Grobbendonks Kerstbier

Brewed by Microbrouwerij Achilles
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
Heist op den Berg-Itegem, Belgium

Serve in Trappist glass, Tulip, Tumbler

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Bottle conditioned, at Essen Kerstbierfestival 2004. Deep ruby red chestnut, moderate white head and gentle condition. Big sweet yeasty aromas with some caramel and slight hop fruitiness. Soft and sweet caramel and low roast barley in the mouth, nice balance of sweet caramel and bitter roastiness in the finish.

Bottled@Kerstbierfestival 2007. Deep rubyish brown colour with a mediumsized slightly off-white head. Aroma is caramel malts, some spices, yeast, mild toffeeish notes. Also some slight notes of aging. Flavour is quite much the same along with mild toasted maltyness as well.

Bottle@Home. Very sweet, fruity, marmalade, several spices. It’s not bad but just too simple.

Vintage 2004 sample Good cream-coloured head; bright copper-chestnut beer. Oxydized malts, expensive delight cookies, caramel to the fore. Sugesting sweetness - and a lot. Taste showing its age - chocolate, more cookies, caramel, madeira. Still pretty well in shape - some higher alcohols obvious. Slick, a bit oily & well bodied. Carbonation is still 100% OK, even imposing itself. Nice to try one that I overlooked so far.

UPDATED: DEC 26, 2006 Bottle @ Kerstbierfestival 2006 in Essen, BE. (8.5%) Hazy amber color with a fair white head. Aroma is roasted malt, caramel, fruit and spices. Flavor is moderate sweet and bitter, with metalic finish.

Bottle: Poured a brown with a white head. Smell of yeasty port and spice to the nose. Soft spicy malt and caramel finish.

Bottle at Kerstbierfestival 2005, Essen, Belgium
Murky, amber body. Sweet aroma of apples, pears, white port. Moderately bitter initial flavour. Lightly bitter finish. Achilles has nice beers, but this ain’t one of them.