Mc Chouffe

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

Serve in Thistle

Big thanks to my brother for gifting me this for Christmas. Semi-turbid ruby pour with a huge, creamy white head. Aroma of malt, hopcit, fruit, peat. Tastes malty, fruity, with some hops and added fruit at the finish. Firm, dense palate, and a great balance and complexity. This one kicks ass and takes names.

Murkey brown with a nice froathy head. Heavy fruit aroma fills the nostrils nicely (on a side note ive got a cold and the aroma feels good on my soar throat). More alcoholic flavor than the other scotch ale that I had. Still a pretty earthy flavor. Palate lingers nicely. Grab one.

Bottle from Peckham’s. Fairly sure nobody in Scotland ever made anything like this! Dark brown, beige head. Aroma of fruity malt, smoke, spice, yeast. Warming mouthfeel with pleasant warming finish. Lovely drop.

UPDATED: FEB 8, 2006 NIce beer, but a little too strong and without sense soetimes, can be described as a good beer but it was too alcoholic. The foam is good, of course.

A’Chouffe’s La Chouffe has been on speedy rotation from cellar to fridge to glass for years now, yet I’ve kept this one in the dark for more than 2 years without the need to crack it. Well, tonight was the night the seal was broken, and the reward was worth the wait.
Into a La Chouffe tulip, cool but not cold. Deep, deep garnet body, shimmering in the light, and crowned off by a wonderfully thick, creamy beige head that I think is the hallmark of this brewer’s beers. Stretched a good two inches up the spout, stabilised and frosted over the glass as I downed it. Xmas fruitcake aroma with light notes of toffee, burnt toast, figs and prunes, and a good dose of vinous, spicy alcohol. Becomes a little woody after a few whiffs, a damp forest floor comes to mind, unusually inviting. Strong and rich in the mouth. Starts off with aged plums, caramel and walnuts, doughy yeast and dark malts, and a light hint of roasted grain. Lively carbonation throws the flavours around the palate and moves it along swiftly. Develops a pleasant, fruity sweetness like sultanas, dried cherries and figs, which balance the nutty, darker malts. Finish is all topsoil, fell fruit and wood which gives the impression of something nasty, but it works to make this a delicious brew. Alcohol is nowhere to be seen, despite being noticeable in the aroma, and in this one’s case is a bit of a let down as it is too easy to drink. It’s like liquid fruitcake. Lovely!!! (75cL, 2005, Con’s Case place [now under new-management])

Pours a nice clear dark copper color, with a thick foamy tan head. Nice lacing. Very sweet and fruity aroma. Malty flavor, with fruit, yeast, and sweet bread. The flavor is good, but not as bold as the aroma suggests. Medium to full body, abundantly, yet softly, carbonated. A little bit of anise and alcohol in the finish - something like a mild zing of ouzo.

These guys make dangerously easy-to-drink strong ales. May the good Lord forgive them for all the hangovers they’ve caused, the magnificent bastards. I’m not sure what tartan the gnome on the label is wearing but he’s welcome to join my clan. It pours a plummy brown colour with a healthy rocky head. The big ripe nose hints at the high alcohol content. Rum and raisins, with a handful of nuts for good measure. It’s medium-bodied and slides down a treat, leaving a firm bitter hop finish. Great balance, with hints of madeira, fruit cake and nuts. It lacks the muscle of a true Scotch ale but it’s a terrific act in its own right. It’s light enough that you could drink it on a warm summer day. Well done gnome - or as they say in the home of Scotch ales - go on yersel wee man. (Bottle)

750ml bottle that I picked up in Belgium, with a best before 2008. Pours a cloudy, red tinged, dark brown with a two finger head that fades quickly to a thick cap, leaving behind a thick sheeting of lace behind. Smell; very nice dark fruit aromas with plums, dates and maybe a little raisins. There’s also some nice caramel, and toffee notes, and I’m also piking up a little coffee in here as well. Taste; the toffee and caramel are very evident in the flavor with the dark fruits with plums, dates and raisins filling out the middle. The finish has a very rich chocolate presence with a little bit of some coffee notes in there, and touches of yeast. This has a very unique flavor profile, that I’m really liking tonight. Mouthfeel/Drinkability; the mouthfeel is medium bodied with a very smooth but active carbonation, and the drinkability is just great. I’m having a hard time putting down my glass.