N’Ice Chouffe

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

Sampled on draft at Zeno’s in State College PA this beer poured a hazy dark brown with a small tan head that faded quickly. The aroma was light nutty, caramel and had a touch of ripe fruits. The flavor is tartish, bitter and had light notes of candied, ginger and faint caramel. The finish was medium length and the there was medium body. Decent.

2002 bottling. Rich, malty, sweet, spicy and complex aroma, with a hint of the thyme, vanilla, candi sugar, orange peel, coriander, raisin, faint hops, a generous, doughy, yeasty fruitiness, flowers and faint alcohol. Lots of elements on display. Medium garnet in color, with an uneven, creamy and lasting off-white-pinkish head and copious lacing. Flavor is surprisingly mellow, lots of malt sweetness up front, fading into a blend of spicy hop, yeast esters including some bubblegum, and a bit of peppery alcohol towards the lengthy finish. Hefty body, with a creamy, effervescent mouthfeel. Blended so that no one aspect stands out too far, which is nice. Would definitely be a fine candidate for a few years worth of aging. O.G. 1099, 25 IBUs.

One of my favorite beers of all time. 750 ml bottle from BevMo Carmel mtn. Pours a very deep chocolate brown, Light lacing. Nose of dried dark fruits, such as plums, raisens.....maybe fig? As the beer sat it picked up more intense flavors of peach, apricot and some hops.

ITS alive...the thick, creamy, frothy, bubbley, vibrating and climbing head arose from the shy cloudy red..subtle cherry tartness climbed through the nose as well as some farmhouse mustiness and mildew and many a dust cloud..a wet basement awaits you..fermented overripe cherries and squishy grapes with the sugar sucked away..and dusted with chalk..dark fruits, mustiness, dustiness, oldness, almost elderly in its complexity..almost like inhaling spraypaint and chewing a cherry now-n-later

Bottle: Mahogany colored pour with a big off white head. Aroma, a little funky, some fruits, spice, sweet maltiness. Flavor, sweet apples, some cinnamon, yeasty. Smooth creamy mouthfeel, really nice brew.

Bottle shared at tasting. Thanks! Pours dark brown to maroon with small head. Smell is herbal and caramel like and quite sweet overall. Taste is a bit too sweet with lots of caramel. Medium body and carbonation. Eh...

Deep cherry red pour with a touch of brown. A light hint of sour fruit and spice, and caramel. A rich solid flavor of fruit and a hint of bitter. Carbonation is good palate is solid. Rich spicy full bodied holiday beer. Winter warmer comes through well and spicy campfire warmth.

Bottle(2006) from Whole Foods. Dark maroon color upon pouring. Sweet dark fruity aroma. Some raisin and fig. Fruity sweet flavor. Some yeastiness. Some roasted malty goodness as well. Good quality winter brew. Alcohol is only slightly noticeable.