust.   Lingering yeasty/breadiness after the finish.

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).

1998 Version. Fruity, candy nose, some spiciness. Murky brown, a large toffee head. Prunes, plums, raisins, bready, warm alcohol presence. Incredibly complex, Wonderfull, tongue tingle. Superb!

750. Pours deep grainy, opaque ebony with a thicky, goopy, moussy tan head. Enormous dark fruit nose hits you at arm’s length, even from a fairly cool beer. Dust and hay as you reel in the glass. Big thick body but totally free of stickiness or oiliness. Nice soft abundant carb. Heavy roast fruit flavors, wet leaves, leather, tobacco--it’s a super rich mid palate. Nice sharp herbal hop sting to the finish; beautiful contrasting element.

0.75L. Poured brown with bits of sediment and tan head. The aroma has dark fruit, some sweet malts, a bit of spice, raisins, a wisp of chocolate and something vaguely citrus and sort of undefinable. Flavor is similar to the aroma with cherries, dates, plums, raisins, cinnamon, some subtle maltiness, a spice or two and silky chocolate. Nice dark fruit and chocolate after taste. No sense of the ABV.

Red brown with a rich, khaki head cloying to the glass. Yeasty and sweet caramel aroma. Initially sweet, spicy yeastiness takes over, ending dry. Noticeable alcohol.Good carbonation, full-bodied. Very enjoyable, if not the most complex strong ale around.

This beer was nice, it just lacked body, the alcohol was up there, but just felt watery on the palate which really took away the character of the beer. Light brown/copper in color, very clear, with a thin white head. Honey and caramel in the nose and a lightly spicy finish. Just to thin for my tastes.