Corsendonk Pater (Abbey Brown Ale)

Mount Saint Helens of a head. Cypress water brown color. Nice aroma. OK but a tad bit on the sweet side for a brown ale for me. For the money....I’ll pass on any future purchases.

Poured dark chestnut brown with a huge supercharged heavy tan head that shot up the glass and slowly subsided leaving thick pasty lace. Aromas were sweet malt, brown sugar and molasses, dark fruit, peat, caramel, scotch and toffee. Flavor was not the sweet maltiness I expected but rather a full-bodied and well-balanced brew with a nice bitter hop presence melded well with the sweet, smoky, fruity malt aspect, with the usual brown ale suspects -- coffee, chocolate, caramel, raisins and prunes -- lurking in the background. Mouthfeel was excellent, slightly thick, not too bubbly, and spot-on for the ilk. Most drinkable despite the high ABV. One could make the argument that this is closer to a Belgian Strong Ale than an Abbey Dubbel.

Poured a brown color with a thick head. Aroma was malty and a bit sweet. Flavor wasn’t too bad, you can taste a hint of chocolate with fruit, smooth finish. Not too bad of a brew.

Pours a dark, cakebread brown w/ a full semi creamy froth that fades to a creamy clump surrounded by lathered lace. Aroma of dusty granite and dry, desiccated fruit. Medium nectar w/ ample reidual effers. A dry malty brew w/ nuances of coffee bean, leather, slight cocoa, and tastelss fruit. The fnish is bittered w/ citrus rind.

While I have to admit that the reviews for this beer is overwhelming positive, my experience was less that expected. A very rich color, and probably one of the best looking Brown Ale’s I’ve ever seen with a deep, brown leather look that makes the taste buds rage. Unfortunately for me, the look far surpassed the taste, because it was a rather ordinary experience. Given the high price for this, I doubt I’ll be plunking down more cash for another mediocre experience.

Aroma is light and spicy initially, then opens up a little to the sweetness of raisins. Fizzy tan profuse head nestles back into a cloudy light brown body. Flavor was slightly fruity and citrusy with a little clove. Medium bodied and fairly carbonated. this one is more subdued than some other Dubbels I’ve had.

750ml bottle pours a murky, dirtyish, purply/brown beer with true copper highlights. A souffle of a head is khaki and slow-settling. Musty caramel aroma with a woodpile of woodsiness... green and dry. Light alcohol and leafy greens. Flavor is rather mediocre and stale, sweet, sour and bitter at once with a dirty, sour finish.

<font size=-4>Under the tree from <a href=http://www.mikesjournal.com/Santa Plate.jpg>Santa.<font size=-1>

Popped cork reached the 20ft ceiling with ease. Medium cloudy brown on the pour with a huge, typically Van Steenberge head. Nutty, malty aroma, with a touch of spice, rich a deliciously dubbel, with plum, flowers. Taste initially was fairly spicy and robust but got much fruitier and unbalanced as it warmed. Still, very pleasing, creamy with a touch of fizz in the mouth. Very pleasant to drink.