Affligem Paters Vat Christmas

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

Serve in Trappist glass, Tulip, Tumbler

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Really wonderful--huge aroma with touches of roses, spice, apples, honey and caramel. Flavor is very full and moderately sweet, with hints of honey and caramel and a very slight touch of smokiness. Occasional breezes of vanilla and nutmeg drift across the tongue. Finishes very dry, with hints of alcohol. An ideal Christmastime brew.

Huge creamy beige head on a clear amber colored body! Absolutely beautiful!! Nose of sweet malt and nut. Sweet very fruity flavor with tones of nut, caramel and oranges. A small touch of alcohol. This beer is truly yummi and my new favorite christmas brew!

I really like the hops in this one, very aromatic and spicy. Candi and caramel sweetness. Nice warming finish.

Pretty aged sample Dark brown beer with red highlights, still carbonation to faint rim of foam. Very nutty aroma, resembling some drink as old Madeira or aged Armenian brandy. Toffee, grapes in chocolate, vinous, incense. Pure dark brandy taste, "watered" down with some sweet wine, liqueurish. Retronasal hints of coffee and slightly burnt caramel. Each new sip again a vinous assault with caramel and raisins. Only negative effect of the aging is the thinning out, watering of the texture, which still leaves for an oily, slick MF. Medium bodied at least. WOW. I’m impressed De Smedts’ beers can age that well. This is rather exceptional.

Cloudy peach with a frothy head. Steady carbonation. Cardamom, honey, caramel and musty yeast in the nose. Very effervescent (although not too much and not spritzy). Huge conglomeration of flavors at first. Spicy yet sweet with a little tartness and a peppery bite. Musty undertow with powdery, chalky malts beneath the spice. Yeast adds some thickness to the body and also tempers the spice a little. Alcohol taste swirls in and out but is not invasive. Decent winter seasonal. Nice bottle with a gold cobweb lacing on the outside.

Bottled: Orange coloured. Clear. Light beige head. Huge. Spice, yeast, light alcohol and fruit in the aroma. Flavour is spiced, sweet and yeasty. Quite smooth. Is sweet and spicy in the end. Mild alcoholwarmth on the lips. Quite good.

Golden amber colour. Phenolic, peachy aroma. Similar palate with added toasty malts. Complex, and worth re-visiting so I can enjoy a whole bottle.

Bottle. Spicy, slightly farty radish aroma. Malty, spicy, peppery flavour. Aftertaste leaves a strange rubbery feeling in my mouth, but not a big problem. Colour is dark brown. The head is light brown and small, but firm. Mouthfeel is nice, the beer swells a little when going down.

Bottled. A deep red beer with a huge orangey head. The aroma is sweet malty with notes of caramel, dusty hops, and Belgian yeast. The flavor is very sweet with notes of malt, caramel, metal, yeast, dusty hops, and over ripe fruits. Thanks yespr for sharing.