Corsendonk Christmas Ale

Brewed by Du Bocq
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
Purnode-Yvoir, Belgium

Bottle: Dark brown pour with a fluffy tan head that lasts with nice sheets of lacing. Nose is a blend of fruitiness with some raison, wine?, spices, and malts. Complex, yet soothing. Taste is a smooth, creamy blend of malts, fruitiness, spices, wine, and even a bit of toffee. Nice blend of flavors is complex, yet simple and refreshing. Thanks DocLock!

Bottle 750 ml. Thin khaki head over a dark brown body. Rich aroma of malt and spices, mainly pepper and cinnamon. Taste is sweet dark malts, dark dried fruits, candysugar and caramel. Medium to full body. Smooth. Nice bitter and fruity/acidic aftertaste.

(Draught at Akkurat, Stockholm, 19 Dec) Mahogany colour with ruby notes. Brief, foamy, beige head. Malty, yeasty nose with notes of dried fruit and prunes, sweetish. Aroma leaning in the standard Belgian ale direction. Malty, spicy, roasted and yeasty taste with dried fruit (prunes, apricots), brown sugar and spicy hops. I’m not really overwhelmed, but it’s a tasty and well made brew.

Bottle. Somewhat faint aroma with Belgian qualities. Clear, dark red color with large, light tan head. Very attractive brew. Head erodes and there is not much lace. Belgian yeast. Mild, and not overly sweet. Enjoyable. Finish of sardines and crackers. Could be residual from cheese spread and crackers I had previously. Good brew, but nothing outstanding. From a holiday beer I look for either a warmer (high alc) or spices. This really has neither. The 8.5% ABV is largely hidden and only sneaks up at the end. Solid and drinkable.

25cL bottle. Beautiful cherry-brown appearance; light tan head with great retention and lacing. Generous, warm aroma: plenty of yeast and bread notes, esters, dried cherries, and spice. Full mouthfeel: malt-dominated, with maple syrup and hints of roasted malts; lots of yeast and doughy character; fresh bread, and some pepper on the finish. Surprisingly good.

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