Delirium Nocturnum - Brouwerij Huyghe

WVbeergeek

Ohio

3.5/5  rDev -12.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Appears a deep ruby brown very dark tone to it with a moccha colored head sitting on top, and there is basically no lace present on the edges of my glass. Aroma consists of a sharp sweetness with tingling hints of faint fruit notes all topped with the characteristic alcoholic nose of a Belgium dark strong ale. So far this beer is basically Tremens with some slightly burnt specialty malts, but the flavor just doesn't put it alltogether to me there is something lacking in this beer. Also the alcohol comes through in the flavor pretty strongly, a nice kick to the brew with the bite of alchol it delivers to the palate. Mouthfeel is medium with full heavy carbonation just a little too thin in body, but I would imagine in the bottle conditioning this beer would be fuller from the yeast. Drinkability well high abv is a strike against it, not overly complex, but this is not something I could drink regularly as a go to. It just doesn't do it for me.

Serving type: on-tap

06-05-2003 08:23:30 | More by WVbeergeek

RblWthACoz

Pennsylvania

3.8/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours a dark brown that has a lot floating around in it. Nose is just a clump of sugar. And I don't like it. Flavor is yeasty, bitter and funky. Sharp caramel edge on the backside. Feel has a lot of carbonation to it and a typical liquid feel. Overall this is an okay beer. Two years ago I might have been more interested in this beer, but then again, maybe not. With so much other great stuff out there, I don't really see why I should bother with this one here.

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2008 06:11:14 | More by RblWthACoz

Wasatch

Utah

3.95/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A - Pours a dark ruby red, nice carbonation, very nice head which really does not dissappear, ton's of lacing throughout the drink.

S - Scents of sweet malts, plums, citrus, slight caramel.

T - The taste is sweet/tangy, and fruity. Nice dry finish.

M - Medium body. This is a very well carbonated feel to the palate.

D - Drinkable. This is my first Delirium brew, and it's pretty tasty.

Serving type: bottle

06-25-2006 19:27:20 | More by Wasatch

jdhilt

New Hampshire

4.5/5  rDev +12.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours with a two finger, light tan head that leaves no lace. Pour this VERY slowly. Cloudy amber color. Malty/alcohol nose. Carbonation is heavy. Full bodied. Starts sweet and malty, finish sweet and malty with the hops lurking in the background. Fizzy mouthfeel. The ABV on the label is 9.0%. Another excellent Belgium.

Serving type: bottle

09-01-2003 23:03:49 | More by jdhilt

rhoadsrage

Illinois

3.95/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

(Served in a tall chalice)

A- This beer pours a dark brown opaque body with a thin light oatmeal brown head that fades pretty quickly

S-The smell of dark dried fruit and faint roasted malts with more pronounced caramel malts. A faint peppery note is in the background.

T- The malt is slightly sweet with an almost vinous note. Some brown sugar hints blend with the caramel malts. Some tart notes and a light bitterness finish this beer. As it warms there is a hint of chocolate and bourbon in the background.

M- The mouthfeel is medium with a bit of alcohol warmth at the finish. A bit slippery at the finish aswell

D- This beer has a nice full malt palate with some nice bitterness to balance. Enjoyably complex with a nice little punch.

Serving type: bottle

08-23-2005 22:12:15 | More by rhoadsrage

Jason

Massachusetts

4.05/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Inviting dark colour with good lacing, big fruity and alcoholic aroma. Smooth and creamy on the palate with a mellow up front sweetness, mild apple like tartness and a mix of medicinal herb, spicy alcohol and slight grain in the dry finish. This is one Belgian that I'll be going back to for sure.

Serving type: bottle

06-24-2002 03:58:14 | More by Jason

Billolick

New York

3.95/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Sampled a small bottle, no freshness dating to be found. Pours a dark, rudy cloudy brown, topped by a frothy tan head with excellent retention. Leaves some lacing ,but not alot. Nose is of sweet musty spoiled fruit. Big flavors abound here, mostly dark candy sugar, raisins, figs, chocolate, farmy, musty stuff. Rich, flavorful and warming. A style that can take some getting used to, but this is a pleasant, drinkable, if not spectacular take.

Serving type: bottle

10-28-2004 23:49:46 | More by Billolick

ppoitras

Massachusetts

3.55/5  rDev -11%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

11.2oz opaque bottle purchased today at Spirit Haus, Amherst, MA.

Poured into a tulip glass, large brownish head with resiliency, which leaves heavy lace. Gorgeous translucent maroon color when held up to a light, with an aroma dominated by raisins. Taste is okay, but not quite as malty as I would hope, and dominated by the raisin flavor, which in my opinion has become overpowering of all other constituents of this brew. That flavor domination also affects the mouthfeel and drinkability of this Belgian, which is acceptable, but pales in comparison to some others in its class.

Serving type: bottle

01-26-2004 00:57:35 | More by ppoitras

Zorro

California

4.35/5  rDev +9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a deep dark clear brown brew with a tan head.

Smell is rich dark almost over ripe fruit. Nice spice smells a clean sweetness comes through. A mild Banana bread smells comes through.

Taste is sweet tart and spicy. Fruit flavors come through with cinnamon and other spices and a nice bitterness. Similar to Banana Bread with Granny Smith Apples. Gets sweeter and fruitier as it warms up.

Mouthfeel is very good.

Very good Drinkability, but this is the stuff you sip and don't chug!

Serving type: bottle

03-15-2004 00:35:21 | More by Zorro

Rifugium

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

First had: on tap at ? (either Eulogy or Monk's, I assume)
(This review is from a recent tasting.)

A cloudy, dark, reddish-brown liquid with a healthy puff of light tan head that receded to a patchy layer and left a bit of soapy lacing on the glass. Aroma of dark sugars, malts, some cocoa hints, and some herbal/earthy hop notes. Taste is sugary, nutty, caramel, bready yeast, bakers' chocolate, hints of dark dried fruits, earth, herbal hops. Medium body, easily drinkable, very nice overall.

Serving type: on-tap

02-29-2012 01:57:55 | More by Rifugium

glid02

Georgia

4.1/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Got this from Green's in Atlanta.

Pours a very dark brown - almost black - with a huge three-finger head that eventually diminishes into a decent layer of bubbles on top. Lacing is good but could be better.

Smells like a very good Belgian. A lot of fruit, some earthiness, and a faint alcohol aroma, but it's very pleasing.

Tastes good. Very fruity - figs and the like - with some earthy flavors. Slightly metallic until it warms up, but it goes away quickly. No alcohol until the last few sips.

Mouthfeel is good. Carbonation is a bit too much, but the thickness almost makes up for it. Could be a little smoother.

This is a drinkable beer. Nothing spectacular as far as Belgians go, but it's very solid.

Overall this isn't as fruity as other Belgian Strongs that I've had, but in my opinion that's a good thing. Give it a shot if you haven't already.

Serving type: bottle

08-15-2008 23:24:47 | More by glid02

Gusler

Arizona

4.05/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Deep dark and handsome is the pour, the head is commodious, frothy consistency, and the lace clings nicely to the glass. The first snaffle is malt, bubble gummy, fruity, sweet and sniffable. The beer commences with a lightly sweet malt taste, the top is squinny, the finish is moderately carbonated, delicately hopped, long lasting and very dry aftertaste, quite a drinkable beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-10-2003 17:05:11 | More by Gusler

DoubleJ

California

4.55/5  rDev +14%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

It's been four years since I had my first Delirum Tremens, but you know, I've never put my lips to a Nocturnum! I think a 750 ml bottle will be enough to indulge myself in, and what a psychedelic label. On to the beer:

2009 is engraved in the cork upon opening. The beer lands into a globe shaped glass dark brown. When better light shines on the glasss, ruby red hues appear. The head is nearly white, over two fingers thick in foam, with super sticky retention and lace. The nose provides sweet fruity flavors, with dark grapes, pear, jam, and a peppery wave.

Delirium Tremens is sweet like candy. Delirium Nocturnum, on the other hand, is sweet like a dark grape. Damn, it really does taste like grape, and that flavor absorbs into your tongue. Sugary but pleasant, dabs of grapple (grape flavored apple) appear, a hint of nectarine (probably from the yeast)....a gentle additon of peppery spice adds another layer to this delicious beer. The body is very airy, almost like a cloud, and the carbonation gently stimulate the palate. I see that the bottle lists an 8.5% ABV on it, but I can't find much of it; there's a warming effect it gives in the throat, but it doesn't get in the way of the taste. Can you believe it drinks like a beer with two-thirds the alcohol content?

I originally was going to open the bottle for New Years, but I got tired leading up to midnight. I'm very glad to enjoy it tonight, and it won't be the last time I go to the dark side of the pink elephant.

Serving type: bottle

01-04-2011 06:56:43 | More by DoubleJ

wl0307

United Kingdom (England)

3.88/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

BB 31/05/2009, served lightly chilled in Kasteel's broad-rimmed chalice.

A: pours a black plum-ish brown hue, coming with a very restrained beige foam (retreating to a rim pretty quickly), rather light carbonation, and loads of chunky yeast sediments floating in the liquid.
S: dark candy sugar and caramely malts precede a mixed but light aroma of black grass jelly, black prunes, raisins, mint leaves, licorice, along with all the mixed sour-sweet fruitiness. Esters are mostly in their fruity form, while hops are too delicate for my nostrils to sense their existence. Not bad, but not terribly complex.
T: the foretaste is low in carbonation, suggesting lots of prune-ish flavour (licorice-flavoured Chinese amber prunes as well as black prunes), dried berries, mildly roasted sweet coffee, dried Chinese hawthorn fruits, and black-sugar like dark maltiness, turning mildly dry/chewy as hop bitterness creeps up. The finish continues with the aftertaste, that it's slightly dry, herbal, and befitting in preparing my tongue for every next sip.
M&D: carbonation goes smooth and mild, matching the medium body just well. I can't sense incredibly delicious elements or extraordinary complexity in this glass, maybe due to the relatively mild estery flavour as far as this beer style is concerned, but the overall performance is elevated by the lightly dry aftertaste in particular, making it an easy drinking and thirst-quenching type of dark ale. A well-made one all in all.

Serving type: bottle

12-11-2009 17:30:55 | More by wl0307

DrJay

Massachusetts

3.45/5  rDev -13.5%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

330 mL bottle. Really nice coppery brown colour, clear, except that giant chunks of sediment starting coming out of the bottle about 2/3 of the way through a slow, gentle pour. This really detracted from the look of the beer. The bottle had been stationary in my fridge for ~3 months, so I was a bit disappointed about this. Short beige cap, rocky collar, with a bit of lacing. Nice aroma. Alcohol soaked dried fruits, plums, cinnamon, sugary sweet, hint of dark malts and bread. Very sweet, sugary and malty with a lot of fruit character. Lots of plum and raisin character, moderate alcohol flavour and warmth towards the end. Toffee sweetness, bready malts, nice flavour overall. Medium bodied with ample carbonation, nice texture... except for the feel of big hunks of sediment entering my mouth. Not cool. This is a solid beer, but the poor sedimentation is a real problem for me. I can easily overlook a little bit of sediment at the bottom of a bottle, in fact, I expect it for certain styles, but this was ridiculous. I would have blamed it on myself had I not stored this beer for quite a while at low temps and poured it very carefully due to the opaque bottle.

Serving type: bottle

08-02-2010 00:45:01 | More by DrJay

biegaman

Ontario (Canada)

3.6/5  rDev -9.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

A truly spectacular appereance, deep chestnut with reddish purple highlights. A massive head that left thorough lacing. Really attractive. Aroma yeasty, with deeper 'barnyard funk' notes. That, and the taste, ample with hints of dried fruits, darker caramely malts, and plenty of yeast. Somewhat average in both those categories. Fairly light bodied, carbonation well controlled. No hint of alcohol what so ever. A nice Belgian ale. Quite pleasing minus the fact that no taste seems to linger. I experience an unfortunate abrupt dry finish that really cuts the beer short of being anything more than good.

Serving type: bottle

06-28-2006 01:53:28 | More by biegaman

kojevergas

California

4.1/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

Bottle into Brainblasta goblet in the Porterhouse, Dublin. Reviewed from notes.

A: Four finger head of nice cream, thickness, and retention. Dark amber colour.

Sm: Ester berry fruit, malt, barley. Quite fanciful.

T: Very complex balance of berry esters. They linger through the finish delightfully. No alcohol is noticeable (despite its 8.5% ABV). Brilliantly built. Their perfection lies in their subtlety. If Westy 12 is a masterful treatment of dark fruit, this is a masterful treatment if light berries.

Mf: Perfect coarseness and dryness for the style.

Dr: Brilliant. Not cheap, but certainly worth it, just maybe not in Ireland! You'd never know it was 8.5%. A fruit beer with cajones. Definitely give this one a pour, lads. You won't be disappointed.

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2011 18:25:05 | More by kojevergas

Brad007

Vermont

4.2/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Pours a dark brown color into my tall glass with a large white head and what seems to be ample carbonation.

Aroma is very rich and malty with only a hint of raisin and spice peeking through in the nose. A bit sweet as well.

The taste is again rich and malty. There are hints of raisin and dark fruits upfront. Seems smooth and chewy as well. Alcohol is well-hidden.

Mouthfeel is mainly dry with a hint of raisin at the back of the throat. Not much else going on here.

Drinkability is superb here. Reminds me of an Unibroue offering because of the fact that it's easy to drink and the alcohol is well-hidden. Deceptive. I don't see anything that would make it stand out much more but if you're a fan of this style, do check it out.

Serving type: bottle

08-16-2008 04:59:51 | More by Brad007

JohnGalt1

Idaho

3.5/5  rDev -12.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

330 ml picked up a the Coop for about $4.50.. shared with Brenda, mine from my Kasteel tulip.

Nice 3/4" fluffy lite tan had that leaves behind good lacing... Hazy walnut brown... I may be the only one who doesn't like the faux ceramic bottles; no matter how hard you try, I always get big blobs of yeast in the glass.

Lightly spicy with dark dried fruit.. caramel lite cloves and lite raisins and dried sweet sour cherries.

Big carbonation on a lite/medium body... flavor is exactly like the aroma except with a little musky and metallic notes.. not Delirium's best beer for sure.

I don't know why, but I always want my BSDA's to have a touch more body and alot more flavor.

Serving type: bottle

01-05-2008 05:14:53 | More by JohnGalt1

Cyberkedi

Georgia

4.35/5  rDev +9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Beautiful rich brown color with a thick and persistent head. Aroma is distinctive and has a hint of alcohol in it. This beer has a strong flavor and quite a nip to it, but it is still smooth and pleasant on the tongue, with a smoky undertone. This is a beer to be sipped, not guzzled.

Gotta love the pink elephant on the label!

Serving type: bottle

03-18-2007 01:25:30 | More by Cyberkedi

Huhzubendah

District of Columbia

4/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The beer is hazy and brown with hints of ruby. The beige head is about a half inch thick and leaves plenty of lacing in its wake. The aroma offers Belgian yeast, sweet malt, caramels, alcohol. Lots of yeast comes through. Sweet caramels soaked in alcohol. A present sweetness exists throughout. Distinctly Belgian, with dark fruits and light spices. Medium bodied with moderately high carbonation. Alcoholic warmth is there, most notably in the finish. Overall, a tasty brew. I would have this again.

Serving type: bottle

02-07-2012 01:27:26 | More by Huhzubendah

ccrida

Oregon

4.88/5  rDev +22.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

I've had this so many times, I can't believe I never reviewed it. 2007 vintage 750ml bottle (I've cellared since I bought it at the end of '07) poured into my Delirium Tremens snifter, Delirium Nocturnum is ruddy brown with a big light tan head that leaves very light, scattered lace.

Smell is very bright and fruity on the nose, grapes and little spicy.

Taste is rather full as well, big fruit esters complementing the sugary dark malt beautifully. In fact, it doesn't taste dulled at all flavor wise in spite of it's age, just very smooth. Without morphing into a whole other animal, it's all I could ask for in an ~ 3 year old beer, fantastic really, aged or not.

Mouthfeel is very smooth, dried by the ABV and highly digestible.

Drinkability is shamefully high. All that waiting, and I'm fighting myself to not gulp it down. One of the best BSDA's I've ever had, phenomenal.

Serving type: bottle

07-24-2010 05:55:39 | More by ccrida

RoyalT

Ohio

3.6/5  rDev -9.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Appearance – Careful, this one will overflow in a heartbeat. I caught it early so I’m no worse the wear, but the head on this ale is magnificent. It’s big, beautiful, darkly-shaded, slow to go down, and leaves a nice lacing on the glass.

Smell – The dark malt aroma is complimented by very ripe, dark fruits. If I had to pick the most prominent, I guess I would say plum and tobacco. However, this aroma is very complex. It is slightly spoiled by a rather strong harshness of alcohol.

Taste – There’s some table sugar that comes out in the taste. Otherwise, it’s pretty much what you get from the nose. Again, the stingy alcohol reminds one more of cheap whiskey than ale.

Mouthfeel – I like the carbonation in this one, and the body is very full.

Drinkability – This one lacks the smoothness of a fine, mature, BSDA. Most all the ingredients seem to be there, they just need an experienced hand in getting them all together.

Serving type: bottle

09-13-2003 07:43:54 | More by RoyalT

OWSLEY069

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a clean deep copper, reddish brown notes in the color and a tan head. In the aroma, a sweet white grape. In the taste, mostly white grape, a touch of dark fruit, and a small alcohol presence. A smooth, bigger bodied mouthfeel and a semi-dry fruity aftertaste. Easy to drink, a nice fruity presence and it hides the alcohol well.

Serving type: on-tap

01-09-2008 11:39:58 | More by OWSLEY069

avalon07

South Carolina

4.08/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured this from a bottle to a chalice. Had a near mahogany color and a nice half inch head on it.

Had a fruity smell, with some Belgian yeasts thrown in, as well.

Some apples, malts, yeast combine for a solid flavor. A little bitter on the finish, but good nonetheless.

Had a high rate of carbonation common to Belgian craft beers. Very prickly.

On the whole, a drinkable beer, with a high complexity to its taste - except for the bitter finish.

Serving type: bottle

02-20-2008 16:57:23 | More by avalon07