Abbaye des Rocs Speciale Noel

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

Serve in Trappist glass, Tulip, Tumbler

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In short: A sweet, fruity yeasty burgundy ale with spicy-candy spiciness. Well made beer.
How: Bottle 750ml. Consumed when probably 1 year of age.
The look: Kind of cloudy dark burgundy body topped by a medium beige head. A LOT of big yeast chunks, as chunky as in the classic Des Rocs Brune.
In long: Nose is predominantly yeasty, notes of spicy candies. Taste is quite fruity, sweet multi-fruity breakfast jam (blueberries, strawberries, other berries), concentrate grapefruit juice, barley candy lollipop, well integrated smooth candy spiciness (cinnamon, etc.). A bit of caramel and barley candy but overall the sweetness in this beer is very much fruit concentrate. Thick juicy body with just enough soft bubbles. I’ve had this beer numerous time, even when fresh it is not the most spicy xmas beer, but I still prefer to give it some time for the spiciness to better integrate the fruity flavors. Very good beer even if not among my favorite Des Rocs. A pretty good Christmas beer, that special time of year when I want to spend time with the people you care about but I have to spend time with my family instead.

Bottle (BB 16/09/2013). Pours hazy brown with a lot of big floaties with a quickly dissipating off-white head. Aroma is brown sugar, rye like spice, raisin, prune, bread, orange peel, maple syrup, hazel nut, rubber, cigar, wet soil, mould, pepper, clove. Taste is medium sweet and light sour. Body is medium, texture is slightly slick, carbonation is moderate. Finishes is long and spicy dry and with substantial fusel-burn. Interesting and complex nose, but unappetizing appearance and taste. I threw the rest in the sink.

Amber colour, cloudy. Medium carbonation. Complex nose of orange, cinnamon, apricots. Easy to drink despite of the high alcoholpercentage. Balanced and nice beer.

tijdens het openen van het flesje spoot het bier alle kanten op, waarschijnlijk een geïnfecteerd geraakt bier. aroma was aangetast, smaken waren niet erg aangenaam. @RERATE benodigd.

75clbottle from Cotteridge Wines poured a dark amber colour and sported a huge whitish head.Malt and toffee aromas with a hint of fruit and some spice in the background.Caramel malt and toffee coming through in the taste with a little yeast and also a light spicing throughout including cinnamon.Hugh head lasted throughout.Didnt notice the alcohol in this one at all.Nice,easy drinking brew.

Aromatica, especiada, dolçeta.Espuma poc consistent.Regustos a galeta,jenjibre.

Shared bottle 75 cl, BBE 10.05.2014. Pours cloudy amber in color whitish head. Orange peel, cinnamon and other christmas like spices. Malty sweetness, notes of orange peel again and faint hints of some cinnamon. Smooth mouthfeel. No sign of the alcohol. Spicy and malty in aftertaste.

33 cl bottle.
Originally rated on 20100722.
Pours dark amber color with a medium sized head. Aroma of malts, caramel, some toffee, mild licorice, ripe fruits and some spices. Flavor of caramel malts, toffee, yeast, spices, some licorice and nice sweet ripe fruits. Complex yet balanced brew, excellent.

Pours a hazy golden brown with a moderate amount of head. Smell is sweet and some dried fruit, maybe plum? Palate is medium bodied with an average amount of carbonation. Taste is not my style. Very det with some spice backing, but too sweet for me overall.

Bottle shared by Dave, thanks man. Pours out a moderate brown color with a small white head. Aroma is of dried plums, some light dark fruits, spice and some mild alcohol. Body is slightly watery for a 9% beer. Taste has notes of caramel, sweet dried fruits, soaked raisins, fig, plum, some spicy yeast, caramel, and light warming alcohol on the finish.