Trappistes Rochefort 8 - Brasserie de Rochefort

Machinehead

California

5/5  rDev +15.2%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

I think the last guy got a soapy glass, I dont know how someone could be so far off!! One of the best Belgian darks. I can't wait to try the 10! So far only like the Chimay Blue just slightly better.

Complex sweet flavor, just what a Belgian Dark should be.

Serving type: bottle

06-23-2010 04:59:59 | More by Machinehead

Fernans

Rhode Island

5/5  rDev +15.2%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Without adoubt, the best beer I've had n 2010! The smell reminds me fine French Champagne, doughy änd soft. The taste is simply magnificent, toasty, malty, it simply hits all the right chords. Mouthfeel is very smooth but not dull or flat . I would drink it every day if I could afford its steep price.

Serving type: bottle

12-29-2010 14:22:07 | More by Fernans

STKPICR0720

Alabama

5/5  rDev +15.2%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

This brew has a light brown tint and fruity smell to it. The alcohol is most definitely there. Not like the Rochefort 10 though. I do believe this brew is easier to drink and has a larger appeal to the taste buds than the rochefort 10. EVERYTHING and I mean EVERYTHING about this beer lets us know there is a place in the world that makes perfection. This beer comes from there. Enjoy with friends and only friends who like to share.

Serving type: bottle

05-05-2011 05:27:01 | More by STKPICR0720

bigflatsbeerman

New York

5/5  rDev +15.2%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Wow these Trappist monks know what they are doing.

Appearance:Dark, can't see through it. One finger head dissipate quickly qhich is expected for a 9.2 abv beer.

Smell: Superb nice and malty.

Mouthfeel: I get a champagne like taste which is typical with a good Trappist ale. Very nice.

Taste: I can't find anything to complain about. Excellent all around.

Overall: Go buy this beer if you have not tried it. If you have tried it I doubt you need to be told to buy it.

Serving type: bottle

09-29-2012 01:43:34 | More by bigflatsbeerman

acevenom

Louisiana

4.98/5  rDev +14.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Bottle dated 090216. Poured into a chalice. Pours dark brown with some sediment and a frothy off-white head that dissipates quickly. The head dissipates, leaving a small amount of lacing around the edge. Smells of brown sugar, fig, banana, plum, and roasted malts hit the nose. There are flavors of brown sugar, fruit, yeast, hops, and some alcohol, but it's faintly detectable. The mouthfeel is creamy and full and the finish is dry. The carbonation is abundant, but it serves to help enhance the flavors and drinkability of this beer. Overall, this is an excellent beer that I highly recommend.

Serving type: bottle

03-15-2012 01:25:14 | More by acevenom

hagbergl

Massachusetts

4.98/5  rDev +14.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

My awesome girlfriend picked up a 33 cL bottle of Trappistes Rochefort 8 for me at Craft Beer Cellar in Belmont, MA over Thanksgiving, but I only got to it a week ago–a little age on this baby is obviously just fine. It was enjoyed in my St. Bernardus chalice.

Appearance (4.5/5): Rochefort 8 is dark brown and topped by a one inch, creamy, light tan head of foam that retains well and reduces to an everlasting ring of foam. The beer is translucent and you may see some yeast particles hanging in suspension. A beautiful traditional dark Belgian ale.

Smell (5/5): Booze-soaked raisins, dark stone fruit, and beautiful dark bready notes are prominent in the nose. Some Belgian yeast funk and spice. Malty but understated and subtle. Some clean alcohol is also apparent, though its presence is wholly appropriate for a beer of 9.2% ABV. Simply outstanding.

Taste (5/5): Malt sweetness–dominated by dark fruit and bready notes from the yeast–and a light, warming alcohol flex in the foretaste. The finish is long and pleasant, lightly bitter and drying, and less fruity and yeasty. Rochefort 8 is very subtle and does not have the intensity that most beers of 9.2% ABV do. The flavors become deeper as the beer warms up. Impressive. Sublime!

Mouthfeel (5/5): Silky smooth all the way into the dry finish. Medium body and medium carbonation–Rochefort 8 has a slightly higher carbonation level than most Abbey-style ales of this strength, so there's a little tingle on the tongue as it goes down. Not super thick or decadent, just classy, clean, and refined. Goes down way too easily!

Overall (5/5): Rochefort 8 is a genuine classic Belgian ale and perhaps the finest of the Trappist ales I have had the pleasure of consuming. Its reputation is certainly well deserved. A lovely, understated, and refined dark ale with the perfect mix of fruit and bready flavors, it is pleasant and easy to drink despite its considerable strength.

Serving type: bottle

12-26-2012 21:16:32 | More by hagbergl

HardTarget

Texas

4.97/5  rDev +14.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

33cl brown bottle, green cap, with 9.2% abv. Listed and a 29 04 08 date listed, serving temp suggestion on back label (54-58). Authentic Trappist symbol lets you know that it means business. I’m starting a bit cold, but plan to savor it for a good long while from my Chimay chalice.
Aroma: Same bubble gum, chocolate and melon aroma I got from the Rochefort 10, simply intoxicating. It’s just such a “fresh” and “new” smell with lots of honeydew melon. It makes me want to down the whole chalice in one quaff. As I work my way down, the head slowly fades to a thick cover, but only because it leaves heavy lace that sparkles like ice crystals.
Appearance: Black glass with only a hint of murky brown at the very bottom. A half finger of light brown tightly compacted froth waits patiently for me to imbibe.
Flavor: A wonderfully complex taste. The honeydew melon and bubble gum are blended with an earthy tobacco that just expresses Michelangelo’s Creation of Adam, the blending of heavenly and earthbound so perfectly. Balance between hops and malt? Balance between mortal and divine! The fruitiness is so pronounced, it seems as if they have blended in honeydew melon nectar which I can see others comparing to pears. The 8 seems a bit more straightforward than the 10, a bit lighter, but cut from the same cloth. Not as much chocolate in the 8, but hints of it.
Mouthfeel: A perfect medium body with such a creamy consistency. The carbonation is present, but only as a mild tickle, a subtle reminder that this is indeed beer. Nice dry finish encourages the next sip.
Overall Impression: I have to admit, since the Rochefort 10 is my only straight 5 beer (so far) I built up to this tasting for a week. I’ve cut back to two meals a day (something I’ve needed to do after the holidays anyway) and consumed only Belgian (or Belgian style) beers. I have to acknowledge a deep gratitude to Stonecrusher who sent this (and the Rochefort 10) godsend to my doorstep. While this beer didn’t make me cry like the 10 did, it is truly a world class beer. Even my wife, who only likes Lindemans Framboise and Corona, could see the exceptional quality of this beer. Simply outstanding, I just can’t recommend Rochefort beers strongly enough. Seek, buy, enjoy. I know I will.

Serving type: bottle

02-26-2005 05:37:26 | More by HardTarget

EStreet20

New Jersey

4.97/5  rDev +14.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

12 ounce brown glass bottle poured into a Duvel tulip.

A - I like this look in a beer. Very deep reddish color approaching brown with a fluffy two finger head that's barely off white. No light gets through this beer whatsoever. Lacing sticks to the glass like crazy.

S - Smell delivers a lot of alcohol with a fruity aroma in there. Can;t put a finger on the fruits coming at me. A nice blend of aromas though. Great smell overall.
.

T - Very malty, bready taste. A nice little alcohol kick that blends perfectly from start to finish. Some fruity flavor in there, less than I expected from the smell but a great blend with the dark bread taste. A bit of spiciness in there balances everything out perfectly.

M - A very nice amount of carbonation for a strong dark ale and a smooth feel all around, excellent.

D - Goes down amazingly smooth and easy. The only thing preventing a five here is the 9.2 percent. Very drinkable

Notes: Excellent. I may have a new favorite here. Definitely one of the best beers I've ever tried. I recommend it to any fan of Belgians or fans of any dark beer in general. Enjoy!!

Serving type: bottle

10-19-2005 01:06:40 | More by EStreet20

dalion037

California

4.97/5  rDev +14.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

This is really an exceptional beer. From the first sip to the last it is very enjoyable. Great hops and a nice after taste. It leaves you craving another and another. The biggest problem was running out before I got my fill. Buy it! Drink it! If you can find it.

Serving type: bottle

11-14-2005 01:04:37 | More by dalion037

JonMich13

North Carolina

4.97/5  rDev +14.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

A = Deep, dark and cloudy. Obviously unfiltered. Nice 2 finger creamy head with what looked like cinnamon sprinkled on it.

S = Aroma was an experience in itself. Malty and fruity smells blended perfectly.

T = Oh the wonderful taste. Perfect balance of maltiness and an endless array of fruit notes that reveal themselves.

M = Creamy smoothness that can't get much better. Abundant carbonation.

D = Extremely drinkable. This one is a troublemaker.

Serving type: bottle

03-02-2009 03:13:18 | More by JonMich13

BobZ

Massachusetts

4.97/5  rDev +14.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

I've been looking forward to trying the Rochefort Beers for quite awhile. Although described as "widely available" this is not really the case. The distributor only allows one case per outlet in the U.S. per release of the 10 and it's only released about 4 times a year. So if you find a retailer, believe me, it's not going to be in stock long & price varies widely from $6.50 to $8.99 (in my area) per 11.2 oz bottle (again for the 10). Is it worth it? At this point I will review the 8 which I just sampled. And first, to answer the prior question with regard to the 8, Hell yes!

Appearance: It does pour a murky chestnut (into a Chimay Chalice) with a fair amount of fizz that evaporates quickly. Very nice lacing.

Smell: Distinct and very, very, complex providing a fantastic precursor to your first sip.

Taste: Excellent in nearly every way, deep, rich flavor. I'll leave it to you to suggest what notes you taste, for me it was a mix of fruit (cherry, plum) and a hint of chocolate. I find this beer far superior to other Dubbels, yes, much better than Chimay and even better than Westmalle.

Mouth feel: Very smooth with what I believe to be the "right" level of carbonation.

Drinkability : Very, very drinkable, took serious will-power not to immediately open another. Best to drink slowly and savor.

This is an incredible beer, truly one of the best. I purchased 2 bottles of the 10 (all they had left) and I can't wait to try it. I plan to sample the 10 with both the St. Bernardus 12 and Chimay GR to try to determine which I like best. Right now I like the 8 best of all, so my anticipation for the 10 is great.

Serving type: bottle

07-04-2009 03:55:27 | More by BobZ

Offa

California

4.97/5  rDev +14.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

This is absolutely incredible and one of the shining stars among Belgian beers in my opinion: complex, full-bodied, balanced and characterful with full flavour yet lots of subtlety.

Hazy brown-red amber, it has a huge tan head steadily shrinking to a lasting tin foamy top and leaves some foamy lace.

Aroma is incredibly wonderful - lots of toast, caramelised bread crust, ginger bread, caramelised plums, raisins & golden figs, then fresh plums, wood, and more. It is rich and complex.

Taste is similarly incredible, complex with lots of zingy herbal wood, rich caramelised bread & spices, lots of rich fruit, esp. plums, caramelised dried fruits. Mostly balanced, it has a faint lean to the sweet side. Despite strong flavour and rich complexity, it is incredibly easy to drink.

Serving type: bottle

09-07-2010 21:58:52 | More by Offa

StoutKing0104

Ohio

4.97/5  rDev +14.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

A - Deep, murky amber body with visible particles floating on the bubbles seen rising from the bottom of the glass. Pours with two fingers of tan/mocha head that lingers well and leaves nice lacing.

S - Intoxicating aroma of dark fruit, spices, honey, carmel,malt, and sugars. My mouth was watering from the first sniff.

T - A delicious blend of flavors, including dark fruits like plum, fig, and grape, spices, honey, and light malt that was all balanced perfectly delivering an incredible tasty brew.

F/D - Moderate carbonation with an extremely smooth texture due in part to a thickness that is just right. Keeps the mouth watering for more as it entices the pallet. One of if not the best beer I've ever had the pleasure of drinking. Still need to try the Rochefort 10 though.

Serving type: bottle

10-01-2010 23:27:30 | More by StoutKing0104

BatDaddy

Tennessee

4.97/5  rDev +14.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

A - Poured into a snifter. Begins as an almost clear dark brown, but even with a delicate pour the yeast still manages to find its way to the bottle. Turns murky brown with a creamy bubbly off-white head. Excellent retention and lacing. Wish I could get the yeast to stay in the bottle but there's an abundance of it and I might just be out of luck. I'll manage.

S - Sweet dark malts. Mashed ripe bananas and a hint of clove. Undercurrent of sweet alcohol underneath, present but not at all overpowering.

T & M - I think maybe I've died and gone to heaven. Dark over-ripe fruits - raisin and plum. More ripe bananas and notes of clove. Just a hint of alcohol on the finish in the throat but that very quickly gets masked and smoothed out with all the sweet malt. The sweetness is dominant but very mellow. Hints of prickly spices here and there. Mouthfeel is so velvety smooth I might be drinking cream. Touches of powdery Belgian yeast here and there, which is not surprising.

D - Excellent, even for a high abv beer. Delicious and uber-smooth.

What more can I say? If I could afford it, I would drink this every chance I could. How many ways can you say "delicious?"

Serving type: bottle

01-24-2011 01:35:42 | More by BatDaddy

jtingue

New York

4.97/5  rDev +14.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Poured into a Rochefort chalice

Appearance- Very deep reddish brown. Much clearer than Rochefort 10 as I remember. a 1/8 in layer of head remains through the whole drinking experience.

Smell- Huge amount of dark fruits: plum dates raisins. A slight tartness is perceptible, similar to some lambics I have tried. Nutty yeast esters linger in the background.

Taste- Lots of layers. Starts out bready, specifically a sourdough bread. A slight note of spice, specifically coriander, separates this from the fruity flavors to follow. Both tart and sweet, ripe, fruits are present: dates raisins cherries. In the background there is the nutty yeast character noted in the smell. the longer the beer remains on the palate the sweeter it becomes, it tastes like the fruits are ripening in your mouth. As the sweetness builds, though, so does a balancing hop bitterness, a note which is missing in many ales of this style. The finish is dry and warming, the sweet fruits and bitterness linger.

Mouthfeel- Medium to full body with a ton of carbonation. The beer foams to cover the palate and distribute the flavor wonderfully.

This is one of my favorite beers. At times I like it better than Rochefort 10. A Great example of what a great beer should be.

Serving type: bottle

07-13-2011 02:07:22 | More by jtingue

Bethanya1982

New York

4.95/5  rDev +14.1%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

This is by far my favorite beer I tried at the Belgian Beer fest. It is spicey/smokey but not over powering. It has the perfect balance between spice and sweetness. It leaves a pleasant after taste. It's so smooth, you'd never know it was a strong ale..until you stand up that is..

Serving type: bottle

10-29-2007 00:55:49 | More by Bethanya1982

soulgrowl

United Kingdom (England)

4.95/5  rDev +14.1%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Appearance: This has one of those wonderful, amazing trappist heads, the kind that sits atop the beer like a buff-colored, sparkling pearly crown, the kind that keeps growing for minutes after the pour, the kind that distracts from the beer itself - which is a regal, plummy, thick brown with just a hint of bright blood orange and tiny beige bubbles visible just below the bottom of the head. Exceptional, the best-looking brew I've seen in a while.

Smell: Clove hits me first, then a cold, cellar-like mustiness, then a deep, toasty, earthy malt-and-yeast base. Hops appear in the form of a grassy, leafy, and floral melody, reminiscent of endives, radicchio, basil, dandelion, and lavender. There is also a slightly cheesy edge; have some of the hops been aged? Onto the malts: brown sugar, rum, hot cocoa, and chocolate are the top notes, with notes of pancakes and cherry cola in the background. Complex and well-contained; no one flavor is too strong, and the alcohol is almost entirely undetectable.

Taste: Malty and sweet without being syrupy; spicy and bright without being hot; overall, very robust and very balanced. Notes of cola, red wine, figs, molasses, prunes, strawberries, and aged balsamic vinegar spill over the palate, cleaned up by the perfect amount of alcohol, phenols, and hop spice: gin and tonics, cloves, aspirin, and fennel come to mind. Finish is clean with a zip of alcohol and an aftertaste of roasted nuts. Wow.

Mouthfeel: A bit too light, but the carbonation is spot-on; effervescent enough to buoy the malts, not so effervescent that it makes the alcohol burn too brightly. Remarkably clean.

Drinkability: This beer is amazing. It is strong, yes, and I was hesitant to give it a 5 for drinkability because of that; but it's such an excellent sipper, so complex and nice, that one bottle should be able to keep you interested for quite a while. And besides that, for 9.2% ABV, the alcohol flavor is very tame. An excellent beer. Extremely versatile with cheese and charcuterie. Respect!

Serving type: bottle

01-10-2008 09:56:37 | More by soulgrowl

hustlesworth

Ohio

4.95/5  rDev +14.1%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

I'm guessin this bottle is about 2 years old

A- pours a dark plum color with a bit of yeast sediment. the foam is all belgiany and trappisty... a beige, active lather whose edges slope up to meet the walls of my chimay goblet. this is a high abv beer, and so the foam doesn't last too long but does maintain a sheen of sudsy membrane over top the body.

S- extremely fruity, mostly blackberries and plum, raisin, fig, date, chocolate, grape juice, pineapple alcohol, banana, tart cherries, black pepper, brown sugar, and toffee. also a woodsy earthy side like sandalwood and mineral water, yeast funk, old barn.

T- the perfect mix of fruit and funk layered over a very dry, crisp, brown whole grain bready malt backdrop. peppery spice, nutmeg and clove, allspice, dried hardwood, dark berries, date, fig, dark leather, dense old whole grain bread like german style pumpernickel. faint chocolate flavors hide in the background with banana and band aid. hop bitterness is crisp and clean, with merely a vinous and lightly lemon pith flavor. the hop bitterness balanced everything out to the utmost degree, never allowing a sugary or cloying situation and the flavor does nothing to stand in the way of the deeply complex malt and yeast strings that are being hit HARD by their respective piano hammers. all the above mentioned flavors hit hard but are fleeting, not quite staccato, but not quite the one chord stop pedal either. they rise, peak, then drop sharply and linger for a bit as they level off then fade away. this happens in transition, with each layer of funk then fruit then grain then spice then cocoa then funk again then grain again then hops then alcohol (only after it has warmed a great deal) and these things are all orchestrated beautifully. and once the beer warms, there becomes apparent a green, clorophyl leafy earthy herbal sort of flavor that naturalizes this whole thing. i don't know i think it's puttin a buzz on me. finishes dry, crisp, exquisitely balanced, sweet-tart-grainy with lingering bitterness and spicy burps.

MF- when cold and fresh out the bottle, the carbonation reacts with whatever pH is in saliva to form this burst of foam explosion. ever ate a Tums or Rolaid then took a swig of soda or beer? same thing, just not as violent. once aerated and warmed a bit, the body is lush and silky with some heft, perfectly prickly and tightly carbonated as if this babe, even who though i know has been treated with neglect and misfortune (see reviews from other high proof belgians i've bought from questionable retailer), she has held up bravely and with sincerity and integrity and still wears a pure white dress in my eyes. if this beer could talk, she would tell my girlfriend i'm not so shallow after all. that's how nice she is. dry on the cheeks, sticky on the lips, clean otherwise and perfect.

D- so. here we sit. more or less halloween saturday. no spooky beers or creepy beers or vampire stuff or nosferatu that my distributor has been out of all f***in season and instead something i've been saving for a special occasion and this is it. too drinkable, not the fainest hint of alcohol except a pineapply essence that has my head light and lifted. the monk on my shoulder chimes in and says 'trappist excellence'.

Serving type: bottle

10-31-2010 01:14:58 | More by hustlesworth

TrappistJohnMD

Mississippi

4.95/5  rDev +14.1%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Pours a very dark mahogany into a goblet. Light tan head and little lacing on glass. Smells fantastic! Very rich and malty smell with lots of bread notes, and ripe fruit. I can smell dark chocolate and caramel. It smells like a rich meal. Taste follows the smell closely for me. Sweet and yeasty. There is a slight bitterness. Carbonation is light. Everything blends perfectly. I may be a little biased toward these monks. Overall I think this beer is almost perfect.

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2011 01:44:15 | More by TrappistJohnMD

LiquidAmber

Washington

4.95/5  rDev +14.1%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Review from 7/2010 notes. Poured into a Gulden Draak tulip. Pours a dark, dark red amber with massive head and lacing. Dark fruit aroma. Absolutely delicious. Tastes of dark fruit, caramel slightly floral with Belgian yeast and malt. Complex, rich and flavorful. Approaching perfection.

Serving type: bottle

08-02-2012 22:07:51 | More by LiquidAmber

francisweizen

Australia

4.93/5  rDev +13.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

My 250th review and what an excellent beer to mark the ocassion! This bottle of Rochefort 8 poured a wonderful, dark brown colour into my Belgian beer chalice/goblet. This beer had a wonderfully fluffy head with very good retention. The aromas were of dark malts, alcohol, breads, spices, belgian sugars, yeast and hops. This beer almost smelled like an empty cookie jar or bread basket...liquid bread. This beer tasted wonderful. The heavy alcoholic flavor notes melded perfectly with the very hearty dark malt and liquid bread flavors. The mouthfeel was incredibly syrupy and thick and the drinkability was very good, especially for a beer weighing in at over 9% ABV!
Truly, one of the all-time greats!
Cheers to all BA's...I raise this glass to you!
Cheers!
-F

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2003 16:35:47 | More by francisweizen

86MonteSS

Connecticut

4.93/5  rDev +13.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Simply incredible. The beer store was out of Rochefort 10 so this one had to do. It did with gusto. It was a month or two since I tried 10, and this one definitely fills its big brother's shoes. These trappists mix fruit, nuts, and chocolate so well I'm surprised Cadbury's isn't out of business.

This is the kind of beer I want to have in my fridge all the time but unfortunately it's availability makes that impossible. But that's the way it always is, right?

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2003 20:15:57 | More by 86MonteSS

beachbum1975

Ohio

4.93/5  rDev +13.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Had an opportunity to enjoy one of these a couple days ago. Where to start...

It poured a rich, opaque mahogany color with small champagne like bubbles making their way to the 1-2 finger thick & creamy head. The smell was my favorite part. Drank out of a glass chalice at the recommended temperature (55 degrees), I immediately got pounded with a wave of dark, decadent scents including molasses, raisins, prunes, figs, cane sugar. After sitting in my glass for about 20 minutes, I smelled the raw alcohol come out. The favors mentioned in the smell carried into the taste – complex and superb.

Who needs desert with a beer of this grandeur? In my opinion, this is fantastic sipper to be enjoyed after a good steak dinner or with a full stomach.

I highly recommend this beer to anyone that wants to try a piece of Belgium brewing at it’s greatest.

Serving type: bottle

09-05-2006 20:59:52 | More by beachbum1975

BamaBeerBuff

North Carolina

4.93/5  rDev +13.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

A: Pours a light crimson color with an expansive tan head of thick foam. As it settles to a swirly disc of thick froth over the top the head lays down thick rings of lace on the glass. Exceptional appearance.

S: In a word, explosive. Cherries, figs, berry, and light citrus are all bursting forth from the glass. Swirling yields some nice crystal maltiness and a soft touch of spice from the yeast. This smells absolutely wonderful, and it enlivened my entire living room with its magnificence, even drawing praise from my wife.

T&M: Wow. I think I just found my new favorite beer, at least for the time being. Loads of malt and spice contribute a dynamo of complex and explosive flavors. Initially sweet, it showcases flavors of brown sugar and molasses with alcohol-soaked figs before giving way to a dry cocoa flavor and finishing with a reprise of phenols, dry fruit, and a healthy spice on the finish. A symphony for the taste buds if there ever was one. Body is medium to full with a zesty and full carbonation that works perfectly.

D: For a beer this big this is absolutely a gulper. I'm glad my bottle is small because I would definitely be in trouble right now otherwise. This beer is a masterpiece.

Serving type: bottle

01-26-2010 03:50:01 | More by BamaBeerBuff

ckcanady

California

4.93/5  rDev +13.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

A- light tan head that holds together nicely for a belgium. Hazy brown.

S- First aromas of mild rum then I pick up on fruity esters of fig and banana, and some hints of brown sugar.

T- smooth alcohol flavor. Hints of brown sugar. Fruits: banana, fig, and raisin. balanced Belgian spice.

M- Well balanced body, however on the low side. Creamy and rich.

O- Overall very pleased. I have a Belgian Dark Strong Ale fermenting now and if it is half the beer this is I'll be pleased!

Serving type: bottle

06-01-2011 04:35:35 | More by ckcanady