Delirium Nocturnum

Brewed by Brouwerij Huyghe
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
Melle, Belgium

Serve in Trappist glass, Tulip, Tumbler

Instantly upon opening, I was struck with the nose of this beer-one of the best I’ve ever sampled. Cherries, plum, raisins, cookie dough, a little chocolate, toffee, caramel-simply mind blowing, I could smell this beer all day. The flavor drops the ball a bit here, if only because it doesn’t live up to the temptation of the nose. A bit too sweet, perhaps, but as it warms it mellows a little. Could use a bit more balance, I suppose.

Bottle. Pours dark brown with a large, creamy, light brown head, mostly lasting with excellent lacing. Aroma is heavy malt (cookie, caramel, toffee), average hops (perfume), average yeast (horse blanket, dough) with notes of plum, dates, vanilla, and brown sugar. Full bodied, sticky texture, lively carbonation, and a bitter finish. Average duration, moderate sweetness, acidity, and bitterness.

Poured into a slim glass and the head jumped from the bottom with a thick light brown foam. The beer slowly began to appear showing a clear dark reddish brown. Aroma is not big and is sweet malt with some hop tartness, roasted notes, and a bit of funkiness. Flavor is cherries and raisins, yeast, and funk. A malt backbone and cooked sugar provide sweetness. This beer is complex but not well balanced. Still, a very nice beer for a cold day.

375lm bottle. Poured a deep dark redish brown color with a light brown head that is thick but quick to dissipate. Little lacing. Smells of berry, raisin, brown sugar yeast, with a hint of sourness. The taste follows the aroma along with a light spiciness and alchohol that is covered up nicely. Medium bodied and evenly balanced, making it a smooth drinker.

Nice deep brown beer with a beige large head, Aroma of dried fruits like plums ,cherries, banana yeastiness and chocolate, roasted malt flavor with some chocolate deep fruitiness vanilla and crisp bitter finish with some spices like clove & cinnamon. Good one

UPDATED: MAY 15, 2009 14,50 $ la bouteille de 330 ml, au Bières & Compagnie de Terrebonne. La bière de la soirée et la bière du mois, au moins! Dans un verre (tumbler?) avec des éléphants roses, en plus. Bière brune, assez claire, arôme discret et sucré, et intense saveur doucement caramélisée, le gout sucré n’a rien de subtil, sans être excessif, un peu fruité, avec une légère amertume en finale. J’ai vraiment été impressionné. Ajout: 4 bouteilles de 33cl achetées aux USA pour 17,99$. Yark! Quécéça? J’en ai bu 2 qui semblaient défectueuses (?), atrocement épicées, très peu sucrées, très désagréables. Mon premier rating était 9-5-10-4-19. Maintenant, je déteste cette bière mais je ne comprends pas.

For minutes I combat to remove the beer-sticky foil by flaky millimeters, only to suffer its vengeful reattachment to my skin. The Phyrric victory remains uncelebrated as the cork, of its own volition, detonates into low orbit. I decant hissing, furious foam that resolves into a bottomless copper liquid; despite its carbonated enthusiasm, a coarse, thin spume proves unsustainable…scarce lace spots evanesce in scant seconds. Plummy, doughy aromas team with Tootsie Roll, lemon Lifesaver and currant-studded Stollen. An acidic, caramelly flavor juggles mint julep against whiskey sour, cheered on by lemongrass, maraschino cherry, and milk chocolate with almonds. The taste remanifests itself thanks to a feathery-fizzy palate and ensuing incessant sonorous belches. Quinine-like, the tart/bitter finish races toward a tingly orange soda aftertaste. I fear the punishment outweighs the profit.

Very dark brown/black with a bubbly tan head. Lots of carbonation can be seen streaming from the bottom.Kind of thin on the nose. Nothing stands out and there is a slight sourness to it. There is a slight floral smell with rasins and malt. The alcohol is a bit noticeable. There is also fig, plums, and a light caramel malt. Is is a bit more sour than I would like in the finish.