La Chouffe

Brewed by Brasserie d’Achouffe (Moortgat)
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
Achouffe, Belgium

Serve in Trappist glass, Tulip, Tumbler

Pours a hazy orange gold color. Big fluffy white head. Mild aroma of banana and spicy clove. Flavor is similar, but with additional sweet flavors of caramel, orange peel and floral hops. Moderately bitter finish, but a surprisingly smooth drink for an 8% ABV. Very nice.

Bottle. A - Cloudy, honey gold with a slightly orange hue. Large, bubbly white head, slightly sticky. Average retention with a good amount of lacing left. S - Belgian yeast, lemon citrus with a bit of orange. Also a good amount of spice (coriander being most prominent, but also some clove). Also has a general fruity/juicy smell. T - A variety of taste are present. Good amount of spice, mostly coriander with some clove, pepper, cinnamon, and nutmeg. This gives way to a fruity taste. Good amount of lemon and orange as well as apple. Also has apricot, peach, and hints of tropical fruit. Along with these are a touch of honey and bubblegum. Finishes with a bit of pale/pilsener malt and a bit of floral hops. Alcohol is slightly noticeable throughout. M - Medium body with good carbonation. Somewhat creamy and a bit of a drying finish. D - Very good drinkability. The diversity and complexity of flavors means that each sip is different, and makes me want to keep drinking. The fruitiness/juicy taste go great with the slight drying finish as well. Notes: Solid offering and good example of the style. Lots of flavors that go well together. Up towards the top for the style, not as good as Duvel, but Duvel sets quite a high bar to exceed. Definitely give it a try if you can.

750ml bottle, Rehills, Ncl. Beautifully soft golden ale. Lacks the herbiness of similar style Belgian beers and has just a faint tang in the back of the throat. Slight lemon sudsy aroma, leading to a pleasant sherbert taste. Medium dry finish, leaving a tingle on the tongue.

With a spicy, fruity aroma that you will not forget, this beer is refreshing one. Firm head that stays, hazy gold color with nice density. Coriander and fruits with light carbonation give this beer an outstanding palate. Alcohol is well blended, not noticeable. Overall a smooth, pleasant and very much drinkable beer.

UPDATED: DEC 19, 2011 750ml bottle. Hazy gold, towering white head fades but never disappears. Nose full of spices and fruits. A little grass and earth too. Taste is mild and balanced between sweet fruity malt, yeasty complexity and a little bitterness. Mandarins, minerals, coriander, a little banana, earth. Alcohol is firm but well-integrated - although it starts to feel a bit heavy as it warms. Finishes dry. Seems just casually charming. Complex but dangerously easy-drinking. [4.2]

As above, mostly. Fruit complexity manages not to be too sweet and although the yeast is pretty bready the bitterness whilst mild is enough to keep it easy-drinking. First glass was too cold and obscured the fruity malt - about 13C is about right for me for this one.

Bottle from shrubber85. Hazy straw color with nice head. Fruity, banana "skunk" aroma. Sweet hay flavor, slight banana aftertaste. Thin carbonated palate. Very pleasant

Hazy orange colour with thin creamy white head. Big corriander aroma.Smooth spicey mouthfeel. Slightly creamy. Dry finish.

Beautiful clear in both appearance and palate. Such a beautiful beer that has everything. It’s a little sweet, a little bitter, and a little perfect.