N’Ice Chouffe

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

Serve in Trappist glass, Tulip, Tumbler

UPDATED: FEB 9, 2007 Finalizing the annual series of brumal Belgians, N’Ice Chouffe was without a doubt the most gustatorily enjoyable and visually magnetic. Dark chestnut in color, its top was fluffed as a pillow, beige, and left behind thick foamy rings as it receded. The aroma was decidedly apt for the season, full of rich malts and spices, its structured complexity building upon a base of creamy milk chocolate and café au lait. Subtle notes of nutmeg, licorice, pepper and vanilla are revealed sequentially. As custard begins to take shape on the nose a combination of plum, fig and asparagus provides elegant and uncommon balance, a mature, exquisite profile. Chestnut reappears upon the taste buds this time, beside hazelnuts, artichoke, grapes and raisins. The palate, once more, inspires maturity with highlights of coffee, pepper, anise, cream and dried pear, a surprising stature I didn’t expect. The mouthfeel is smooth and opulent, with hints of malty bitterness and a long coffee finish. Those Belgian gnomes never cease to amaze me.

2004 bottle. Dark ruby/brown with a perfect tan head, made of tiny carbonation bubbles, lasts almost entire bottle. Great lacing. Aroma is a strange combination of citrus, dark fruit, faint alcohol, (more as it warms), and spice. Except I am getting a minty/parsley like spice/herb. Flavor is on par with all the top belgians IMO. Big sweet malt base, residuel sugars, plum and cherry, even faint banana, pepper, alcohol. Smooth creamy mouthfeel. Underated IMO. Catching quite the buzz after milking this thing for two hours!

This is an excellent holiday beer. Flavor is sweet with a clean carbonation and strong alcohol presence. Wish this was more readily available, it’s just too expensive.

Flowery, earth odor, thyme,, pours a cloudy brown with a nice tan head that whisps to a thin head in a few minutes. Starts off creamy smooth, sweet flavour then a sourness.

UPDATED: OCT 28, 2007 Draft at Sct Clemens. Fantastic beer. Wonderfull head and colour. Powerfull anis aroma, lots of flavorpower, here is everything. Bottle version: 8-4-8-4-15= 3.9

750 ml bottle. Lot’s of fruity and spicy aromas off this brown pour with a decent tan head. Flavors were more dried fruit with a nice background of spice. Very nice winter offering.

UPDATED: JAN 3, 2008 2003 Bottle, lovely cellared. Dark brown with a big not that lasting creamy coffee head. It starts quite slow, from obviously cocoa, coffee, and dried fruits, through banana and vanilla, to a sensual warming spicy vinous and a luxury cherry in alcohol. Full silky bodied, just a bit too alcohol for me. No trace of hoppiness but well balanced. Nice indeed.

poured from a 750ml bomber into a snifter, Ltd. Ed. 2005 vintage A: pours a beautiful, murky brown with a lovely light brown head, lasts a good little bit and laces mildly. This looks like I want to pour it over some vanilla ice cream. S: Yum, a solid mixture of a flowery and roasted molasses smell wafts out of the glass. Additional inhales detect some nice citrus flavorings hidden in there. T: My lord, I’m not sure if I’ve experienced such complex flavorings right out of the gate before. Describing this as simply malted sweetness would be not doing the brewer justice. It’s more of a wide array of darker fruits like raisins, the slight tartness of green apples and a delicious lingering butterscotch finish. M: definitely featuring some fizzy carbonation and a velvety smoothness that gives way to a slight alcohol feel on the swallow. D: for a 10% ABV strong ale, this is remarkably drinkable, I took my sweet time with it and enjoyed over the course of 60-90 minutes. I’d definitely buy this beer again.