Corsendonk Christmas Ale

A profound mahogany color sets the tone for the evening while thick beige foam provides adequate contrast. The rich aroma that exudes reminds of bucolic winters, times when farmers treated themselves right and a few exotic ingredients made it to their pasture. Hearty rye bread, cheese, dried fig, raisin, apple and pear blend with scents of mossy wet woods providing a true old world feel while hints of banana, orange peel, walnut and nutmeg brighten the picture, a still life worthy of the greatest Dutch painters. Coffee is emphasized on the palate along with bread and caramel, a pensive profile that requires some maturity as a beer drinker. Quiet, mellow, but sweet and intriguing, the smooth texture has a pleasant though volatile aftertaste. A treat that matches the season and Belgian as can be.

Pours deep brownish orange with hints of red and thick pillowy foam of off-white bubbles. The foam disappears quickly leaving only a thin haze of bubbles, and no lace is left on the glass. The aroma has a lot of fruit (banana and raisins), caramel, yeast, some spice, and some toasted bread. There are also hints of smoke and a firm alcohol presence in the aroma. The flavor starts very sweet and malty with some caramel and some toffee. The middle of the tongue finds some fruit flavors and hints of bitter hops. The beer finishes medium in body with a little spice, a little citrus, and hints of chocolate. The after-taste is long and pleasant - and warm with alcohol. The mouthfeel is medium in thickness and pleasantly bubbled.

Deep ruby red color with a slight hint of a hazy brown, lively dark tan head with good lacing around the glass, nose full of sweet malt, citrus, sugar & yeast, velvety body, very silky & smooth, easy drinkability, medium-light body with notes of raisin, candy sugar, yeast & malt with just a touch of smoke & alcohol, sweet finish, a little sour as well with more notes of yeast, sugar & caramel, very enjoyable especially this time of year, excellent Belgian ale

Poured from bottle into my St.B chalice. Pours a dark ruby brown with only a slight head. Can catch a glimpse of light around the edging of the beer. Smell is yeasty, with some candy sugar. There is a earthy fruit and a slight alcohol smell coming through as well. Taste is dark ripened fruit and yeast. There is more alcohol coming through in the taste than was found in the smell. The mouthfeel is very carbonated with a slight burn to it. A decent holiday offering but not my favorite.

Bottle. Pours a fairly dark brown with a slight tinge of pink when held up to the light. Very small head that disappated into a ring. Aromas of cherry, dark roasted malt, strawberries, starfruit, caramel, with a small, lingering amount of concord grape. There’s a sort of sweet hop character to it that comes out first, but has a really excellent strawberry aftertaste. Actually, very light mouthfeel with no bad notes, or really anything bad to say about this one. A real winner. Careful not to serve it too cold.

This starts off with an aroma of fruit and spice. It’s less carbonated then the other Corsendonk Ales that I have had. It’s a somewhat sweet Christmas ale with a very long finish. This is one of the reasons I look forward to winter every year.

Draft at Green Leafe Cafe, Williamsburg. Deep brown with a firm pillowtop. Full-bodied. Robust spicy character -- very licorice-ish, anise, corriander -- all in a nutty, brown beer. Not sure I quite dig the contrast, but an artistic brew nonetheless. <<From bottle: same impressions.>>

25cl bottle. dark Reddish brown color. Aroma of malts and alcohol. flavors of smoke, roasted malt. Plummy finish.