Affligem Noël (Christmas Ale)

Brewed by Brouwerij Affligem / De Smedt (Heineken)
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
Opwijk, Belgium

Serve in Trappist glass, Tulip, Tumbler

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Draught @ Kerstbierfestival 2006 in Essen, BE. Amber brown color with a off-white head. Aroma of yeast, fruit and roasted and caramel malt. Flavor is sweet with a good balance not much else.

The aroma is sweet with notes of raisins and cloves. The color is deep red and it has a light brown lasting head. The flavor is lovely sweet with notes of raisins, cloves, oranges, and plums. The alcohol is well disguised, but runs prickling over the tongue. It has no bitterness, but the raisin notes and alcohol lingers for a long time.

(Bottle 33 cl) In my version called "Affligem Christmas". Mahogany with a very reddish hue and only slightly hazy. Nice, creamy head. Licorice in both aroma and flavour. Extremely flavouful with caramel- notes and a very warming alcohol. 051104

75 cL bottle. Pours dark brown and with a reddish hue, clear to visible. Head is huge and light brown and diminishes into a nice lacing. Aroma is sweet, mildly fruity and solid spiced. Heavy carbonation. Flavour starts and ends quite sweet with a strong caramel note. Inbetween a nice set of spices appear in a well balanced manor. Nicely balanced brew, very good.

Bottled (2003 vintage). Cloudy ruby, rich lively head. Aroma of caramel and cardamom. Sweet and syrupy with papery malt and caramel, notes of red berries. Fairly hard mouthfeel, though covered in syrup. Finishes with a light saccharine burn but no bitterness. Quite bold and and unbalanced.

Bottled (Thanks diabel!). Amber colour, mediumsized beige head. Lots of Lacing. Aroma is a lot of spices, malts and some earth as well as yeast. Flavour is malts, spices, caramel, earth and some slight hints of alcohol. Also gets quite wooden when warming up.

2004-vintage. Draft. Clear orange coloured with a small but lasting off white head. Sweet aroma of malts, caramel and dried fruits. Sweet flavour of caramel, dried fruits with light hoppy notes.

Name: Affligem Noel
Date: 01/09/2004
Mode: Bottle
Source: Whole Foods Market, DC

clear brown with ruby highlights, sweet spicy aroma that quickly fades, light malt flavor with lots of spices in the finish leaving a bitter impression
-------- /> Name: Affligem Noel
Date: 02/02/2006

the malt has ripened into some nice rich fruit, light bitterness that is well balanced now

Aroma: 6/10; Appearance: 6/10; Flavor: 7/10; Palate: 5/10; Overall: 12/20
Rating: 3.1/5.0
Drinkability: 7/10
Score: **+/4

Ruby amber color; nice head. Simple aroma, paper-like.Thin body, just a lot of caramel, ending with a quite strong but short bitterness. Missing complexity, not mellow, and far from being a beer for Christmas!

Dark ruby with medium head. Sweet yeasty flavor with overripe fruits. Flavor is packed with plums, raisins and toffee. Malty and yeasty with alcohol well hidden.