Rochefort Trappistes 8

Brewed by Brasserie Rochefort
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
Rochefort, Belgium

Pours a murky brown color with nice size head. Aroma is similar to the 10 only slightly lighter. Taste is very good much like the 10 but more fruit flavor and not the chocolate notes like the 10. I prefer the 10 but this one is close.

Bottle. So I didn’t put a lot of effort into rating this one, but after 1500+ other ratings, it’s probably alright. Already rated the 10 and the 6, and, well, this one smells like a Rochefort, same earthy yeastiness, yeasty breadiness, same rich fruitiness, just in between the other two. Lots of figs, apples, raisins, pears, prunes, etc., some nuttiness, lots of toffee, it’s a Rochefort, nothing I’m going to say is going to change anything. I will say that I don’t understand why some folks prefer this to the 10 because to me the 10 is magic, and this is just a breath away in pretty much every regard (hence my numerical rating of 1 point less in each category than the 10). ...Rerate I’ve basically decided it smells and looks as good as the 10 but falls short once it gets in the mouth in terms of filling the mouth with all goodness the 10 does.... It’s awesome, enough said.

Sampled from bottle: pours a murky brown colour with a medium sized beige head. Aroma is pleasent, raisins, fig newtons, black cherries and soft chocolate malt. Mouthfeel is creamy, rich, with soft noticeable alcohol taste running along the palate. Flavors are semi sweet, caramel malt, dark fruit and soft spice.

Not the best of the trappiste ales but definitely worth a try. Ranks somewhere between Chimay and Achel

Cloudy chestnut brown color. Aroma of cocoa powder, toasted nuts and dark fruits. Toasty and chocolaty malts accompanied by light yeast esters and hints of cherries in the finish. Lively carbonation and some nuts in the finish.

Light chocolate brown pour and a soft brown/tan foamy head. Aroma is a deep dry fruit with just a touch of sweetness wafting in as well. Was just a bit watery on the front of the palate. Mild fruity flavors (consistent with plum or raisin, but not overbearingly fruity) and a sweet malt flavor. Very clean finish. Excellent beer. The 10 is better, but the 8 is also an exceptional beer.

Pours a ruby-tinted brown. Smells of mottled berries with cocoa. Lots of malts in the taste accompanied by chocolate, along with lighter fruit accents. Definitely some alcohol hints, which just had to it’s complex character.

Bottle BB 05/09/12. Pours hazy brown-amber with thick lasting head. Very nice big aroma of flowers, fruit and bread. Slightly woody and nutty, roses, lilies, strawberry. Burnt sugar, soapy perfume. Very nice! Flavor is medium big with high carbonation and malty, fruity sweetness. Chocolate, hazelnuts, strawberry and warming alcohol. A hint of pineapple. Finally some bitterness from alcohol and yeast. This is simply put a very great beer.