Delirium Noël - Brouwerij Huyghe

PeterIngemi

Massachusetts

3.5/5  rDev -10%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from one of the big boy 750 bottles into a duvel snifter

A: brown/ruby with a 1 finger white head, not as dark as I had expected

S: Belgian yeast and spices, banana, cherry, sweetness almost like faint molasses, kinda reminds me of ginger bread houses.

T- Belgian yeast and spices, cherry, light apple/pear, raisins, caramel

M- medium bodied with high/medium carbonation

O- a good beer, very complex, not really my fav
Though, i prefer the tremens and nocturnum. But deffinatley worth trying.

Serving type: bottle

01-14-2012 04:38:11 | More by PeterIngemi

tvv375ia

Iowa

3.75/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

poured from 11.2oz bottle into pint glass

A-slightly cloudy mahogany with about a finger of head thfades quickly to a small cap with no lacing

S-carmel malts, spice a little dark fruit and banana

T-starts a little metallic the many of the smells come through in the taste as well

M-nice meduim body not as sweet of finish as I expected because the smell was a little sweet

O-well hidden alcohol for 10% the metallic start to the taste was a little disappointing other than that it was enjoyable

Serving type: bottle

01-14-2012 02:35:55 | More by tvv375ia

chinchill

South Carolina

4.15/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

11.2 oz very stylish bottle with red foil.

Loads of dark fruit aroma and flavor. High ABV is REALLY well hidden. Prune, fig, and light spices in the taste.

Mouthfeel: very good carbonation level, but medium-light body is s bit watery.

An exceptional holiday ale, rather similar to Delirium Nocturne (which I sampled just minutes before).

Serving type: bottle

01-08-2012 03:30:03 | More by chinchill

Holland

Pennsylvania

3.25/5  rDev -16.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: dark brown with a very large tan head that leaves a creamy lacing

S: yeast, sweet roasted malt, spice

T: sweet and toasty with spices that aren't overpowering but it just seems average

M: smooth and creamy feel with heavy carnonation is a delight.

O: decent but not something I will rely on.

Serving type: bottle

01-03-2012 01:37:11 | More by Holland

justintcoons

Pennsylvania

3.15/5  rDev -19%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Poured into a snifter.

A: Pours a burnt ruby red with 3 fingers of fluffy off-white head that dissipates extremely slow. Heavy carbonation.

N: This literally smells like banana bread. There's also some notes of cinnamon and coriander.

T: Banana bread, coriander and peppercorn upfront. This is followed with molasses, cinnamon and perhaps some nutmeg. Finishes with molasses, banana and a bouquet of spices including cinnamon, clove, coriander and nutmeg.

M: Light-medium bodied, creamy, smooth, slightly sticky and dry.

O: A little over spiced for my tastes. Solid malt tones of bread and molasses underneath. Decent, but nothing that I'll search out again.

Serving type: bottle

01-02-2012 16:52:22 | More by justintcoons

Brabander

Netherlands

2.83/5  rDev -27.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

This beer is a bit disappointing when you look at the name of this brewer.

I bought this beer a few weeks ago at the shop of the Bierparadijs in Meer, Belgium.

The biggest problem this beer has is the smell, much too smokey. The fluid is amber coloured. Taste is very weird, i had some problems with this taste. To be honest i had much better Christmas brews!

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2012 22:34:47 | More by Brabander

IPA35

Netherlands

3.83/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

It is a ruby, brownish beer. The head dissappeared immediatly.

It smells of banana, belgian yeast, spice, sour cherries and dark fruits in general. It also has a metallic hint to it. Smells of christmas.

Now then, the taste. This beer is very very sweet. And they didn't use sugar in the brewing process. It starts out with sweet dark fruits. Not really heavy on the fruits, more of a mild flavour with a spicy background. Then it becomes malty but them sweetness never fades. Slightly alcoholic in the aftertaste. I am ot getting much hops. Did I mention it is very sweet?

The mouthfeel is medium, quite thin actually with medium, below average carbonation.

Overal a nice beer, nothing wrong with it, not too special and very sweet.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2011 16:29:44 | More by IPA35

EkimGram

New York

4.03/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

Appearance: 750mL bottle poured into snifter. Colour is a deep brownish-red, has a rube-lick quality to it. Head is modest and fine, fades leaving a thin lacing. Plenty of visible (and audible) carbonation.

Smell: Spicy Belgian yeast is first and foremost. Following are some malts, dark fruits, and some sort of dark sugar, molasses perhaps.

Taste: Again, the Belgian yeast is the leader followed by some caramel malts. Slight touch of alcohol and a sweetness found in this style. Overall, a pleasant mix of flavours.

Mouthfeel: Light to medium body with an exciting level of carbonation that brings something not found too often in this style. Silky and a little sticky.

Drinkability: A very solid and enjoyable brew; perfect to enjoy with a nice holiday in the winter. Nothing too complex but this isn't a brew that leaves for any type of desire except for more.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2011 04:58:51 | More by EkimGram

paulcox

Iowa

3.55/5  rDev -8.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A- Deep red to carmel reddish. 1-1.5 fingers of light tan head, which dissipated fairly quickly. Persistent carbonation, but not overly aggressive.

S- Malty, with caramel / sweet overtones. Pronounced apple / pear aroma. Touch of grass.

T- I just didn't pick up on the raisin / spice combo so many here have mentioned. Primary flavors for me were fruit (apple), malt on the front end followed by hoppy middle and finish. Distinctive yeast throughout.

M- Nothing special of note for me here. Only very slightly warming.

O- Drinkable beer, but not as robust as I'd imagined. That's not a slight, I just don't think I've tried enough Belgian strong / holiday ales to have informed expectations. Would buy again if it were convenient and reasonably priced.

Serving type: bottle

12-29-2011 16:07:21 | More by paulcox

gushov

Germany

3.53/5  rDev -9.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A nice Christmas warmer.

Lovely dark pour with ruby red highlights and a tan moussey head. The beer has a strong cellar aroma backed up with little dried fruit and little alcohol.

The taste has a nice fig note and some sweet malt coming through but the alcohol seems a bit hot. I find the beer medium-to-full bodied, fairly highly carbonated and a bit astringent in the finish.

Overall a good beer for a cold winter night.

Serving type: bottle

12-28-2011 14:57:04 | More by gushov

steelerguy

New York

3.63/5  rDev -6.7%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A - A little lighter than expected for a Belgian Dark Strong, very high carbonation feeling a less than spectacular head which fades rapidly and really leaves no lace.

S - Very yeasty, dark fruit such as raisins, and some spice. Almost has a chai tea like aroma.

T - Interesting, lots going on some good and some bad. The dark fruit and yeast are nice (perhaps a touch too yeasty) and the alcohol at the end let you know this is definitely a strong ale. The spice is too strong, too many penols in here it seems, they just kind of overwhelm you from beginning to end.

M - Light body, and lots of tingle from the carbonation. The alochol gives a nice warmth at the end.

O - Not a bad beer, but there are just too many other Belgian Dark Strong Ales (like their own Nocturnum) to get this again.

Serving type: bottle

12-28-2011 00:03:18 | More by steelerguy

Daniellobo

District of Columbia

3.48/5  rDev -10.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Fair and sociable festive offering, but nothing really memorable.

Presentation: 750 ml corked and painted brown bottle resembling white ceramic (follows the initial batch of their flagship, which seems to have been done with cheap overstocked bottles from a German brewer initially, and then became an identity sign.) Winter label, with an elephant wearing a Santa hat skating under the snow flakes (a few variations are introduced of the illustration on this Noël releases I think…) Cork notes date (2011) and label offers a notched date (03 11). Shows 10% Alc. by Vol. Served in a tulip glass.

A - Clear (maybe the slightest of haze, maybe, in the final serving) amber brown pour, with a short fizzy head, small retention, minimal surface memory and no lacing.

S - Pleasing if generic nose, caramel, soft yeasty sense, with dark fruit, the faintest of spices as it reaches the lips….

T - …and once it does little else besides. Sugary caramel, mat woven yeast in a pleasing way, bready touches under the fruit, soft caramel.

M - Medium to medium-full body with high carbonation initially, and a prickly sweet flow.

O - Fair Christmas brew, but a tad too generic and blah. Nothing I would seek out again proactively.

Notes: I really do fear these brews keep on riding on some sort of iconic popularity, specially among the non-aficionados… And sure enough, they are quality and fair, but nothing remarkable, and surely not of my particular liking.

Serving type: bottle

12-27-2011 21:52:35 | More by Daniellobo

Domingo

Colorado

3.78/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This is a beer I remember enjoying a few years ago, but seemed to have skipped making it out to CO. for a few years. This batch is the first I’ve seen in a while.
Pours a cola-brown color with an abundant head. The foam layer settles a bit, but lasts for the life of the bottle.
The nose and taste line up pretty much perfectly in this case. Brown sugar is the primary focus, with some small fig and prune notes, a tiny hint of peppery yeast, and some fiery rum on the back-end. This is a 10% beer and you’ll be reminded of that with every sip, although I don’t think that’s unintentional. That doesn't mean it isn't a little "hot" though.
Honestly, the profile is relatively simple, but not everything needs to be complex. It does what it’s trying to do pretty well.
As long as this keeps making it here (for a reasonable price), I’ll continue to buy it.
It's probably worth noting that this beer ages pretty well, too. I got a chance to try one that had been aging for 3 years at a Christmas tasting last year and it had developed a lot more dried fruit and caramel notes, too. If you can hang on to it - give it a try.

Serving type: bottle

12-27-2011 15:08:32 | More by Domingo

GallowsThief

Florida

3.9/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured out of a bomber into my Duvel tulip.

A – Poured out a cream soda colored brown with off white/tan two fingers of bubbly head. Spotty lacing.

S – Belgian yeast, dark fruit.

T – Immediately get the full frontal Belgian yeast taste. Nice dark fruit flavor with plum grape and raisins. Lingering sweetness. Has some peppery qualities and spicy but not overly strong. Very solid warming effect from the ABV.

M – Medium bodied. Crisp on the palate with solid carbonation but still creamy feel.

O – Very nice brew that just feels like Christmas. Perfect sipping with the cold weather. Tasty and warming.

Serving type: bottle

12-26-2011 23:42:31 | More by GallowsThief

Andreji

Colombia

4.03/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

So many years have I been waiting for a chance to try this biere de noël. Since 2003 i've come across it at least half a dozen times, and somehow managed to procrastinate enough as to never have come around to actually buy it and try it. Quel con.

Red deep toned, with a rapid-fading head all white. No visible activity, granted it is fairly nontranslucent because of its own darkness.

Very vin blanc sort of smell, mostly somewhere between a chardonnay and maybe a champagne, sort of in the way in which it is pugnant, yet somewhat apple ish

Taste is very pleasant, however inferior to its more popular brother. Call me synesthesic, but red bathes the tongue right off, with a bitter companion laterally flanking it. At times a wood, more grainy feel- this is overall hardly sweet, more kin to the stale anglosaxon ales. At the back of the mouth a slight alcohol feel altough still very sublte. No aftertaste, no traces. Full bodied and well carbonated. Very nice.

Aside from its redness, this is not christmas, rather a pleasant, strong and almost devilish experience.

Serving type: bottle

12-26-2011 21:56:26 | More by Andreji

ummswimmin

New Jersey

4.38/5  rDev +12.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I poured this into a tulip to enjoy the smell over the whole bottle. I am rewarded with raisins, sour, and seasoning for the holidays.

This is a good looking dark. You get a ton of foam; that retains down to about one finger. You get the darker brown coloring.

This a very good tasting beer. It is rich tasting. You get all those dark fruit flavors. I really enjoy the strong flavors.

This is a great beer. I recommend picking up a bottle before the season is out. This brewery is amazing. Another great example from Belgium.

Serving type: bottle

12-26-2011 00:05:28 | More by ummswimmin

jbonapar

Ontario (Canada)

3.5/5  rDev -10%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Almost a mahogany color with a nice but thin head. Smoooth looking. Taste is subdued, malty, slightly toasty with a little spice in there. Alcohol warms for sure. Perhaps a touch of raisins. It is much milder than I expected. We served with Scotch ale onion soup from The Beer Bistro cook book (amazing cook book) from Toronto.

OVerall, my least favorite of the delirium i've had, but certainly went well with a meal.

Serving type: bottle

12-25-2011 17:02:04 | More by jbonapar

philbe311

Pennsylvania

4.05/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A - A finger and a half worth of audibly fizzy perfectly uniform khaki colored head... Minimal retention gives way to a slight lopsided lacing with a moderate collar... The color is a light to medium caramel brown... Some moderate to rapid paced carbonation streaks can be seen towards to top of the glass...

S - Warm inviting dark breads... Some holiday spice... Light Belgian yeast notes... Very subtle dark fruit... Wonderful balance and complexity... Very inviting... Outstanding aroma...

T - Brown sugar... Bread pudding... Some gingerbread notes... Very light cinnamon and clove... Caramel... A bit of booze on the finish that lingers for a bit...

M - Medium bodied... Brisk carbonation... Just a touch of stickiness... Surprisingly light and delicate...

D - Both an outstanding season offering and an outstanding Belgian Strong Dark Ale... While the bottle and dancing elephant is a nice gimmick, more importantly it has come to symbolize quality and outstanding craftsmanship... Excellent beer...

Serving type: bottle

12-25-2011 04:39:10 | More by philbe311

rand

California

4.2/5  rDev +8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at Blind Lady Ale House Christmas Eve, poured into a tulip glass.

A: Reddish-amber in color, clear. Forms a frothy two-inch head with sticky retention. Lacing cascades down the glass, little remains.

S: Cherry phenols meet tropical notes, the combination grounds the bouquet. Earthy hop essence combines with various holiday spices, nutmeg, clove. Plenty of alcohol swarms.

T: The holiday spices jumps out up front, nicely balancing the sweet, fruity esters. The cherry notes combine with non-descript ripe fruit, appropriate for the style. The alcohol warms but doesn't get in the way, allowing the layers of flavor to reveal themselves. Bitter phenols and sweet malts carry to the finish and gently linger.

M: Rich and creamy, full bodied. Makes for a nice holiday sipper. Plenty of frothy carbonation to clean the palate.

This is one of my favorite Christmas Belgian ales - not too sweet, not to bitter, nothing is off-putting. I think I'll have another one of these tomorrow.

Serving type: on-tap

12-25-2011 04:37:38 | More by rand

biboergosum

Alberta (Canada)

4.1/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Christmas time, Christmas beer. Easy choice, and a souvenir from a stopover in bucolic downtown Idaho Falls last summer. 330ml shiny foil capped bottle, with Santa leading a team of pink elephants on a spacey (in more than one way) flight away from Earth. Maybe he's running from the cops - he is drinking and driving after all...

This beer pours a very dark reddish amber hue, with swirling sediment, and one finger of creamy, cake-like ecru head, which seeps away slowly, leaving a raised ring of 'lace' around the glass in the process. It smells of sweet cherry cordial, caramel/toffee malt, saucy raisins, vanilla, and mild cinnamon/clove-like spices. Very complex. The taste is musty caramel malt, a bit of red-wine-esque fruit character, more subtle earthy spice, and a persistent, non-partisan dryness. The booze is only perceptible in the slightly medicinal fruitiness that evolves as the beer warms (central heating, no roaring fire, malheureusement).

Things started off quite fizzy, but slowly settled down to a nice, even tingle, with the body a steady medium weight, and smooth with a warming, airy caveat. It finishes with a slightly waning sweetness, fruit and malt still well meshed, the spice and latent heat secondary players.

A lovely, complicated, but remarkably easy to put back (not that I did) strong Belgian ale - and the plucky dryness sure helps when sided with yet more of my mom's good ol' Christmas baking.

Serving type: bottle

12-25-2011 03:22:52 | More by biboergosum

draheim

Washington

4.25/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

First of a trio of Belgian Christmas beers I'll be opening over the Christmas weekend.

750mL bottle poured into a chalice. Pours a crystal clear amber/mahogany w/ an off-white head. Vigorous carbonation.

Aroma is dark raisins, figs, spice. Really nice complexity.

Taste follows nose. Rich, fruity, spicy. Booze works to enhance the profile.

Mouthfeel is smooth, velvety.

Overall this is a solid dark pale ale, just really well put together.

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2011 08:02:49 | More by draheim

kylehay2004

Florida

3.58/5  rDev -8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Half finger head with a lot of lace. Clear and crimson with amber hues. Aroma is almost like a wild ale, sour dark fruit , mostly cherry. Taste is very different however. Not a typical Belgian dark strong flavor but close. Initially a little bland and malty but finished with a nice but mild slightly sour dark fruit and fig flavor. Medium body and moderate to high carbonation. Overall a good beer, fairly drinkable for the genre but not the best I have had.

Serving type: on-tap

12-24-2011 04:10:29 | More by kylehay2004

HardTarget

Texas

4.25/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

2003 vintage aged personally until 2011. Merry Christmas!

Appearance: Murky red amber glass doesn't hold a head. No issues on the first pour, the second pour had chunky protein coagulation. Not unexpected in an older Belgian, but does need attending to (coffee filter worked for me).

Smell: Lightly sweet and sour almost like a duck sauce. Light vinegar note adds complexity to the heady alcoholic malt base.

Taste: Mild dusty element (I did age this forever). Light red wine vinegar flavor like a Flanders Red, malt still holds some sweetness to counter the sour, some fruit skin tannins also play a part.

Mouthfeel: Thin, dry, low carbonation. The cork was a very subdued pop.

Overall: A wonderful Christmas experience, recommend holding on to a bottle or two for Christmas Future, just watch the second pour.

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2011 03:22:59 | More by HardTarget

xensure

Massachusetts

3.5/5  rDev -10%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 750ml ceramic coated bottle in to a bulbed tumbler.

Pour thick and dark ruby red with a thick 2 fingers of pillowy head. The head remain through entire glass and thickens with a swirl.

Smells of sweet malt and alcohol. There is also a bit of light spice that is there in a very small amount.

Tastes very sweet with a good malt flavor, but then it is all booze. Most big beers make an effort to hide their high alcohol percentage and at 10% this is certainly a big beer. However, they do not hide the alcohol at all. The flavor to the finish is very boozy and seems like a bit of a cop out of a solid flavor base. Though as a Christmas beer it isn't so bad because it gives you a great warming feel on the swallow.

The mouth feel is great very thick and rich, but the tastes lacks the ability to hold it up.

Overall I would say it is worth the $12 I paid for it simply because it was 10% and a 750ml, but on flavor alone I'd say it is a one time buy.

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2011 02:44:37 | More by xensure

nukem5

Pennsylvania

3.85/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: Pours a rich dark ruby color with a light tan cap on top some nice lacing present. Head comes right back with a swirl of the glass.

S: Aroma is very pleasing with a fruity pear and raisin wi th sweet malts.

T: Taste is of fruity notes,pear,cherry,raisin, mith a nice sweet malty finish.

M: Mouthfeel is medium bodied with tons of tiny bubbles releasing aroma to nose and washing the tongue.

O: Overall a great beer love it.

Serving type: on-tap

12-23-2011 03:36:32 | More by nukem5