 thejoeshow (232), Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA
Dec 27, 2008 11.2 oz bottle. Pours a dark drown color with a cream colored head full of tiny packed bubbles. There is very nice retention and lacing. Aroma is sweet candy with some hints of candy banana/banana bread notes and some dark fruits with a touch of alcohol. Flavor is spice and some of the banana from the nose. There is a bit of alcohol burn at the end but nothing unexpected for a 10+% beer. Very nice winter warmer.
GAManiac (1124), Atlanta, Georgia, USA
Dec 26, 2008 2008 750 mL bottle poured into a goblet.
Pours a clear copper topped by a one-finger creamy head that lingers as a small cap for a few minutes and leaves good lacing.
The aroma is fairly subtle and mostly sweet caramel malts and candi sugar. There are hints of spices but not much and certainly less prominent than the alcohol whiffs I got.
The taste amps up the spices a bit with a definite peppery finish. The sweetness of the candi sugar and dark fruits are dominant up until the finish where the peppers and alcohol are more detectable.
The mouthfeel is medium bodied and very smooth with decent carbonation. Its sticky sweet on the palate with the peppers tickling the tongue at the end.
This is one of the better Belgian holiday ales Ive had, mainly because I actually enjoyed having that slightly peppery finish which differentiated it from a normal BSDA. Tasty.
tsetlock (66), Livonia, Michigan, USA
Dec 26, 2008 Very nice beer, pours dark brown, medium thickness on the palate, a little like syrup - not over done, licorice, hint of pepper, like raisins. The smell is nice, similar to rootbeer, mild burn hides the alcohol and a chaulky finish..
pintocb (508), Darsville, Georgia, USA
Dec 26, 2008 Dark brown in color, small fluffy white head. Earthy aroma with hints of sour. The flavor leans toward an abbey dubbel, but has a bit more alcohol burn. the finish is dry and light. Nice beer.
My sample was a year old. I wish I.d had it fresh. I may have to pick one up this winter to rerate.
LinusStick (1831), Moon Twp, suburb of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
Dec 25, 2008 Very nice Belgian beer. I have 3 empty bottles of this waiting to fill with homebrew and as I am drinking the 4th realized that I never rated it. Aroma was strong and full. Plum, raisin and alcohol. Pour was a nice deep dark ruby with a 1 finger off white head. Taste was delicious and strong. Every dark fruit you can imagine with just a mild alcohol burn. Theres a hint of yeastiness and pepper in the aftertaste but not overpowering. Could use a little more carbonation, but great nonetheless
handsomejn (26), Arkansas, USA
Dec 25, 2008 Very nice beer, pours dark black, medium thickness on the palate, a wonderful sweetness - not over done, licorice, hint of pepper, sweet dried fruit like raisins. The smell is nice, not unlike rootbeer, mild burn hides the alcohol.
cyrenaica (435), Milton, Ontario, Canada
Dec 24, 2008 330ml bottle
10.5% ABV
I tried this beer on November 13, 2008 at "Smokeless Joes" in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The beer poured a dark brown with a thin tan coloured head. The aroma was candied sugar, maple, plums, raisins, and caramel. The mouthfeel was full-bodied, and medium carbonated. The flavour was SWEET. The alcohol was not all that noticeable, but the sugary taste was very dominant!
esox (259), Oulu, Finland
Dec 24, 2008 750 ml. bottle. Pours dark, slightly reddish-brown. Medium-sized head is beige. Complex aroma is warm, it has lots of licorice, dates, dark (ripe) fruits and earthy yeast. The flavor is vinous, strong and matly. At first there is sweetness of ripe fruits that turns to a bit sour in the finish with spices, fruits and some alcohol. Palate is full bodied, soft and sticky for lips.
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