3.3 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 13/20
11.2oz bottle. Pours a cloudy brick brown with sweet aroma of fruit/spices. Seems like they emptied their spice cabinet into this ale. Lots of nutmeg, cinnamon and cloves. Decent but there’s better Belgian winters to be had (like Fantome de Noel).
2.5 AROMA 4/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 5/10 PALATE 2/5 OVERALL 11/20
.333->trappist: Pours a rocky head that exhibits spare lacing atop a brown body. Aroma of molasses, caramel, and pine. The body is light, the texture thin, and the duration of the flavor is short, being lightly sweet and acidic. Not really all that memorable.
3 AROMA 6/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 5/10 PALATE 5/5 OVERALL 11/20
Noel des Geants
Pours medium brown with a slight orange color around the rim. Some what thin head with medium retention. Aroma is Cloves, nutmeg and slight malt. The beer smells German, not Belgian. Flavor is slightly sour, with hints of cloves and yeast. Not much alcohol flavor despite the high ABV. Clean, pleasing mouthfeel, but overall somewhat subdued and boring.
3.6 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 15/20
Pretty delicious strong Belgian. Nice raisin, rum, fig and cherry nose. Sweet and delicious taste with lots of dark fruits.
3.8 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 15/20
Bottle pours amber with an average off-white head and excellent lacing throughout. Aroma of flowers and light fruits. Flavors of apple, pear, honey, and ginger with a metallic and light hop finish.
3.2 AROMA 6/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 6/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 13/20
Bottle. Pours a dark amber color with a large, frothy off-white head. Lacing is strong. Aromas of ginger, hay, and a bit of port. Palate is medium body, clean texture with a slick finish, fizzy carbonation, and a moderate finish. Tastes of banana, raisin, and ginger. Pretty good Christmas beer.
3.3 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 6/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 12/20
draught at Kerstbierfestival 2007: medium to dark copper with yellow highlights. Cream colored head doesn’t stick around too long. Aroma of yeast, tart fruits, somewhat earthy hops, and the usual spices. Caramel malt flavors with nutty notes, ambiguous mixed fruits, and yeast character. Some earthiness comes through in the finish. Not a bad beer but it lacks interest.
3.7 AROMA 9/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 6/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 15/20
UPDATED: JAN 21, 2008 12oz bottle from 4 Seasons in Hadley MA. They said that this is the best Belgian Winter Beer that they had. It tastes like a spicy double. There are some nutty sweet flavs and some spice rack cinnamon and spice. Not bad at all.
3.3 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 6/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 14/20
12 oz bottle, purchased at Finger Lakes Beverage Center, Ithaca NY.
Pours dark orange, good size off-white head. Yeasty, some spice flavor. Carbonated mouthfeel. Dry finish, medium body, drinkable, but flavor leaves something to be desired, especially at $3.99 per 12oz. I wouldn’t purchase this again.
3 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 6/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 10/20
I picked up a bottle of this at my local bottle shop and shared it with BeerBaron617. This is the third "holiday" Belgian beer I have had this season, and I think it’s my least favorite. It poured a nice chest-nutty brown with a small off white head. It had a subtle aroma that was a bit spicy and had some dark fruit notes as well. I enjoyed the peppery aftertaste it left. It had a light mouth feel, which seems to be a bit different from what these kinds of beers seem to have.
Overall, it wasn’t mind blowing, I wouldn’t purchase it again... but it has it’s merits. It is well rounded, and I think it would go well with any winter meal.
|
