t Smisje Great Reserva

Brewed by Brouwerij De Regenboog
Style: Imperial Stout
Assebroek-Brugge, Belgium

Aroma is rather appealing scents of hennessey, dried fruits, yeast, some chocolate malts...the look is dark chocolate with a booming head, carbonation is too strong... flavor is not stout, but more brown or porter like with some cheap cognac notes, but the palate is harsh with too much prickley sharp bubbles...it has a medium sweetness of cognac with some notes of porter. My recommendation is to let the carbonation die down completely before drinking, otherwise it makes it too harsh.

Well this is the 10th rating and then it will be mapped. I have to say this is one of those beers that displays a huge frothy head that takes forever to release. As it reduces some clumpy segments are left creating a rocky mountain terrain. The color is this hazed blood orange hue. Aroma wise I smell a defined sour-ness that resembles stone fruit like peaches, nectarines, and cherry. This one weighs in at about medium nectar headed light. Damn this head takes too long. Carbonation is good on the release yet remains a little watery. Flavor wise it’s a hikers lunch box with all the dried fruit including apple, peach, nectarine, some kiwi, etc. I know what Cognac tastes like and this is not a good resemblance. It’s more brett infused than anything (tasting). It has a finesse and a definite sense of self but it’s uncalled for for this style. It’s way off it’s mark and should be revealed as a Strong Ale. Theres nothing stout about it other than it 10%abv. The finish lingers, there a defined tartaric acid component and is only mildly sweet. No wonder why they sent so much here.

Great hook up from BOLTZ. I pop the top and I let the smoke from the carbonation just sit there for a few moments. I peak into the bottle neck and see the foam just inching its way up. Well, looks like I need to pour this right away. Of course, it pours with a very large head, very bubbly, and not white, more like a very light tan color. The body is a dark brown, with no clarity, just some lighter edges. As the head fades slowly it leaves a super sticky lacing on the glass. Aroma is super air-y with a lot of effervescence just shooting up the nose, not a surprise from Regenboog but this seems even stronger than usual. This seems to subdue the rest of the aroma, again a running theme for this brewer. There is some woodsy, sweet, and lightly fruity bread. There is some faint spirit alcohol essence as well, may just be the effervescence or maybe its coming in through some of the fruitiness. Or maybe the greater effervesence and the light fruitiness a combination of the yeast and the cognac. Taste is very "brown" like an amp-ed up brown ale. Some slick, tobacco-ish, dark malts, some leafy oak and spirit coming through as well. Its light, the yeastiness is not coming through (a disappointment, as that is what I seek with Regenboog brews). The sweetness has been turned down a lot compared to the regular Imp Stout. I think this makes it a lot more accessible to folks not in love with this brewer. Finishes with some faint and watery cognac (I guess its cognac, its weird) and just a bit of yeasty sweetness dough and sweetness. As I top the beer off there goes that humongous head again. I think this would be more appealing to people who do not love this brewer. And as is sometime the theme, this beer is sometimes getting in its own way. Still nice stuff, a lot of the yeastiness and sweetness that I love in the Imp Stout is diminished here by a lot.
Thanks again Jason, 33cL bottle, Regenboog chalice.

Bottle courtesy of BOLTZ7555. Pours a cloudy brownish dark orange with a huge off white head that results in chunky lacing. Nose is yeast, dark fruits, funk and an alcoholy liqueur-like aroma. Taste is dates, raisins, dark plums, wood, caramel, spice and more liqueur in the finish. Medium mouth feel. Interesting beer – lots of complex flavors going on. No where near a stout though. Thanks Jason!

Pours a hazy amber-orange with a very huge initial rocky/pillowy head that sustains itself quite well, provides ringed lacing. The aroma was floral along with light fruits (apples/pears/grapes), faint spices. The flavor followed the aroma, floral, light fruits, candi-sugar, oak/wood, all finishing with a very dry and yeasty mouthfeel to keep things relatively clean. Body was moderate for a Belgian Strong, and I certainly would not have classified this as an Impy Stout.

Pours a dark amber with a tremendously thick off white head. Slightly sour funky aroma with hints of barrel, orange and pepper. Has a smooth roasty grain taste, thinner than your typical impy stout. Has a smooth edge from the barrel aging as well as other characteristics such as the funkiness and the fruitiness of the yeast. Really an interesting beer, I really liked it.

opaque crimson brown pour with a rocky beige head... it kinda looks like stiff peak egg whites. the lightest strangest imperial stout i’ve encountered. crazy amounts of pillowy lacing are left on the inside of the glass. dark fruit, brown sugar and chocolate aromas dominate over fruity acidity, vanilla, wood, clove, flowers and a touch of must. intense amount of spice in the flavor mixes with light fruity acidity, , raisins, caramel, wood, yeast, chocolate and a wet basement-like smell. dry spicy finish with some barrel char flavor in the aftertaste. there’s a light tartness in the middle palate that is quite pleasant. medium body seems rather thin but carbonation is soft and luxurious. the mouth feel is a bit sharp, spicy and bitter at the same time. unique... very unlike any american style but is delicious, intense and complex...

Dark fruit and yeast fill the nostrils after a pop of the cap along with the faint aroma of lemony sourness. Spikes of foam climb out of the beer and chunks stick defiantly against the inside of the glass. The brew is murky Oak Creek Canyon run off with an eggshell head as dense as meringue. Raisin, plum, cherry, and brown sugar are most dominant although there is a subtle oak, vanilla, and caramel as well. Spicy, earthy characteristics mask it’s 10% ABV rather well. Very tasty...although I think this belongs in a different category.