Hof Ten Dormaal Barrel-aged Project (Dark Ale): No. 13 Cognac

Brewed by Brouwerij Hof Ten Dormaal
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
Tildonk, Belgium

Serve in Trappist glass, Tulip, Tumbler

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Bottle - 750mL corked and caged. Opaque mahogany with a short, frothy tan head. Aroma is sweet and slightly boozy with dark fruit notes, brown sugar, yeast and flowers. Taste is layers of dark fruit atop Belgian yeast, candi sugar, brown sugar, caramel, dessert cake, soft grains and flowers. Body is medium-full and slightly chewy with a strong, dense, bubbly carbonation. Moderate stickiness as well. Finishes with more dark fruit notes, robust yeast, soft booze, caramel, sweet malt, toasted malt, light grains, flowers and candi sugar.

Bottle with Ray and Ryan. Pours a murky brown with thin head. Notes of dark fruit, red wine, oak, vanilla, cognac. Light tartness on the finish.

Poured opaque with the slightest hints of red-brown around the edges. Super thin beige head with a steady stream of barely visible bubbles. Looks pretty boring at first sight. Nose is sweet brandy with rich banana overtones and something candy-like. Interesting and unexpected. No real alcohol smell. Taste starts sweet, quickly changes to rich dark fruits (plums and figs) followed by cherries. Turning sour then a little bitter. Finish warms up as the cognac becomes apparent. Lingering aftertaste is warm cognac with a little bitterness. Mouthfeel is slightly creamy and a little sticky - not as thick as I had expected. Overall, this is a pretty solid beer. I would happily drink it again. It would probably get old if I had it too often though.

Bottle shared with Andrew at the Blue Hill bar. Pours a deep brown body with nice thick brown lacing. Aroma is light alcohol, spice and dark fruit. Mouthfeel is medium, the spice and alcohol are up front with some dark fruit (raisin and fig) in the background. This is okay considering I’m (1) not a huge fan of the belgian strong style and (2) not a big fan of Cognac-treated beer. Still, this drinks pretty well for 12%.

Bottle from Capone’s. Pours turbid ruddy muddy brown with tan head. Nose was oak, cognac, pruney fruit. Tasted rich, complex, with a pronounced oaky flavor, cognac, pruney and fiffy fruit, and a complex finish.

Tap. Pours deep clear ruby with a small tan head. Aroma is molasses and cognac, not strong. Flavor is molasses, cognac, medium sweet, no bitterness, a bit of lemon zest, dried fruits. Strong warming finish. Medium body, creamy mouthfeel. Not bad, but not anything particularly interesting either.

750 ml. bottle. pours dark brown with a tan head. Having this on the same day as the Madeira cask, the Cognac is the better one. Dark fruits, brown sugar, caramel.... sweet finish. Very complex flavors... good stuff.

Head gone in secs; deep dark-brown beer with some reddish sheen. Fine old brandy nose, sweet-ish, cakesyrup. Bitter-roasted flavour, with sweet alcoholic:brandy background flavour; with sweet, dried fruit as banana, dark plum. Touch of mint. Medium bodied, seemingly a bit light for its ABV. Alcoholheat; bit sticky feel, despite the lively carbonation. The nose is great. The rest is a tad sweet/syrupy, but definitely one of the better ones in the Project.

Sweet fruity aroma a little like jam. Really smooth silky texture. This one has become pleasantly sweet and has a warming finish.

15/XII/12 - 75cl bottle @ Kerstbierenfestival (Essen) - BB: n/a (2012-1372) Thanks to the Belgian/Dutch ratebeer crew for sharing our beers!

Clear dark brown beer, small beige head, unstable, dissipates immediately, non adhesive. Aroma: very sweet, alcohol, caramel, dried figs and raisins, dry, bit of mocha. MF: soft carbon, medium body. Taste: sweet start, alcohol, caramel, sugar, green banana, apples, bit sour, bitter touch. Aftertaste: alcohol, caramel, bit spicy, more alcohol, pretty boozy this one!