Rochefort Trappistes 8

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

330 ml, maybe 2005 vintage (not sure what to make of the date code: L 10 05 11), dispensed in quart jar. Hazy burnt caramel, dark brown color with medium-sized tan head that tries to linger and gives nice lace. Wow, aroma is chocolate bread pudding with raisins and a splash of rum. Taste is similar, but slightly less rich (thank goodness, means I can drink more!), with just a touch of dryness and dangerously drinkable. Palate is light-medium and would be fine any season of the year. Alcohol is masked well, but gives a slight warm feeling afterwards. Thank you Jesus, for leaving some of your quiet, beer-makin’ holy men around to save a heathen!

Pours hazy brown and a beautiful cherry color when held to the light. Small off-white head diminishes to a film of creamy bubbles on top. Rich, complex aroma with lots of dark fruit esters, brown sugar, coriander and allspice. Sweet - very sweet and malty, with subtle spices, noticible alcohol and a slight tartness in the finish. Smooth and mellow with an astringent nutmeg aftertaste. Medium full body and soft carbonation. Delicious and definitely a treat at about $8 for a 330 ml bottle.

Hmmmmmm. Not what I expected. Pours a minimal head with decent carbonation. Aroma of heavy malt, chocolate and alcohol with a touch of yeast and other aromas. Color of watery chocolate brown. Flavor is slightly mellow with tones of alcohol and maybe black cherry. Not as complex as some of the other trappists. Finish is slightly creamy and fizzy with a slight lingering alcohol presence. A very good beer but not as good as some of the other trappists. A little on the thin side but will have to try the 10 to compare. As with all trappists, very complex in their tastes and aromas and need to be tried by everyone.

I was pleasantly surprised by the aroma of this beer, and by the dry, lower alch. body. This one, along with the 6, have made me adjust my feelings re: the Rochefort 10, which I will adjust downward a bit soon. This is really dry in the aroma, fruity, delightful, woody. Flavor is much more subtly sweet.

Hazy dark brown hue, with a thick foamy beige head, with fig, raisin, prune fruity notes, with a good chocolatey accent, spicy, brown sugar, dark malt aroma follows through on a medium-bodied palate with dark roasted malts, chocolatey notes, burnt caramel, brown sugar, fruity of dry raisins, figs, dates, spicy notes with a hint of acidity, leading towards a malty side finish.

330 ml bottle. Dark red-brown with nice thick creamy head. Warm malty flavour with a hint of sherry and alcohol. A smooth and warming beer. Just a litter disappointing aftertaste, would have expect this to last longer. Hides the 9% alcohol very well.

Bottle. Great nose-dried fruit and sugar. Flavors that come out are hay, raisin, caramel, prune, very slight chocolate, fig, and alcohol. Crisp dry finish. Very enjoyable.

Pours a darkish red/brown. Aromas of spice, coriander, yeast, and alcohol. Flavor has an alcohol taste to it, mixed with a nice smokey dark fruit. Also has strong hints of spice.