Abbaye des Rocs Speciale Noel

Brewed by Brasserie de l’Abbaye des Rocs
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
Montignies-sur-Roc, Belgium

17th July 2008. Brown beer. Rich sweet creamy malt with a strong marmite tone. Dry finish with a little coca cola. Very drinkable.

Bouteille de 750 ml obtenue via Importations Privées Bièropholie. Arôme: Odeur de caramel fruité et d’épices. Apparence: La couleur est ambrée foncée. Présence d’un mince col mousseux et d’une fine dentelle sur le verre. Saveur: Goût de caramel fruité et d’épices avec une pointe d’alcool. Durée moyenne de l’arrière goût. Palette: Le corps est moyen avec une texture légèrement onctueuse. Moyenne effervescence en bouche. Arrière goût légèrement fruité. (Rating #2736)

Pours dark brown, foamy tan head. Taste is very malty, sweet, syrup and yeast, dark fruits, prunes and a sweet finish with almost no alcohol. Nice beer.

Bottle at Kulminator. This orange/brown ale poured with a modest beige head and a strong toffee aroma. There is a robust caramel flavor with a slight amount of carbonation and a little hop bitterness at the finish.

33cl bottle at home, from ølbutikken. came out of the bottle to greet me, but not faster than i could pour it into the glass in a controlled manner. unclear brown wth plenty of small particles, even though i tried to pour really carefully, small brown head. As usual with abbaye des rocks, giant pile of sediment at the bottom of the bottle. initial aroma impression is spices and funk, hints of something similar to th leathery notes in cantillion, which i quite didn’t expect. warming up i get mouldy and dark fruity, some caramel, and sweetness, The leather impression disappears. aroma is complex and promising. flavor is well balanced, licorice, faint dark fruits, cardemom, spices, dark caramel, faint roasted grains (coffee? tobacco?). this is very good. a dry not too sweet ever slightly roasted version of a spicy christmas beer. You’d never guess it was as strong as 9%.

Bottle at Kulminator. Dark brown pour with a fine, bubbly beige head. Aromas of dark malt and sweet reddish fruit. Near full in body with smooth carbonation. Flavor is sweet, smooth dark malt and clean dark fruit with red berry touches. Finishes just slightly astringent with a bit of xmas spice.

Green bottle, 75 cl, best before end of 2010, via Importations Privées Bièropholie, savoured on July 11 2009; eye: caramel, hazy, suspended matter, no effervescence, voluminous tan head that falls and turns into a creamy sheet, no lacing; nose: fruity, caramel malt, light molasses, candied fruits, alcohol, light tobacco, light yeast; mouth: fruity, caramel malt, candied fruits, alcohol, light tobacco, yeast, molasses, finale in caramel malt with presence of alcohol, medium-full body, mildly sweet, rather carbonated, foamy texture; overall: fine FRANÇAIS Bouteille verte, 75 cl, meilleure avant fin 2010, via Importations Privées Bièropholie, savourée le 11 juillet 2009; œil : caramel, voilée, matière en suspension, pas d’effervescence, mousse fauve abondante qui tombe et se transforme en une couverture mousseuse, pas de dentelle; nez : fruitée, malt caramel, léger mélasse, fruits confits, alcool, léger tabac, léger levure; bouche : fruitée, malt caramel, fruits confits, alcool, léger tabac, levure, mélasse, finale en malt caramel avec présence d’alcool, corps moyen-corsée, moyennement sucrée, plutôt carbonatée, texture mousseuse; en résumé : bien

This poured a cloudy dark copper colour accompanied by a foamy, tan head. No lumps were experienced and mine was 9.0% ABV according to the label. Aroma was quite complex and most interesting, and I’m guessing that I may’ve (or not) detected some malt, fruit, spices, molasses and coffee. Taste was no less interesting, with malt and coffee leading the way.