Hof Ten Dormaal Barrel-aged Project: No. 2 Cognac

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

Serve in Trappist glass, Tulip, Tumbler

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UPDATED: APR 3, 2013 On draft. Pours orange/red with tiny head. Smells of caramel, alcohol, spices. Tastes very complex. Caramel, cinnamon, cream, spices, dark chocolate, cognac, wood, slightly hoppy at end. Sticky linger.

750 c&c from Wine and Cheese in Clayton, MO. Pours hazy orange/brown with a fluffy beige head. Aroma is mild fruit with some yeast/spice. Med body. Flavor is light pitted fruit and brandy - sort of like brandied peaches. Gets a little oaky, finishing 98% dry with some fun heat.

Bottle shared by bhensonb. Pours orange copper with a nice beige head and a cognac and toffee aroma. There is a cognac infused caramel malt flavor with a slightly sweet peach finish. Nicely aged with good oak flavor. This beer is grossly underrated.

Bottle. I’m not sure why such negative reviews, this is actually pretty good. Have hopheads forgotten how to taste beer that isn’t kick you in the teeth bitter? Pours a hazy golden light orange with a thin white fizzy head. Pleasant caramel, wet grain, and cognac aroma. Thick sticky palate. Tastes of caramel, cereal grain, light orange, and strong cognac with cognac flavors dominating the finish and lingering long after a sip. It’s really quite good.

On tap. Pours with a hazed orange hued body with a very small white head. Aromas are nutty, marzipan, grapenut, graham crackers, nutty, brandy, rich, earthy and warm. Flavors are of marzipan, nutty, grape seed, congac, warming, fresh baked bread. Warming barrel, lower carbonation, green apples.

Bottle - 750mL corked and caged. Amber with a short, white head. Aroma is rather sweet with notes of wine, cognac, yeast, fruit and malt. Taste is slightly boozy with more cognac, wine notes, ripe fruits, caramel, sweet malt, yeast notes, hints of wood and honey. Body is medium with a moderate, lively carbonation and soft alcoholic warmth. Ends with more booze, caramel, wine notes, cognac, ripe fruits, honey, soft yeast, soft grains and faint woody notes. Enjoyable!

In bottle at Craig’s. Pours a golden colour with a thin beige head. Aroma of cherries, marzipan, candy sugar, caramel and alcohol. Similar flavours with moderate carbonation, light CO2 prickle and a foamy mouth-feel. Quite sweet with lingering cherries and almonds again.

Thx. to Ben // 75 cl. bottle sampled @ RBBSG 2012 // limited to 3240 bottles // part of our random Hof ten Dormaal BA partial horizontal // lighter and brighter orange than the others, only a white ring around the sides for head // smell is way boozier than the others, some sweet wood, touch fruits and lots of cognac // bitter cognac taste, oranges, sweet malt and spices, marmalade, lots of it and bitter, first one with some noticeable hop in the aftertaste, warming, boozy finish // smooth, oily // least favorite but still good, bit too boozy barrel aging

Bottle at Craig’s. Clear golden orange, gushing white bubbles fade to a soapy cap. Rich nose, cherry bakewell, marzipan, big sweet almond, definite apricotty cognac, treacle, toffee, slight booze. Nice sweet malty caramel, definite cognac again, slight Belgian yeast character coming through too. Long sweet boozy finish, more marzipan sweetness, just the tiniest hop bitterness. Definitely a sipper, and a tiny bit too fizzy, but lovely all the same.

Slightly hazy, light amber golden, white head. Aroma of wood, vanilla and banana. Rather sweet flavour, malts, quite alcoholic and some banana. Sweet finish, cognac, alcohol and vanilla.
(From 75cL bottle @ RBBSG II, Wilrijk. Part of the 2-3-4-6 partial horizontal. Courtesy of Dave. Thanks!)