De la Senne Equinox Winter Beer

Brewed by Brasserie de la Senne
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
Brussels, Belgium

Serve in Trappist glass, Tulip, Tumbler

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Wow. At first sniff I just know this is heading straight into my top…100? Gritty, pithy grapefruit rind citrus, tangy blackcurrant, distant charred smokiness, chocolate. Smoke and alpha resins in perfect lip-smacking equilibrium. Ripe inviting Cascade and Galena. Pulls together the brazenness and big hop ripeness of America with the gentle cigar smokiness and chocolate of an English stout or mild…pumped up with American hops, of course. This is just all over the place, and I love it. The body’s light and liquid, but it totally suits the flavours. Drinks like Titanic, Tunnel, Castle Rock…can’t remember the names I’m getting so carried away. Something dark and probably listed as a mild on RB but really nothing like it because of those blatant citrussy, blackcurranty hops. Post modern, kick-ass silky Belgian dark Mild with American hop-soul. This is beer that defies categorisation, or demands a new one. APA, GA, Real English Stout, Mild, tipped in the same pint pot and cranked up to an unnoticeable 8% ABV. World beer. Totally lean and unsugared G&T dryness and citrus, smoked. Castle Rock Black Gold, Rogue Shakespeare Stout, Belgian silk. Chocolate and faint burnt toast in there for balance. Just won’t shut up with lingering soft smokiness, KP Dry Roasted, cocoa powder. Nothing like 8%. Dangerous, dangerous, sexy, modern ale. Magnificent.

11.2oz bottle poured into a Trappist glass. Pours a dark brown with not a whole lot of head. Aroma of dark fruits and spices. Taste is a little coffee and dark bakers chocolate, fermented dark fruits and spices. Medium bodied with a pretty thin texture. Fizzy carbonation and a decently long finish. Overall, it’s not bad. I wouldn’t seek it out but I’ll enjoy this one.

Bottle. Murky brown with an orange hue and a decent off-white head. Malty aroma with notes of roasted maks, nutty biscuit, raisins, cocoa, orange zest. Flavor is sweet, nutty, roasted, with herbal and spicy notes and hints of cocoa. Medium bodied with a smooth texture and a dry medium bitter, warming finish.

The beer in the glass is deep brown and ruby red, withoff-white, creamy head. It smells very chocolaty, caramelly, with roasted malts and subtle hoppy. Starts malty and bitter, with lots of chocolate and bitter, slightly smoky and sweet nuances. The middle part shows alcoholic, smoky, peaty, again with lots of bitter chocolate and roasted malts. Goes into an alcoholic-warming, chocolaty and roasty-bitter finish!

Malts and fruit in aroma. The flavor is heavy on grapes/raisins, with a decent fruit and malt combo after that. If the grape flavor would have been more subdued compared to the other flavors it would’ve been better, otherwise it was decent as is.

Bottle picked up at State Line in Elkton, MD. Served in a De La Senne tulip. Pours a dark brown with purple-ish tints to it. Good head and lacing. The nose carries plenty of dark fruit plus some semi-sweet malt. Good yeast character. Flavor is similar. Nice yeast, but nothing really taking it over the top. Medium body with a touch of alcohol. Solid.

Pours dark reddish brown with a thin wispy tan head. Notes of spice, dark fruits, plums, raisins, vinous caramel malt, fruity esters. Medium to full bodied, lightly boozy with lush carbonation. Enjoyable.

pours dark mahogany, frothy tan head that persists. modest lacing. Nose is yeast, brown sugar, caramel malts, chocolate, dark fruits and burnt wood. Roasted malts, faint brown sugar, less sweetness than I anticipated. subtle dark fruits. chewy and dry with distinct burnt chocolate notes on an average finish. ABV well hidden as this went down like a session beer so I enjoyed it.

Pours a hazy medium brownish amber color. Aroma is lightly malty, hoppy, yeasty, with a touch of fruit. Flavor is a nice mixture of malts and fruits.

33cl bottle. Dark, pretty opaque brown color with a medium-sized, light beige head. Flowers, dry dusty cocoa, and some tangy dried fruit in the aroma. The flavor is dry and somewhat boozy with a little roasted malt and finishes with a vinous and boozy fruitiness. There is also a little lingering spice but it’s pretty nondescript. The body is on the light side; highly attenuated on the whole. Carbonation is medium and pretty soft on impact. Relatively nice overall but the alcohol is a little too present for a beer that is only 8% ABV.

Bottle @ Polku’s tasting session. Originally rated on 21.9.2010. Quite generic, but well balanced dark Belgian strong ale.