Géants Noël des Géants

Brewed by Brasserie des Géants (Brasserie des Légendes)
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
Irchonwelz, Belgium

Serve in Trappist glass, Tulip, Tumbler

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Appearance: Pours a lightly hazed, amberesque body with a airy, meringue-like, whitish head. Smell: The modest aroma has an overall earthy quality to it, sporting notes of caramel and stale dark bread, with undercurrents of herbs, spice, and, at least for me, a notable grape fruitiness. Taste: Dry, dark maltiness pass along some tastes of dark bread and dark caramel. The flavor is accented by a seemingly dried herbal flavor. Touch of spiciness reminiscent of cinnamon, though it seems no actual spices were harmed in the brewing of this beer. Belgian yeastiness. More of that bold, fruity grape juice character carrying over from the nose, more easily gleaned on the amply carbonated, drying finish that provides a bit more spiciness and some alcohol warmth. Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied. Medium-high carbonation with a light, lively mouthfeel. Drinkability: It does display a curious complexity, but I simply didn’t care for the particular mix of flavors going on in this one -- like a first date where there was just no connection, no spark. However, it’s one I may potentially revisit in the Winter of this new year. Look! I’m putting in on my 365 Days of Puppies calendar this very moment (Dec. 5th, a Golden Retriever pup)!

Bottle. Hell of an unexpected gusher. Pours a hazy brown with a thin to medium sized off white head. Plums and fruit on the nose. Oxidization, old fruit, cleaning products and cinnamon. Medium bodied, more plum and cleaning chemicals. Tastes like old expired cough medicine with spices. Ugh. Finishes up with more burnt spices, old fruit and more unpleasantness.

Tasted@DØE Århus syd meeting 2009. Pouring out of the bottle when opening. Good Christmas beer which is consistent in taste. Not as strong as you may think.

A nose laden with tannin and yeast. Some dark fruits, but mainly astringent berries and old orange peels. Taste is off sweet tending towards sour. Probably supposed to remind one of currants...no dice. Thick body that ultimately lacks substance. Imported by the Sheltons: a euphemism for overpriced. Send it back!

to be fair, i have a feeling i got an old bottle. it had a bit of dust at a store that i doubt rotates its stock. aroma was musty and dirty with a faint grain. flavor was cardboard and wet paper with some black pepper way in the background. like i said, it comes from belgium, sat on a shelf, then sat here at the house for a while, so probably will need to try it again someday.

Pours a somewhat hazy coppery amber with a substantial pale golden-tan head. Aroma has a strong fruity note with a firm tone of wintergreen and malty and caramel hints. Flavor has a malty core and a good wintergreen tone plus subtle fruity and caramel notes. It is not very sweet, though, which is fine by me. Texture is rough and lively around the edges, having body that is a little above average and a fair amount of fizz.

Bottle @ home. Hazy orange-brownish color, white head. Smell malts, some mint and something weird. Tastes about the same. Fizzy carbo, low to medium body.

Spicey very Christmas flavor. OK palate under par after taste. New flavor but nothing great

Aroma is dark fruit/grapes, a medicinal quality and a hint of alcohol. The flavor is similar to the aroma, with the medicinal quality and the slight alcohol burn still present. Not bad as a whole, could’ve done without the medicinal quality.

Pours hazy amber with small quick dissipating head. Tastes of ginger, plums, figs, cherry, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Belgian yeast and slight booze taste. Nice holiday beer

11.2oz bottle poured into a tulip. Pours a deep dark reddish brown with a small fizzy head. Decent lacing though. Smells of cherries and dark frutis; figs and plums. A very faint chocolate note as well. The taste has underlying notes of chocolate with cherries and dark fruit being most prominent. The finish brings out almost a woodiness that is hard to describe. Finished pretty clean with the alcohol well-hidden and barely detectable. Overall a pretty respectable brew and one that is good for cold winter nights.