De Ranke Noir De Dottignies

Brewed by Brouwerij De Ranke
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
Dottignies/Dottenijs, Belgium

Serve in Trappist glass, Tulip, Tumbler

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You need to not being affraid to drink a dark beer who’s not sweet. Something pretty rare in Belgium. Well it is perfectly balanced. Malt are strongly present. small taste of coffee. Hops giving floral taste and bitterness. In this case, it’s bring the drinkability again. I wish I could drink that one on tap once in my life.

750 ml bottle. A hazy dark amber/brown beer with an average sized, frothy, fizzy, lacing, mostly diminishing light brown head. The aroma is moderately malty, moderately hoppy, lightly yeasty, There are notes of toasted/roasted grains, flowers, dried dark fruits, spices, a hint of chocolate, nuts and alcohol, perhaps a hint of ripe banana and caramel. The flavour is moderately sweet, lightly sour, lightly to moderately bitter. The chocolate notes are more evident in the mouth, Lots of dark fruits, too. Very well balanced. Smooth mouthfeel, medium to full body, average to lively carbonation, very long finish with medium bitterness, lightly alcoholic. For its alcoholic strenght it’s very drinkable, it really goes down well. The dark fruits provide a nice and absolutely not cloying sweetness, balanced by a good amount of noble hops. In any case I focus my attention mainly on the dark malts. Excellent.

UPDATED: MAR 30, 2012 Prima o poi farò un monumento al birrificio De Ranke! Fa delle birre uniche e assolutamente geniali. La Noir De Dottignies ha un aroma di fiori secchi, caffè e una leggera screziatura di malto. Al palato si presenta dolce tipo prugna cotta e cioccolato occupando la punta e l’interno della lingua inizialmente, per poi spostarsi ai lati e alla fine dell’ "organo" sensoriale in un amaro avvolgente e persistente di luppolatura (utilizzata molto bene da questo birrificio). I 9° sono nascosti sotto questo velo equilibrato di buon gusto. Peccato che ho provato la bottiglia da soli 33cl altrimenti mi sarei scolato per bene pure quella da 75 cl intera. Rischiando felicemente una bella sbornia potente!!.

(33cl bottle) Purchased at the Cook Street Liquor Store in Victoria, B.C., for $4.90. Pours a thin, quick dissipating white head with a deep brown body. Nose of leather, cherries, chocolate and hops. This is remarkably drinkable. Love the hop-front melding into the cocoa malt and acidity. I could drink this stuff a few times a week. Just wonderful.

Malty bready fig aroma. Clear blown color with thin white head. Definitely has a big kick with a complex array of malts. Notes of dark fruits with a body very similar to a German double bock.

Aroma of roasty caramel. Pours a deep brown with a 1 finger foamy head. Just enough bitterness to offset the initial sweet taste & finishes as a well balanced dance between the 2. One of my faves.

Bottle. Poured into Orval chalice, pours a thick beige head and immediately an incredibly candylike blossom scent reveals. Smell of sugary plums and roasted caramel. Lots of roasted malts. Aroma’s of sweet candy, fondant chocolate and yeast. Slightly vinous. Very slick. There’s a very warming alcoholic sensation in the aftertaste and then finishes off bitter.

Aroma of candi sugar, raisins, chocolate and toffee. Appearance is dark with tan head. Flavor matches the nose, but finishes with a hop bitterness. Palate is effervescent, bubbly and creamy. Wonderful.

Bottle from Beer Konick in Amsterdam. DArk orange brown color. Very fine, smooth head. big, rich, malty aroma with chocolate and spice. Big, rich, malt flavor, chocolate, caramel, slight fruitiness--dried orange, berries. Nice bitter finish. Lovely--approaching a Rochefort 10. Lucious. Lighter and more delicately flavored that most abts, but bigger than a dubbel. And better hopped than either! Great.

UPDATED: FEB 15, 2011 Appearance: muddy, slightly purplish brown with a thick, creamy tan head that shrinks to a full collar; thick curtains of lace. Aroma: chocolate malts, citrus, alcohol, menthol and mint, sour yeast and red wine. Taste: dry and slightly bitter chocolate, a little acidic hoppiness, some clove and some surprisingly mellow yeasty spices, Finish: slightly bitter and dry as the hops carry over to the finish; remainder flavors are a little chocolate, a little clove and a little citrus. Notes: Palate is creamy, smooth and mellow. Taste was likewise surprisingly subdued when compared to the aroma. I expected a big blast of flavors, but everything was very laid back and very subtle. Alcohol is very well-hidden. Have a bottle cellared for 2013; will be interesting to see how the flavors mature. Had a second bottle (small version) for my birthday from the wife. Enjoyed it even more this time, bumping my rating to 4+. Really refreshing and balanced. Almost like a doppelbock meets a pale ale.