La Caracole Nostradamus

Brewed by La Caracole
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
Falmignoul, Belgium

Serve in Trappist glass, Tulip, Tumbler

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Too much of an alcohol presence and too little malt complexity. Some honey-like qualities, some spice, cloves maybe, some type of fruit but indistinguable what. I think I am just very, very picky when it comes to strong Belgian-style beers and many beers which others seem to like don’t really make the cut for me. This is one of those.

(bottle, 750ml) Tried on the recommendation of Nicolette at WoB near UCF in Orlando. Hazy, ruby amber color with a beige foamy head of medium size. Intensively nutty and toasty malty aroma with caramel, mocha beans and a Port-like alcoholic note. Sweet flavor, full-bodied with a smooth mouthfeel. Toast-malty taste with caramel and chocolate flavors, as well as subtle notes of dried fruits and mocha; sweet and roasty bitter finish with a warming but non-aggressive alcohol and a slightly fruity aftertaste. Balanced and complex brew. Very enjoyable.

330 ml bottle. Pours a dark brown mahogany with full head. Aromas of roasted malt, brown sugar, and yeasty hints. Rich malts and toffee flavors up front followed by cereal and dates. A bit weak and metallic on the finish.

33cl bottle. Decent white head. Clear dark amber pour. Lovely aftertaste. a great beer.

750ml Bottle form Champanes, this dark Belgian Strong ale had a clear ruby pour with dark ruby and brown colors at the sides of the glass, the pour made an initial one finger light brown head that receded to a thin cover and ring, the glass was filled with lively effervescence – a bubbly center stream and lots of streams elsewhere in the glass, and it left spots and fingers of lacing on the glass, there was a layer of medium brown colored sediment on the bottom of the bottle, this drink had aromas of dark bread, dark fruit – raisin and fig with a little cherry, caramel, chocolate, and brown sugar sweetness, (the aromas were not that strong or big even after letting the glass warm up a bit), and there were flavors of dried fruit - raisin, bread, toasted malt, date fruit and molasses sweetness with faint spice in the background the finish had a little pepper spice with little to no bitterness, the mouth feel was around medium and provided a little creamy feel on the palate, the nose aromas were not as big as I exected for a dark BSA and the flavors were not that big or full, this could be a sneaker of a drink because the alcohol was hidden well, but it does not come across as a big beer, it was an ok dark BSA.

Bottle: Meeium tan head, disappears quick and leaves a half open lacing on top of a murky brown colored beer. Smell sweet barley malts, caramel, pepper, herbs, light earthy tones and the slightest hint of liquorice/chocolate. Taste is pretty full flavoured: caramel, roasted herbs, roasted sweeter dark fruits and darker sugar tones, sweet barleys, sticky varley malts, nuts, medium bitter, light vinous notes, some light sour fruity hints and some sweet wood tones. Aftertaste is a bit weak but nice mix of sweeter roasted herbs, some caramel, autumnal hops and malts. Medium carbo, soft mouthfeel, medium to full body and a creamy texture.

Un goût vineux très prononcé. Un peu écoeurant. C’est dommage car sur la longueur cela gâche un peu.

July 2008: 33cl Bottle, drank on the seafront in the excellent ’Schildia’ Knokke-Heist, Belgium. Slightly cloudy and dull looking, a muddy brown colour with a tan head. Aroma and taste were both rich. Treacle sweet in both also. Would have liked more body for a 9.5% beer. Interesting enough, but without the ’umph factor’ for me.

olor a malta y caramelo,al paladar bien corposa con caramelo intenso,buen lupulo y chocolate,me impresiono bastante muy parecida a las imperial stout de norte america. muy recomendada

After the beer was served in the glass there was found a lasting quantity wall adhesive light brown foam collar which was fine and even of structure. The beer also contained much carbonic acid in the glass. The beer has a thick dark brown and a sweet taste. The after tast of the beer is hoppy bitter with a light caramel touch . This beer smells to roasted malt.

Here comes a bomb of yeast, vanilla, brown sugar and booze. Brown color and tan head of a dubbel, but much stronger. Sweet taste of toffee and cotton candy and a hint of spice and tree sap. Thick but smooth syrupy body that foams out the palate like a stout. A friendly reminder of how and why Belgium is the most sinister of places.