McKenzie Abbey 8

Bottle: Poured an amber color with a medium sized head. The aroma was yeasty with banana and sugar malts. The flavor was very good, with hints of fruit, chocolate, toffee, sugar, and some spiciness. Overall, a favorite from McKenzie.

Date: 05/04/2005
Mode: Bottle
Source: Tasting

slightly hazy amber, sweet buttery aroma, rich malt flavor, not very complex

Aroma: 5/10; Appearance: 5/10; Flavor: 5/10; Palate: 5/10; Overall: 10/20
Rating: 2.6/5.0
Score: **/4
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The score was calculated based upon the notes and an old scoring system.

Draught at Kennett Square Fest, October 2006
Dark, milk-chocolate brown colored body is quite hazy, only showinga medium-low clarity. Deep beige/butter colored head is medium-sized and is retained at cover, leaving light lacing.
Very well-executed nose is reserved in fruitiness and ester/phenols, but still manages to integrate them in to the ample chocolate-caramel maltiness. Dry brown bread and light biscuits are contrasted with sweet chocolate-caramel notes, with a bit of honey-vanilla cream (pale/aromatic malts) behind it. Banana esters are soft and sweet, while more vanilla notes, light prunes and raisins all help to minimize the phenolic side. It turns out only a bit of clove, which comes off more allspice-like, sweeter and less intrusive in to the aroma. Little/no pepperiness. The malts really shine the most, though. Being very fresh and crisp, despite the choco-caramel sweetness, you can smell the barley-grain, almost, beneath the sugars. Just a nice wholesome edge to the aroma. Moderate esters and more raisin-prune notes trail off, with a pleasant, fresh yeastiness and a dollop of toffee. Elegant stuff, no alcohol noted, medium-high strength of aroma.
With all of the malt apparency in the nose, it’s no surprise when, in the flavor, the malt makes a big splash. Caramel/chocolate covered raisins, with very light plumskin dryness immediately create a balanced flavor. Buttertoffee and vanilla creep in on the edges, mixing with light banana and other fruit esters (cherries, strawberries, etc.) to add complexity and Belgian distinction. Light roasted notes and minor phenolics keep the balance on the finish. On the sweet side (though I never once thought too sweet), but the extra maltiness creates a tremendously soft, supple mouthfeel. Add to this a lightly brisk carbonation and fresh yeast. Vinousness increases as it warms. No alcohol noted. Lovely.

Bottle courtesy of hopdog and one of the dude’s final batches at McKenzies. Pours pinkish brown with a thin tan head. Smells perfumy with lots of dark fruit, spices and dough. Taste is of tarte cherries, lots of fruit, nutty malt and pepper. An excellent beer. I hope to see this brewer land firmly on his feet.

Appears a murky, copper toned amber with a 1 finger off white head that slowly fades out into a gentle collar. Mild speckles of lacing are left around the goblet. Smell is of a raisin & plum reduction infused with light brown sugar, yeasty dough, and a dash of cooked banana, and light dusting of cocoa & powderized vanilla. Mmmhmmm...sure do love that Rochefort yeast. It’s the shizle. Taste is of the same great aromas, only better. The complex flavors materialize into a well blended Belgian Ale. Perhaps not as complex as Rochefort itself but if Scotty Morrison could bottle these again and us uber-beer-geeks could sit on them for a while, I’m sure it would ripen beautifully. Mouthfeel is sugary, yeasty, mildly spicy, and semi-dry.