t Smisje Cuvee 2005

Formerly brewed at Brouwerij De Regenboog
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
Assebroek-Brugge, Belgium

Gorgeous-looking dark copper body, Beautiful head on this one. Smells pleasant and yeasty, bready, but not what I would hope for in a well-balanced, spicy BSA. The flavor has a hint of sweetness to it, and dates, plums, apples and an aura of winter in the flavor. The flavor is slightly too thin for the best rating, but generally, it isn’t bad at all. Strong carbonation, roasty and slightly sour finish.

Quite a clumsy belgian strong ale - starts off promising, with a huge, lasting, frothy head and cloudy copper/gold color - intense aroma of honey, peach, orange, spices and background earthiness - starts out hoppy, tart and herbal, quickly changing to sticky sweet fruit and honey flavors - evident alcohol throughout - hops and herbs stomp across the tongue at inappropriate times, not allowing the tongue to focus on some of the lighter fruity esters and bready malt that want desperately to give this beer sublte complexity - as I said...clumsy.

750ml. bottle #319. Hazy amber color with a small off white head. Fruity, yeasty aroma with some alcohol and grass. Mildly sweet malt flavor with some orange marmalade and bread. Alcohol comes through on the finish.

10.09.05 Sampled from bottle #319 thanks to Jimmack at Heavyweight open house. Murky gold. Salty and mineral nose, prominent alcohol. Flavor is more mineral, limestone, pear. Chalky palate. Drier middle than front and back. Honey comes in near finish, balanced with some acid tart appleskin; cobweb.

Head is initially average sized, frothy, off-white, mostly lasting. Body is medium amber. Aroma is lightly malty (caramel, cookie), moderately yeasty (mold), with notes of bubble gum and alcohol. Flavor is moderately sweet, lightly acidic, lightly bitter. Finish is lightly sweet, moderately acidic, moderately bitter. Medium body, creamy/watery texture, lively carbonation, moderately alcoholic. Dull dull dull dull dull dull.

Cloudy dark orange body with a very large and tight white head. The aroma is dry hay with a hint of warm apples and some almonds. There is a musty goodness in here. The taste is musty old oranges with some leather. There is also a little bit of wood and some cinnamon spice. I also get a hint of herbal character, but it’s hard to pin down. Very drinkable and light feeling for the high alcohol. Smooth for such a big and subtle beer. Nicely done.

Cloudy orange appearance. Favour is quite fruity and yeasty. Watery and malty sweet finish. Tastes a bit dusty.

Hazy orange golden, fluffy off-white head. Orange and yeast aroma, quite rancid with sugary tones. Sweet sugary and fruity flavor witn a candied touch. Good taste, but gets cloying in the long run.