t Smisje BBBourgondier

Brewed by Brouwerij De Regenboog
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
Assebroek-Brugge, Belgium

The aroma is sweet and malty with a slight caramel touch but lots of yeast and spice. The appearance is hazy light brown with a large head. The palate is good. Overall it’s pretty good and the alcohol is well hidden.

Sampled at the Seattle Intl. Beer festival and then again several times in the bottle. Ah, would that I could sample it again. An excellent, engaging brew with valerian and lemonbalm, making it a nice fireside warmer or a before-bed beer/midnight snack.

Date: 06/03/2006
Mode: Bottle
Source: Green’s, Atlanta

clear dark blood red, thin beige head leaves a bit of drippy lace, sweet candied grainy brown sugar plum and raison aroma with just an hot estery hint of the 12% alcohol, thick and sweet, good rich ripe fruit flavor, lots of brown sugar sweetness, easy to drink and full of rich flavor, will kick your ass as a early Saturday before lunch afternoon beer

Aroma: 8/10; Appearance: 8/10; Flavor: 8/10; Palate: 7/10; Overall: 16/20
Rating: 4/5.0
Drinkability: 7/10
Score: **4

Man, this one is big. Bottle of unknown age, it was a little dusty on the shelf, with a faded label, along with another dozen of its kind. I figured 12% ought to hold up. Nothing major regarding age, perhaps a hint of paperiness in the nose and finish. Begins with a huge fruity plummy raisiny nose, with a background of molasses. Tons of chewy raisiny special B like fruitiness in the flavor, with a big heavy rounded sweet finish all the way through. Does a pretty fair job of balancing all that alcohol. Heavily yeasted, as a cloudy reddish brown color, medium head. This is a big belgian in all respects.

Bottle: pours hazy and dark amber with a medium sized tan head. Nose of burned malt, caramel and dried fruit. Sweet flavour with malt, caramel, raisins and other diied fruits. Sweet alcoholic finish.

33 cl bottle. Deep red/amber coloured brew. Very rich, sweet aroma with loads of dark plum, cherry and dried fruit leather. A suggestion of oxidation that adds a soft sherryish sweetness to the nose. Sweet caramelized malty flavour, plum, cherry, toasted grain and a sweet vineous character as well. Loads of richness with a spiciness that become more intense as the beer warms. Chewy, sticky body that begins to get cloying. The high ABV also makes itself known. This would be a great dessert beer though.

Picked up this bottle in New Albany. Big candi and fruit aroma, loads of malt sweeping up along with traces of alcohol. Brown body with plenty of sediment and a smooth, clinging beige head. Fruity, very malty taste with some sting from the alcohol. Plummy with raisins, coriander, and orange rind. Touch of herb/oregano. Dry, spicy finish and aftertaste, Full, sticky body. Entertaining but very, very heavy, a bit too much for this early in the evening.

Bottle: Pours a deep copper color which is cloudy and topped by a fizzing tan head which fades to a film. The aroma is pungent and sweet. Somewhat vinous qualities with lots of toffee, raisins and plums. The body is fairly smooth with a mild but dense carbonation and very well hidden alcohol. Though it does have a slight boozy quality to it. There’s lots of sweet fruits soaked in toffee. Raisins, figs, prunes/plums, brown sugar, subtle caramel apple skin hints. The finish is warming, smooth and has a hint of roasted toffee. A nice, rich, warming ale.