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 at DTE. Clear deep chestnut red/brown - white head. Sharpness, alcoholic, caramel, sweetness, apples, light spice, toffee, candy, fruity, bakelit, panflet, kapok.

From notes: draught @ Monk’s in Philadelphia. Poured deep red-brown with a small, thin tan head. Aroma of dark cherries mixed with yeast. Medium-thick, but with deep flavors. Taste was mildly chocolatey, with a mild clove note as it warms. Maybe a touch of caramel too.

Poured into a tulip glass. Hazy copper color with a solid two fingers of head. Strong malt smell, complimented with spices that I cannot quite place. Heady tasting, malt backbone that fades into the drink. Tough to tell what else is going on, but it’s good. Mild spices, by no means strong. Medium body, quite crisp and clean texture with moderate carbonation. A great beer for Christmas Eve in front of the fireplace.

9 April 2012, bottle. light ruby, clear, some steady bubbles. sweet, slightly acidic strong ale. full body, moderately fizzy. alcoholy wet bread. big and sweet. nice

Corner bar near our hotel in Brussels in between Christmas 2011 and New Year: had two as nightcaps. Not as dark as I expected, this was a deep amber colour almost reddy brown in fact, cloudy/murky haze to it, on top a small head of off-white bubbles. Sweet nose, almost sugary, caramel for starters with other malty bits for main course and dessert. The taste was also sweet malts but with some liquorice and spicey hop content too. Must not forget the yeasty feel to all the flavours and smell, this hung over the whole tasting like a ghost: reminding you that it’s a Belgian Christmas beer you’re drinking.

On tap at local pub in Janesville, WI, pours a dark reddish amber with a small off white head, the aroma has a lot of sweet candy sugar and dark fruit, the flavor has a sweet front end with the dark fruit and a finish of belgian candy sugar, not bad.

Pours a hazy medium orangish amber color. Aroma is lightly malty, hoppy, yeasty, with a touch of fruit. Flavor is a nice mixture of malts and fruits.

750ml bottle. Deep amber pour with lots of off-white head. Aromas of spice, caramel, and dark fruit. Flavors of cherry, cinnamon, and sweet grains.

750 ml bottle into signature chalice; bottled 8/18/2010, best by 2012. Pours slightly cloudy red orange color with a nice fairly dense 1-2 finger kahki head with good retention that reduces to a thin cap that lingers. Spotty lacing on the glass, and a good amount of carbonation streaming up. Aromas of banana, clove, pepper, molasses, plum, raisin, caramel, and yeast spices. Some nice aromas, but were on the weak side for what I expect from a Belgian Dark. Taste of plum, raisin, biscuit, pepper, apple, clove, molasses, cinnamon, caramel, lightly tart grain, toasted malt, candi sugar, and yeast spices. Moderately dry on the finish; with lingering notes of caramel, molasses, dark fruit, pepper, and spiciness on the finish for a bit. Nice flavor balance and complexity; with not cloying sweetness as expected. Medium-full bodied and medium-high carbonation; with a fairly creamy and slightly slick mouthfeel that drinks very smoothly for being 9%. Alcohol is very well hidden with only a warming after the finish present. Overall this is a very nice Belgian dark ale; with good complexity and smooth drinking for the alcohol level. I would have it again.

Dark amber pour with medium sized white head. Aroma of caramel, fruit and yeast. Taste is malty, caramel, slightly fruity and a bit spicy. Nice and crisp, nice carbonation.

2011 vintage. 750ml bottle in pint glass. Pours a medium amber brown. Active foamy head dissipates slowly and clings to the glass. Aroma to me just implies some spice or hops. Flavor is quite good. A bit of spicy bite or hops on the front that never quite fully materializes. Finish is smooth, and the spices envelop your taste buds and linger. A very unique taste in my experience. I have bought a lot of this Noel this year and have really enjoyed it.