N’Ice Chouffe

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

Bottle shared with blankboy, HogTownHarry & tupalev - courtesy of blankboy. Hazy mahogany colour with a medium tan head. Aroma is big and spicey - nutmeg, ginger, cinnamon - with notes of tart orange rind and yeast. Flavour is robust and complex - we really should’ve had this one earlier in the night, as my palate was on its last legs by this point, and I found it tough to pull flavours out of the mix. It was just big and spicey and warm, and really good.

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.

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.

This beer has another nice fruity nose on it, even more so than the Mc Chouffe I just had. It also has that slight tart note to it and I get aromatic notes of sour plums, raisins, even some prunes (to differentiate from the plum notes). There is also a nice sweet spicy note to this, that is almost a fruity spice note; either way it accentuates the fruitiness.

The taste of this beer starts out tart, like a tart fruit, and finishes with a nice sweet mix of fruit and sweet spice; like clove, mace and allspice perhaps. The finish also has a slight note of chocolate and more so even a hint of roasted malt, though both are quite subtle. This is quite rich, it really works as a night cap. It is a nice balance between the tart and the sweet character.

<font size=-4>Sampled on tap at: <a href=http://www.ratebeer.com/Place/arizona/scottsd Brewing Co, Scottsdale, AZ<font size=-1>

Last bottle with my Buster boy. You’ll always be my ’good boy,’ lil’ Buster!
2006 Vintage. Pours deep brown but body is too thin to be taken seriously at this point, and the quickly fading head doesn’t help to build any anticipation to explore this beer any further. NFL "season recaps" flash across the screen, my dog lies still next to me. I pet Buster and then take a sip: my tongue is tickled by a syrupy candied sugar mix, maple extract, and blended raisin. Tingly and full mouthfeel. A great brew to cap off a great dog. Maybe "Nice Chouffe" is Belgian for "good dog?" In my mind, it means that. Daddy loves you, Buster. Always.

Dark Dark Red Coloring With Brown/Sandy Bubbly Head. Fruity..Bread Dough Aroma... Malt Flavor...Fruit, Bread Dough...A Little Harsh on The Winter Spices...Ends Dry on the Back of Your Throat. Certainly Enjoyable...But Not One I’d Run Back For Again.

Draught at Bishops Arms, Avenyn, Göteborg, Sweden. Pours dark brown with a thick off-white head. Very sweet and complex malty aroma, with dried fruits, chocolate, and some spiciness, alcohol is clearly present but not assertive. Very smooth and creamy mouthfeel, a bit to sweet although there is a typical belgian dry edge.

Oranges, spices, berries and cinnamon nose. Nice dark amber with a little head. Peppery and fruity. Also hints of marcipan. As the announced thyme as an ingredience and I had fresh thyme right next to me I tried it and ...yes, thyme as the finish taste. I would also say rosemary. Very warm finish. Numbs tongue.