N’Ice Chouffe

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

2003 Bottle, lovely cellared. Dark brown with a big not that lasting creamy coffee head. It starts quite slow, from obviously cocoa, coffee, and dried fruits, through banana and vanilla, to a sensual warming spicy vinous and a luxury cherry in alcohol. Full silky bodied, just a bit too alcohol for me. No trace of hoppiness but well balanced. Nice indeed.

poured from a 750ml bomber into a snifter, Ltd. Ed. 2005 vintage A: pours a beautiful, murky brown with a lovely light brown head, lasts a good little bit and laces mildly. This looks like I want to pour it over some vanilla ice cream. S: Yum, a solid mixture of a flowery and roasted molasses smell wafts out of the glass. Additional inhales detect some nice citrus flavorings hidden in there. T: My lord, I’m not sure if I’ve experienced such complex flavorings right out of the gate before. Describing this as simply malted sweetness would be not doing the brewer justice. It’s more of a wide array of darker fruits like raisins, the slight tartness of green apples and a delicious lingering butterscotch finish. M: definitely featuring some fizzy carbonation and a velvety smoothness that gives way to a slight alcohol feel on the swallow. D: for a 10% ABV strong ale, this is remarkably drinkable, I took my sweet time with it and enjoyed over the course of 60-90 minutes. I’d definitely buy this beer again.

This was a 2008 bottle. Nice earthy aroma with some bread and dark fruits. Murky brown pour with a tan head. Lots of particles floating around. Taste is very mellow and well balanced. Fruit comes through with the earthy malts. No hint of alcohol until you feel a burn on the throat. Dry and refreshing finish. My top Christmas/winter brew to date. And holy shit, be careful with this one. It sneaks up on you.

Pours a nice dark chestnut brown with a frothy head with a slight beige tint. Aroma consists of hints of maltiness, spices and thyme with citrus undertones. Very cmplex taste consisting of plum and dark berries, chocolate malt, sugar cane, balanced out by a nice spiciness and slightly dry hopped finish. Very tasty.

Pours a dark brown red color with a nice tan head. Aroma is strong and wonderfull, roasted malts and lots of fruits, bananas, some nuts and caramels. Flavors of roasted malts, ripe fruits, apples and bananas, spices. Good carbonation, a good sweet and bitter dry finish. Great ballance of lots of flavors, very enjoyable, great winter beer.

Draft at Isaac’s: Poured a dark cherry color with a small head. The aroma was sugary, fruits, plums, and raisins. The flavor was delicious, sweet, raisons, sligltly malty but finishing smooth. Overall, a great beer.

2004 Edition. Very smooth with the sugars and spices coming through. No hotness and a very smooth mouthfeel. Quite enjoyable and Ill be looking forward to the couple of bottles of the 2006 version Ive put away.

Pours a hazy reddish brown with a nice tan coloured head. Aroma is of plums, raisins, citrus (specificially oranges) bubble gum, fruit punch, spice, yeast, and a little chocolate. Tastes very bright and fresh for a dunkle beer. Tastes like plums, oranges and fruit punch with spices. The best part of this beer is the fantastic mouthfeel. Fantastic beer!