Maredsous 8

Brewed by Brouwerij Moortgat
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
Breendonk-Puurs, Belgium

Bottle shared by Crosling, thanks man. Poured a deep hazelnut brown color with a thick, pillowy off-white head that left nice rings of lacing. Aroma of toasty, bready malts with some light caramel and hints of plum, grape, and fig. Lightly fruity entry with hints of plum and moderate bready caramel. Finish seems a bit off with a weird ashy flavor masking a nice dry nuttiness. Full on the palate, but seems a bit over-carbonated.

(Half-pint on tap at Opal Devine’s in Austin on August 23, 2008) Dark, dark, deep mahogany with a nice white head. Aroma is sour and… mmm, yum… Flavor is dark, but harshly sour. Musky (in a good way). I like! No real aftertaste. You can really only detect a trace of alcohol on the palate. Honestly, there’s something delectable about it.

Perfect appearance with a reddish/burgundy color with yellow edges. Perfect Belgian head forms great shapes and lasts and laces well. Really light aromas with out much to describe. Nice flavor balance, with a touch of cherries, mocha, caramel and dough. Clean but not vibrant. Light mouth feel. Decent beer.

small bottle. poured with fizz,med carbonation.aroma is earthy malt. taste is dry and woody with a little yeast hidden in there. aftertaste is pleasant.

After reading Michael Jackson’s book Great Beers of Belgium and reading his raves about Maredsous and their beers, I of course had to jump at the opportunity to try one which the venerable Beer Hunter himself rated as one of his all-time favorite Belgian beers.
Pours a gorgeous rich moist earthen brown, like fresh soil, with a beautiful tan head at least 2 fingers thick. It takes a couple minutes for the head to settle into a luscious thin layer with brussels lace already gracing the sides of my glass. Sweet malty nose with hints of caramel, prunes, and some winter spices, nutmeg maybe. With great anticipation I take my first quaff. Sweet with a full body and mouthfeel. She is highlighted by the typical and spectacular Belgian effervescence which always keeps their beers dancing effortlessly on my palate. Sweet malts and chewy yeasts up front with caramel and prunes rounding out my initial impression. A dry finish with a growing warmth which highlights the spices I detect, nutmeg and some cinnamon. A richly complex dubbel from Maredsous, Brussels lace continues to coat my glass as I continue to quaff her luscious brew. The further I go, the more she mellows into a fabulous blend of sweet malts versus rich bitter nuts and warm winter spices with a hint of hop bitterness in the finish.
A fantastic beer from the Maredsous and right up there with other fine dubbels I have enjoyed in the last couple years. An easy drinking anytime beer, there is no question I could sit down at anytime and enjoy a Maredsous 8 by itself or with some rich creamy cheese and crackers.

Bottle. Brilliant, dark amber color, high carbonation forms a big head, malty caramel dubbel aroma, not much yeast aroma, touch of roast. Very robust flavor, a touch astringent, semi dry and semi bitter in finish. No hops detected. Full bodied, fairly clear, very little trub. Well done.

Had this on tap at Chimes East in Baton Rouge, La. It’s a reasonably priced higher gravity beer (not as cheap as Andy Gator, but better tasting). Slightly sweet taste, not very carbonated and the higher alcohol content doesn’t jump out at you like it does with some. I have it every time I go to Chimes.

Nice beer, but it needs to be warm before it tastes good, and I mean ’nearly room temperature’ warm. Aroma is a nice and slightly bitter one note caramel scent. Strong taste, not terribly subtle, but good. Aftertaste isn’t the best, but it has one and it’s a step above average, though woody in the negative sense. Very malty though, in its favor.