Trappistes Rochefort 8 - Brasserie de Rochefort

jar2574

Missouri

4.9/5  rDev +12.9%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Nice thick, foamy, tan colored head that clings to the sides. Dark brown colored beer.

Smells of dark fruit, fig, hops, and a slight touch of alcohol.

The mouthfeel is smooth as butter and has a buttery feel along your tongue. The taste is of cherry, figs and a perfect blend of hops and malts.

Very drinkable, especially for the amount of alcohol involved. The fruitiness and the alcohol content might get to you over long sessions. But this is a wonderful beer and I'd love to try a long session with it.

Serving type: bottle

09-09-2007 21:20:02 | More by jar2574

BoitSansSoif

France

4.9/5  rDev +12.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Served in Bordeaux glass--
A-Poured very smoothly and formed thick head that endured several minutes before dissipating into thin spots on the surface, like little patches of mold that form on bread. Deep amber and rust color.

S-Raisins and tobacco, fig, cocoa, mocha, earth, malt, prune, light hops, toast, caramel...this is a veritable bouquet of sensations.

T-Light and clean with pleasant suds, malt and hops are in perfect harmony, and bitterness is reminiscent of a tasty French roast. Body marries well with flavors, but is deceptively light for its abv. Aftertaste is slightly bitter mocha, and a thin, sweet estery coating lingers on the inner cheeks, tongue, and roof of the mouth. Delightful.

M-This Trappiste is well-balanced, and it remains so at every moment of consumption.

D-One of my favorites for reasons noted above, and for the fact that it's textures are a perfect match for its flavors at every stage. Drinking this beverage inspires a complete appreciation of its masterful chemistry, and makes me feel good.

Serving type: bottle

01-24-2008 23:25:31 | More by BoitSansSoif

Sidedrummer

Oklahoma

4.9/5  rDev +12.9%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

My poor pour resulted in a suspension of yeast that clouded the dark bronze beer, it's a good thing I like yeast! A nice pillowy two-finger head topped off the chalice and dissipated slowly.

I nosed a slight smoky malt mixed with a wonderful spicy-raisin-plumb aroma, typical of the other Rocheforts I've enjoyed.

As it warmed up, I noticed the increasing buttery-malt flavor with floral yeast undertones, eventually turning to more of a toasty flavor with hints of honey.

A great Trappist to enjoy late in the evening while you unwind from a long day.

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2008 23:36:44 | More by Sidedrummer

corby112

Pennsylvania

4.9/5  rDev +12.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Pours a dark chocolate brown color with a thin beige, foamy head. Roasted malty aroma with hints of chocolate, toffee and dark fruit. Flavor once again dominated by roasted maltiness, chocolate, toast, caramel, toffee raisin, dark cherries and fig. Extremely quaffable, excellent beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2008 05:57:44 | More by corby112

stbfan

Alabama

4.9/5  rDev +12.9%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

opaque brown with a big tan head.lots of sediment.

smells great! too complex to explain. great!

tates like honey.smooth, medicinal, sweet, malty, yeasty. very complex taste.

wow! the mouthfeel is wonderful.

nice belgian lacing! this beer is great!

Serving type: bottle

06-21-2009 18:53:51 | More by stbfan

greengorilla

Ohio

4.9/5  rDev +12.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

I poured this from a bottle into a tulip. It was a dark burnt organish in color with a beautiful foam head. The appearance was really something to admire.

The smell and taste were just wonderful. It is so smooth and very drinkable. The mouthfeel was exactly what I would want in a beer.

This may be my overall favorite beer. If I could afford it, I would drink one every night.

Serving type: bottle

07-24-2009 14:53:42 | More by greengorilla

gxm99

Oregon

4.9/5  rDev +12.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

I served this in a wide body wine glass at cellar temperature ~52F.

Appearance was ruddy brown (poor lighting), the beer nearly over foamed after openening.

The aroma was inviting, with hints of dark fruit and rich malt.

The flavor was very complex, always smooth with a certain softness to the flavors. It improved over the course of 30 minutes, filling my mouth more, and still seeming very light on the tongue.
After drinking one, I'd be very happy to enjoy another.

I served this next to Westmalle's 8, which was not even close to the same league.

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2010 05:14:18 | More by gxm99

carpezytha

California

4.9/5  rDev +12.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Served in tulip at nearly room temperature (no thermometer today).

A: Huge fluffy head, a very light pinkish brown in color. Body is a deep molasses. Quite a sight. Head settles to a thin covering.
S: Cherry flavored bubble gum, some caramel.
T: A wondrous concoction to be sure. Fennel, caramel, cherries, and some flavors that I just cannot place at the moment.
M: I had forgotten how great this felt in the mouth, perhaps unbeatable. Super creamy but not without a tangyness and carbonation to keep the tongue alive.
D: Yes yes and yes.

Serving type: bottle

09-23-2010 05:18:06 | More by carpezytha

jlmarshall

Mississippi

4.9/5  rDev +12.9%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Pours a murky brown with a 2 inch tan head that quickly recedes to a thin lace. Noticeable sediment at the end of the pour. A divine complex sweet smell not quite as strong as molasses, but more noticeable than brown sugar. Hints of nutmeg maybe, or cinnamon. Maybe figs. The mouthfeel is sharp and bubbly, but very nice with a slight warmth. The taste is sweet and sticky like dark sugars and cream with dark fruits and a slight nuttiness. Even at 9.2%, this beer is remarkably easy to drink and making a very good case for being my favorite beer.

Serving type: bottle

09-30-2010 17:32:45 | More by jlmarshall

jayavery

California

4.9/5  rDev +12.9%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

| Presentation |
33 cl bottle poured into an hexagonal glass:

| Appearance |
I poured this one a little too aggressive and it hit me with a 5 inch billowy head that took about a minute to dissipate. Lacing doesn't hold on to the glass very much and is gone by the time I get around to pouring the remainder of the beer. It's a swampy brown that cries, "I dare you" from its murky depths.

| Smell |
A clean phenolic smell with hints of fig and a light buttery hott like the kind that's melting off pound cake with a whiff of a sweet dark rum shot.

| Taste |
Like the Alstrom Bros say "alcohol runs the gamete" but in a perfect harmony. The flavors swim across like a swishing river of spiced cloves, hints of wild ripe bananas hanging from tropical trees mixed with a semi sweet cinnamon finish.

| Mouthfeel |
Feels like a low carbonation belgian dark trippel, dangerously drinkable for the abv!

| Drink-ability |
Well, it's about 2:30pm and I'm drinking this on an empty stomach so halfway through the glass I'm already catchin a little buzz. This one boasts a 9.2% abv and it's not kidding. It's one of those perfect beers that will keep you warm on a rainy winter day like today. Only downside is that the price has gone up from $4.99 to $5.49 for a 330ml / 11.2 oz bottle. But, if you can find one - I highly recommend it. I saw some on the shelf today and bought the entire stock. (they only had 8, go figure)

Serving type: bottle

12-21-2010 22:28:09 | More by jayavery

BeerCon5

Pennsylvania

4.9/5  rDev +12.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Pours a dark brown color with a very nice 2 finger fluffy tan head.

The scent is of various fruits, roasted malt, spice and alcohol.

The taste is of roasted malts, banana and other fruit, alcohol, bread, spices, notes of licorice and coffee.

Medium bodied, smooth and a little creamy, moderate carbonation.

One of the best beers I've ever had easily, there was so much to taste and all perfectly balanced. This was also a very easy drinker.

Serving type: bottle

02-18-2011 21:46:07 | More by BeerCon5

KickbacksSteve

Florida

4.9/5  rDev +12.9%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

33 cl bottle coded 141216. Aroma of caramel malts, raisins and dark pitted fruit. Taste is highlighted by molasses, raisins, candi sugar, brown sugar, slight cola. And of course that lovely rochefort trademark yeast esters. Delicious, beautiful, no abv noted on taste. A classic.

Serving type: bottle

02-28-2012 21:21:35 | More by KickbacksSteve

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

Jra1985

Oklahoma

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

Poured from a bottle (11.2 ounces) into a glass.

A-Dark brown with almost a 2 finger pale brown head.

S-Wonderful smell of sweet malts and chocolate.

T-Excellent taste. The sweet malts and chocolate tones are present, maybe some brown sugar as well?

M-Great carbonation and goes down very smooth. The high alcohol content is well hidden.

O-This is an excellent Belgian ale that I have no complaints about. Everything is crafted perfectly. It is a wonderful beer that I would drink many times over.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2011 17:14:44 | More by Jra1985

Twincrasher

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

A: Thick fine head. Very good retention. Lacing after long settle.

S: Malty with caramel. Combined with wet stone and strawberry found in provence rose.

T: Excellent. Very "nimble" for a darker beer. Excellent balance and complexity.

M: Nice finish. Not required to be paired.

O: Outstanding.

Serving type: bottle

11-16-2012 16:52:47 | More by Twincrasher

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

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