Brigand - Brouwerij Van Honsebrouck N.V.

kundabuffer

Indiana

4.5/5  rDev +18.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I'm surprised this beer currently has an overall score of 83. After having a Chimay beige label, I'm finding this much more interesting and complex. Citrus, plum, and honey dominate the nose; after a bubbly start hops make a brief appearance before giving way to an interesting "opening" in the finish, which is mellow and a little sweet, with some noticeable alcohol (not unpleasant). Very good!

Serving type: bottle

12-20-2007 06:34:27 | More by kundabuffer

Pahn

New York

3.75/5  rDev -1.1%

06-17-2013 02:14:27 | More by Pahn

safaricook

Netherlands

3.5/5  rDev -7.7%

06-01-2013 21:33:31 | More by safaricook

desint

Belgium

2.75/5  rDev -27.4%

05-24-2013 11:08:55 | More by desint

Ciocanelu

Romania

3.5/5  rDev -7.7%

05-09-2013 12:21:51 | More by Ciocanelu

CwrwAmByth

United Kingdom (Wales)

3.75/5  rDev -1.1%

04-29-2013 20:57:29 | More by CwrwAmByth

LiquidAmber

Washington

4.08/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Poured into a Gulden Draak tulip. Pours a slightly hazy peachy amber with a fine two finger slightly off-white head with great retention and lacing. Aroma of stone fruit and apple juice, caramel malt and Belgian yeast, slightly sour at first. Flavor follows with sweet caramel malt, light stone fruit, apple juice, slight fruit rind and Belgian yeast. Finishes somewhat drier with mild sharpness from bittering hops and Belgian spicing. Medium bodied with good mouth feel from active carbonation. A nice, reasonably complex Belgian strong pale ale. This recently purchased bottle had a "bottled on:" code of 071024; could this really be a 5 year old bottle? I'd like to know because my last Brigand (drunk many years ago) was sour and astringent, which I attributed to being an old bottle. If this one is 5 years old, it has held up quite nicely with minimal oxidation.

Serving type: bottle

04-27-2013 02:16:11 | More by LiquidAmber

Sunnanek

Sweden

3.98/5  rDev +5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

A: Pours all crystal white head, with a strong sizzeling sound. As the light head settles the clear golden liquid rises. Somewhat decent lacings.

S: Lots of spices, herbs and yeast. Doughy malt and rich citric notes makes this quite complex. Semi-sweet.

T: Dry sour bitterness at first. Lots of yeast and lots of spices. Citric notes. Nice bready malt. Sweet, honey-like.

M: Sour, rather long aftertaste. Body is full, with some warmth from the alcohol. Carbonation is moderate.

O: NIce, but the high ABV is too obvious in taste and mouthfeel for my flavour.

Serving type: bottle

04-19-2013 17:43:18 | More by Sunnanek

Lare453

Florida

3.5/5  rDev -7.7%

03-22-2013 13:16:32 | More by Lare453

Poupae

Thailand

4/5  rDev +5.5%

03-20-2013 00:03:36 | More by Poupae

RonaldTheriot

Louisiana

4.66/5  rDev +23%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

Brigand Belgian Ale has a thin, almost nonexistent, grayish-white head, and a dank, opaque, peach-colored appearance, with essentially no lacing and some gray-brown chunks sinking down, once the caked sediment at the bottle’s bottom is swished and poured in. The aroma is super rich- apricot, dark, slightly turned fruit, some citrus, candy sugar, and lighter fruit cake, with maybe some strawberry shortcake and cream cheese. Taste is also extraordinarily rich- dark, slightly turned fruit, apricot, citrus rind, lighter fruit cake, cream cheese, peanut butter, sweet bread, white bread, lemon, and even milk, of all things. Mouthfeel is light to medium and extremely prickly, and Brigand Belgian Ale finishes not so dry, cloying, rich, sweet, and wonderful. This is not for beginners. What a substantial beer! Outstanding!

RJT

Serving type: bottle

03-09-2013 18:00:36 | More by RonaldTheriot

darren8221

Taiwan

4.25/5  rDev +12.1%

02-22-2013 17:27:18 | More by darren8221

rale

Quebec (Canada)

4/5  rDev +5.5%

02-16-2013 20:31:46 | More by rale

Birdlegs

Washington

4/5  rDev +5.5%

01-28-2013 05:09:24 | More by Birdlegs

tbeckett

Ontario (Canada)

3.25/5  rDev -14.2%

01-18-2013 12:23:50 | More by tbeckett

smakawhat

Maryland

4.43/5  rDev +16.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Poured from the 1 PT. 9.4 fl. oz. bottle into a tulip glass. Bottled on 070418, cork says 06-2007.

Body color is very opaque and dull looking. A mix of yellow murky brown, and faint hints of yellow like orange on the edges. Carbonation though is white pinhead and very lively, huge streams continue throughout. Head is a little bit of retention, makes large about two fingers easily, settles to a nice fluffy cap. Some good qualities and not so appealing.

Nose is very impressive. A distinct yeast profile on this that is hard to pin down it seems. A mellow sweetness with a clove and spicy cardomom or some very nutty bark sense. Really good sense of hop tea like English bitterness, mixing with sweet Belgian malts and sucrose. Liking this.

Hits the palate in the right spot. Everything plays out on first sip. Playful carbonation, hints at bubbly champagne but dialed back with a good effervescence and malt depth. Sweetness brings honey and clove, and Belgian candy, but a good hop angle. Honey coats all around with nutmeg and brown dark toasted sensing spices. Warm feeling aftertaste without a big alcohol burn. Hints at depth with crispness.

Overall this is just wonderful I really do enjoy this.

Serving type: bottle

01-10-2013 01:28:34 | More by smakawhat

rhoadsrage

Illinois

3.53/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Bottled on 070418
Cork says 06-2007
(Served in a tulip glass)

A- This beer pours a hazy butterscotch color with a loud fizzy beige head that turns rocky after a bit. There is a good carbonation of bubbles gliding to the finish.

S- The clean aroma has a club soda and yeasty ester notes with a soft green wood hint in the finish. There are some paper and cider notes that grow as it warms.

T- The soft slightly dry candy flavor has hints of slightly fruity yeast esters and a cider taste that grows in the finish.

M- This beer has a medium-light mouthfeel with a tight fizz that hits the back of the throat. No alcohol heat noticed.

O- This beer has a soft mellow flavor and I didn’t realize how old it was till I pulled the cork. I think the cider flavors are from age and it would be interesting to taste a fresh sample, but it seemed to hold up ok for so long.

Serving type: bottle

01-08-2013 20:39:07 | More by rhoadsrage

apf

Utah

4/5  rDev +5.5%

12-14-2012 12:31:36 | More by apf

mwar

Kentucky

4.25/5  rDev +12.1%

11-27-2012 03:57:44 | More by mwar

jklecko2

Missouri

4.5/5  rDev +18.7%

10-30-2012 20:25:58 | More by jklecko2

s4s

California

3/5  rDev -20.8%

10-22-2012 00:36:33 | More by s4s

Piwotrix

4.25/5  rDev +12.1%

10-13-2012 11:26:06 | More by Piwotrix

Dapperticus

Kentucky

5/5  rDev +31.9%

09-18-2012 02:25:28 | More by Dapperticus

parintele

3.25/5  rDev -14.2%

09-08-2012 14:11:24 | More by parintele

beerpadawan

California

4/5  rDev +5.5%

08-27-2012 07:03:15 | More by beerpadawan