Delirium Noël

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

Serve in Trappist glass, Tulip, Tumbler

2007 version 330ml bottle. Pours orange . copper with a small dirty tan head. The aroma has bread, toffee, cream cheese, light spice, meringue, banana and light cotton candy. Medium body with semi-sharp carbonation. The flavor starts with some caramel, Belgium yeast, mustiness, raisins, spices and richness. The finish is lightly metallic and astringent. I like this a lot better than last year’s version, but remember this as being much better in the past. On sampling some vintages I’ll hopefully be able to add to the notes and bump up the score as well.

Very good and better than Nocturnum IMO. Not the best winter seasonal, but a damn good one to try.

2007 Vintage. Cork "pop" was somewhat subdued but the beer was still well carbonated. Very dark thick amber with a fair soft head. Aroma of candy sugar, caramel and alcohol with some nice spice notes that register later. Tastes just like the aroma. Sweet, light syrup, caramel and soft spice. Just a bit of alcohol burn in the finish.

Bottle pours deep caramel, slightly burnt, large sand colored foamy head, attractive lacing, with light carbonation.   Sweet candyish nose, caramel, with light dark pitted fruit notes.   Smells wonderful!   Subtle hints of alcohol as well.   Strong malty dark pitted fruit flavor immediately up front, followed by a slight alcoholic burn.   Mildly sweet, with minor hop bitterness at the finish.   Lingering hints of alcohol.   Nice body, enjoyable mouthfeel.   Decent Winter offering, but could stand to less heated.

(750 ml. Bottle) The red foil that covers the cork and cage has to go on these bottles. It is a nuisance to remove. Pours a medium brown with amber highlights and a medium-sized beige head. Has a fruity, caramel, and spicy flavors with a hint of port.

Tan with little head. Fruity with some caramel notes. Sweetly acidic and spicy with a hint of citrus. Dry and tart on the palate.

UPDATED: NOV 17, 2008 (Bottled) Clear, dark amber color with a smallish, mostly fading head. Strongly caramely-malty, dark-fruity, spicy and sweet aroma with alcohol hints. Sweetish-toffee-malty, spicy, very fruity flavor with plums and raisins. Actually pretty sahti-like. Medium to full body, quite thick and slightly sticky, smooth carbonation. Dangerously drinkable for the ABV, and less sweet than the other Delirium line. Not very complex, but a sweet-n-solid, sahti-like winter warmer nonetheless.

This is a hazy orange beer that comes out of the bottle with a rich, but quickly diappearing head. Strong raisin and alcohol in the nose which turns spicy as the beer warms. A slightly watery, cold brandy. It needs to hide it's alcohol better to suit me.