Trappistes Rochefort 6 - Brasserie de Rochefort

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

4.43/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A wonderful beer,though some Coco-cola colours . Dark amber brown colour. Cinammon smell. Warming cinammon mouthfeel. Licorice, fruity spice, raspberry,vanilla. Excellent malt toffee but not to make it on swethe et side. Perfect hop assist.Very good to drink at a moderate pace.Great 7 years later, bottle aged for 3 years.

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2005 03:52:38 | More by northyorksammy

BuckeyeNation

Iowa

4.47/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Charred orange accented by brick red. I expected to see some yeast, but the beer is pristine after the initial pour. Perhaps the final pour will murk things up a little. The airy crown of foam is the color of polished pearls bathed in a soft orange light. Soft streamers of lace decorate the glass in an appealing fashion and solidify the (less than dark) BSDA look.

The nose is good without being fantastic. Going on appearance and aroma alone, it seems like 6 is a lighter end of the spectrum Belgian dark ale rather than a BSDA. I smell unsweet caramel malt, musky dark fruit and a dash of spicy Belgian yeast.

Although I still think the above style is incorrect, this is definitely good beer. The fruitiness is more along the lines of bruised apples, white raisins and dried figs. It doesn't quite reach the 'dates' stage of darkness and is nowhere near the 'raisins and plums' stage. I'm sure the monks felt like they needed to distinguish it from the higher-ABV, darker, maltier Rochefort 8.

The beer has a stealth complexity. One can easily quaff it without a second thought, but a little probing reveals a beautiful proportionality between malt, hops and spicy yeast. I like the fact that 6 favors the dry, crisp portion of the BSDA spectrum. It's too bad that it only comes in 33 cl bottles because I could easily go for a '750' right about now.

As anticipated, the addition of the final few inches of beer both darkens and murks things up quite nicely. It also makes the flavor profile even more bold. If you can manage it, I'd suggest choosing a drinking vessel that allows you to drain the entire bottle with one smooth pour. I know I'll be doing that next time (and there will most certainly be a next time).

I had to carefully ration the final few ounces in order to assess the mouthfeel. The beer was disappearing so fast that I feared I'd run out ahead of schedule. While the mouthfeel is light for the style, it has a gorgeous feel and is expertly carbonated. No letdown here; not even close.

I don't know why it took me so long to drink my first offering from one of the most respected breweries in the world. I was less than floored initially, but now that I'm at the bottom of the bottle, I'm able to recognize the brilliance of Trappistes Rochefort 6. If it was less expensive, I'd gladly buy this delicious elixir in bulk. Now I can't wait to drink 8 and 10.

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2007 15:16:30 | More by BuckeyeNation

mikesgroove

South Carolina

4.28/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

dark, opague nice tan with a huge, head that towered 3 inches above the glass. Tons of lace, a fantastic overall appearence.

lots of fruity tones. Hints of apricots and figs with a nice spiceness in the back. Hints of apples, just a great well rounded and very impressive overall profile. Tons of carbonation and lots of activity on the palate. Huge flavor assault , lots of dark fruits, figs, hints of yeast, and a pronounced grainey flavor. remarkably smooth/.

Overall Really a good all around late night sipping brew.

Serving type: bottle

05-27-2011 03:20:02 | More by mikesgroove

womencantsail

California

4.15/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: The pour is an opaque reddish-brown color. The head is small to begin with and dissipates quickly.

S: The nose has the usual yeast and bready quality with some hints of dark fruit. The bulk of the nose, however, is the sweet caramel and toffee from the malt.

T: Like the nose, the yeast and malt really define this beer. A lot of sweetness from the malts with dark fruits (particularly raisins and figs) with a mild spice.

M: The body is medium with a high level of carbonation.

D: The world of Belgians is sort of a new thing to me, but it would seem I'm off to a good start. A very nice beer, indeed.

Serving type: bottle

06-26-2009 01:26:42 | More by womencantsail

Thorpe429

Illinois

4.4/5  rDev +6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

G: Poured into a chalice.

A: Pours a reddish mahogany with a large cream-colored head that's got plenty of carbonation ridges.

S: Sweet, fruity esters lead into the dark fruits. Some spicy yeast. Quite creamy.

T: Some complex malts go with the dark fruits. Quite a bit of yeastiness as well.

M: Very creamy. Medium-bodied and with minimal carbonation. Slight alcohol hints after the swallow.

D: A good sipper. Quite a bit lighter than the 8 or the 10.

Serving type: bottle

04-27-2009 22:36:24 | More by Thorpe429

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

4/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

11.2 oz. bottle - $4.99 at Bullock's Wine & Spirits in Marietta, Georgia.

Appearance: Pours a burnt sienna body with a large, though short-lived, foamy, off-white head.

Smell: Bready, caramelized malt aroma, notes of Pink Lady apples and juicy, overly ripe plums, and with a flowery, perfumy waft of orchids.

Taste: Flavorful, complex maltiness delivers tastes of brown sugar and caramel coated nuts and bread crusts. Pinch of cinnamon. A chew of bubblegum. Bright floral and fruitiness mingled with some sourish yeast hints. Very minor touch of alcohol. Fruity, warming and with a sprinkling of crushed nuts on the finish.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied. Well carbonated, a bit prickly at times.

Drinkability: A reasonably complex, enjoyable brew, though, for my tastes, the carbonation was just a bit too high.

Serving type: bottle

02-17-2009 03:41:07 | More by ChainGangGuy

brentk56

North Carolina

4.5/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Pours a chestnut color capped by a fairly impressive (at first) ecru head; retention was surprisingly poor and there was not that much lacing, either

Smell: Toasted brown bread with a bit of fig jam; undertones of toffee and banana

Taste: Toffee and fruit, up front, with figs, sweet apples and bananas jutting to the fore; by mid-palate, a layer of spice and toasted brown bread emerges followed by the yeasty phenols that appear, after the swallow

Mouthfeel: Absolutely perfect, with a medium body lighted by a buoyant carbonation

Overall: Overall, Rochefort is my favorite Trappist brewery and the 10 is my favorite dark Belgian beer; this one is a bit lighter (particularly for the BSDA style) but it is still an exceptional product

Serving type: bottle

05-02-2012 22:28:36 | More by brentk56

UCLABrewN84

California

3.55/5  rDev -14.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours a murky dark brown color with a 1 inch bone colored head that fades to nothing. Slight lacing slowly slides back into the beer on the drink down. Some sediment is seen floating around in the beer. Smells of fermented raisins, sweet malt, and spices. I also get a very subtle hint of funk and vinegar. Taste is of caramel, dark fruits, spices, and Belgian yeast. Lots of carbonation makes for a bubbly and crisp mouthfeel. Overall, I was a bit disappointed in this beer. I was expecting something way better all around based on reviews and information I have read. This isn't a bad beer per se but I guess it's just not up my alley.

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2011 04:16:10 | More by UCLABrewN84

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

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

Bottle: Poured an very hazy dirty brown color ale with a good inch and half of off-white foamy head. Aroma is comprised of spices (coriander?), malt and Belgian yeast. Taste is at first dominated by the spices and malt and finish with the always-incredible Belgian yeast. Body is quite full and alcohol doesn’t show through. I also noted quite a few sediment at the bottom of my glass. This is the staple of Belgian ale and could not really get tired of it even though it doesn’t match the greatness of his two brothers.

Serving type: bottle

12-13-2004 20:08:09 | More by Phyl21ca

BEERchitect

Kentucky

4.5/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Another solid offering by Rochefort. A well aged, and uniquely flavored beer. Looks ideal for a belgian. A dark, burgundy color wit a mild haze and floating yeast. A lightly tanned head that rides to the bottom of the glass with hints of spices sprinkled on top. Smells of matured malts, woodsyness, nuttiness, musky, and a little moldy. Tastes of complex malts, interwoven hops, yeast, bread, almonds, and fruitcake are well melded and difficult to identify individual flavors. Full and rich on the mouth without and overbearing sweetness or becomming chewy. Pronounced alcohol flavor and feel for a mere 7.5%er. This beer is a lot of fun to drink.

Serving type: bottle

01-25-2006 12:33:49 | More by BEERchitect

oberon

North Carolina

4.4/5  rDev +6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Pours a ruddy brown with some reddish hue with a big fluffy head that leaves generous amounts of lace as it settles,caramel is prominant in the aroma as well as some clove/spice and orange oh hell yeah.Wow complexities abound flavor wise some chocolate up front with some roasted malt and a little caramel along with an underlying orange/fruitiness, but a pleasant dry finish keeps it from getting to sweet.Damn fine brew here full of different rich flavors,one to savor.

Serving type: bottle

04-16-2005 20:13:02 | More by oberon

feloniousmonk

Minnesota

4.35/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Beautiful dark plummy brown color, with lush foam above, active carbonation, attractive appearance.
Aroma: sweet, full ,complex, loaded with drak fruits, grapes, cherries, dates, plum, ...eggplant,...a bit of sour and must, an intriguing flavor in this nose, somewhere between sweetness and utter oddity. But I like it.
Taste: huge impact on the palate, big, fat, and delcious, ...more dark fruits swim the mouth, aided and abetted by a mix of spice, very rich, powerful, and juicy. Not as huge in alcohol, while still stronger than most beers, as it's brethren, this is a uniquely tasty, very drinkable effort from the makers of two of the most stunning beers on the planet. (The 8 and 10, of course.)
Very mellow, but far from mild. I admire the unique flavor more as it finds a home in my mouth. Medium bodied, long, fruity finish, very much deliciousness. I'm very happy with this one, and am amazed that this is the first time I've tried it...where have you been all my life? Yum, yum...try this one, please...your happiness is ensured!

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2005 10:08:02 | More by feloniousmonk

WesWes

New York

3.95/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

The beer pours a cloudy brown color with a thick frothy offwhite head that slowly fades to lacing. The aroma is good. It has a mild, roasted and crystal malt scent along with a slight yeasty aroma. It's dry with no signs of warming. The taste is good also. It has a moderate brown ale flavor with some yeast esters in the finish. It's light with some nutty/roasted character. The mouthfeel is decent. It is a medium bodied beer with a little too much carbonation. This is a good drinking beer. It doesn't blow the roof off, but it's a solid offering; an easy drinker.

Serving type: bottle

03-03-2008 02:00:00 | More by WesWes

drabmuh

Maryland

3.68/5  rDev -11.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A continuation of my study of the remaining Trappist breweries, Roche 6 served from a bottle into a goblet. Beer is brown (served with yeast) what head and before the yeast came out the beer was clear but not there are floaters in there.

Aroma is sweet with a hint of alcohol in there, not a lot to it.

The overall flavor is a little muted. I can pick up some hints of anise in there but otherwise, its mostly sweet with a slight taste of alcohol. Drinkability is fine, mouthfeel is OK. Beer is medium bodied. This is a more drinkable beer than the other Rocheforts but this has not been my favorite Trappist ale to date.

I WILL try this beer again in the near future to see if my experience is different.

Serving type: bottle

02-17-2010 16:55:44 | More by drabmuh

Mora2000

Texas

4.13/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Glad to have Rochefort available in Texas again. Finally got a chance to try this one after having the other two on multiple occasions.

The beer pours a hazy, medium brown color with a large off-white head. The aroma is very heavy on the raisins with some brown sugar, toffee and Belgian yeast notes mixed in.

The flavor is also very heavy on the raisins. I also get some prune and grape notes, as well as some toffee, light cocoa and yeast notes. The beer is fairly dry overall and the alcohol is well hidden.

High carbonation and medium mouthfeel.

Serving type: bottle

10-15-2011 23:55:03 | More by Mora2000

metter98

New York

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

A: Poured cloudy brown into a snifter glass with a sizable beige head. There's a moderate level of carbonation and some large yeast particles are floating near the bottom of the glass.
S: There is a light aroma of sweetness with notes of caramel and toffee. As the beer warms up, smells of dark fruit also become noticeable.
T: Like the smell, there's malty sweetness with some notes of chocolate and toffee. The finish is slightly dry and the overall taste becomes a little more complex as it warms up.
M: It feels medium-bodied and very bubbly on the palate.
D: It's relatively easy to drink and any traces of alcohol are well hidden.

Serving type: bottle

04-18-2010 19:53:28 | More by metter98

zeff80

Missouri

4.33/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A - Poured out a reddish/brown color with a foamy, two-finger head. Leaves some very nice lace.

S - It smelled of malt, grasses and vanilla.

T - Tasted strongly of malt, spice and dried fruits. Also, a powerful alcohol presence.

M - A crisp mouthfeel. A medium-bodied beer.

D - This is yet another great Rochefort brew.

Serving type: bottle

02-23-2007 01:07:17 | More by zeff80

Gueuzedude

Arizona

4.4/5  rDev +6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

The bottle opens with a pronounced pfft when I pop the cap. This beer pours a deep reddish copper color when held up to the light, otherwise it is a deep amber color. It is lightly hazy and is topped by a creamy off white head. Quite a fruity aroma with notes of plum, raisin and rum. The fruitiness caries through to the taste, with hints of apricot and in the finish a bit of banana. This beer seems to be sweet, but is in actuality fairly dry. The general fruitiness helps to build up the perception of sweetness. No alcohol is evident, this one hides it well. Quite a smooth beer, well put together, the flavors come together to form a balanced whole. There is a low level of Belgian spiciness here (esters, higher alcohols, etc.) that melds very well with the fruity notes. I must say I really like this beer. Not as complex as the Bernardus Pater 6, but I like it better.

Serving type: bottle

12-09-2003 19:00:00 | More by Gueuzedude

TheManiacalOne

Rhode Island

3.63/5  rDev -12.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from an 11.2oz bottle into a tulip glass.

A: The beer is a coppery brown color, with a short off-white head that fades slowly and leaves a thick lace on the glass.

S: The aroma contains apples, Belgian yeast, caramelized malts, some spice and a faint touch of hops.

T: The taste starts out with mildly sweet flavors of caramel, apples, brown sugar and some spice. Then some breadiness from Belgian yeast and a hearty malt character comes in. The hops presence is very mild but complementary and brings a decent balance. The after-taste is slightly sweet.

M: Crisp and a little smooth, medium body, medium-to-high carbonation, slightly sticky finish.

O: Tasty, goes down easily, not too filling, good kick, good representation of style, it’s a decent Belgian beer, but I didn’t think it was anything special.

Serving type: bottle

12-01-2012 03:04:11 | More by TheManiacalOne

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

3.63/5  rDev -12.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

This beer poured out as a nice looking brown color with an off white head on top. The lacing was pretty good here. The smell of the beer had a big yeasty aroma to it with some darker malts giving off a little sweetness. The taste was a little smokey I thought, I found that to be a little interesting. The other flavors of bread, and caramel were in there too. The mouthfeel was decent in my opinion, though that the beer had a good softness to it. Overall not a bad Belgian brew at all. Quite enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

09-12-2011 04:14:34 | More by Knapp85

emerge077

Illinois

4.3/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Had high hopes for this after having the 10, and wasn't let down.

Pours a deep mahoghany hue, with irregular, spotty bubbles. Smells of banana, bready malt, and yeast.

Tastes almost similar to a doppelbock, a distinct dark malt and grain note is unmistakeable. Banana bread is a big flavor, followed by a smoothing maltiness. Seems akin to a Dubbel, not thin or wimpy at all.

Exceptionally smooth mouthfeel, a buttery diacetyl eases it along. If money was no object, I could make six of these disappear, easy.

Serving type: bottle

01-07-2007 03:28:41 | More by emerge077

Halcyondays

California

3.33/5  rDev -19.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 4

11.2 oz. bottle, bought at the Hi-Times Wine Cellars, in Costa Mesa, CA,

A: Dark brown, with a thick, white head, great retention, with excellent lacing.

S: Smells of alcohol, rum, and figs, with some toasted malts.

T: Dark malts, very malty, with some figs and spices.

M: Too over-carbonated in my opinion, thins out the flavour, though what I tasted was good, doesn't feel like a 7.5% beer.

D: Not one of the better Trappistes in my opinion, I prefer the 10 and the 8, but still a good beer, but could use more body, easy to drink though.

Serving type: bottle

08-25-2007 05:03:50 | More by Halcyondays

Gavage

New Jersey

4.18/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: pours a slightly hazy dark copper color with a 1" head. Some spots of lace develop during the session.

Smell: surprisingly dull caramel and malts.

Taste: bread, caramel, brown sugar sweetness, and a soft bitterness. Alcohol is not noticeable. Simple but incredibly delicious.

Mouhtfeel: smooth from the start to finish. The finish is relatively clean as the maltiness leaves the tongue quickly. Medium bodied.

Drinkabililty: this is a very drinkable brew, and worth seeking out as much as the 8 and 10 from this brewery.

Serving type: bottle

06-28-2006 12:26:54 | More by Gavage

jwc215

New Jersey

3.93/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured into Rochefort glass chalice:

Pours orangeish brown with a thin white head that becomes a patch. A bit of vanishing trailing lace slides down the glass.

The smell is of caramel, raisins, some peppery spicing.

The taste is of caramel, some raisins, some peppery spicing with a touch of yeast and a late-hitting graininess. Sweetness balanced by a touch of earthiness and a dryish finish.

It has a spritzy light-to-medium body.

This is a bit thin and uneventful compared to the 8 and 10. Sitll, in all, it's not too shabby on its own, with enough character to keep it interesting. Disappears easily enough (too easily?)

Serving type: bottle

04-16-2008 02:34:19 | More by jwc215

biboergosum

Alberta (Canada)

3.93/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Been having a hankering lately for a BSDA; about time I got to this one then...

This beer pours a murky dark orange-brown hue, with a fair bit of chunky sediment in suspension, and two fingers of thin foamy, fizzy medium beige head, which melts away fairly quickly, leaving very little in the way of lace. It smells of sweet caramel malt, raisins, dates, and some earthy, floral, almost bitter, hops. The taste is sweet butterscotch malt, some tangy, spicy dark fruit, and mildly bitter floral hops, with the big booze pretty much doing deep undercover work. The carbonation is a bit strong, adding to the perception of things tangy, methinks. For the style, the body is fairly light - a starving medium, for others, and more crisp, than smooth. It finishes with a bready, almost biscuity reserved sweetness, well tempered by the residual bitter earthy hops.

Definitely the little brother of the lot. The hops sure make a difference here, compared to the typical bit boozy malt bomb (I say that with love). Good, in an unexpected way.

Serving type: bottle

11-21-2010 00:38:13 | More by biboergosum