Malheur 12

Brewed by De Landtsheer
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
Buggenhout, Belgium

Serve in Trappist glass, Tulip, Tumbler

Bottle courtesy Santa. Pours a reddish brown color, with a frothy white head, and creamy lacing. Sweet ripe fruit aromas, citrus, apricot, plum, and a nice feeling of brown sugar. Prunes in the flavor, lovely caramel, grape, apricot, some citrus, some vanilla...just good. Carbonated well, full of life and malts, balanced very well however. Dangerously drinkable.

UPDATED: JAN 28, 2010 This is a beautiful specimen. It was given to me by Mr. Footy himself as a bribe to stop me from exposing his true identity. He’s a real character. Brew pours dark in color with a tall lasting head. Aromas of Belgian rock candy. Medium nectar with ample residual effers creating a fizzy texture. This brew is quite complex with a moderate sweetness component that does remain in check by the strategic use of hop spicing. It’s got all the hallmark characteristics of a classic. Great depth of flavor while remaining light and airy. The abv strength is unnoticeable. Good spice levels mingle with dark fruit and a subtle cocoa essence. The finish is long and bitters up mildly for good balance. Well done! 7-24-2008 Pours dark with a modest fast fading head and minimal lacing. Aromas of darkfruit and cake bread push forward. Medium nectar with superb carbonation boasting a soft cotton texture. Balance is virtuous said the blind man. This brew is very complex from all the dark fruit flavors, hop bittering, and drinkability that it stands to be very thirst quenching and as refined as can be. The finish has a hint of beer and a define bittering component reminding me of Germany for some reason. Cakebread, coffee, plumb, peaches, spice, nuts, etc.....

Pours dark brown with bubbly light brown head. Aroma is caramel, grapes. Flavor very caramely, heavy malt mouthfeel and alcohol undertone. A bit too sweet.

UPDATED: AUG 5, 2011 33cl, from De Hopduvel Gent, complex brew, very heavy, not balanced, hazy, good head, good brew, but too sweet

Bottled. Dark and hazy brown with a rather large tan head. Somewhat sweet with notes of malt, prunes, raisins, caramel and cocoa.

Bottle date 13.11.10; Sampled July 2008
A careful yet vigorous pour easily produces a three-finger thick, lightly browned, dark tan colored head. The beer is very dark, deep amber, concentrated brown color that shows a brilliantly clear, dark ruby hue when held up to the light. The aroma is a mix of fruity plum, warming alcohol and sweet spice notes. The nose reminds me a bit of molasses rich ginger bread, some touches of cane-rum soaked raisins, dried figs, Brandy fusels, and fermented prune juice. Spicy notes of clove, a touch of ginger. Buried in the aroma towards the finish is a nice, toasty malt character that contributes some browned biscuit like notes. An interesting, very fruity aroma that definitely shows its 12% abv strength, but somehow manages to come off as being fairly mellow.

Sweet tasting with some toasted, dark malt flavors. This is quite light bodied, especially given the strength though I wouldn’t quite call it quaffable; it is close though and could certainly be dangerous if drunk by someone not realizing its strength. The ample fruitiness continues through to the flavor of this beer with notes of prunes, caramelized raisins, dried figs and even a bit of cherry (in that order of intensity). Some dry cocoa notes come through in the middle, but then the sweet fruit notes seem to sweet the palate clean of this flavor. Noticeable alcohol flavors combine with the other flavors to produce notes of dark Rum, caramelized Brandy and a touch of some tongue numbing, spiced liquors. Speaking of which, flavors of clove, turpene like allspice, light ginger and some pepper notes play a sometimes substantial role as well.

An tasty beer, while it does not do a good job of hiding its substantial strength, it never gets hot or harsh and the alcohol seems to integrate with the other notes. The light body on this brew was also quite nice, never cloying or sticky, yet still rich, satisfying and a sipping brew.

UPDATED: JAN 22, 2009 Bottle at Monks 7/15/08...Brown body with an off-tan head....this beers aroma really changed nicely from start to finish...it began with almost nothing in the nose except distinct licorice Mike and Ike style....it then opened up to a wonderful candy sweetness...the body had a lot of carbonation...that eventually settled....flavors of licorice....light malt and a spiciness... this is the first beer(or one of the few) ive dug that has licorice qualities....finishes with a candy sweetness and the alcohol is extremely well hidden

Pours a hazy copper with a frothy off-white head. Spice, bubble gum, caramel, plums, figs, and yeast in the nose. Rich, velvety mouthfeel. Vinuous taste along with molasses and the darker fruits. Heavy malt, but more like a sweeter cognac than caramel. Warm alcohol finish. A very nice beer.