N’Ice Chouffe

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

Serve in Trappist glass, Tulip, Tumbler

Dark with a great white foam. N’Ice has a malty/spicey aroma with alcohol vapours present. Flavours are both chocolate and vineous with Xmas spices. A great Xmas beer.

UPDATED: FEB 24, 2003 ITS alive...the thick, creamy, frothy, bubbley, vibrating and climbing head arose from the shy cloudy red..subtle cherry tartness climbed through the nose as well as some farmhouse mustiness and mildew and many a dust cloud..a wet basement awaits you..fermented overripe cherries and squishy grapes with the sugar sucked away..and dusted with chalk..dark fruits, mustiness, dustiness, oldness, almost elderly in its complexity..almost like inhaling spraypaint and chewing a cherry now-n-later

UPDATED: JAN 12, 2008 1/12/08: Re-rate. Draught at Blue Nile, Minneapolis. Virtually identical rating as the one I did 3 years ago. Aroma was docked 1 point. Dusty and yeasty aroma. Huge! tan head. Had to wait to drink it. Dark, murky body. Decent lace. Very sweet and very good. Not too strong. Distinctive flavoring. Not too heavy. I prefer this slightly to the Bell’s Old Coast b-wine I had just before it. That’s saying something. A very nice brew. 1/23/05: A very rich, sweet and malty nose. Lots of visible particalia. No visible carbonation. A still brew. Nice rich, dark amber color. Highly carbonated. Ar 8, Ap 5, Fl 8, Pal 5, Ov 17

Tall wine styled green 75cl bottle with a big cap and no cork. 2004 Edition - Deep dark mahogany cloud with a bloodish hue within. The perfect medium sized cap grows up quickly from the pour. Its dazzling soft whipped foam is very lovely and its color is lightly off-white with a slight sandy cover. Lacing is delicate and lasting in sheet lined dangling thick strings. One fine looking glass Aroma is lightly perfumey and complexing with a dark tender fruity zip of dark berries, raisin, prune, orange zest, and starfuit. Larger then life sitting on top is one complex alcoholic spice with tinges of metallics, flowery vineous powder, pepper, thyme, and ethonalic-like heat. Taste is nearly as complex with a simple, delicate, and firm display of dark grapes, raisin, orange, and dark candied sugar. Semi mild mid range spice and alcohol noted throughout. A bit peppery and floral. Almost minty with very microscopic tin tannins making the alcoholic warmth a bit earthy and softly dry. Feel is finely carbonated and forward with a full body and fluffy, tingly texture. Dark, mildly fruity and malty; sugary soft and nearly doughy. Smooth overall and balanced with a great little additional spicy warmth and one greatly adorned quiet dryness. Warming, soft, darkly sweet, and quite good and drinkable for 10%. A very nice Belgian brew. Recommended.

2005 bottle. One to be savored slowly. Overall, in the grand scheme of things, probably a middle of the road Belgian strong. But I happen to love Belgian strong, and this one was almost perfect in its complexity. Surprisingly light bodied for so much alcohol; Belgians do that best. Did not detect the spices or orange peel, but did detect a judicious amount of hopping. Aroma was mild, considering the style. Very tasty, and a grand winter warmer. Excellent example of a "special" Christmas seasonal.

Shared with blankboy, gregclow, and hogtown harry, thanks for the bottle blankboy. Dark brown, medium bubbly off white/orange head, looks nice. Alcohol, spice, sweet aroma. Wonderful taste! Lots of spice, lots of malt, some alcohol. Full bodied for the style, yet balanced with a perfect amount of carbonation. A near perfect taste for the style. Bloody lovely.

My first "Christmas" beer of the season, and a damn fine one at that. Pours great turbid dark brown with a medium, off-white head. Aroma of malt, barnyard, similar to Westy 12. Tastes malty, with great complexity and balance, and a slightly dry finish. I detected spices, florals, citrus, and dark fruits in the taste. A world class beer.

Intense multilayered aroma; yeasty, sweet, musty, spicy. Deep ruby color, thick lasting fluffy head, nice looking. Has a spicy yeast flavor…also sweet, very rich. Finish is unexpectedly dry. Medium bodied, slightly warming. Yum.