Trappistes Rochefort 10 - Brasserie de Rochefort

mmthompson33

Kansas

5/5  rDev +10.4%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

As one of the few best Belgian Trappists (maybe the best), this is one of those beers that deserves a place in the Hall of Fame just as Ripken, Henderson & Gwynn do. It's a classic, with a unique combo of strength and drinkability. It's one of those beers by which all others are measured.

Serving type: bottle

10-15-2001 22:29:19 | More by mmthompson33

purplehops

Maine

5/5  rDev +10.4%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Rochefort 10 pours a pleasant chestnut brown with a rich tan head. The head leaves a beautiful lace pattern on the glass. Tha aroma is dried fruits with alcohol and background floral notes. The taste starts off with a rich malty flavor that is well balanced with flavors of dried cherries and plums. The finish is very flowery and dry with alcohol and apple/pear being the dominant flavors. The aftertaste is alcohol warmth lingering with malty sweetness and faint notes of raisin. The mouthfeel is smooth and silky with just the right amount of carbonation. This is one of the worlds greatest beers. Smooth, easy to drink, and one of the most complex of the Trappist beers. If you get the chance to try one of these, do it at any cost.

Serving type: bottle

12-14-2002 17:19:05 | More by purplehops

JISurfer

South Carolina

5/5  rDev +10.4%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Once again, it's great to be Catholic, and the Trappist monks do it again! This stuff is really amazing. I really can't think of any flaws in this brew. I guess the only draw back is the high price of $8+ a bottle. As soon as I opened the bottle, I noticed the vanilla and fruits scent in it. One thing that "turned me on" was the sight of the beautiful dark color and a creamy brown head. The head was supper thick at first, but subsided into a film-like substance. The taste was of heavy vanilla, fruit, nuts, and a hint of alcohol taste. The nutty vanilla taste stays around for a while after you swallow and leaves a little tinge on the tounge. I really like this brew and put it up there with the Weste 12. If you have it in your area, give it a go, it's well worth the price.

Serving type: bottle

02-17-2003 18:28:18 | More by JISurfer

Sigmund

Norway

5/5  rDev +10.4%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

(330 ml bottle). Pours with an enormous and thick light tan head, beer is cloudy, very dark brown colour. Heavenly complex aroma: oak, port wine, dried fruit and spices. 5.0 points for aroma/smell is not enough! Flavour is complex, spicy and oaky - toffee sweetness is well balanced with hops. Warming mouthfeel, otherwise the high ABV is well hidden. Long lasting aftertaste. Can't find any faults with the beer - therefore a straight 5.0. Does that imply that any "perfect" beer has to be as strong as Rochefort 10? Certainly not - but in the strong division, this one is in the lead, at least untill I have sampled Westvleteren... (But the price in Norway is outrageous: USD 9 for a small bottle - in the store!)

Serving type: bottle

08-14-2003 20:45:15 | More by Sigmund

beergeek279

Pennsylvania

5/5  rDev +10.4%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Served in the 11.2 oz. bottle. The color is a dark amber, with a bubbly, creamy white head. The smell is malty sweet, and also smells of alcohol. The taste is quite sweet, with hints of nut and raisins, with a malty aftertaste; the alcohol is clearly present, but rather than detracting from the beer, it adds to the relaxing, warming sensation of the beer. Mouthfeel is as creamy as possible. Drinkability-wise, despite the over 11% ABV, I would certainly enjoy drinking as many of these as I could afford!!

When everyone speaks of Trappists, they talk about Westvleteren, and rightly so. However, Rochefort is every bit as good, and I think I enjoyed it even more!. A very underrated beer, and definitely a new favorite on my list!!

Serving type: bottle

09-27-2003 01:20:46 | More by beergeek279

merlin48

Kentucky

5/5  rDev +10.4%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Poured from a 11.2 oz bottle.Maybe it was the goblet, but it appeared a beautiful cherry amber at the bottom, while an almost opaque dark chetnut brown at the top. Generous beige head with a glop of thicker foam in the middle. Nose was of honeydew melon and darker fruit. Exquisite! Mouthful was creamy.

Taste was incredible. More dark fruits, and a hint of McIntosh apples and melon on top of first rate Belgian malts. What an experience to enjoy! Taste and aroma got even better as the goblet emptied.

I enjoyed this one much better than the Westy 12. In fact, this Rochefort 10 was the best I've ever had, anywhere, anytime. A sublime experience! Thus my first 5s across the board. Definitely worth the price of admission. Perfection in a bottle!

Serving type: bottle

12-01-2003 11:34:28 | More by merlin48

HardTarget

Texas

5/5  rDev +10.4%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Bottle inspection: Best by Dated bottle (21-10-09), serving temperature suggestion (54-58 F) and an Authentic Trappist product symbol.
Aroma: I shed tears. I’m unable and unworthy to describe this aroma. Take hard fruit candy, marshmallows, roses, licorice, pepper, and bubble gum and blend them. Some fruity flavors as well, raisin/banana, melon, rum soaked fruitcake, exotic spices and a hint of Juicy Fruit™ as well. Something about the smell says “new” like a new toy or a freshly opened Christmas present. I’ve smelled this beer for 10 minutes before tasting it now, it is just intoxicating.
Appearance: Black, with an odd greenish brown/tan color coming out in bright backlight. A creamed coffee head has patiently waited for me to keep smelling it. It started out at a good finger, now about a quarter, which lasts the hour I savor this gem. A small dot at the center of my goblet shows a small feed of very fine bubbles. Thick obscuring tight knit lace is painted on my glass as I work my way down.
Flavor: Have they genetically created chocolate melons yet? Where a chocolate covered honeydew melon doesn’t sound great, it is the closest I can come to the major tastes I encounter. The chocolate is more of a chocolate milk taste and the melon has an orange bubblegum quality. Grapes and pears play a supporting role in making this beer work, as well as a mild mint flavor. At the half way point, I start to note a mild alcohol taste, but it only serves to enhance the other flavors.
Mouthfeel: So creamy, so smooth; Liquid silk. Fairly dry with a clean finish that cools my lips as it evaporates. Deeper into the beer, my mouth, face, throat, neck, upper body and tummy all have a nice, fireside warmth.
Overall Impression: Words fail me, this beer literally brought tears to my eyes. I saved this beer for my 200th review, and I’m afraid I’ve reached the end of my journey. I want this beer and no other. Thank you BA and Alström brothers for helping me on the journey. There is a world of complex tastes here that I could spend a lifetime exploring. I could drink this beer the rest of my life and die a happy man. If you are lucky enough to see this beer on a shelf somewhere, damn the torpedoes, buy a case! This is my first straight 5 beer. It works on all levels.
Mad props to stonecrusher for rocking my world.

Serving type: bottle

09-02-2004 07:41:37 | More by HardTarget

cro250klr

Pennsylvania

5/5  rDev +10.4%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

This is one great Trappist creation. In fact of all the Trappist beers, this is my favorite. The moment that bottle is opened and the dark, almost black, brew hits the chalice, I would swear that I've made it to heaven. I love smooth, malty, fruity, caramely, high ABV Belgian browns and a Rochefort 10 has all of this. If you're a hop head, or a pale ale fan stay away. If Coors Light is your main staple, dial 911 first. Some may say that this one is too sweet or too strong. The fizz water people might even say that it doesn't taste like any 'beer' that they've ever had. ( Hint: Carbonated horse urine isn't beer.) That's a good thing. That means there's more for me and everyone else who have a clue.
If I'm ever stranded on a desert island and I run across that proverbial magic lamp, here's my three wishes...

1. Westy 12
2. Rochefort 10
3. Don't tell anyone I'm here.

Serving type: bottle

12-29-2004 19:28:27 | More by cro250klr

paulaner

Japan

5/5  rDev +10.4%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

I will have to admit at first try I was not very impressed with this one. I read all the reviews and thought that this had to be better so I went out and bought alot more of them. I found out that with this and all other trappist beers you have to be really careful at which temperature you serve this at. Ounce I got that down I found the dark appearance rather inviting. After talking to many belgium people at the different festivals I found that many of them like this it's just what they call a beerwine. So I took that to heart and treated it like wine before every drink I will swish it around and smell it, for me that is enough, I'm in love. The taste is phenomenal with just that right bitter taste that from much research comes from the water. The fruitiness of this is bar none only to westvleteren which also has a distinct fruity taste. For convenience though I stick with rochefort. For anyone looking for a top notch beer that will surprise them from aroma till aftertaste this is a must have.

Serving type: bottle

01-10-2005 01:17:29 | More by paulaner

MABZ

Nebraska

5/5  rDev +10.4%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

First experience: 4.3 / 5
This beer didn't quite live up to the hype for me, especially after the Rochefort 8 I had several hours earlier more than surpassed my expectations.

The beer pours to a dark golden color that thickens to a dark maroon color as the liquid fills. The head wasn't quite as perfect with such tiny uniform bubbles as was the 8. The bouqet also seemed to be somewhat less pronounced.

The taste had a raisin and red wine hint on the tip of the tongue complemented by malty sweetness. Something in the brew seems to have tickled my sour tastebuds as well, but I can't quite place it. The body was thick and syrupy, damn near unpleasant with the heavy alcohol and carbonation paired with the sweetness.

After this experience I am actually looking forward even more to the Rochefort 6, which I have just discovered is suuposedly "hard to acquire." I have to thank John's Grocery in Iowa City for giving me, who lives in the middle of nowhere Iowa, the chance to drink such finely crafted and rare Belgian brews.

---
Second Experience: 5.0 / 5

After a new batch of this came in (the first batch imported to the US since by Merchant du Vin as opposed to Shelton Bros), my judgement has changed. This beer knocks the socks off of any other beer I've ever tasted. Has a nice bubblegummy taste and aroma with a plethora of fruity esters. Just the perfect balance between sweet, dry, and bitter. Just enough alcohol punch to get you a nice buzz without going overboard. By the way, it seems much less boozy this time through to the point where it is damn near chuggable. I must stock up on this stuff.

Serving type: bottle

01-18-2005 06:20:46 | More by MABZ

steinlifter

Massachusetts

5/5  rDev +10.4%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

poured a deep hazy brown, nice rich head with good retention, smell had alcohol presence, fruity melon, taste is rich and complex, chocolate, and fruity, spicy! mouthfeel is highly carbonated smooth and creamy, drinkability is fantastic! not a session brew but one that is not to be missed! Enjoy!
P.S...I'm editing and giving this a perfect score, cuz I believe this is THE most interesting, and best beer I ever had!...an ABSOLUTE MUST, in my book!

Serving type: bottle

02-05-2005 19:02:53 | More by steinlifter

ggroller

Pennsylvania

5/5  rDev +10.4%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Served in a goblet at the Bethlehem Brew Works Steel Gaarden.

I would have preferred trying this beer for the first time in a quiet, well lit atmosphere but I have wanted to try this beer for so long and I could not wait any longer.

Chocolatey brown liquid with a thin, lacing head. The aroma of choclolate, brown sugar, hints of green apple and cinammon. Tastes of wine- like acidity, apples, pears, maple syrup.

The mouthfeel was bubbly yet very silky and smooth and the drinkability is outstanding although my wallet wouldn't allow for it.

I'll be visiting with this brew again.

Serving type: bottle

02-28-2005 14:54:42 | More by ggroller

bashiba

Iowa

5/5  rDev +10.4%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

This beer is another absolutely flawless beer Rochefort. Even drinking this side by side with the 8 I can't find decide which is better as they are both so perfect in their own ways.

Poures a delecious creamy brown color with tons of thick pillow head.

Smell is a breathtaking variety of smells, with heavy toffee malts mixing with various dark fruits and hints of alcohol.

Taste is just fantastic, so many flavors mixing together so perfectly with just a touch of alcohol flavors.

Mouthfeel is incredibly creamy and full with a nice alcohol warming.

Drinkability is incredible, I have drank several of these over the last couple months and I can't seem to get it enough. I could probably drink this everyday I think and never get sick of it.

Serving type: bottle

05-05-2005 17:29:15 | More by bashiba

Pegasus

Texas

5/5  rDev +10.4%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Appearance: Deep amber in color, with a small off-white head, excellent broken lacing, with scattered patches of sticky foam. The head lingers reaching toward eternity. Best if used by date is 04-08-09.

Aroma: Quite pronounced aroma of caramel and toffee, hazelnuts, alcohol, and earth. The hazelnut character is quite pronounced. Somehow or the aroma other this vaguely reminds me of a 5th Avenue candy bar - in a quite positive connotation.

Taste: Once again, the hazelnuts seem quite dominant, there is also cocoa, and an earthy character. A rich malt character is present from start to finish. The close of the taste is tart and very, very dry, with a lingering earthy note.

Mouth feel: Smooth, rich, very full, almost syrupy, with only faint carbonation.

Drinkability/notes: An overwhelmingly superb beer, which challenges my powers of description. Quite likely the best beer I have ever had.

Thanks to HardTarget for generously sharing this stellar beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-22-2005 14:20:29 | More by Pegasus

mentor

Colorado

5/5  rDev +10.4%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Bottle obtained from John's Grocery (Iowa City) in June 2005 and consumed later that evening. Pours a 1 finger light-brown head over a dark ruby red liquid. Smells sugar sweet, alcohol, caramel, raisin...all this just during the pour. To the nose I get chocolate, toffee, raisin, pera, coriander, gentle orange, and the alcohol is very mild. My word that was amazing. How about a taste. Licorice, toffee, chocolate with a nice alcohol sting that is in line with the sweet and works well with the plethora of flavors that assault my mouoth. Rummy and caramel, brown sugar. Tastes like a warm sweet muffin with melted brown sugar trickled on each bite. Thick mouthfeel and mildly carbonated. There is no lacing on the inside of the glass, but there is a thin film of head that lasted all the way to the very last taste.

Phenomenal. Truly the most incredible and complex beer I've ever had. Just an amazing barrage of flavors, each standing noticable, but none towering over the others dominantly. The flavors work well together, chasing each other and blending into each other, only to re-emerge as a subtly redefined version of their prior selves.

Serving type: bottle

06-17-2005 05:07:18 | More by mentor

GarethYoung1

United Kingdom (Scotland)

5/5  rDev +10.4%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Rochfort has sweet aromas of brown sugar and ripe fruits- plums and dates- I also detect some chocolate and liquorice there and the alcohol you would expect of a beer of this strength. Full bodied and lightly spiced with a dry vinous finish. alcohol well concealed. this gets better every time i drink it, it completely blows me away. My first perfect score.

Serving type: bottle

06-18-2005 13:15:00 | More by GarethYoung1

mwcory

Florida

5/5  rDev +10.4%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

This is by far the best trappist ale available. Upon opening the bottle, you are met with a distictive fruity aroma. Pouring the beer reveals a creamy head,and a dark amber brown color. 11.3% abv, yet there is no real smell of alcohol. A beer that isn't bitterly hopped. Smooth drinking beer. You will find much yeast sediment at the bottom of your bottle or glass. The best beer I have ever tasted.

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2005 00:46:09 | More by mwcory

Hutson

Wisconsin

5/5  rDev +10.4%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

This is the greatest beer in the world. The flavor profile is so complex, with chocolate, fruity, spicey notes all going on, but yet perfectly balanced. I first had this beer in a cafe in Brussels, and it was perfect. I have since had it here in the United States many times, and it makes the journey pretty good, although it is better when handled and stored properly over its life. It is very consistant from bottle to bottle.

Serving type: bottle

02-07-2006 16:59:16 | More by Hutson

rustymoore

Tennessee

5/5  rDev +10.4%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

It's been a long time since I have reviewed so here goes. What a beer to come back to? Rochefort 10 is quite possibly the greatest beer I have EVER tasted. Pours a cloudy chocolate brown I am guessing from the yeast in the bottle. The head this thick and creamy with good lacing throughout. The smell is outstanding. There is everything from caramel to dried fruits (raisens dates etc) There is also a strong alcohol aroma but it just strong enough and not too strong. The taste is where this beer really stands out. It has everything you could want. It's smooth it has a myriad of flavors to explore (very woody as well as the fruits and nuts taste). The drinkability is perfect but one could easily be 3 sheets to wind in a very short amount of time on this tasty but potent brew.

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2006 02:23:39 | More by rustymoore

roblowther

Texas

5/5  rDev +10.4%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Pours into the glass with a thick, rocky head. Extremely small bubbles & gorgeous lacing. Almost black in color with a tan head that settles into bands of varying thickness & color. Smell is rasins, licorice, and dark chocolate. The taste is as divine as the origin of this Trappist. Truly exceptional. Sharp at first, makes the tongue tingle. The spices fade and the sweet, almost plum-like flavor takes over. Then that fades and a crisper aftertaste with noticable alcohol. Finally, if you wait, a resurgance of the spice with a hint of nutmeg?

Out and out one of the VERY best beers I've ever tasted. I hesitate to rate anything all 5's but I just can't come up with anything to argue about.

Serving type: bottle

05-20-2006 19:24:23 | More by roblowther

Damian

Massachusetts

5/5  rDev +10.4%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Drank from an 11.2 fl. oz. bottle purchased at Colonial Spirits, Acton, MA

Poured a very dark, murky, ruby-brown with tons of large, floating yeast particles. The huge, saddle brown, pillowy head faded to a generous film with a thick ring of lace. Tons of bubbly, trickling lacing coated the glass.

Smell was intense, rich, spicy, sugary and malty with some alcohol evident. Scents of brown sugar, spices, ripe fruits, raisins, prunes come through quite strong.

Taste was extremely complex and smooth. Malty beyond belief. Ripe fruits, dried fruits, molasses, brown sugar as well as earthy and woody notes were quite evident. Some soft hops were consistently present throughout the drink, but they merely functioned to balance the sweetness. The aftertaste lasted for an eternity. Sweet malts and caramel flavors coated the palate. While the alcohol flavor was only moderately detectable, the beer warmed the mouth and throat.

Incredibly rich, supple and smooth mouthfeel. Medium bodied.

The drinkability of this beer was mind blowing when one considers that it is 11.3% ABV.

This beer sets the standard by which all Belgians should be judged.

Serving type: bottle

09-08-2006 02:34:22 | More by Damian

OutlawJoseyWales

Georgia

5/5  rDev +10.4%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

A - gorgeous dark brown, with a creamy tan head...lovely

S - well lets see...first off, fruity aromas...sweet banana like smell..also raisins, and a roasted coffee smell?

T - raisin, banana, plum flavors, and all of the sudden im getting a hint of roasted coffee/cocoa?? incredibly complex. i was giggling like a schoolgirl while sipping this beer.

M - smooth...the carbonation is not overbearing, and the alcohol is present and accounted for, but acts as a pleasant cohesive force to the beer.

D - believe it or not, i was feeling very relaxed after ONE of these badboys. i dont have a big tolerance, but wow! i wouldnt mind having 2 of these in one night, but i would be embarrassed at not saving it for another occasion!

flawless beer.

Serving type: bottle

09-30-2006 10:39:57 | More by OutlawJoseyWales

etaggie09

Texas

5/5  rDev +10.4%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Appearance: dark brown sugar. molasses-like with a grandiose beige head that won't go away.

Aroma: raspberry, wine, and bready malt lure my tongue to experience it. a nice earthy hop aroma also comes through. an apple aroma. pineapple. dear god this is awesome.

Taste: wonderfully belgian. a nice little alcohol bite with hop bitterness and malty goodness. fermented apple.

Mouthfeel: wonderfully layered with moderate carbonation.

Drinkability: alcohol packs quite a punch. very relaxing and enjoyable, though.

Notes: probably my favorite beer besides Old Ruffian. definately the best trappist out there in my opinion.

Serving type: bottle

10-15-2006 15:03:44 | More by etaggie09

RoundelMike

Utah

5/5  rDev +10.4%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

So what makes a beer perfect? Could there ever be such a beer? Dare I award such a high rating?

I don't go around awarding perfect fives to just anything and I probably won't do it again. The Rochefort Trappistes 10 is worthy, completely. This beer didn't happen by accident. It's obvious that it was brewed with great care and deliberate work.

The taste is more than smooth and even. It's both complex and balanced at the same time. The taste is sweet without being candylike, and when served in the proper glassware, the velvet aroma mixes with the flavors seamlessly.

There have been plenty of Trappistes Rochefort 10 reviews here and they're all worth reading. All I can add is that when you experience this beer you immediately know that you've poured something special. It's world-class, perfect, and worthy of this rating. You will not be disappointed.

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2007 04:07:25 | More by RoundelMike

wagenvolks

Texas

5/5  rDev +10.4%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

My first beer rated as all 5's...I literally tried to find something I didn't like about this one and failed in the attempt.

Poured into a tulip glass, producing a chocolate-color infused with thick yeast particles visible along the edges. The head is tan, retained well, and sparkles. Lovin' it. Aroma is full of fruit: blackberry, banana, and honeydew. Notes of tobacco and molasses make for an amazingly aromatic boquet.

Taste is of sweet malty notes and fruit with a touch of banana bread. The feel is smooth and subtle; you wouldn't know this thing has an 11.3% ABV without looking. An alcoholic note does pull through on the aftertaste as it warms, however, and it complements the taste. I could drink this all day if my wallet was thick enough. Hands down: a fantastic beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-21-2007 16:14:47 | More by wagenvolks