N’Ice Chouffe

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

75cl shared with mate: poured a murky brown color. aroma was spicy and malty. flavor had lots of dark fruit flavors as well as typical belgian ale spice. nice active palate. pretty nice beer

(Bottle) This one seemed to be in a hurry, upon opening the foam exploded and parts of the beer ended up on my kitchen floor. Seriously annoying! So what about the beer that didn’t run away? Dark reddish brown colour with huge, but rather brief, beige head, leaving lots of lacing. Huge, fruity nose with dark fruit, orange, banana and a hint of ginger. Rather vinous. Malty, fruity, vinous taste with notes of chocolate, orange, yeast and herbs (spiced with thyme and curacao). Malty sweetness. Full body, smooth mouthfeel. Fiery and warming. Moderate hops, overshadowed by dark fruit, malt and herbs. Very nice beer (but beware when you open the bottle).

Dark ruby, mostly clear body. Big creamy light-tan head. Looks very nice. Lacing is superb. The aroma is coriander, citrus, and thyme. The thyme really comes out in the flavor. Malt backs the spice up, minimal hops. Sweetness is big but not overpowering in any way. The thyme keeps coming back, if you are not a fan of thyme you may not like this one. Sticky body with a decent amount of alcohol in the finish.

Bottle. Dark, hazy, brown with tan head that disappears quite fast. Sweet, candy like taste. Low bitterness, short after taste. More refreshing than most dark beers. Low alcohol taste for being so strong. Soft carbonation,

2004 Bottle, pours a clear dark brown but looks to be a medium ruby when held up to a light, off-white head, nice lacing that shimers on the glass as it moves with each drink, aroma of chocolate dipped berries, dark candy, caramel and malt aromas, dark bread and faint funk fragrance in the background, dark tree bark, faint mint fragrance, faint alcohol in the background, flavors of blond brownies, some chocolate, I felt some alcohol warmth on the palate, dark malt, caramel, has the pepper on the finish, dark candy flavor, faint herb and spices (from the Thyme?), plum, blue berries, sort of a faint taste of berries dipped in nectar and dripped onto my tongue flavor, the alcohol does not not grow as this ale warms which is a good thing, there is a tingle of bitterness on the tongue to balance the sweet, this was lively on the tongue, light on the palate, has good carbonation, a thin to medium mouth feel, a nice drink to stay warm during the Winter nights.

750ml, 2006 bottle. Syrup colored pour with a loose beige head. Slightly tart smelling with a little sweetness in the back that doesn’t really balance it. A tiny bit of alcohol comes through, but it’s really well hidden. The flavor is really interesting - tart but slightly fruity, with some bread and nut notes. Really actually very nice. Slight pithy bitter finish. Well done.

750 bottle from 2005, and more delicious than ever. I’m a big fan of Brasserie Chouffe beers, but the winter seasonal may be the best. Brownish red with major froth, this one is very complex with candied malts leading the way for a rich bouquet of spice, yeast, and mild fruits. A superb beer that I always enjoy.

Approx. 10 oz. pour on tap at Blue Nile in Minneapolis. Poured into a Maredsous glass. Sampled immediately prior to the Surly two release on 1-23-08. Yeasty, mostly clean but occasionally musty, strong aroma. Tobacco, banana, pear, celery, orange, and cardboard scents. The smell is complex, appetizing, and very nice. It is reminiscent of that of a dunkelweizen, believe it or not. Pours a hazy, medium brown with an orange/tan hue and a moderate amount of uneven, cream-colored head. Produces extensive lacing. Classic taste of a complex, strong, dark, Belgian ale. Raisin, coffee, dark chocolate, spice, bread, orange, and milk chocolate flavors. Candy and dark fruit sweetness. Tart, bitter, earthy finish. Hearty, dirt-bitter aftertaste. Thick, smooth, frothy, oily, and lively in the palate; satisfying. N’Ice Chouffe is a strong brew across the board and well worth a try.