Hoegaarden Verboden Vrucht

Brewed by Brouwerij Hoegaarden (InBev)
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
Hoegaarden, Belgium

Serve in Trappist glass, Tulip, Tumbler

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Bottle. Had a little vertical test on this one, with a 1993-bottle (9% ABV) from de Kluis and a 2006-bottle (8,5% ABV) from InBev. I know it has been cellared nice since 1995, but uncertain what it experienced until I got it. First of all, it cellars very well, and the 1993 was better than the 2006, but the 2006 was more drinkable. The 1993 poured almost clear, but there’s sediments in the bottle, so I poured it rather gently. Both had a copper-golden color, but only the fresh bottle had a small, dense, beige head. There was lots of sediments in the 2006 as well, but they didn’t stick to the bottom in the same manner. While the older bottle was quite complex, with raisins, sherry, sugar, malt and obious signs of aging, the fresh one was a bit more straigh-forward. Sweetness, malt and some dried fruits was present. Malt, sugar, raisins, prunes, caramel and alcohol made the flavor in the cellared one, and the new one had sugar, caramel and some hops. There were no signs of hops in the cellared version. They both had afull body and a long finish. The old one with alcohol and raisins, and the 2006 had a lightly spiced and sweet finish. I loved the wonderfully aged Verboden Vrucht, it was a real treat, but the fresh one was lovely as well, but in another way. I chose to rate the fresh bottle, as that’s what is available, but I would definately buy a lagered one if I ever find one. Rating 1993-bottle: 8-4-8-4-17-4.1. (070430)

Brun, grumlig öl med ett lätt smutsvitt skum. Doftar av torkad frukt, jäst och malt. Söt smak med russin, malt och en viss kryddighet. En klassisk Belgian Strong Ale.

330ml bottle. Liquorice, sweet aromas. Pours very dark, cloudy, with nice tan head, some persistance and lacing. Medium body, creamy texture and high carbonation. Taste is malty, sweet, some roasted notes, caramel, alcohol well hidden. Quite balanced and enjoyable.

Bottle shared at Ale Alpharetta. Pours a dark amber colour with an off-white head. Aroma of sweet dried fruits, some toasted nuts and malts. Flavour of sweet, quite heavy caramel malts, apricot, raisins and some nuts. Rich mouthfeel and a warming fruity finish. Very nice and I am digging it.

Poured into a tulip glass after a gentle twirl to the bottom of the bottle to release the sediment. Dark mahogany, hazy, with a thin beige head. Palate is more watery than I expected for the enre. Aroma is spicy, Belgian yeast mixed with a sour sweetness. Tastes typical Belgian Strong Ale, with a pretty strong alcoholic note, sour fruits, caramel and light bitterness. A complex beer, but not memorable neither a favorite of mine.

Backlog from summer 2010 in La Rochelle, France Bottle at Fitzpatrick’s Irish Pub Full body & high complexity Sweet flavours Enjoyable

Pours brown with a small white head. Aroma is date and the flavor sweet yet bitter to finish.

This is the beer my wife and I always have when we visit ’The Cirio’ in Brussel’s, with a cheese platter normally. This review however is from home. Brown 33cl bottle, best before Oct 2008, drank March 2007. Poured into the correct ’Forbidden Fruit’ chalice, with the sediment getting fully into the glass. The beer was therefore cloudy and darker than if I had allowed just the beer to leave the bottle. This also effects the head, which doesn’t stay so long with the ’bits’ in the glass. Dark mahogany wood colour, lace head because of the sediment, it’s hazy, also because of my pour. Typical malty, yeasty, Belgian dark ale type of aroma, the coolness doesn’t help the aroma to be overly heavy, but this is as average as you are going to get. Fairly sweet, caramel and some toffee flavours, but with sour apples thrown in too, add alcohol esters, coffee and grapes into the mix and you are half correct, a very complexed taste indeed. The mouthfeel and aftertaste introduce hops, which must have been hidden by the alcohol and other flavours earlier. having said that, the mouthfeel is not great for such a strong beer. My wife loves this beer and as I said earlier, it is now a tradition when we go to Brussel’s, to drink it. Try it also, I know who owns the beer etc, but it is good, honest.

330 ml bottle at Blauwe Kater. Pours a hazy red/brown with fine light head. Ariomas of spice and roasted malt. Sweet brown sugar, dark fruit, and coriander flavors.

330ml bottle from Bierzwerg. Dark amber colour with 2 finger lasting head. Aroma is sweet. Flavour is yeat, sweet, spicy.

The colour is something between brown and orange. White head. Raisins, spices and malt.