N’Ice Chouffe

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

Big carbonation on an initially pretty head that quickly fades down. A very typical aroma of a BSA, with coriander and mild malts. A dry beer, with a full mouthfeel and a bunch of carbonation - a little too much in my opinion. But overall, this is a nice wintery beer.

750 ml bottle, 2005 bottle drunk April 2008. Pours a brown color with a small tan head. Aroma is alcohol, spices, pines, earth, and something akin to sweet sugar candy. Flavor is about the same, brown sugars dominate, caramel, spice, and malt with notes of cherries.

Brown color, with a rather large, tan head. Aroma is fruity, with banana, spice and malt. Flavor starts out sweet, with dark fruit and spice coming thru the most. There is hops there as well. Aging may help this one.

Bottle of the Limited Edition 2008 offering, at BCTC. Pours a hazy brown with a thin beige to tan head. Candy, plum, and prunes on the nose. More plum and dark fruit in the body. A little sweet for me, but still fairly solid.

Beers don't look any better than this one does in the glass. Beautiful ruby red with a big beige head that is retained. Aroma is somewhat restrained though notes of yeast and spices are present. Flavor is sensational. I don't know how these Belgian guys impart so much flavor without barrel agging. Maybe it is barrel aged, anywho, flavor is both bold and delicate. Flavor is deep and complex. Delicious.

75cl bottle from 2006. Pours out like a Coke: see-through brown and fizzy carbonation with a quick reducing head. Not a real big aroma but a little fruit and sugar. Surprisingily light flavour and "thinish" mouthfeel. Sweet flavour with candied fruit and a nice spicy finish. Good but nothing amazing.

Green bottle, 75 cl, best before 05/09/2009, savoured on September 20 2008; eye: brown with golden caramel reflections, hazy, no effervescence, good creamy beige head that remains; nose: malt, caramel, candied fruits, alcohol, slight cigar, light fruity, molasses, yeast; mouth: malt, caramel, candied fruits, alcohol, slight cigar, slight spices, slight fruity, molasses, slight liquorice, yeast, finale in caramelized malt with a good presence of nicely warming alcohol, medium-full body, tingly in the back of the throat, mildly sweet, slightly bitter, silky and creamy texture, below-average carbonation; overall: quite likable FRANÇAIS Bouteille verte, 75 cl, meilleure avant 05/09/2009, savourée le 20 septembre 2008; œil : brune avec des reflets caramel doré, voilée, pas d’effervescence, bonne mousse beige crémeuse qui demeure pendant la dégustation; nez : malt, caramel, fruits confits, alcool, très léger cigare, léger fruité, mélasse, levure; bouche : malt, caramel, fruits confits, alcool, très léger cigare, très léger épices, léger fruité, mélasse, léger réglisse, levure, finale en malt caramélisé avec une bonne présence d’alcool réconfortant, corps moyen-corsé, pétillement en arrière-gorge, moyennement sucrée, très légèrement amère, texture soyeuse et crémeuse, carbonatation sous la moyenne; en résumé : bien aimé

Opaque deep ruby amber with large, large bubbled lasting beige head. Spicy ginger cinnamon aromas when cold - moving to malty festive plum pudding, rum and raisin as it warms. Palate is relatively light and crisp for such a high ABV brew. Flavorus are medium low caramel malt sweet with medium hoppy bitterness and a touch of that gingery spice, some alcohol and yeast. Finish was medium light short bitter. Hummm . . . .maybe I was expecting a bit more in the flavour stakes otherwise it’s quite um . . .nice?