Rochefort Trappistes 8

Brewed by Brasserie Rochefort
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
Rochefort, Belgium

Bottle. Damned good! After that beer I think that almost Estonian beers is not beers - they are something like a beer. So spicy aroma, nice red-brown color. And flavor! And aftertaste! Haven´t words.

My assessment might also be biased, because this is the first true Trappistes beer that I ever tried. With that said, I nearly cried when the high-quality liquor store in town told me that it was no longer available for purchase in the state of Texas. Apparently the type of bottle that it ships in is now illegal in Texas. I can’t imagine how that’s possible, but that is what the manager told me, and a second store confirmed it.

Let me just say, I have a distaste for most Belgians. I don’t know what it is, whatever the reason, this beer is the prime examplet. I feel almost sorry rating such a highly regarded beer so low, but I couldn’t even bring myself to finish it. I normally would think it might have been a bad bottle, but like I said, certain Belgian beers just have an awful off-taste to me.

Dark Carmel with light carmel head. Wonderful, sweet malt aroma with hints of carmel and cocoa. Bright flavor that is a bit of a surprise after the aroma. Fizzy, grain, dark current and holiday nut flavor. Has quite a bite that actually left the edges of my tongue numb for a short time. Well worth the ratings it receives.

33cl bottle from Willow Bend Liquors (Tampa). Pours a dark brown to black with a creamy two-finger tan-white head that dissipates quickly leaving lacing on the glass. Aroma: malt, barley, hazelnut, and spice. Flavor: oakey, earthy, caramel, toffee, coffee on finish. Medium to full-bodied, with well-hidden alcohol of over 9%. Excellent trappist ale.

Big foam with a very malty aroma with chocolate and coffee. Color kind of a dark tea but thick. Taste shows lot of hop, coffee, spices and bitter that comes at the end and stays there. A bit carbonated and slightly light on the palate, which makes it rather easy to drink. Lacks balance.

11.2oz bottle. Pours a deep, dark brown with a firm off-white head. Aroma is light, with scents of roasted malt, spices, and fruity twinge that’s more hops than dark fruit. Taste is creamy and full, with a flavor that starts out as sweeter syrupy hops, some dark fruit, caramel, and molasses before opening up into a dry finish of wood, spices, and a twinge of warming alcohol. Unlike Chimay, Bernardus, or any of the other Belgians, there doesn’t seem to be much difference between this one and its big brother the 10. While it’s still delicious, it can’t help but feel a bit like a somewhat less mature version of the 10.

I ordered one of these off the internet at was pleased. It poured a dark cloudy brown with a long lasting off white head and had sediment at the bottom. Smelled of fruits with a hint of spice. Nice carbonation. The mouth feel is kinda watery. Tastes of fruits like oranges and a hint of raisin, malt, and grains. It is slightly sweet, but in my opinion should be a little sweeter. Ends on a dry bitter note. Nicely done brew overall, but I wish I could try the next best Rochefort 10 to see what all the hype is about.