Achel 8 Bruin

Brewed by Brouwerij der Trappistenabdij De Achelse Kluis
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
Hamont-Achel, Belgium

Serve in Trappist glass, Tulip, Tumbler

Pours brown with some reddish notes and a big beige head. Taste is caramel sweet with just a slight amount of bitterness and some roasted flavours . Nothing spectacular but not unpleasant either. It’s just not robust enough and lacking complexity.

Bottle. Pours clear brown with a large tan head. Taste is quite sweet, palate has a medium body, lively carbonation, softens quickly. Aroma has raisins, nuts, alcohol, malts and spices.

bottle. Pours a hazy brown with reddish hue, big frothy beige white head, which sustains very nicely. Earthy aroma of nuts and dark fruits, raisin, fig, cashew, almond, with some light spices, brown sugar. Medium bodied and highly carbonated, gives a spicy bite feel to the initial flavor, which features notes of fig and plum, and an earthyness like leaves. The finish is somewhat but not entirely dry, and the 8% seems masked. Overall its a nice belgian, although it doesn’t stand out from the rest.

Chestnut brown with a thick beige head. Aroma: stewed fruits and berries, banana bread, damp earth. Taste has quite ripe plum and berries, gentle spicy bitterness. Slightly astringent. Thick yeastiness fights the considerable carbonation. Texture improved after a few swirls. Finishes dryish with nuts and spices, although there is still a little alcohol there too. Liked the Blond more than this.

Had at Bistro Campagne. Nice dark brown, lovely aroma. Rich taste some dried fruit flavors. Serving: Bottle

bottle@home, dark color with medium head, medium carbonated, very easy drinkable. in short a very nice beer.

330 ml bottle @ home. Rated @ 16.4.2010.
Pours a cloudy brown colour with a creamy white head. Nice lacing. Fruity aroma of caramel, spices and malts. The taste is quite similar with medium sweetness, floral and earthy notes. Medium bodied, oily texture and soft carbonation. Dry and warming finish. As good as Achel 8 Blond.

At a tasting: fruity, dried fruits, honey, cherries, some tropical fruits, some nutty notes, brown sugar, quite rich, medium to full bodied, pretty good.