Trappistes Rochefort 10 - Brasserie de Rochefort

damndirtyape

Ohio

4.38/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Single bottle (date stamp is 280415 - whatever that means) poured into a Rochefort chalice

Appearance: Slow pour to keep the sediment in (which didn't quite work) yielded a dark brown mostly translucent beer. Thin persistent off white skin of foam across the top with gaps (didn't go all the way across) and thin ring at the edge as well. Can just make out small bubbles coming up slowly through the glass at the edges. Sadly no lacing to speak of.

Smell: Rich malty sweetness with a solid hint of phenol, but it's muted and blended with all the malt so not overpowering. I've smelled phenol in the lab before (I'm a chemist) and it is NOT a pleasant smell - it's medicinal and powerful moldy at the same time. This is different - I can smell that phenol, but it's blended with a nice sweet smell and maybe some sort of candied fruit. Interesting and appealing.

Taste: Rich and sweet maltness here - syrupy in a good way. A little bit buttery toffee thrown in as well. Alcohol is very well hidden - I'm not detecting it at all. Very tasty beer.

Mouthfeel: Quick prickly carbonation on the tongue, then gone, leaving a chewy and smooth beer.

Overall / Drinkability: I think I've said it before and I'll say it again, I think the famous Rochefort chalice is the wrong glass for this beer. I think I would capture more of the smells and tastes if this was in a tulip and next time that's what I'll use. Overall a very malt forward beer, but not cloying, and a very interesting to sip and savor. Despite the higher alcohol I did not notice it until the end of the glass, but by then the alcohol was warming and even then I was pleasantly sated - no need for a second glass. Really a great beer and worth getting again, but for special occasions. This is not a beer for every night.

Serving type: bottle

05-10-2011 23:08:45 | More by damndirtyape

In_Control_Mike

Massachusetts

4.75/5  rDev +4.9%

05-23-2013 22:29:43 | More by In_Control_Mike

sjanowiak

Minnesota

4/5  rDev -11.7%

05-23-2013 19:55:14 | More by sjanowiak

AaronBricking

Kentucky

4.75/5  rDev +4.9%

05-23-2013 05:01:20 | More by AaronBricking

bf7

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev -0.7%

05-23-2013 04:26:10 | More by bf7

Isotope

Texas

4.75/5  rDev +4.9%

05-23-2013 02:44:32 | More by Isotope

odms

West Virginia

5/5  rDev +10.4%

05-22-2013 03:23:54 | More by odms

dbrelsfo

Georgia

4.5/5  rDev -0.7%

05-22-2013 01:33:27 | More by dbrelsfo

schwemjw

Ohio

4.98/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

A: A lot of sediment floating in a dark murky brown beer. no head but a nice lacing on is left of the glass.

S: HUGE. sour dark fruit. yogurt, yeast and sourdough bread. There is a touch of fig, plum, raisins, tart cherry and banana in here. WOW this is awesome.

T: Tastes similar to how it smells. brown sugar, rum raisins, yogurt with a hint of alcohol on the end. Sweet fig, sourdough bread, under ripe cherry. A little tannin quality and has a bit of a port characteristic to it.

M:Dry long finish. medium bodied.

O: Refrshing, complex. There is so much going on here. There is no more i need to say, drink one! / 98

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2013 21:08:14 | More by schwemjw

VirginiaJeff1

Virginia

5/5  rDev +10.4%

05-21-2013 19:16:51 | More by VirginiaJeff1

PlinyBeMiney

California

2.5/5  rDev -44.8%

05-21-2013 06:47:59 | More by PlinyBeMiney

Falcon91Wolvrn03

California

4.65/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75

Appearance – A super dark amber brown color, with a nice very light brown head that sticks around for a long time, and lots of lacing. A little sediment at the bottom.

Smell – A wonderful sweet scent, unlike anything I can describe. Maybe brown sugar, toffee, malt, and cherry with a touch of chocolate. But it’s very unique, and that description may not do it justice.

Taste – The taste is just as unique as the smell. Malty, with brown sugar, port, and a taste I find difficult to describe.

Mouthfeel – Perfectly carbonated, incredibly smooth, and the 11.3% abv is exceptionally well hidden.

Drinkability – Highly drinkable. I tried this alongside all the top quadruples (except the Westvleteren, which I’m saving for a head to head competition with the winner of the comparison), and found this one to be the best.

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2013 04:30:27 | More by Falcon91Wolvrn03

Localdrinklax

Wisconsin

5/5  rDev +10.4%

05-21-2013 04:08:30 | More by Localdrinklax

CosmoHopHead

Kansas

4.25/5  rDev -6.2%

05-21-2013 04:04:18 | More by CosmoHopHead

bobbyr5

Michigan

5/5  rDev +10.4%

05-21-2013 01:58:27 | More by bobbyr5

ericwa1154

Texas

4/5  rDev -11.7%

05-20-2013 21:52:34 | More by ericwa1154

tipfortap

New York

4.5/5  rDev -0.7%

05-20-2013 17:17:33 | More by tipfortap

kwkdmk

Louisiana

4.75/5  rDev +4.9%

05-20-2013 12:04:31 | More by kwkdmk

ACY73

California

4.5/5  rDev -0.7%

05-20-2013 05:10:34 | More by ACY73

megamass

New Jersey

4.5/5  rDev -0.7%

05-20-2013 04:47:06 | More by megamass

jarrett123

New York

5/5  rDev +10.4%

05-20-2013 04:18:33 | More by jarrett123

Kmat10

Alberta (Canada)

4.5/5  rDev -0.7%

05-20-2013 03:23:48 | More by Kmat10

educorgan

Portugal

4.75/5  rDev +4.9%

05-19-2013 23:19:28 | More by educorgan

drgonzo2k2

California

4.25/5  rDev -6.2%

05-19-2013 23:17:19 | More by drgonzo2k2

AOShabaz

Massachusetts

4.75/5  rDev +4.9%

05-19-2013 23:09:47 | More by AOShabaz