Corsendonk Christmas Ale

This is a vertical tasting I am doing. This is the rating of my fresh example. The beer pours a rich amber, somewhat like the color of syrup. The aroma is yeasty, spicy, with notes of pear, apple, and caramel. It is very effervescent, and when one first sips it, the bubbles envelope ones tongue. Flavors of cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, and bitter orange exist under the velvety malt blanket in one’s mouth. There is a slight citrusy flavor, almost like that of coriander though I don’t think that that is present in this beer. This beer has a lingering aftertaste of spicy yeast and bread and leaves a somewhat sticky feeling in the mouth after it has been swallowed. This beer is smooth in some aspects but retains a strong spicy bite which provides an interesting contrast in one beer. In a few years I’ll add my second tasting!

Red. Pretty strong aroma. Smooth, creamy, good body. Flavor profile is a little weak though.

0.75 l bottle. Dark ruby color with thick diminishing beige head. Sweetish, malty, caramelly, toasty, bready and vinous aroma with raisins, prunes, licorice and dark sugar. Sweetish, caramelly and chocolatey flavor with dark fruits, clove and pepper. Sharp carbonation.

Bomber, shared. Pours a gorgeous dark-brown color with a small white to off-white head. Aroma is dark fruit, spice, and slight candy sugar. Flavor is sweet up front dissolving into a subtle but very pleasant dark fruit characteristic at the end. You could also faintly taste cinnamon and I believe a little allspice in there. I enjoyed this beer immensely, and it’s a wonderful companion for a cold holiday night.

Bottle. Brown-sugar coloring. 1/4" thick soapy head. limited carbonation. Raisin, dates, brown sugar hints, somewhat spicy. Flavoring is somewhat flat though the raisin/date/grape comes out subtlely at the finish, as does a faint not of spice, cinnamon. Eh. Had hoped for better here.

Pours dark amber with a slight hazy hue, forming a nice white foamy head. Aroma of plums, raisins, malts, and yeasts. Flavours of banana’s, vanilla, malts with a slight hop character that gives this beer a nice balance. A wonderful beer from our friends in Belgium, would love to try this one on tap or from cask too.

Dark brown with a reddish hue. Thick tan head that lasts. Lacing that perseveres. Aroma of caramel, brown sugar and raisins. Taste is an impressive combination of caramel, dark fruit, and spice. Hint of smoke. Wonderful Christmas beer!

On draft at Locus Publicus, Delft. A great dark amber with a medium off-white head and a rich aroma of mixed spices, yeast, alcohol and sweetness. The flavor is mildly sweet, malty and a bit spicey with hints of brown sugar. A nice mild hoppy finish, this is a really nice Christmas beer