Trappistes Rochefort 8 - Brasserie de Rochefort

coreyfmcdonald

Georgia

3.66/5  rDev -15.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.75

330ml bottle into a snifter

A: Pours a fairly dark amber/brown with two fingers of thick off white head. Amazing head retention.

S: Spicy yeast esters, orange zest, and peppercorn. I get a touch of dark fruit, but the beer seems dry for the style.

T: Quite dry, I get strong peppercorn, orange zest, and a bit of dark fruit. Boozy.

M: A bit thin with very strong, prickly carbonation.

O: The flavors go pretty well together, but I'd like some more sweetness with a thicker mouthfeel. Decent beer.

Serving type: bottle

04-05-2013 01:06:02 | More by coreyfmcdonald

rlee1390

Indiana

4.24/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

A-Deep ruby almost brown, two finger off white head.

S-Dark fruits cherries, banana and caramel

T-Very similar to the nose, good balance of darker fruits and cherries.

M-Medium bodied, creamy and nicely carbonated.

O-The middle of the Rochefort beers, a solid well rounded Belgian.

Serving type: bottle

04-02-2013 21:18:48 | More by rlee1390

Haydn-Juby

Quebec (Canada)

4.61/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

Served from a 330ml bottle to a tulip

A: Very hazy brownish red color. Almost opaque due to the yeast and general cloudiness. Two finger head comprised of large bubbles. Bubbles were constantly streaming up the side of the glass.

S: Delicious. Sweet caramel like malts a tad of nuttiness and some dark fruits. Some alcohol is noticeable.

T: Primarily a malt orientated beer. Caramel and sweet tasting malts being dominant. There was also some nuttiness as well. The Belgian yeast character is also very evident in this beer and draws out figs, prunes, and dates. Its almost reminiscent of a red wine in its fruity complexity. Bitterness is low. Alcohol is semi present and could be perceived as lower

M: Very carbonated and bubbly providing a crisp and neat mouth feel. Pretty dry as well but that is probably due to the high alcohol.

O: All around this was just a damn good beer. I'm going through a little Belgian phase right now and this just helped me stay in it. Would definitely buy again but would look more towards pairing it with a good meal instead of on its own.

Serving type: bottle

03-29-2013 20:23:41 | More by Haydn-Juby

Premo88

Texas

3.56/5  rDev -18%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 5 | overall: 3.5

11.2 oz. bottle poured into goblet

L: murduk dark caramel ... i.e., brown; think skin of very tan foamy head; not much lacing, but the collar of foam is constant and kind of cool

S: RAISINS -- very dark and fruity; breat; slight muted sour smell (figs?); 1/4 into it starts to smell like wine, fruity esters

T: tastes like carbonated wine; slight licorice?; mostly the slightly soured taste of wine grapes; if there are hops in this brew, one cannont taste them

F: unbelievable. the Belgian strong dark ale is not my style, simply don't enjoy the taste, BUT there is no questioning the construction of this weighty brew. it's super heavy without drinking like sludge; stays smooth in spite of the heaviness.

O: in a perfect world, all beer reviews would review to style ... this one does not, for my own personal record-keeping, it reviews to my personal taste, and I don't like raisins, figs, licorice or burnt dark chocolate -- so I'm not a huge fan. but i definitely can appreciate the craftmanship of this brew.

Serving type: bottle

03-26-2013 04:25:05 | More by Premo88

TheCondor

Missouri

4.24/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Side poured from the bottle into a tulip glass.

Appearance - Pours a deep mahogany with intense carbonation present in the pour. Bubbles racing to the head of the brew, which is a two-finger soapy head. Only stays around for a minute, minimal lacing. But while the head is present, this is an impressive presentation. Sediment in the bottle and glass.

Smell - Sweet caramel malts, dark fruits - figs, raisins, prunes, etc. just what you would expect from this style. Big and robust.

Taste - Much like the nose, although there is an underpinning of toasty breads as well. The sweet malts sweep the palate for the first half, replaced by the dark fruits.

Mouthfeel - Disappointing. Heavily carbonated and kind of light, in my opinion, for the style. Dry and crisp, but kind of light bodied considering.

Overall - This is an excellent brew. However, there are three or four of this style which are readily available that I would spend my money before this one. That being said, it is certainly worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2013 01:53:53 | More by TheCondor

Kunstman

Wisconsin

4/5  rDev -7.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

My first review, and my first Trappist Ale, celebrating my first anniversary as a beer geek, and 700 unique beers, with Rochefort 8.

A: Dirty brown color with a reddish/copper hue when held to the light. Solid beige head with great retention. Minimal lacing. Yeast sediment is visible.

S: Dark fruit, sweet estery wine like aroma, with a hint of alcohol.

T: Deep dark fruit taste, with some molasses. Very slight nutty, bready characteristics. Alcohol more present as it warms. Slightly dry on the finish.

M: Medium/heavy. More carbonation than I would expect.

O: A good Belgian beer. Carbonation seemed off a little though. Certainly not my favorite Belgian, but I would buy this again. Looking forward to trying more from the Trappists.

Serving type: bottle

03-22-2013 03:08:16 | More by Kunstman

tylerzander

Arizona

2.09/5  rDev -51.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 2.25 | taste: 2 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 2

A - despite a slightly sloppy, yeast rousing pour, the beer appears in the glass a dark toffee color that shows deep ruby highlights when held up to a light; pours a thick one finger tan, tight bubbled head, at least once the madly foaming first pour leveled off

S - some dark fruit notes seem faded and overpowered by a stale oxidized aroma and a little ethanol with a hint of acetone

T - tastes pretty oxidized, mildly and unpleasantly lingering sourness/cardboard taste with a bitter turn at the end; not sure if this was a problem with storage (probably, purchased at a liquor store with little craft beer turnover, though it was refrigerated) or a bad bottle from the brewery

M - thin and lacking, not the beer it's supposed to be

D - I finished it, only as a means of trying to figure out what happened to this beer, even though it was more rather than less undrinkable as it warmed, becoming more solventy

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2013 00:38:32 | More by tylerzander

PeterM

California

4.45/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

Cloudy amber with a thin head that quickly fades to a slight rim around the glass.
Fruity maple malt aroma bodes well.
Very effervescent , cherry highlighted taste, with a wonderful thick mouth feel that lingers - lip smacking!
Very well balanced aftertaste, with the strong alcohol subtly hidden.
Excellent sipping beer that deserves to be savored. So glad I came back to this one.

Serving type: bottle

03-11-2013 02:15:41 | More by PeterM

KYGunner

Kentucky

4.19/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

An eruption of fizz bursts into the glass with near deafening effervescence. The bubbles erupted to the top of a cloudy, unfiltered, mahogany hue.

The scent is varied with a tangy scent of cranberry and dried fruits. Hints of plum, date and raisin mix with a touch of pear and breadiness. Even bits of maple can be found buried in the diversity.

The taste is tangy and sour with apple, pear and plum. Hints of cherry skirt across the palate as an alcohol warmth spreads through the chest. The feel is a touch sharp on the tongue without an alcohol taste but certainly a feel. The ale slides down the throat with ease and is light on the stomach.

Rochefort 8 is short of 10 in taste alone but still measures up to be an excellent brew.

Serving type: bottle

03-09-2013 00:34:10 | More by KYGunner

Ilafan

Minnesota

3.83/5  rDev -11.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Not as hoppy or strong (in terms of alcohol content) as its first cousin, Trappistes Rochefort 10. But this is still a very good product. It is very flavorful, and it serves as a great companion to a light lunch. It is a nice session beer, too. It's a perfect Saturday afternoon beer for those with good taste.

Serving type: bottle

03-06-2013 23:36:00 | More by Ilafan

LampertLand

British Columbia (Canada)

3.64/5  rDev -16.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Trappistes Rochefort 8 @ 9.2% , served from a 330 ml bottle purchased for $6

A-pour is a golden amber with a medium size off white head leaving a minimal lace ring along the goblet

S-classic Belgian yeast alongside dark fruits (figs , prunes , raisins)

T-sweet strong alcohol taste

MF-good carbonation , full bodied , smooth on the palate and very warming beer as more is sipped

Ov-good beer , slow sipping beer , extremely well crafted

sampled alongside Unibroue 'Grand Reserve17' , Gigantic's 'The End of Reason'
& Lighthouse's 'Belgian Black12' & '13'

prost LampertLand

Serving type: bottle

03-06-2013 05:01:04 | More by LampertLand

djbreezy

Washington

4.45/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

appearance - dark, mild head, excellent lacing

smell - figs and dark, dried fruits

taste - a very complex beer with notes of malt, figs, dark fruits like plums, etc. very flavorful and robust

mouthfeel - medium to heavy body, medium carbonation, slightly slick, slightly dry

overall - just an excellent beer, very underrated, world class and reasonably priced, a great alternative to Westy...

Serving type: bottle

03-04-2013 17:28:23 | More by djbreezy

CASK1

Florida

4.64/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Birthday present from my lovely wife!

Bottle poured to a tulip glass. Rare cold night in Florida, sipping this by a fire - perfect!

A - Huge fluffy head on the pour. Fell somewhat quickly to a thin layer of tight tan bubbles. Somewhat cloudy, rich dark copper color.

S - Complex rich sweet caramel malt aroma. Lots of dark fruit - figs, raisins, prunes. No hops, low sweet alcohol.

T - Follows the aroma. Rich complex malt, with toffee and toasted bread. Quite sweet, but not cloying. The alcohol bite helps balance the sweetness. Low hop bitterness. Low spiciness, maybe from hops.

M - mouth-filling effervescent carbonation. Full body, but the carbonation makes this beer quite drinkable. Moderate alcohol warmth, but not hot or harsh.

O - Outstanding beer. Big, and I wouldn't likely drink more than one at a sitting, but that sitting would always be quite enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

03-04-2013 01:21:43 | More by CASK1

Murrhey

Montana

4.1/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Poured from a 330ml bottle into a wine glass in high elevation Libby, Mont. Reviewed live. Best by March 7, 2017...so I'm wondering if it is alright yet.

A- Three-finger white head with long retention. Ruby red body with hazy color. Beautiful looking beer.

S- Fragrant fruity, spicy yeast and booze. Strong dark belgian beer means alcohol and strong yeast character.

T- Banana, brown sugar, strong boozy flavor. Tasty, but not easy to drink. A sipper. Really quite wonderful though.

M- Vinous and malty, dry finish.

O- Excellent beer. One to sip on and consider the good things in the world.

Serving type: bottle

02-19-2013 05:04:36 | More by Murrhey

1Nrwyscotch

Wisconsin

4.15/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Bottle poured into a chalice glass.

A. It is a deep amber color with a couple fingers of off white head.

S It smells incredibly sweet with some ripe fruit, grape, cherries and finishing with some malt.

T. The taste is less sweet but still some fruit and malt and some spiciness. I can taste some alcohol as it warms.

M. It has a medium mouthfeel with noticable carbonation.

O. It is a very nice beer and I will definitely try again I enjoyed the balance of fruit and spice though it smells better than it tastes.

Serving type: bottle

02-19-2013 01:58:31 | More by 1Nrwyscotch

hctap00

4/5  rDev -7.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Pours a beautiful red-mahogany color. Incredibly frothy head, very carbonated. Took several minutes to pour the whole bottle. I could hear the head fizzing the entire time. Quickly reduced to a thin white lacing.

Aroma is far sweeter and fruitier than I expected. Ripe cherries were my first thought. Not as much of the "dark fruit" common in other Belgian dark ales. As it warms, the yeast and phenol aromas are more prominent. Spicy aroma as well that I can't quite place.

Most noticeable throughout is the spiciness that I associate with the good Belgians. Yeasty, phenolic, peppery maybe. Initially I get some of the same fruitiness from the aroma. It is fairly one dimensional though, and the finish not terribly satisfying.

Very thin mouthfeel. Carbonation is rather high. No lingering effect. Almost feels like water going down.

It certainly is not Rochefort 10. None of the wow factor that I previously experienced with Rochefort beers. I think I have lost my taste for Belgians since I spent a week drinking nothing but last summer. Still enjoyable without a doubt, but just too one dimensional and thin. Not very "dark" for being classified as a strong dark ale. Will re-review at some point to give it another chance.

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2013 06:42:07 | More by hctap00

teromous

Virginia

4.88/5  rDev +12.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

A: Medium shade of brown, very hazy, with a very large eggshell white head. The head is very impressive; it is creamy, fluffy, and leaves good lacing.

S: The scent is very interesting, in that it has very unique spice scents. It smells a bit like fresh sugar-cane. A bit grassy and sweet. There is a pear scent as well. Some light banana scents floating around. Very interesting.

T: A smile just shot across my face with the first sip. Tons of flavor and complexity. There's a bit of that grassy flavor, along with something that tastes a bit like cinnamon...but not cinnamon...maybe some sandalwood in there as well, as weird as that sounds. There's a rich malty flavor, but not caramel-like. Incredibly complex.

M: The mouthfeel is heavier, smooth, and very warming. Lots of carbonation that tingles the mouth like a wash of sea foam.

O: Overall I was impressed by this beer. It had loads of flavors that I don't often get to experience, or haven't experienced at all. It is definitely a sipper, because it has such a presence that commands attention with every drink. I highly recommend it to Belgian beer lovers, or people who are not afraid of uniquely flavored beers. This one is definitely unique.

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2013 19:11:40 | More by teromous

FeDUBBELFIST

Pennsylvania

2.1/5  rDev -51.6%
look: 4 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

330mL bottle, served in a tulip
Batch 220414. Purchased 3 years ago. Sampled 15JAN13

[A] Slow pour yields a 3 finger, slow rising cap, light tan, compact creamy foam. Ridiculous retention. The body is dark mahogany and hard to see through.

[S] The nose is very odd at this age honestly. Butterscotch, sweet oxidized malts and most notably ginger ale. Huh?

[T] Same as the nose. Confused. Conflicting. And wayyy past it's prime. Alcohol is hard to detect.

[M] Thinned out at this point. Ample fizzy carbonation, but short lived.

[O] Prime example of aging gone bad. Either that or this bottle was mishandled. (The cellar conditions were nearly perfect under my watch.) The '10' had the same ginger ale notes. Will definitely be re-reviewing a fresher bottle.

Serving type: bottle

02-03-2013 13:49:38 | More by FeDUBBELFIST

Ryanm1

Pennsylvania

4.75/5  rDev +9.4%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

Saw this beer all over Brussels, Belgium in Supermarkets and corner stores and had to pick up a bottle. I know of #10's high ranking so I decided to give this one a whirl, although took it back to the states before trying it.

When I was ready to open the bottle a few day after bringing it home, I realized it was a bit shaken up in the Transatlantic Flight. An overwhelming amount of carbonation came out like a soda that was shake up. I immediately poured half of it into a tulip glass. Poured brown with an excessive amount of foam. Had to let it slowly dissipate before I poured the final ounce or two into the twelve ounce glass. Was able to salvage about nine ounces of beer. Poured a dark brown color, slightly translucent when held up to the light.

The first sip of course very effervescent with the carbonation, but still felt light in my mouth, not syrupy or thick. The smell and taste was that of a slight amount of dark fruits. Alcohol was present in the taste as the beer weight in at 9,2%. Overall an excellent selection

Serving type: bottle

02-03-2013 13:13:39 | More by Ryanm1

CuteZombieDoll

New Jersey

4.44/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Poured into a tall tulip-shaped glass

A- Pours a hazy dark brown with a good head, and some little floating bits of sediment.

S- An alcoholic smell, with some fruity and sweet smells.

T- Tastes like fruit, reminds me of dates or figs, spice, with some mild alcohol flavor. My dad noted a bit of hops when he had a sip, but I didn't taste that much of a hops flavor, though it is less sweet and heavy than expected.

M- Not super heavy, well carbonated, but definitely not a lightweight.

O- A high quality beer, but is this really one of the best beers in the world? I think I need to drink more beer to know for sure. Still, worth getting and trying out. I would get it again, and now I want to try the other beers from this brewery. Then again, maybe I poured it into the wrong glass, since this glass is a lot taller than it should be.

Serving type: bottle

02-03-2013 05:45:39 | More by CuteZombieDoll

falloutsnow

Illinois

3.43/5  rDev -21%
look: 5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

From: Friar Tuck's, Savoy, IL
Date: 070715 08:30
Glass: St. Bernardus chalice

I didn't really enjoy Rochefort's 8, and I was hoping for a show-stopping beer that would complement this very cold winter day. The ethanol was too pronounced, while other flavors were too muted. Perhaps this doesn't age as well as thought, because with two years of age on it, this is not a particularly good beer to me (if it ever was). One I might try again at some point, but only due to the songs of praise others drop upon it, and the ever-increasing price point for a single bottle is certainly not conducive to further experimentation.

Pours a 2cm tall head of beige colored foam, constituted by small bubbles, with above average retention, lasting over two minutes. The head fades to a 1cm cap atop the body of the beer, where it remains for the duration of drinking. Lacing is present, of moderate accumulation along the glass' sides, in various small shapes and lines. The body is a very dark garnet color, nearly opaque due to darkness, but slightly transparent when brought to light, which also lightens the hue of the dark red-brown coloration. Carbonation is active and visible, streaking up along the sides of the glass.

Aroma of sweet amber Belgian candi sugar, obvious ethanol, faint raisins, and dried brown figs. Overall, the scents are rather faint, and the only easily discernible ones are the sweet sugar influences and ethanol.

The flavor of the beer is primarily sweet, with hints of Belgian yeast and fruit esters, until the ethanol hits, which makes this come across as much harsher. Age has not, perhaps, been kind to the beer. Front of palate picks up mild sweetness and fruit esters (plum, grape, raisin). Mid-palate is of slightly musty Belgian yeast, amber Belgian candi sugar, ethanol, heavily faded raisins and plums. Back of palate is slightly bitter and astringent (ethanol and hop presence?) with ethanol, ghostly fruit esters, and sweetness that reminds me a bit of heavy, old-style cough syrup. Closes in a flash of hot, burning ethanol, leading to an aftertaste of more ethanol and some rum-soaked (heavy on the rum) raisins with Belgian yeast flourishes.

Beer is medium-bodied, with carbonation of medium-low intensity, resulting in a fizzy mouthfeel that gradually settles to a calm, smooth, slightly foamy flow. Ethanol is easily, aggressively felt in the nostrils, on the tongue, and the back of the throat. Not impressed at all. Closes semi-dry, with substantial stickines lingering across the palate.

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2013 03:20:10 | More by falloutsnow

HuskyinPDX

Washington

4.23/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Bottle opened on 1.26.13

A - Pours a opaque fizzy medium brown with a tan head that bubbles up, then fades.

S - Booze, dark fruit, raisins.

T - Rum soaked raisins, sweet carmel malts in the finish.

D - Good carbonation with a medium body.

O - Sweet and lots of dark fruit. It's like a dessert in a glass.

Serving type: bottle

01-31-2013 06:09:37 | More by HuskyinPDX

kawilliams81

Illinois

4/5  rDev -7.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 11.2 oz bottle into a Pipeworks snifter.

A- pours a muddy brown with a 2" tan head. Some blotches of lacing remain on the glass.

S- candi sugars, faint chocolate, raisins and prunes.

T- light chocolate, slight roast, candi sugar, raisins, dark fruits, slight metallic flavor.

M- medium body and carbonation. Faint syrup feel with some acidity.

O- nice beer, has nice candi sugar and dark fruit notes.

Serving type: bottle

01-30-2013 03:35:55 | More by kawilliams81

Chaney

District of Columbia

4.44/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Never even tried this one before. Cheers!

Served in an Olde Hickory glass.

A: Dark brown-red color, infinitely cloudy, with about a 1/2 finger off white head there. Yeasties, yeasties, yeasties!

S: Musty Belgian yeast strain for sure, along with figs, prunes, and other entries in the dark fruit realm.

T: Sure, the Belgian yeast strain is there, but this one has a nice refreshing, complex quality as well as brown, sugar (but not too). The finish just kinda fades away into the distance... love it... awe-stricken...

M: Like most true Belgians, this one is not too sugary at all. The lacing was non-existent and the head was about 1/2-1/4

O: I needed this one to help me on my almost complete quest towards trying all the "Beers of Fame." I see why this is one there. Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

01-28-2013 22:53:12 | More by Chaney

vitALEity

California

4.04/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

A: Hazy, amber color - lighter then you would expect but very full. Tan lace after a full thick head of foam

Smell: Sweeet, fruity, banana, dates and brown sugar. Very little alcohol on the nose for a 9.2% beer.

Taste: Light, smooth and creamy. Some mild spice like clove along with the banana and tropical fruitish flavours.

Notes: IMO there is a big difference b/w this and its older brother the 10. While some people find this to be a better, smoother, mellower alternative I find it to be a bit too lite on the eyes and the palate for a strong "dark".

Serving type: bottle

01-28-2013 01:36:47 | More by vitALEity