Delirium Noël

Brewed by Brouwerij Huyghe
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
Melle, Belgium

Pores a slightly hazy dark amber color with a solid head that dissipates into a thin cap of foam. The nose is of toasty malts with a boozy perfume of peach, prune, nutmeg and clove. The tastes starts sweet with honey, dates and nutmeg. Oak and vanilla finish it out, with burnt cherry and cinnamon notes carry you into the finish. Smooth, sweet malt body with just enough of a hint of hop bitterness to keep it from becoming cloying. A very nice holiday brew that goes down as well as any high ABV Belgian brew. The 10% abv is well hidden, opening the door for the pink elephants to sneak-up and molest you.

US version with X-mas name. Pours dark with some head. Aged about two years. Yeast and spice in nose. Drinks very well, with light chocolate. 10% is hidden but everpresent.

sweet dark dried fruity aroma ... way ripe cherries and yeast ... sweet taste of figs, prunes ... nice warm feel without the alcohol burn ... friggin good

12 oz bottle. Pous golden brown w/ med tan, persistent head. Smells strongly of cherries. Tastes initially fruity with caramel-ish, roasted malt finish. I’m not a big fan of belgian strongs but this was pretty good.

750mL bottle. Pours copper brown with tan head that dissipates. Spicy aroma. Spicy taste thats a bit sour but still pleasant. Lighter body than I’d expect.

12oz bottle courtesy of Knightly Spirits. Poured into a trappist glass. Aroma is of spice, malt, dark fruit. Pours very dark with a smallish fluffy head. Taste is very full yet the alcohol is hidden VERY well, this one is very easy to drink despite the 10%. Carbonation is lively but just right. The Flavor has a bit of a malty, yeasty flavor but creamier than the nocturne and not quite as dark. This seems to be much more ABT inspired. I tasted hints of chocolate and cherry in there as well as a cool spice note that made this an appropriate christmas ale. Another terrific offering from Huyghe’s Delirium line. This one is a little to strong to be a mainstay but its great for a winter night. Seems to hit you quite a bit harder than the Tremens or the Nocturne.

THOUGHTS: Hid alcohol well. Nice but not as good as their other beers I’ve tried. It smelled worse the warmer it got. The musty, sweaty yeast smell just kept increasing. It may have been a bad bottle but it didn’t taste skunked. TECHNICAL: Small bottle. Poured a clear, dark brownish orange with no head. The aroma was light to moderate malt and moderate yeast with lighter sweat and some fruitiness. The initial flavor was moderately sweet and lightly acidic, while the finish was moderately sweet and lightly acidic with an average duration. The flavor had brown sugar, malt, dark fruit and a little yeast too. The yeast became more apparent as it warmed. The light to medium body was slightly syrupy then dry with fizzy carbonation and a lightly astringent finish.

bottle. pours a light brown / dark amber with little head. deep fruit aromas. a little spice on the palate, otherwise nice and balanced throughout. Strong, malty, dark fruits and very warming. Quite good.