Corsendonk Christmas Ale

Brouwerij Corsendonk
Brewed at Brasserie Du Bocq
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
Turnhout, Belgium

Serve in Trappist glass, Tulip, Tumbler

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This one is a bit of a transformer. Appears to be very dark in the pour, but when held up to the light, it has a beautiful shade of ruby that I seldom see in a beer. Creamy, frothy head, with a great bold aroma, that just fills the room upon opening of the bottle. Big floral aroma, that is very medium - bodied but has big flavors and a bit of complex subtelty that tickles your tongue with lively carbonation. The flavor reveals a bit of toffee and caramel, but not in the same sense that a brown ale or amber would have. As you begin to get into the body of the beer the flavors begin to come out, and you begin to pick out raisins, and figs, with some fruity esthers, and slightly clovey. This is one of those Christmas ales that you wish they would serve all year round. This would go so good with dinner during the holidays, or even sitting out on the porch with family and friends to keep you warm on cold winter nights. I love this beer.

Black color with nice big head. It has pear smell with notes of apple and yeast. Banana taste and ofcourse note od belgian yeast. It’s soft but with medium high carbonation. Beautiful crafted beer.

En riktigt god julale. Mörk, fyllig, lagom söt, smak av russin, nejlika, vad vet jag... gott är det i alla fall. Årgång 2010

Pours copper with a tan head. Aroma is malt, caramel and dark fruit. Flavour is roasted caramel and dark fruit.

Pours a clear and dark brown beer with a beige head. The aroma is malt, caramel, nut and spices. The flavor follows the nose with additional sweetness. The palate is sweetness. Overall an average beer.

2012.04.28 - 750ml bottle in tulip glass. Pours deep dark brown, some deep red revealed by light. 2 finger foamy sticks around a while then collapses to a lacy cap. Aroma, have to agree a bit with review below: spicy, orange peel, malt, maybe toffee. Mouthfeel is smooth and lightly carbonated. Taste is kind of a dry bitter spicy taste wrapped in malty sweetness. Nice.

Deep brown colour with 2 finger head. Spicy aroma. Flavour is sweet, spicy, yeast.

Bottle by 18/10/14. Nose is very sweet , pumpernickel and fruitcake with light booze and crusty toffee. Blood red with healthy carb and a soapy tan head. Taste malty, crisp but not too sharp, malty forward with fruit and interesting spice (holiday, for certain, but also some juniper!), there are some smoke wisps around the edges and some light play from the alcohol. Big orange juice! Like it. Medium body and a nice sipper for more contemplative times.

25cl Brown bottle, best before 21 Sept 2011, drank and reviewed 12 Dec 2010. Poured into a thistle shapped glass (Gordon Finest Gold). The beer has a dark ruby red appearance, a good foaming head of tan coloured bubbles sat on top, looked good. Lacing clung onto the glass well. The smell was fairly weak, burnt/roasted malts and some hints of smokey peat bogs! The taste was all malts, chocolate malts mostly, the flavours all revolved around that really. Well carbonated, almost fizzy to be honest, but not quite. The alcohol is hidden nicely and the beer is very easy to drink. I like Corsendonk beers, whoever brews them!

25 cl bottle @ home, BBE12.11.2011
Aroma is spicy with orange peel, some malt and toffee. Flavour is rather stinging with spices, some tart citrus and orange peel. Some stinging alcohol in the finish. Nice, although a bit too strong on spices.

This brewer has been solid for me so far. A nice spicey / yeast / caramel malt presence. A warm alcohol and candy finish with a hint of smoke and citrus. The whole package is a near perfect blend.