N’Ice Chouffe

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

Aroma gives thistles, ginger and yeast. Tste is similar a slittle sweet but generally very balanced. Alcohol is hidden to a remarkable level. The easiest 10% 75cl iv ever had.

***Re-rate***2003 Bottle... This has aged well. Smells a lot like like Westy 8; tastes much like Rochefort 10... IMO! Upgrage from 3.8 to 3.9...***2002 bottle... I was going to save this bottle for at least a year, but fuck it. It’s very cold outside, I’m sitting in front of a warm fire watching a good movie with the woman of my dreams and my two favorite hockey teams just skated to a 1-1 tie (Caps and Habs). I’m celebrating! The aroma is malty, soapy and yeasty with notes of winter spices, dark bread and just a whisper of toffee, red wine and warm alcohol. The high ABV is incognito. This ale is a nice, sparkling clear, amber hue with a copper tint. Large, frothy beige head leaving cool lacework. Mostly, but not fully, diminishing... much like my several thousand shares of WorldCom stock. If only... well, I’d be a wealthy man, but nevermind that. The flavor is malty and vineous up front with a burst of caramel and dark fruit. Well-balanced with plenty of spice, hops and alcohol on the backside. Just the least bit pungent and bitter with small notes of cinnamon, clove and honey butter. The candy sugar breaks through, but only slightly. Full-bodied with a fizzy & oily mouthfeel and heavy carbonation. Long, warm, alcoholic and somewhat dry finish. Slightly woodsy. This bottle could have used another year of aging, but a very fine, spiced dubbel just the same.

2003 Vintage: Rich dark brown color with a large puffy tan head with thick, clumpy lacing. Dry musky malt aroma with a mild spiciness to it. Body starts rich and sweet with plenty of Belgian malt and some milk chocolate, giving way to the thyme and citrus. Smooth and nicely spiced and it hides its alcohol very well. A nice winter warmer.

updated 1/2006: cloudy reddish-brown colour with a rocky, brown-tainted head and a nice lacing; strong estery nose, notes of apple and melon; sweet with a robust malt backbone; long malty and fruity finish with notes of caramel and some residual sugars; a hint of warming alcohol brings the final touch to this very enjoyable beer

1/2001: bordeaux colour, banana aroma, spicy, sweet, full-bodied, spicy aftertaste

Bottle. It is quite N’Ice i have to say. Some nice touches of caramel and chocolate, with hints of brown sugar. Belgian yeasty bitterness in the finish, with a soft carbonation, very pleasant and quite drinkable for its strength.

Very dark brown, but with clear red shine; very thick, beige head, quite stable. Rich, warm malty nose, at the same time piney - not hoppy. Very sweet taste but with overtones of burnt malt and burnt caramel. Liquorice, herbal notes (aroma's like aucuba leaves, or maybe thyme). Velvety, creamlike mouthfeel. Alcohol is well hidden, but the warming, heavy feeling says it all. This is far from bad. Achouffe seldom is. But imagine this being made in DFH... explosion of hops, chocolate and alcohol - or St. Bernardus - explosion of vinous, fruity, and chocolate notes. Achouffe is just too polished for that. Sorry. I am.

Malty nose with some anis and yeast. Dark reddish colour with small beige head. Malty flavor with some spices. Nice palate.

[draught] Dark with a very big and frothy head. Some banana, yeast and malt in the aroma. A little alcohol and lots of Christmas spices in the flavour. A very spicy and warming Winter brew.