N’Ice Chouffe

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

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.

Chocolate, licorice, wood and dark fruits in the aroma. Sweet, creamy, malty palate. Smooth milk chocolate coats the palate, while a citric spice in the finish provides good balance. Fair alcohol warmth in the finish without ever appearing too strong.

Spicy, peppery nose; deep ruby color. Quick sweetness up front turns to a spicy, cinnamony middle with a sharp, peppery finish that is dry and chalky. Not as complex as I expected, but great balance. Medium body - not as fat as I thought either. The alcohol was unnoticeable in the flavor profile.

Alcohol interferes with aroma -meaning, I guess, that I don’t detect anything strongly. Dark ruby brown color. Flavor is malt, accompanied by unassignable fruit. A bit sweet, but that’s expected. The malt overpowers the hops at the finish. Very drinkable, but perhaps a bit of citrus would balance things.

Orange/amber color with a moderate light tan, lasting head. Spicy yeast, orange and malt aromas. Very herbal in flavors, with light white pepper, sage and thyme. Malt backs up the spiciness, along with a touch of dark sugar dryness. A bit young, maybe, but quite fulfilling now. Alcohol well hidden.

Deep red/brown body with an everlasting light tan head. Cherries and dark fruits, lightly caramel. Citrus appeared mainly in the mostly dry finish along with other peppery spices. Was smoother and thicker on tap than in the bottle. Alcohol was not tasted in either version.

750 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal pub, Stavanger. ABV is 10%. 19 degrees Plato. Refermented in the bottle, unfiltered and unpasteurised. Ingredients include sugars, thyme and curacao. Hazy reddish dark brown colour, huge tan head. Pleasant but fairly moderate aroma with vinous notes, notes of oak and spices, hints of farmhouse. The flavour is distinctly spicy and oaky, with a substantial but not overwhelming sweetness from the malts and sugars. Some yeasty notes. Distinct hoppy bitterness in the aftertaste. Warming mouthfeel, but the 10% ABV does not dominate. As a Christmas beer, this one is better suited to accompany an English Christmas pudding than a main course of meats or fish - but is also nice to drink on its own.