N’Ice Chouffe

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

Serve in Trappist glass, Tulip, Tumbler

2003 version. Dark brown color. Large foamy beige head. Aroma is malty and spicy. A full bodied Belgian strong ale. Malts are nutty and sweet. Spicy, with coriander, brown sugar and thyme being the most prevalent flavors. Its slightly sweet, yet there is a distinct mustiness as well. Hides the 10% alcohol very well. There is a touch of alcohol burn in the aftertaste, but that’s all. Lively carbonation. Very cool painted/etched beer bottle. Mouthfeel is full and round. Finish is clean and smooth. Aftertaste is sweet.

Bottle (750ml). Shared with blankboy, GregClow and tupalev - blankboy’s bottle. Poured cloudy deep red-brown with a solid creamy rocky beige head. Lovely aroma of nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice and brown sugar/caramel roast malt, yeasty, mild alcohol - it smells like winter, wished there were an open hearth nearby. Flavour is spicy, the malt is sweeter, more candyish (hint of candy cane), still a little roasty, slightly chalky, with some herbal notes, citrus zest and alcohol emerge as it opens up and add a welcome pleasant hint of bitterness to the warm malt linger and finish. Mouthfeel is lively, sweet, sticky and creamy - I love these seasonal belgian strong ales, my ears turn red and I get a big goofy grin on my face.

Draft at Beer Run in Charlottesville, VA. Pours a hazy reddish amber color with a medium frothy offwhite head. Good head retention and lacing. Aroma of spicy notes, yeast, banana, and berries. The taste is toffee, earthy notes, citrus, toastiness and a spicy finish. Medium-full bodied. Nice beer.

Hard to believe I had not tried this one before. From a 2007 bottle sampled in late 2008. The body was dark coppery brown with a light yellowish khaki head. The smell is herbal with some bread and wood. The taste has some herbal thyme and is dry. There is also some wood and orange peels. I was not a fan of this really dry number.

Sampled at Cellar’s Wine & Spirits in St Paul. 2006 Limited edition (75 cl) pours a semi-hazy caramel amber brew with a fast dissolving creamy off-white head that reveals a creamy ring. Aroma of caramel malt, light dark berries, and a touch of holiday spice. Taste is smooth, creamy, medium to full bodied, very light carbonation with flavors of brown sugar, caramel malt and a touch of berries. Finish is a bit high alcohol with a sweet caramel and berry aftertaste.

0.75L. Poured brown with bits of sediment and tan head. The aroma has dark fruit, some sweet malts, a bit of spice, raisins, a wisp of chocolate and something vaguely citrus and sort of undefinable. Flavor is similar to the aroma with cherries, dates, plums, raisins, cinnamon, some subtle maltiness, a spice or two and silky chocolate. Nice dark fruit and chocolate after taste. No sense of the ABV.

Bottle. Pours dark amber with a big beige head. Dark fruits, spices, candy and malts in the aroma. Flavour is pretty complex with many spicy notes. Creamy mouthfeel. A really good beer indeed.

750ml bottle (bb.12.08.2011) from Vinmonopolet in Hamar. Dense and rocky beige foam, mostly resting on top of a murky, dark orange body. Fine lacework on the glass. Sweet smell of brown sugar partly subdued by dark fruits. Rather rich taste profile with raisin, almond, candy drops and with hoppy yeast to the finish. The well integrated warming heat from the alcohol makes the beer a solid dark winter warmer (shared with friends in Hamar after the world speed skating championships, 08.02.2009).