Val-Dieu Bière de Noël

Brewed by Brasserie de l’Abbaye du Val-Dieu
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
Aubel, Belgium

Bottle @ YNWA, Kolding. Pours a deep mahogany red with a small film head. Aroma is bready, with nuts, oranges, caramel and yeast. Light full mouthfeel. Flavour is rather sweet, rye bread and roasted caramel. Light spicyness and a touch too vinious for its 7 %. A good beer, but no surprises.

Bottle 75cl. Clear light to medium amber color with a average, frothy, good lacing, mostly diminishing, off-white head. Aroma is moderate vinegar, walnuts. Flavor is moderate sweet and acetic (vinegar) with a average duration. Body is medium, texture is oily, carbonation is soft. (261007)

A most unusual biere de noel--not the traditional heavily spiced near-quadrupel, but more acidic and yeasty. Not a bad effort by any means--though I prefer Val-Dieu’s Brune.

Bottle at home ... Many thanks to yngwie for this ... Brown colour ... little sweet malt ... quite fizzy little tart sourness syrupy caramel malts ...

Bottle. Aroma is sweet malts and spice, hints at clove an all spice. It pours incredibly carbonated however the head deminishes within a few seconds. Taste is similar to aroma, a bit thin and lifeless though.

Name: Biere de Noel
Date: 04/02/2005
Mode: Bottle
Source: Vintage Cellar, VA

opaque rusty orange, big off-white head, light spicy aroma, rich malty flavor, nice spicy character, light bitterness, a good rich spicy beer but not a whole lot of depth

Aroma: 5/10; Appearance: 8/10; Flavor: 5/10; Palate: 5/10; Overall: 10/20
Rating: 2.7/5.0
Score: *4
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Cloudy orange pour with a medium white head. Aroma and flavor of yeast, fruits and spices, it is slightly tart also. The body is light with an oily texture and gentle carbonation.

[On tap at Den tatoverede Enke in 2004 with Jan.] A great brew with lots of notes such as yeast, spices, fruits, coriander, amber looking and very nice.