2.9 AROMA 5/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 5/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 11/20
33cl bottle. Surprisingly clear amber, loose cream foam cap. Bready, raisiny, lightly spicy nose. More gingery spice and torte-like malt in the mouth, finishing slightly sour with prickly, tannic bitterness. Suspiciously not-fresh, papery notes on second sips. Not life-changingly-amazingly-great, but I’d probably take it over most Scourmont bleues I’ve had of late.
2.5 AROMA 5/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 5/10 PALATE 2/5 OVERALL 10/20
Bottled sample from MLCC. Not my style of beer, but drinkable. Would not likely have this again
3.6 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 15/20
Bottle from Theatre of Wine, Greenwich. Brown pour with a reddish sheen, off white head. Smoky, sweet nose with hints of raisins, chocolate, nuts with some light coffee notes. Soothing flavours of raisins, chocolate, toffee, butterscotch. Sweet, fruity finish.
2.9 AROMA 6/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 9/20
75 cl bottle from Bieropholie, served at cellar temperature in a tulip glass.
App.: Very deep mahogany with a so-so light tan head.
Aroma: Warm nuttiness, a bit of booze and a cat food meatiness, burnt sugar, burnt toast (do I have a tumour??), a bit of fruitiness and hints of esters, there are some slightly more expected notes as it warms, but overall this is an unexpected disappointment.
Palate: Medium body, full, silky effervescence.
Flav.: Better than the nose. Nice fruitiness, a bit too much booze, sweet brown sugar and nuttiness, a few minty herbals, a little chocolate/vanilla?; sweet with a touch of bitterness and an alcohol nutty finish.
Certainly not a shining example of the style. I expected more.
3.9 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 16/20
Red brown, thick creme head. Aroma is malty and herbal (I’ve got a cold so the aromas are described in another one later), Full bodied taste, some bitterness, herbal, thick mouthfeeling, warming alcohol, but not dominating. Nice with a long finish with coffee, candy and toffees.
3.8 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 15/20
Bottle: Poured a clear dark burgundy color ale with a large off-white foamy head with good retention and some lacing. Aroma of sweet fruit ester and candi sugar is quite enticing and enjoyable. Taste is a proper mix between some candi sugar with notes of fruity ester and a medium sweet malt backbone. Body is a bit light for style with great carbonation and light creamy texture which is quite good with no apparent alcohol. Very nice for the style and something I wouldn’t mind drinking more often.
3.9 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 16/20
Bouteille de 33cl. Couleur marron foncé, superbe mousse qui tient assez bien. Des arômes de caramel, de cacao, voire fruits rouges. Bon équilibre sucré/amer, belle longueur. Tout celà nous donne une brune d’abbaye tout à fait appréciable. Trouvée à Vanuxeem - Ploegstaert.
3.4 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 13/20
Bottle. Poured a medium brown with a large rocky off white head that was mostly lasting and had excellent lacing. The aroma was of toasted malts, a leathery yeast and a slight herbal hop with notes of molasses and coffee. It tasted lighty sweet and sour at first and ended slightly bitter with a strong hint of coffee and a slight alcohol finish that lasted a short time on the palate. Mouthfeel was medium in body and oily in texture with a flat carbonation. Overall a tasty abbey ale.
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