Rochefort Trappistes 8

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

#500. Dark brown colour with a two finger thick tan head. Malty flavor with nice hints of dark fruits. Malty fruity flavor with some spiciness and hints of licourice and dark fruits. Sweet fruity and spicy aftertaste with some bitterness.

Dark brown beer with good sediment making it pour slightly hazy and with a burnt off white head. Drinking it in its own glass adds to the experience. Typical trappist notes in the taste of candy sugar and pear drops but also a slight medicinal aftertaste. A quality brew which satisfys and warms. Still have a bottle of 10 at home to rate and I know how good that is!

Almost a dubbel but with an added roast malts dryness and hops palate. Like Rochefort 10 this fills the mouth with foam on impact which is an odd sensation. Not as good as the aforementioned #10, but still worthy of a good rating.

Pours turbid orangish-ruby with huge white head. 5 for appearance. Aroma is as hoppy as many IIPAs I’ve had, with fruit, citrus, toffee, cognac, and big ground black pepper. Tastes malty, very hoppy, and fruity, with a dry finish. This one is hoppier than the 10, but with slightly less palate density and fruit. A very good beer, but in my opinion, not one of the top 100 I’ve ever had.

Muddy amber body and a short lived off white head with full lacing. Intense aroma of malt, apple, dirt and raisins. Rich flavour with chocolate and caramel going through fruits to an alcohol/hops ending. Too much alcohol to be perfect.

Golden hazy colour with nice vinous, spicy, malt and (surprise)floral hops. The hops come out well in mouth, with resinous qualities, est the sweetness is well baqlnaced. the alcool si felt in a rather dry way, which is not compensated by the body...still a great beer.

Bottle. Head is initially large, frothy/fizzy, light brown, mostly lasting. Body is hazy medium orange-brown, bottle conditioned. Aroma is lightly to moderately malty (cookie, caramel), lightly yeasty (cobwebs), with light notes of raisin and orange peel. Flavor is moderately sweet, lightly acidic, lightly bitter. Finish is lightly sweet, moderately acidic, moderately bitter. Medium body, watery texture, lively carbonation, lightly to moderately alcoholic. This one has never performed that well compared to stuff from Westvleteren and Achel IMHO...not much going on in the nose, fairly watery and unfulfilling in the mouth. A pleasant and clean beer, but nothing more.

I actually like this significantly more than the ’10’ which I had last night. Nearly identical in color, but then the differences begin. More chocolaty, fruity nose that might be less complex, but much more inviting. This extends to the flavor and aftertaste, which smack less of alcohol (though it is still present for sure) and more of wine. A great beer, this has me aching for more Belgians (not so easy to find here in VT).