Delirium Noël

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

Serve in Trappist glass, Tulip, Tumbler

at a tasting, thanks zvikar, small stable beige head, quite clear light brown colour, aroma of jam, sour bread, vanila and some fruitiness, flavour of cherry, dark bread and very dark caramel, alcoholic presence, strong but not obtrusive. Good beer to sip leisurly.

Bottle shared with the wife. Spicy, dark caramel. Not really balanced...

Bottle at a tasting. Thanks zvikar. As Delirium Christmas. Clear amber. Sweet aroma of candies, fruits, caramel and some alcohol. Sweet flavor with caramel, fruits and some honey. Medium to full-bodied.

Ugly body. Murky brown. Body isn’t consistent throughout. Small head. Big prune, raisin, spice, fig and brown sugar all around. Slight cola aspect in the finish. Slightly messy and overly sweet/malty.

A Belgian Strong Ale that’s not too heavy. A sweet, fruity aroma and taste. I could see how it would be fitting to drink during the holidays.

The beer is a light brown reddish murky color, nothing alluring or flattering with a very light tan head. It rises about 1 finger and fades quickly. The lacing is light, but mostly watery so not much there. The aroma is light and earty with only malt showing through. It smells yeasty with dirt, banana and an odd combination of tea and cola. The taste is also light with a big note of banana on the front end and a yeasty dry finish on the back end. The mouthfeel is ok, with lots of lasting flavor. The drinkability is ok, probably couldn’t drink a whole bottle but I’d considering get this again next winter. Overall, a decent effort but there are better Delirium offerings.

Big Belgian beers are known for their robustness and sheer energy, which tends to make them a nightcap sipping beer. But is it possible to be both refreshing and a sipper? After drinking a bottle of Delirium Noel with my friend Henry, we began to posit that scenario. This is a traditional Belgian strong dark ale weighing in at 10% ABV, but it has a light, fruity palate which is quite pleasant on the tongue. Its density does eventually make itself known, though.

I split a 750ml corked bottle with a friend and poured my half into a chalice.

APPEARANCE: Beautiful shade of burgundy like wine. No real head to speak of and certainly no retention or lacing. No carbonation noticeable, either.

AROMA: red apples and straight rum, but still very mild. No spices. Some boozy qualities.

TASTE: For such a big beer from Belgium, I was surprised at how robust this beer wasn’t. I get a tasty Macintosh apple flavor followed by rum and vanilla. It’s tasty and satisfying to be sure,  like fresh fruit juice and some candy-like sweetness. The only problem is the alcohol upstages the authentic palate and dries out these flavors. Perhaps a vintage of at least two years would help settle the alcohol.

MOUTHFEEL: Surprisingly thin and tepid, with gentle warmth across the tongue and down the throat. Slightly drying, but always tolerable.

DRINKABILITY: While cold this beer is actually quite refreshing, mostly due to the apple juice-like taste. As it warms it turns into more of a sipper and becomes, literally, a challenge to drink.

OVERALL: A good beer, but not a great one. I expected more, but I’m satisfied with what I got.

NOTE: Watch the video version of this review at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sqz6CnJCRTE

Delerium Noel Pours coppery clear with a thin head and good retention. Oily appearance. Aroma is Belgian yeast notes with a sweet maltiness and dark fruits (raisins) and alcohol. Flavor is malty with medium to heavy dark fruits and spices. Alcohol in the throat on the finish with a crisp bubbly mouth. Good, but missing something.