N’Ice Chouffe

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

Serve in Trappist glass, Tulip, Tumbler

Dark brown colour, tan head. Aroma is sweet, of caramel and dry fruits. Flavour has fruits and caramel. Alcohol present. Dry ending.

750 ml bottle shared by dbsdelight at the Royale- thanks, Dan! 2004 vintage. Pours a cloudy amber color with a small off-white head. Aroma of Belgian yeast, cardboard, fruits (cherries, raisins), spices, caramel malts, and candi sugar. Flavor follows along the same lines with some brown sugar and honey sweetness as well. Medium-bodied, with a syrupy mouthfeel and low carbonation. Not really my thing, but a nice complex beer.

Last bottle with my Buster boy. You’ll always be my ’good boy,’ lil’ Buster!
2006 Vintage. Pours deep brown but body is too thin to be taken seriously at this point, and the quickly fading head doesn’t help to build any anticipation to explore this beer any further. NFL "season recaps" flash across the screen, my dog lies still next to me. I pet Buster and then take a sip: my tongue is tickled by a syrupy candied sugar mix, maple extract, and blended raisin. Tingly and full mouthfeel. A great brew to cap off a great dog. Maybe "Nice Chouffe" is Belgian for "good dog?" In my mind, it means that. Daddy loves you, Buster. Always.

1998 Version. Fruity, candy nose, some spiciness. Murky brown, a large toffee head. Prunes, plums, raisins, bready, warm alcohol presence. Incredibly complex, Wonderfull, tongue tingle. Superb!

750 ml bottle. Finland.
Dark brown colour with nice small creamy light tan head. Sweet caramel, toffee, gravy, dark fruits, apple and bready malt. Bready malt, sweet caramel, mild bitterness, Belgian yeast, mild alcohol and dark fruits in flavour. Alcohol warms. Smooth and enjoyable. Très bien.

Tap, Kulminator Antwerpen. Ruby red, excellent lasting pale beige head and gentle condition. Big fruity spicy aromas with hints of caramel and roast barley. Sweet and spicy in the mouth with corriander and cinnamon apparent and a gentle distant hoppiness. Slightly sweet and syrupy aftertaste with a lingering roasted note.

2002: Malty, complex nose. Very nice mouthfeel. Decent helping of candy sugar. Sweet and "hot" flavors and senses. Thyme in the foreground, bitter orange peel in the background. Bitter finish. Thyme seems to blend well behind the alcohol, but it's presence is much too noticeable. 1999, in comparison (aged 3 years): Maltier, sweeter, much less spicy (Thyme is in the background more) and it has a gentler carbonation. Unfortunately, it seems to have a fruity, "cardboard-like" nose, with "boxed-fruit" flavors, however you want to take that. While I enjoyed both, I didn't have a favorite; kind of liked some elements from each... and could've done without some elements of each. Either way, pretty good stuff, I'm just being critical.

Bottle @ Rachel’s mom’s house. Brown appearance with light brown head. Medium booze, candy sugar, belgian ale nose. Fairly smooth, mild hippy, candy sugar, belgian strong ale flavor.