Trappistes Rochefort 8 - Brasserie de Rochefort

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

sevenarts

New York

4.56/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: Ruddy brown with a huge, bubbly light tan head. Eventually goes down just a bit but sticks around for quite a while.

S: Sweet dark fruit with a strong undercurrent of musty Belgian yeast.

T/M: Like the aroma, this is a nice mix of sugary sweet with funky yeastiness. Strong sugar and fruit up front, followed by some bready yeast. Nice prickly carbonation.

O: A great Belgian ale, very sweet and strong and tasty.

Serving type: bottle

01-25-2013 00:09:00 | More by sevenarts

urbanvets

New York

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

330 ml poured into chalice March 21, 2017

A- Brownish red with 1 1/2 finger head, not as much retention as I would have liked.

S- Belgian yeast, malt, chocolate and apples

T- Lemon, chocolate, bread

M- Very smooth and enjoyable to sip, can swirl this beer in my mouth forever

O- High alcohol content is deceptive, sneaks up on you, hidden in other tastes. # 6 seems a little more complex. Prefer over the Chimay Blue by far.

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2013 02:32:08 | More by urbanvets

catadoraccidental

1.19/5  rDev -72.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 1 | taste: 1 | feel: 1 | overall: 1.25

APPEARANCE: Many ivory durable foam. It is a layer of thick middle finger permanently and brands of foam from the maximum height reached to serve. Dark brown and very watery black between. / AROMA: In the first instant of pouring it into the glass, the smell is rum. Almost immediately after the aroma is strange, as spoiled rum, if such a thing could occur. Maybe that smell comes from alcohol. Unpleasant. Prefer not go nosing. / Taste: Creamy. Intense roasted flavors. In the back of the palate and throat leaves a permanent taste a little aggressive. Taste very conflicted: have to like it a lot or you dislike. Definitely something burning, as if I had grabbed the stew at the bottom of the pot and also, for some mysterious reason, that stew had spoiled bitter. Salted. There is a beer that fit off the middle ground. / GENERAL ASSESSMENT: Not as good as they say. Pretty bad. 2.50 euros. / January 2013

Serving type: bottle

01-14-2013 15:41:42 | More by catadoraccidental

SStein

North Carolina

4.85/5  rDev +11.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

33cl bottle poured into a Trappises Rochefort chalice
It pours a deep red-brown with a frothy head. This head goes down to lacing around the glass with solid islands of foam/froth in the beer.
Its smells of dark fruits and alcohol. The alcohol rides the coat strings of the fruit smell and lets you know this beer means business.
As you drink you get some of the spice from the trappist yeast, a slight fruit taste and get hit on the back end by the alcohol to remind you this is a 9.2% ABV beer.
The is a light, subtle carbonation that mixes with the lacing and adds a frothy element.
Overall it is a fantastic beer for sitting around and talking, and enjoying the company of others. Not one to rushed or hurried but to enjoy its essence.

Serving type: bottle

01-04-2013 18:24:45 | More by SStein

BlackBelt5112203

South Carolina

4.08/5  rDev -6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

330 mL bottle poured into a chalice at cellar temperature.

L – Brown color with a big 4-finger rocky cream-colored head that fades into about a finger of creamy frothy bubbles that lasts throughout. Only a little bit of lacing to go along with the great retention.

S – There’s a wonderful bouquet of fruits here including apples, pears, cherries, apricots, raisins, and figs along with peppery Belgian yeast. The fruit profile is a little light for a Belgian strong dark but it still smells great.

T – There is actually not much going on at the start of the taste, maybe a little bit of bready malt, but fruity sweetness and a tiny bit of sour acidity soon show up with apple, pear, apricot, and raisin notes. Pleasantly spicy Belgian yeast appears at the finish along with a bit of a cola and grainy taste as well.

F – Medium-bodied with great carbonation, a creamy and smooth mouthfeel, and a slightly sweet and dry finish. A grainy, yeasty taste lingers on my tongue for a little bit. With the high ABV, it’s astonishing that there is only a subtle, very pleasant throat-warming effect.

O – This is a really nice beer. It’s a little on the lighter side of the Belgian strong darks in terms of appearance and fruit profile in both the aroma and taste, but it sure is tasty. I know it’s a different style but I liked the 6 a bit more. I think it was just a bit more complex and enjoyable. Let’s see how the 10 goes. I’m excited.

Serving type: bottle

01-03-2013 04:38:43 | More by BlackBelt5112203

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

DocJitsu

California

4.18/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Pours a translucent, dark cider-amber color with a big, foamy, long-lasting light tan head. Bubbles migrate from the bottom, perpetually feeding the immortal head. Mild spiciness on the nose. A little metal soup can, date and brown sugar aromas as well. Mouthfeel is such that the beer slides. Just enough of a carbonation burn gradually appears to balance the slickness of the beer. Mild tartness in the beginning. Brown sugar appears just before the finish. A lot of balance in the beers flavors and mouthfeel. A very good Belgian by comparison. No alcohol warmth at all.

Serving type: bottle

12-26-2012 19:39:23 | More by DocJitsu

Lemke10

Wisconsin

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

This pours a medium brown color with a foamy light brown head. The scent has elements of nuts, yeast, and malts. I’m definitely getting the Belgian Strong Ale scent from this one. The taste is bold and heavy. There are a lot of complex flavors including caramel malts, toasted malts, yeast, and burnt sugars. Great texture and volume adds great depth to make this another fantastic brew from Rochefort.

Serving type: bottle

12-23-2012 23:48:43 | More by Lemke10

Tupperwolf

Washington

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

From a 330ml bottle into my Gulden Draak tulip, this beer pours a reddish-earth color with a blonde head; It rises up half of the tall tulip neck and gradually settles into a thin layer with edges that try to cling to the glass but don't quite hang on.

The beer is completely opaque despite leaving the yeast behind in the bottle; No point of light can be seen when held in front of a bulb. Tiny bubbles are barely visible rising to keep the head afloat.

The nose is cinnamon and clover honey, with slight dark fruitiness and background notes of candi sugar and alcohol rounding it out.

The flavor is less raisiny and cloying than many in this style; There's a slight sweet apple, smooth alcohol esters and just a hint of spice. It's quite smooth, without any hop bitterness at all - rather, the hops do a fine job of holding the sweetness in check.

The mouthfeel is quite smooth. The amount of carbonation provided by the secondary fermentation is close to spot-on. There is no fizziness on the tongue, but the carbonation can be felt spreading the liquid over the palate.

Overall, a fine Monk-brewed beer, and one that fits well with its mates in the Rochefort range. It is very finely balanced and hides its ABV well.

Serving type: bottle

12-23-2012 22:35:55 | More by Tupperwolf

ChugginOil

Illinois

4.38/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a murky dark maroon-brown with barely any head or lacing. Looks very deep.

The nose is full of caramel malt, fig, raisins and plums.

Flavors consist of a ton of dark fruit, sweet and bready malts and some caramel.

Mouthfeel is rich and creamy, full and sticky.

Overall, super smooth for the abv and very tasty.

Serving type: bottle

12-22-2012 02:30:08 | More by ChugginOil

chanokokoro

Illinois

4.78/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

33 cl (11.2 oz) bottle poured into a Trappistes Rochefort branded chalice

Pours a murky mahogany with a one finger fluffy bone white head. Exceptional retention, lacing that sticks to the side of the chalice and slowly slides down to rejoin the creamy head. Fruity nose; fig, date, hint of apricot, and perhaps some pear joined by phenol alcohol. Big malty body; spicy, dry, with yeasty pumpernickel bread crust. Brown sugar and pear, apricots, rich fig and date. Alcohol is ever-present but always perfectly balanced. The complexity of this brew is simply stunning and the balance is just as impressive. Medium-bodied, smooth with lively carbonation that pokes through here and there to tickle the palate. Truly world-class.

Serving type: bottle

12-19-2012 05:22:23 | More by chanokokoro

harrymel

Washington

3.08/5  rDev -29%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Bb: 01FEB17
Pours toasted caramel with plenty of light toasted cream foam (I spent a few minutes just killing foam so I could get beer). Smells of co2, light toasted nuts, some yeast and a little bit of malt - but really not appealing this fresh at all.... Taste is sweet with banana, alcohol, some sugar, some hints of toasted malts; again, really surprised how little I respect this today. Feels really thin and lacks the body I'd expect from the beer, the carb is hi initially, but I've mechanically removed much of it. Really disappointed in this right now. Maybe too young...

01APR11 Review: 4/5/5/4/4.5-4.75
Bb: 2/11/14
A: Pours a dark mahogany ale, murky (due to yeast). Three finger head of light latte falls to sheet of the same. Good, coarse lacing. S: Malt, Brown sugar, raisins, dark fruits, figs, molasses. Dark, intriguing. Very nice and complex. Malts are excellent here.T: Above, then add graham and beautiful, bready yeast into the mix. Outstanding flavor. M: Full body and high carbonation. Wish the carb was a little high on this one. Too bad. O: Absolutely gorgeous beer. No question Rochefort is among the top five Trappist breweries.

Serving type: bottle

12-15-2012 06:03:45 | More by harrymel

gcamparone

Rhode Island

4.38/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a tulip. Purchased in Wakefield, Rhode Island.

A- Pours an earth-brown, slightly hazy body with a massive white head with high retention and little lacing. Some sediment.

S- Definitely get that belgian yeast aroma. Bready, fruity, sweet candi sugar too.

T- Yum. Caramel, dark fruits, molasses, bananas, biscuits. Slight grape aftertaste. Highly balanced and drinkable. Very little booze present.

M- Medium body and mouthfeel.

Overall an impressive brew. Highly drinkable, flavorful, and complex. This is a good starter beer for anyone looking to get into the darker belgian styles.

Serving type: bottle

12-13-2012 03:15:07 | More by gcamparone

PeterIngemi

Massachusetts

4.25/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from an 11.2oz bottle into a snifter

A: looks alot like to Rocherfort 6 but a bit darker and thick. Deep brown with a hint if ruby, two fingers of khaki head, recedes to half a finger of head that remains till the finish.

S: sticky dark fruit, caramel, brown sugar, again like a toned up version of 6, apple, light citrus... Very nice, really like the caramel stickiness and heft of this aroma, great

T: much like the aroma, sticky apple and raisin, dark caramel, a bit of light citrus, a hit of sweetness in the middle. Very tasty

M: heavy sticky body with moderate effervescent carbonation, a nice creamyness as well.

O: a pumped up version on rochefort 6, obviously, very tasty and delicious.

Serving type: bottle

12-12-2012 03:15:10 | More by PeterIngemi

CA_Infidel2o9

4.13/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 330ml to a Tulip

A- murky brown w/ floaties, 2" cloud like khaki head

S- caramel, toffee, dark fruit, spice, belgian yeast, hay

T- follows the nose, slit alcohol

M- medium body, crisp carbonation, slit alcohol heat

O- officially one of my favorite belgians. Let it warm, caramel & toffee become intense. Mix that with some dark fruit and some belgian yeast, and you got an awesome brew.

Serving type: bottle

12-11-2012 23:15:56 | More by CA_Infidel2o9

mooseo

Pennsylvania

4.4/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

330ml bottle into goblet.

A - Beautiful dark ruby with a medium off white head.

S - Black cherry, plum, raisin, and caramel malt. Earthy and vinous.

T - Sweet dark fruit, toasted malt, brown sugar, and Belgian yeast. Hints of molasses, subtle chocolate, and earthy hops. The finish is spicy with clove, cinnamon, toffee, and burnt grains. Complex and balanced.

M - Medium-full bodied. Crisp and prickly on the tongue. Super smooth and creamy.

O - This is incredible stuff. I love the rich dark fruit mixed with the huge toasted malt character. The alcohol is a little warming but otherwise masked well. One of, if not the best Belgian beers I've had to date.

Serving type: bottle

12-05-2012 01:31:24 | More by mooseo

gtermi

Texas

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

A: The beer pours a muddy brown body with a thick white head that slowly fades and leaves a little bit of lacing on the glass.

S: I am getting a strong fruity and funky yeast with a nice amount of sweetness. A little bit of alcohol and grain are in there too.

T: Like the smell, they flavor is dominant with the funky fruity yeast and a type of caramel sweetness from the grain.

M: There is a lot of carbonation in this beer, but also a pretty thin body. The beer goes down relatively smooth with a slight tingle as it goes down.

O: This is the best Dubbel that I have ever had. All the points are dead on and I am going to stock up on this beer and see what it does with some age.

Serving type: bottle

11-22-2012 06:18:06 | More by gtermi

artdob

California

4/5  rDev -7.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Wow. Massive, frothy, tan head.

Nose entices with yeast, bread, banana, plums, raisins, even some chocolate esters.

Taste: There's somewhat of a lightness in the taste department. I do pick up caramel as the primary element. Leans toward sweetness which builds the deeper into the glass you get. Not much in the hops department. Raisins, plums, compote stewed fruits, graham crackers, wild avocado honey.

Decent carbonation adds support. Mouthfeel further enhanced with a creamy, smooth texture.

A respectable Belgian that adds warmth as one settles down with this brew. Extra points for Trappist authenticity. Go Monks!

Serving type: bottle

11-17-2012 05:05:42 | More by artdob

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

vidisad

California

4.48/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I got this bottle at Bevmo, Ventura California. Bootle has a stamp that reads 070317. I guess It expires in March of 2017' almost 5 years from now.
Awesome beer. Dark in appearence with beautiful foam and lacing. Very fruity and sweet. 9.2% of alcohol but you don't feel it. Very drinkable beer.

Serving type: bottle

11-11-2012 07:25:02 | More by vidisad

mcanderson0

4.08/5  rDev -6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured into a bordeaux wine glass.

A: dark murky brown with a touch of orange. I poured everything in the bottle, sediment included.

S: malty banana nut bread with a touch of caramel.

T: the effervescence tends to mask the flavor at first. After the bubbles settle the dark malts come to life. A touch of banana esters, some freshly mashed nuts (walnuts, almonds), a hearty bread-like character. A light, raw cacao nib tinge.

M: almost too bubbly for about 20min, but afterwards the feel is so creamy smooth. Softly warming at this point.

O: i'm not a fan of effervescence so i let it sit and watched the carbonation run free for a bit. Its nearly flat now but in my opinion so much better than immediately after pouring. I will come back to this one.

Serving type: bottle

11-02-2012 23:16:06 | More by mcanderson0

scottchesterhall

California

4.78/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

A-brown, opaque, tiny bubbles, thin head, poured goblet, exp. 25 08 15

S-faint chocolatey yeast

T-rich warm chocolatey malt, toasted graham crackers, clean finish with gentle but long-lingering boozy sweetness that offsets the toastiness...such a nice balance!

M-very nice gentle carbonation that increases the flavor

O-big yet balanced, warm and toasty with gentle notes of flowery sweetness...awesome. Dangerous!

Serving type: bottle

11-02-2012 23:11:22 | More by scottchesterhall

Kremlock

Ontario (Canada)

4.25/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: Pours a thick one inch head then drops to 1/2 inch. Head is frothy and slightly off white. Beer is a deep brown/orange in colour. Due to inattention on my part I poured a bit of the sediments.

S: Deep rich malt aromas, hints of burned chocolate. hints of plums

T: Raisins, plums, chocolate, soft alcohol, with a balanced bitterness that leans towards the malt.

M: Medium-full bodied, high carbonation, clean finish.

O: A great dubble and a must have in your fridge.

Serving type: bottle

10-30-2012 18:30:53 | More by Kremlock

micromaniac129

Pennsylvania

4.33/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours with a generous head of beige, frothy and dense. The color is muted brown with a hazy complexion. Some carbonation but light and gentle.
Aroma is malty and yeasty as one would expect. I also smell vinagar tartness like in a sour ale. Fruits and figs could be smelled also.

Sweet and malty with some bready yeast. Candied sugar and molasses is also present.
One can also taste wine notes and fruit.

Smooth tasting and thinner on the palette.

I like the vinagar tartness and sweet fruitness in this dubbel. A good beer but I think lags against other trappist dubbels.

Serving type: bottle

10-28-2012 14:55:28 | More by micromaniac129