Barbãr Bok (formerly Barbãr De Noël) - Brasserie Lefèbvre SA

StJamesGate

New York

3.83/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a clear, pale ruby brown with a tall loose tan head that fades to lumps. Nose is yeast, orange and cinnamon oils, cedar and a whiff of booze. Light ginger cakes malts with kola spice hops, with hints of cardamon and raisin. Orange and coriander are in there all right. Tingly linger. Light, boozy, lively.

Lots of nice spice flavors that make this a good winter drinker, but too fizzy and hot to stick with.

Serving type: bottle

01-17-2011 08:38:12 | More by StJamesGate

Frosty80

Michigan

3.83/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Color: pours medium golden-brown. sits clear, dark brown with ruby hue, active carbonation and a thick cola-like head that dissipates as such initially but retains more with just a half inch left

Smell: strong hop, orange peel and coriander presence along with a light maltiness, and faint dark fruit and honey presence. aromas, especially the malt, are very clean and crisp and light

Taste: components come together as an obvious Belgian of course. pronounced yet balanced hop character. bitter orange and coriander followed by some honey and dark fruit notes. spicy yeast character. finish is slightly dry with a light hop bitterness and flavor balanced by sweet malt and dark fruit notes with just a tinge of smoke that i didnt get initially in the palate

Mouthfeel: high-medium carbonation and body

Notes: not bad. nothing great. personally would have liked a little less carbonation. otherwise a decent dubbel-like brew

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2011 03:14:18 | More by Frosty80

feloniousmonk

Minnesota

3.95/5  rDev +7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Barbar Winter Bok (aka Barbar Biere de Noel)

In the frosted Barbar handle mug, it appears dark brown, with a slim, tan head holding tight on top.

Aroma: Honey is evident, and doesn't contribute to too much sweetness, with orange there, too, and a nice drizzling of coriander. Interesting that the two main flavors of a wit are here in this dark winter offering, yet we don't really get the feel of a wit. The dark malts match those flavors to a t, although they don't add too many of their own. Some minor chocolate, a drip of molasses. (Or is that the honey tricking me?

Taste: sweet, smooth, and lightly spicy. Delcicious dark malt meets these sweet & spicy flavors, and I had to just call it a delight. It's not terrifically complex, but not everything has to be. It is medium to full body, and hangs in there on the palate, but doesn't overstay it's welcome. It's like sweet and lovely meets body and soul.

8% alcohol helps the heat and the warmth. Flavors are a total treat.

I'm still rather confused by the designation "book", while they yet call it an "ale". Maybe that word means something else in Belgium?

Something else weird, one the glass what looks like a sword and shield carrying amazon is a mono-toned outline, perhaps suggesting nudity? On the tap handle, the figure is clothed. Standards? Censorship? Whatever.It's a tasty brew, and I will return to it again.

Serving type: on-tap

12-14-2010 06:46:38 | More by feloniousmonk

Jason

Massachusetts

3.55/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

11.2oz brown bottle w/ a freshness date.

Slightly fizzy head still retains quite well, dark brown that is pretty much opaque. Massive waft of orange peel first then coriander and some earthy honey and toasted grain. Exploding smoothness with each sip that feigns and almost viscous body but actually is semi-dry and on the lighter side. Lots of orange peel and coriander with an edge of honey and a pinch of chewy malt. Slightly estery with a quickly dissipating sweetness. Suggestion of carob powder, yeast, fruit and spicy phenols in the drying finish.

Hits all of the winter flavors, alcoholic as well ... a good pick if you are looking for a slightly dryer winter seasonal.

Serving type: bottle

12-01-2010 02:14:46 | More by Jason

BlackHaddock

United Kingdom (England)

2.85/5  rDev -22.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

The fourth and final Belgian Honey Beer is an evening of Belgian Honey Beers: Flip-top 330ml brown bottle, poured into a Hoegaarden Grand Cru stemmed tulip glass.

Reddy-brown body, dark, but clear when held up to the light. A weak tan coloured head tried to sit on top for a while.

Heavy malt molasses in the aroma, with honey undertones.

The taste was of really sweet malty molasses, again with that undertone of a honey presence.

I found the beer both strange and too sweet. I generally like the sweeter brews, but this was over the top for me, almost sicky sweet towards the end of the mouthfeel.

Serving type: bottle

11-23-2010 19:07:03 | More by BlackHaddock

BeerAdvocate

Massachusetts

3.5/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Review from BeerAdvocate Magazine Issue #34 (Nov 2009):

Winter in Belgium is a glorious time, as nearly every brewery has some form of winter or Christmas Ale. Here, we have a strong Brown Ale that is brewed with honey, bitter orange peel and coriander.

Dark enough so the light does not make it through; solid lofty head nearly spills over the side of the glass, but thankfully we have a beer-pouring expert or the day would have been ruined. Sweet aroma with a couple of bitter whacks from the orange peel and coriander; a little buttery and juicy (cherries?) as well. Carbonation is pushy, with a big rolling crispness. Hints of roasted grain and orange peel battle against the maltiness and residual honey. Medicinal and clove phenols add more to the spicing that overtakes the malt but not its foundation. Finishes dry with a kiss of mineral/metallic flavor.

A bit in your face. Even when it warms up a little between the orange peel and the phenolic clove flavor, it really grabs a hold of the taste buds and does not want to let go. A good choice is looking for a strong, dark spice ale that is going to clean your palate with every sip.

Serving type: bottle

11-15-2010 21:58:21 | More by BeerAdvocate

Yoonisaykul

Quebec (Canada)

3.93/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

So my bottle just says Barbar Bok instead of Barbar Winter Bok but I guess it must be the same beer.

A- Very dark reddish brown. Almost looks black. Nice beige head is a very fizzy foam which is kind of different to me.

S- smells great. Cherry coke. The cherry in a ''fruit at the bottom'' yogurt. Yeast and a little something metallic. And then... it started fading a bit. Usually a beer ''blooms'' as it warms but not this one for some reason.

T- Dark cherry. A discrete but still noticeable typical Strong Belgian bitterness. Alcohol is hot and very present but it tastes great.

M- Medium to low carbonation. Medium body but can get quite foamy if you swish it around. This is a very good mouthfeel but nothing to some other BSDAs I've had the chance to try.

D- Good. Clean drinking. 8% ABV of course so you can't drink tons but it is a pretty drinkable brew.

The honey Barbar didn't do much for me so I wasn't expecting much but I liked this.

Can't say it's a favorite but would buy it again.

Serving type: bottle

07-28-2010 20:04:29 | More by Yoonisaykul

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

3.5/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Bottle: Poured a clear dark ruby color ale with a large foamy head with good retention and some lacing. Aroma of sugary dry fruit and candy is some what appealing. Taste is also dominated by candi with clear sugar notes and light dry fruit ester. Body is a bit thin for style with good carbonation and no alcohol was apparent. Not too bad overall though a bit too sweet for my own taste.

Serving type: bottle

07-15-2010 20:22:42 | More by Phyl21ca

eric5bellies

Australia

3.78/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Drank from my Achel Chalice

A - Pours a dork mahogany colour and a large bubbled off white head that dies quickly.

S - Burnt malts aromas from the bottle.Once poured more of a chocolate and jelly bean aroma takes hold.

T - Notes of dark spicey fruit and a hint of smokeyness.

M - Medium body and slightly overcarbonated

D - Not bad for the style but there are better examples

Serving type: bottle

06-18-2010 12:41:55 | More by eric5bellies

hubearth

Quebec (Canada)

3.6/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

Served into a Rochefort chalice. Should be served in a bock.
It was a bottle of 330ml with an old school pressure cap. Not the same bottle as on the picture. It just said Barbar Bok on the label, not Barbar Winterbok, but it's the same beer.

A: Really dark, like a stout, but very "liquid". It lacks a smoothness. The head doesn't stay even if I made it two finger tick. The head is white, wich make the beer less attractive for a dark one.

S: Soft, doesn't smell much, but it has great flavor. In order of what hit me: freshness, curaçao, caramel, liquoris. I'm not sure if I smell the corriander, maybe it's mixed with the curaçao. Overall, I like the smell, but it lack deepness.

T: I liked it better in a bock. You can taste the curaçao from the start, especially if you breath while you sip. The flavors start soft and evolve in the mouth. I can taste the corriander mixed with the curaçao. There's a taste of banana that comes at the end along with honey and evolves in a taste of dry fruit. It leaves you with that taste and some caramel too. A little bit of bitterness stays afterward too.
The 8% of alcool taste more than expected, wich kills a little bit of the flavors.

M: Good, but it could be more. There's not enough mouthfeel to keep a real good taste afterward.

D: I could have two but not more. The sweetness and especially the curaçao can get over you.

Overall: a good beer. It's not my first and not my last. When it's on the menu, I often get it.

Serving type: nitro-bottle

06-04-2010 22:23:08 | More by hubearth

dtivp

West Virginia

3.18/5  rDev -13.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured a dark amber , a little hazy with a big tan head that quickly dissipates into a small head with no lacing.

Dark fruit aroma with some sweet malt.

First tasted sweet dark fruit, plum and cherry then it finished with a slight hop bitterness.

Highly carbonated and a moderate body.

This beer has a little too much carbonation for me. It is an OK beer not my purchase list.

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2010 02:37:44 | More by dtivp

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

3.73/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Small bottle pouring black body, with no lasting head. Sweet honey and yeast aromas. Medium bodied, full carbonation. Tastes of cola, pepper, honey,ginger, cardomon,drop of clove, orange-grapey.Satisfying though slightly drying aftertaste.Significant alcohol.

Serving type: bottle

04-08-2010 01:56:33 | More by northyorksammy

brentk56

North Carolina

3.68/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: Pours a murky brown color with auburn highlights and a suitably massive head that leaves strands of lace behind

Smell: Fermented honey and caramel, with dark fruit, coriander and cardamom

Taste: Opens with the caramel and fermented honey flavors that grow increasingly sweet and mead-like by mid-palate, with undertones of overripe dark fruit, bananas, coriander and cardamom; after the swallow, a sweet, almost raisiny character arrives to dominate the finish

Mouthfeel: Medium to full body with medium to high carbonation

Drinkability: A bit too sweet to drink in any quantity, the beer is well brewed and provides an interesting flavor intersection between a BSDA and a doppelbock

Serving type: bottle

03-30-2010 19:59:21 | More by brentk56

chaz01

Ohio

3.65/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Beer of the Month Club item served in pint glass.

A: Dark brown, nearly opaque. Head takes up the entire top half of the glass, but quickly recedes to a nice brown 1 inch head.

S: I pick up sweet aromas of dark fruits -- dates, plums and cherries.

T: More dark fruits and cherry flavor, but not as sweet as the smell would indicate. Lots of spiciness and a bit of alcohol in the finish.

M: Well carbonated, creamy mouthfeel.

D: BOMC suggest pairing this with smoky barbecue type foods, and I have to agree. The sweet aroma is paired down a bit in the taste, making it easy to drink by itself or to complement a fine meal.

Serving type: bottle

03-28-2010 02:19:32 | More by chaz01

schoolboy

Ohio

4.4/5  rDev +19.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Va va voom! I think I can speak Flemish. Maybe it will take more of these and a little studying. This has all the great Belgian qualities that I like - the endless bubbles, the distinctive taste, etc. What it doesn't have are the funky things I sometimes associate with Belgians - cloudiness, over the top tastes or alcohol.

This is a Belgian you could have a couple of without contracting diseases for which Americans do not have a immunity. At least is seems that way. I almost thought it was an American take on a Belgian because of the clean taste. Like the head, the smell doesn't quit.

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2010 22:03:26 | More by schoolboy

scoobybrew

Iowa

3.95/5  rDev +7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A - deep dark amber color with a thick lasting head

S - fruity flavor present associated with sweet malt

T - sweet malt characterized by a light dark fruitiness, slight bitter hop finish (styrian goldings?)

M - medium body, moderately high carbonation

D - This is an interesting beer - it's too clean for the 'Belgian Strong Dark Ale' style, but not clean enough to be a doppelbock. Perhaps it's somewhere in between - and that's what makes it interesting and makes me want another.

Serving type: bottle

02-12-2010 03:06:27 | More by scoobybrew

rfabian

Texas

4.22/5  rDev +14.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into a tulip glass it explodes into a head that completely fills the glass leaving no ale at the bottom. As I continue to pour the head subsides slowly to leave a solid curtain of lacing. The appearance is brown and cloudy. The aroma is lightly of spicy hops and strongly of malt with a hint of orange. The taste is sweetly malty with marked coriander flavor and mild bitterness. The feel is full bodied with an astringent finish. This is a very enjoyable ale.

Serving type: bottle

01-07-2010 02:03:50 | More by rfabian

OneDropSoup

Pennsylvania

3.65/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Got this one in the December shipment of my BotM club.

Poured into a Gulden Draak tulip, a very dark purple-ish black with some pomegranate highlights, 2 fingers of light tan head made of big bubbles. Head drops to half-a-finger, thin but solid. Spotty, near-absent lacing.

Smells of dark, cooking fruits (plum, raisin, slight orange). Good smells but not strong. Halfway down, getting some very subtle Worcestershire sauce (?), like a vinegary, meaty taste, but then disappears quickly.

Taste is of dark grape juice, sweet & tart cherry, some alcohol presence, & dark, rum-like sugars. Booze picks up intensity with each sip, orange peel shows up & provide a mild bitterness in the aftertaste.

Feel is bubbly, a little prickly, medium-full body. The booze provides not heat, but palate fatigue, & my tongue gets a little worn out. As does my sobriety. Surprising effect from an 8% brew. Not bad at all, but I'm not sure I'd seek this one out.

Serving type: bottle

01-04-2010 00:20:15 | More by OneDropSoup

Tilley4

Tennessee

3.53/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Picked up a single at my local bottle shop..

Pours an almost ruby black yet not quite... Small thin head with not a lot of lacing... Looks rather thin..

Aromas of the usual suspects... Belgian yeast and sugar, some dark fruits, and a little toffee-like maltiness..

Sorta middle of the road on this.. Its good, but doesn't really separate itself from others in the style... Lots of sweet malts, dark fruits, hints of the yeast... A bit sweet, maybe a little cloying...

Overall, not a bad beer at all, but nothing that I would search out...

Serving type: bottle

12-28-2009 04:10:53 | More by Tilley4

ZAP

Minnesota

4.33/5  rDev +17.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A-Deep brown/maroon blend..light tan head on top fizzes like cola..

S-Smells yeasty...dark fruits (plums dark cherries)....

T-Sweet and very interesting....it has the backbone of a Belgian dubbel but is much sweeter...cotton candy like in some ways...orange peel and corriander evident...very sweet with mead like qualities...but the dark fruitiness of the dubbel backbone blends with it all nicely....very enjoyalbe...it sounds too sweet but it really isn't.

M-medium bodied at best...sweet and sticky but not cloying...finishes with a touch of light spiciness.

D-Different but recommended. Might be a little on the sweet side for some but it is not cloying.

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2009 05:35:49 | More by ZAP

bsp77

Minnesota

4.1/5  rDev +11.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Received in December shipment of my BOTM club.

Serving glass: Poured from bottle into Snifter.

Appearance: Dark brown with a purple-red tint. Moderate tan head with very large bubbles that mostly disintegrate.

Smell: Very dry, mead-like and borderline tart - coriander, orange peel, honey, cloves and figs.

Taste: Somewhat sweet upfront with a focus on fruity malts (maybe figs) and Belgian yeast (cloves, banana). Then it turns very dry from the coriander, honey and orange peel, while the cloves carry through to the end.

Feel: Moderate carbonation, relatively light mead-like body, dry honey finish.

Drinkability: Nice cross between a Belgian Strong Dark Ale and a Braggot. One of the better honey driven beers I have had.

Serving type: bottle

12-23-2009 02:35:45 | More by bsp77

natelocc787

California

3.43/5  rDev -7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Dark cherry body with a cola colored cap. Funny thing is, it fizzes and disappears faster than a cola head. Only light traces of lace are left but this beer shines in other areas. The nose offers dark cherries and plums and a chocolate soda aroma as well. The taste is all dark fruits and spice. Lots of dark ripe cherry, plum, caramelized brown sugar, candied pecans and ground coriander. Very tasty, the score could have been bumped with a better mouthfeel. Had a belgian feel to it, a little syrupy even though it was well carbonated it could have been fluffier and creamier. Not the most impressive BSDA I've had but definitely worthy. I wouldn't mind having this again, it was nice to switch from the many American Holiday brews I've had lately and try a Belgians take on the style.

Serving type: bottle

12-14-2009 02:49:17 | More by natelocc787

Qsy

California

3.78/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Serving Type: 330ml into pint glass

Appearance: Little head, dissipates quickly and leaves lacing.

Aroma: Malty & chocolate

Taste: Caramel malts and hints of honey and dried fruit with a bit of a hoppy bite. Some spice and brown sugar with a maple syrupy nutty finish.

Mouthfeel: Smooth, silky, syrupy mouthfeel with low carbonation.

Drinkability: Big beer served more as a dessert. I'd like to drink iit with chocolate cake.

Serving type: bottle

12-09-2009 16:45:24 | More by Qsy

Hophead101

Pennsylvania

3.8/5  rDev +3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

drank on 3.28.09 at bryan's beer tasting.

looks like coke - dark brown with hints of orange. head was light and creamy - very guinness like with decent lacing. good malty smell with a nice sweetness to it.

taste was sweet and malty and didn't notice the alcohol. was crisp and carbonated. the mouthfeel wasn't the greatest but it was a good tasting beer overall.

Serving type: bottle

12-05-2009 19:32:23 | More by Hophead101

scottoale

California

3.35/5  rDev -9.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

330ml. small skinny brown bottle with a Best before: L20100901 10:57...whenever that is? Tribal looking labels depicting ?, adorn the bottle. It pours out a dark mahogany brown with a small light tan foamy head. Not much in head retention and less in the lace dept.

Fairly sweet and fruity to the nose, some spice and that's about it. Fig, dates and honey comprise the fruitiness. Belgian yeast and sugar contributes the rest.

The taste is pretty much the same as the nose with little malty aspect, some definite spice and only just, some hop bitterness. The alcohol doesn't come out in the nose or the taste really. I'd think of it as a Belgian (notso) Strong Dark Ale, with emphisis on the Belgian. The body is medium with a lack of smooth and some fluff to the mouthfeel, but it's trying pretty hard to deliver. Easy enough to drink and worth a try as are most Belgians in my book, the price is not to bad for this one as well...give it a go.

Serving type: bottle

10-19-2009 08:07:44 | More by scottoale