N’Ice Chouffe

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

Rating # 310
Vintage 2002: This is yet another beer I have let sit for many months, I figured that since the 2003 is already on the shelf I may as well sample this bottle now.
A rocky caramel colored head that stretches into the heavens, beneath rests a body that shins like a backlit polished amber stone, beautiful! The nose is full of fruit and spice, the flavor and mouth feel are euphoric!
The body is rich yet carbonated, notes of molasses, cedar woods, plums, and blackberry are most abundant.. I then detect the use of caramelized brown sugar, and a lovely yeasty profile reminds me of freshly toasted wheat and honey nut bread. A trific use of spice… clove, thyme, nutmeg, rosemary, and a pinch of freshly crushed black pepper. Man this is a pretty complex brew for me! More amazing suggestions of vanilla bean and blackberry………. I could go on forever with descriptions about this beer but I would rather recommend you buying a bottle and sampling it for yourself!!!
This is world class by my standards!! ~ FantasticO

dark brown haze with a tight tan head that laced and lasted the duration of the beer. nose of molasses and spices. i probably drank this a little too warm making the beer sweeter and more alcohol evident. rock candy and tobacco. nutmeg and earthen flavors with a touch of citrus. a bit overwhelming at first to my palate. but as i kept drinkn it got better.

Draft: Dark, reddish to purplish brown, nice tan head, wicked aroma... deep ripe dark fruits, plum, concord grape, some spice, flavors are some candy sugar, wood, and potent fruits, the aforementioned grape and plum, finish is pleasant, mildly bitter and drying. EXCELLENT

It is absolutely freezing here in west Oz so what better beer for choice upon the season than a winter warmer. From the bottle into a La Chouffe tulip. Chestnut tinged, ruby red body, bright, sparkling and very well conditioned in a showing from its minute, wispy, streaming carbonation. Head rose up the flue in typically good Chouffe fashion to set an inch and a half thick and drabbed its way down the glass well as I drank. Big, deep, dark malts lurk in the aroma under some strong, sweet toffee and candi-apple notes. Nice trickle of Merlot in there gives it a vinous quality and it has a little volatile alcohol shining through that gives it a pleasant warming, wintry depth. Heavily woody and spicy in the mouth, nicely herbal with a good balance of sweetness to not leave it too dry. There is cloves, cinnamon quills, turmeric and a hairs breadth of lighter drier spices like warming nutmeg. It is vinous as well; nice strong showing of fermented plums, bitter black currents and dry red wine. It’s body is not overly big, but it has a haunting presence in the mouth, only prickly in carbonation. Finish shows a lot of alcohol and phenolic spice, as it should with the qualities of the palate. It is warming, mellowing and dry, leaving a feint film on the palate (?). Plums begin to dominate as it warms but it doesn’t lose its bite. It’s nice, but not extraordinary. Heavily alcoholic, herbal and warming, it suits its style!. Not too bad at all. (75cL, 2009, Int’l Beer Shop, W. Leederville)

Crushed with Jakebra. Highly carbonated is light and tickling on the tongue, and I like to be tickled. Lots and lots of dark, sweet fruits in this. A absolute pleasure to drink, and that ABV is marvelous and obvious after a few sips.

Thick frothy head light burgundy colour carbonation is good aroma raisins malt strong plum port wine clove note.Flavour fig plum raisin lovely malt smooth.The dark fruit taste has a touch of bitter with curacao the thyme gives it a smoothness no spoils in this beer.Finish bitter/sweet smooth dry.

1996 bottle....thanx to eyedrinkale..Pours a cloudy rown hue with no head. Aromas of lemon, yeast, and tea. Flavors of lemonade, teas and a hint of yeast.

Pours out a very nice brownish color with a medium sized lacing head. Aroma is of spice and some alcohol. Taste is sweet spicy fruit maybe some nutmeg citrus and some other spices. Very solid beer with a somewhat alcoholic finish