La Chouffe - Brasserie d'Achouffe

Radome

Spain

4.34/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Served from a 750ml bottle bought in Germany.

A - Beer is a medium golden color and very clear. Head is pure white, thick and sticky, made of large bubbles. It persists very well. Constant stream of bubbles rising through the beer. A beautiful beer.

S - Aroma is more hops-forward than I was expecting, but is still very well balanced. Good blend of fresh, green, grassy hops and bready malt. Some cracked grain in the end. Very clean; very nice, but not very deep or complex.

T - Taste is well balanced. There is a light to moderate hop bitterness with gently grassy hops flavor. Balancing that is bready malt with a grainy wheat cracker note. There is a yeast note with black pepper and bubblegum, but fairly faint.

M - Medium body. Sparkly, tingly carbonation. No alcohol burn.

O - This beer was a very pleasant surprise and it can hold its head up with the best of the breed. It isvery clean, well-made and balanced. I consider the appearance to be perfect and the aroma and taste are nearly so, just lacking in depth/complexity to make it the best of the best.

Serving type: bottle

01-25-2013 21:19:40 | More by Radome

Muhly

Alberta (Canada)

3.89/5  rDev -7.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Poured from a 33cl bottle into a brandy snifter. Warmed for 15 minutes after removing from the fridge.

A-Pours a slightly cloudy gold/amber colour with a small white head. The doesn't drop completely and leaves a thin layer with some patches thicker than other. Leaves isolated rivulets of lacing.

S-Sweet and slightly sour or citric aroma. Lots of pale malts shining through.

T-Sweet and finishes moderately dry as I expected. The sweetness isn't just one note though as there seems to be a burst of fruit after the initial malty sweetness. I'm also detecting a bit of tartness. After the sweetness the cardamom pops in giving it some spicy/peppery notes. Little to no bitterness.

M-A fair bit of carbonation giving it an almost pop-rock kind of sensation. I get very little if any heat from the alcohol (and it's 8%!!!)

O-Damn, damn, damn this is enjoyable. Refreshing, surprising, and everything I had hoped it would be. It was pricey, but worth it. Definite revisit in the summer season.

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2013 03:59:45 | More by Muhly

Arno

3.5/5  rDev -16.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

appearance: Hazy gold, off-white head.

smell: citric fruits, lemon/grape. Tad sour yeast, quite sharp and mild hops.

taste: sour/bitter Lemon/Grape with subtle honey like sweetness. Spices i find hard to define. Bready yeast with mild bitter hops.

mouthfeel: Medium thickness, could do with a tad more creaminess to it. Quite a hefty tingly carbonation kick all the way.

overall: Nice refreshing beer, which is dangerous considering the ABV :) Not the best Belgium ale i've had though. Just ok.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2012 22:07:01 | More by Arno

SStein

North Carolina

4.4/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 33cl into a Brasserie d'Achouffe tulip glass.
Pours a hazy golden color, with a white, finger width head. The head slowly goes down to lacing, which slowly becomes lacy islands in the beer.
As you smell it, there is a solid spice smell. It is peppery and has a pleasant burn to the nostrils.
There is definite spice as you drink it. There is some lemon and pepper notes. There is a nice level of hoppiness.
It is medium body with light carbonation. A nice bit of bitterness from the hops. It is very balanced
It is a solid beer, definitely one to add to my regular line up.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2012 19:16:37 | More by SStein

VelvetExtract

Massachusetts

3.95/5  rDev -6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

A-Pours with the slightest of haze. Thick, doughy head flares off to a fine bubbly skin with clusters and patches in certain areas. Head is bleached and leaves light lacing islands.

S-Candied cracker malt with plenty of Belgian yeast and noble hoppiness. Cloves and other spices along with pale-fleshed fruits. A well balanced trio of yeast, hops and malt. Sweetens after every sniff.

T-The spices set up the cracker malt which leads into the hops. Pears set atop crackers. Yeast creeps in during the middle. A slight bit of barny funk and hay. Definitely getting the clove and coriander combo. Lemon zest too.

M-Light and incredibly drinkable with plentiful, yet soft carbonation. Medium bitterness. Booze hidden quite excellently.

O/D-I enjoyed their Dobbelen more but this one is no slouch. The large bottle will disappear quite quickly. Balanced and well-crafted.

Serving type: bottle

12-21-2012 21:07:50 | More by VelvetExtract

jwhancher

Pennsylvania

3.85/5  rDev -8.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Picked up a bottle at a Philly bottle shop for ~$7.00. Knew this was a little much, but because I was brewing a blonde ale this weekend with the La Chouffe strain I decided the price was worthy for research. Allowed the bottle to warm up for 20 minutes out of the fridge prior to sampling.

A: Pours a hazy golden color with nice fluffy white head that dissipates to a thin coating with nice Belgian lacing on the wide-mouth glass sides.

S: Aromas of wheat, fresh bread, lemon peel, coriander, green apple, subtle spices and the typical Belgian Ardennes yeast characteristic.

T: Lemon with a nice bitter bite. Sharpness due to seemingly high carbonation. Wheat is evident with a fresh, doughy white bread-like taste.

M: Feels light to medium. Bitterness & sweetness give balance to one another. Refreshing.

O: A very well brewed artisan beer. Has typical Belgian qualities. Would seem great in the summer months. Glad to have tried, but was expecting a little more complexity.

Serving type: bottle

12-15-2012 17:34:04 | More by jwhancher

Arborescence

Finland

4.35/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Hazy, golden/light brown. Pours a perfect white two finger head, which recedes fairly quickly.

Aroma: Malt and herb-like hops, medicinal qualities, yeasty aromas typical for this type of Belgian Ale.

Taste: Balanced mix of fruity/floral sweetness and malt, with slight bitterness and intriguing herb-like characteristics.

Mouthfeel: Smooth but robust, medium or almost heavy body.

Overall: It's a classic, of course, a near-perfect representative of its style. Always a pleasure, although it could be more adventurous.

Serving type: bottle

12-11-2012 17:17:06 | More by Arborescence

claspada

New Jersey

3.93/5  rDev -6.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours out a lightly hazy, golden-hued color with a rather large wispy, white head that recedes to leave some light spotty lacing.

Smell: Aromas bgein with golden blossom honey and some generic rock candy sweetness. As it warms you get some herbal and spice notes of coriander, herbaceous grass and some lavendar perfuminess. There are also green apple skin notes.

The tastes begin with the same sweet, honeyish maltiness with some emerging sweet fruitiness highlighted by lemon, green apple and almost a pineapple twang. As it warms you get the grassy hops and spicy, drying yeasty flavors.

The mouthfeel is medium bodied with medium-plus carbonation. Finish is on the drier end but appropriate for any classic Belgian ale.

Overall while this is not my favorite of the "Chouffes" it is still a quality example of the style and probably one of my favorite of the Belgian Pale Ale category. The Ardennes yeast is less phenolic and estery than many other Belgian yeast strains which makes this much more drinkable and enjoyable overall.

Serving type: bottle

11-29-2012 20:10:03 | More by claspada

spoony

Colorado

4.35/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

From a 750 ml into a tulip.

A-An orange-tinted brew. Mostly clear with a fair amount of visible carbonation. The head was two fingers of shiny, dirty-white foam, and pretty thin to start, but it receded into a dense cap that never really left.

S-I picked up a little bit of green apple to go along with the spicy orange, sweet alcohol, and light malts. There was just a hint of hoppiness, too. Nice complexity to the smell, but pretty subtle.

T-The apple is mostly gone and the taste is nicely integrated alcohol (the alcohol heat and spice are definitely noticeable, but these characteristics enhance the beer), along with some citrus and light malt. I noticed a trace of bitter, peppery hops as the beer finishes.

M-Lighter to medium bodied with pretty substantial carbonation. The carbonation carries the beer through your taste buds and into your throat, but the beer never feels overly gassy.

O-I knew I loved the Chouffe and this beer confirmed that for me. Subtle aroma, perfectly integrated flavors, and excellent balance on the mouth. This a beer you could drink a lot of and never get tired of it. A great example of how things don't need to be overdone to be good.

Serving type: bottle

11-13-2012 04:36:49 | More by spoony

ckollias

Maryland

4.23/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Enjoyed this 11.2oz stubby brown bottle out of a large snifter glass.

A: Pours a slightly hazy golden-orange hue with a thin, 1-finger, white head that quickly dissipates into a wispy lace leaving a wispy lace.

S: Spicy Belgian yeast aroma with hints of citrus fruits.

T: Creamy and spicy Belgian yeast flavor with a citrus background and hints of hops.

M: Medium body and medium carbonation.

O: Excellent Belgian brew – one of the best around.

Serving type: bottle

10-25-2012 03:40:07 | More by ckollias

Serge

Alberta (Canada)

4.38/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

An orange beer with a fantastic light orange head. The aroma is fantastic: it is malts sweet with notes of alcohol, fruit, oranges, coriander, and cinnamon - a wonderful nose. The flavor too is fantastic - it starts with a nice malts sweetness containing notes of oranges, fruit, coriander, cinnamon, and alcohol. In the end, the alcohol sting your tongue, before it leaves you with a sweetness that lingers on your tongue and lips. It has a very nice palate. This is a great beer.

Serving type: bottle

10-22-2012 21:13:47 | More by Serge

mick303

Ontario (Canada)

4.41/5  rDev +5%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from bottle into chalice glass, from notes. The look of this beer is perfect, pleasant golden colour and amazing retention right to the end a foamy cap and excellent lacing.

Smell is quite subtle, yeasty with soft fruit notes, crisp and dry mineral notes, really soft and balanced.

Taste is pretty amazing, a perfect balance of bready malt, solid amount of citrusy hops and a bit yeast influence, soft florals, perfect complexity, and so much integrated flavour. Pleasant light hay notes, bready with soft mineral punctuations, a decent amount of hops coming through as well which is nice.

Mouthfeel has a moderate body, appropriate carbonation, nicely dry on finish. Very easy to drink, satisfying amount of body and great long finish.

Wonderful beer. Seek it out. Exceptionally well-balanced

Serving type: bottle

09-21-2012 13:11:48 | More by mick303

Cyberkedi

Georgia

3.88/5  rDev -7.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Sample I got fizzed quite a bit when I opened the bottle, but not so much that I needed a towel - just had to pour some out before it got messy. Aroma is fruity, yeasty and a bit woody, not strong but still appealing. Pours a nice clear bright solar yellow with a thick and fluffy, if none too persistent, white head. Flavor is better and stronger than what the aroma promised - fruity, malty, a little yeasty with a hint of butterscotch. Must be butterscotch. Texture is firm-bodied and a little syrupy; fizz is not strong but lasts, leaving a nice, fruity, tingly, slightly sweet finish. Worth ten bucks for 750 ml? Definitely.

Serving type: bottle

09-02-2012 17:28:19 | More by Cyberkedi

kjyost

Manitoba (Canada)

4.1/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

330 mL bottle acquired at the MLCC. BB 02/2015. Poured fridge cold into a perfect pint glass.

Pours a clear straw with a nice fluffy white head that drops to a cap and leaves light lacing. Very nice nose of pepper, straw and hints of barnyard. Body has a fairly strong sweetness at first that later gets overpowered by earthy hop. Nice amount of pepper with notes of apple juice. Overall a fine beer, worth drinking more of.

Serving type: bottle

08-21-2012 02:10:42 | More by kjyost

decimator

Ontario (Canada)

4.03/5  rDev -4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750ml bottle poured into a Leffe goblet. ABV 8%.

A - Poured a deep gold with a slight haze and a 1 cm head. Head reduced to a long lasting thin cap. Good lacing.

S - Mandarins, spices, hint of mushrooms.

T - Sweet malts, light sour fruitiness, light spiciness, bitter finish with a slight alcohol burn.

M - Good carbonation, medium-heavy body, tangy, some sweet stickiness, burning & dry finish.

O - Pretty good. Drinkability is pretty good. The ABV sure sneaked up on me after 2 bottles.

Serving type: bottle

08-17-2012 03:23:08 | More by decimator

smcolw

Massachusetts

4.38/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Decent head that settles in a lumpy session. Some chunky lace on the glass. Cloudy, orange-gold color.

Pale malt start to the nose. There's a bit of chalkiness to the smell. There's light all spice and clove in the aroma as well.

Lightly sweet with a pepper kicker in the swallow. Rich body with an above average carbonation. In a word, smooth. Creamy finish with a touch alcohol showing up in the swallow. Very complex.

Serving type: bottle

08-17-2012 00:31:49 | More by smcolw

Philousa

California

4.1/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 33cl bottle to a Duvel tulip.

Golden yellow in the light with a thin but dense layer of white head. The foam settles to irregular blotches where the bubbles found the glass. There is significant lacing, but more when the drink goes back to the glass, not so much in layers like an IPA laces a glass. Lots of hay and barn aromas with lemon and pungent barley. Typical Belgian yeast produces clove and other spices, but it's delicate on the nose. This has a good amount of malt aroma in it compared to other Belgian Strong Pales, indicating a decent body. The taste starts and ends with the malt. A strong grainy, earthy flavor. Hops come in at the end to bitter it out. The bitterness warms over your tongue in as inviting a way as it can be. Grassy and nectary. Light and playful in feel, and a balanced finish which is different in a Belgian, considering how the yeast tends to work. Towards the end it does get a bit watery.

I can imagine a Belgian farmer making this his nightly drink. It's suggests to me so strongly of being made on a farm. It's earthy, spicy, and approachable. It's something I could have nightly, but not more than a glass. Where Duvel is delicate and complex, La Chouffe comes across as strong and proud, rigid in its strengths. I'd want this after a hard day's work in the yard. Great stuff.

Serving type: bottle

08-14-2012 04:16:40 | More by Philousa

Hoppsbabo

United Kingdom (England)

3.9/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Cloudy golden ale with lots of tiny bubbles. Large irregular foamy white head, as can be expected from Belgian pale ales.

S: Coriander with a load of spicy yeast.

T: Coriander. Hints at spice. No banana. Typically sour body with lots of fizz. A bit watery.

O: I hate coriander but it seems like a pretty sound beer.

Serving type: bottle

08-13-2012 17:23:38 | More by Hoppsbabo

mlazzaro

Massachusetts

4.88/5  rDev +16.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

750 ml poured in proper La Chouffe tulip.

Sitting in the fridge for days and right through the bottle it is still ultra chunky looking (lots of floaties). Of course that won't stop me from drinking this beer, but its worth mentioning.

Kind of a apricot color. Beer is very murky. Cant see it but the carbonation level is quite high. The most mountainous frothy head! Sticks around forever as well. Laces the glass. Love it.

Smell is a marriage of yeast and spice. Really can't differentiate, but it smells delicious. Aroma is delicate. Slight fruit going on. Being delicate, it does fade.

Refreshing, tasty, complex and surprisingly alcoholic. Alcohol is mostly perceived in warmth. Hops lend a pine flavor. Bitterness is spot on. Malts really come through- solid grain and possibly wheat flavors. Ends with a variety of yeast flavors that seem to change and the beer temperature changes.

I wasn't sure about this one because of the term "brewed with spice". That term can mean an infinite amount of stupendous and horrendous things. Too loose a term for me to confidently purchase. But this beer kick ass! Cheers.

Serving type: bottle

08-07-2012 22:48:19 | More by mlazzaro

janubio

Spain

3.63/5  rDev -13.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

330 ml. bottle. Pours a hazy golden colour, with a decent head that fades quickly, leaving a lace. Smell of papaya, spices, clove, coriander and some others that I can't really tell. Strong body, harsh palate (in a good sense), lots of carbonation. Taste is again spicy, clove, coriander and some that I can't tell, including kind of some fermented fruit and a lemon touch. Dry and spicy aftertaste. It taste like if it had some more alcohol. Great.

Serving type: bottle

08-05-2012 11:27:00 | More by janubio

LiquidAmber

Washington

4.13/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Review from 8/2010 notes. Poured into a Gulden Draak tulip. Pours a dark orange amber with lots of little floating particle in it, almost like snow. Perhaps too long a pour, but it looked great. Nice thick long lasting off white head and lacing. Nice looking. Belgian fruit aroma. Fruit, malt, sweet malt light spicing. A bit of a dry abrupt finish. Tame, but nice and enjoyable. La Chouffe is an excellent brewery.

Serving type: bottle

08-02-2012 21:20:57 | More by LiquidAmber

TrappistJohnMD

Mississippi

3.58/5  rDev -14.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours honey golden color with nice thick off-white head that dissipates quickly to ring around sides of glass. Age of bottle us unknown.

Smell is honey and sweet potato. Ripe fruits, such as plum, apple and banana present as well.

Taste follows smell. Lots of very ripe fruit; bananas, plums and apples. I taste the sweet potato throughout. Not terrible, but not great either.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied.

Overall this was a little dissappointing for me. Maybe this is just a bad bottle.

Serving type: bottle

08-01-2012 22:45:37 | More by TrappistJohnMD

smakawhat

Maryland

4.4/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from the bottle into a tulip glass.

Real gorgeous orange body color off the pour, opaque, with great columns of pin head rising bubbles. Head is white and rocky bright, with some good stick and lacing. Fantastic looking in the glass.

Nose is filled with classic Belgian yeasty esters, candy and clove sense, real nice dry ripping grain on this also, with a fruity angle that comes off something like kumquats. Real nice and solid.

Really wonderful playful carbonation on the palate, bringing that citrus angle on the nose with a nice creamy orange sweetness in the mid palate. Refreshing finish, almost crisp dry malt sense, but a good sweet malt and candy like density play wonderfully together. Great balance in the palate, light sweetness, good effervescence but with some great malt depth and body. Wonderful finish.

Overall, I always let this beer slide because I buy and drink Dobblen so much, but this one is just as much fun and a great beer. Gotta love those gnomes...

Serving type: bottle

07-29-2012 00:35:01 | More by smakawhat

darkstar12

Maryland

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

A: cloudy golden color with little bits of yeast at the bottom. One finger head that dissipated fairly quickly, moderate lacing that also dissipates quickly

S: a mild and not unpleasant sour smell, little bit of yeast, some mild spice notes

T: some mild sour cherries, a little bit of sweet aftertaste, very little indication of the alcohol content

M: good mouthfeel, creamy but not overly syrupy, nice amount of carbonation

O: very good, flavorful, enjoyable summer beer

Serving type: bottle

07-28-2012 00:57:51 | More by darkstar12

chanokokoro

Illinois

4.48/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 11.2 oz bottle into a Brasserie d'Achouffe branded tulip glass.

Pours a hazy deep gold with a three finger brilliant white head. Great retention and abundant lacing as the head recedes. Belgian yeast and spice on the nose. Clove, corainder, and pepper combine with a high effervescent carbonation in slick and light bodied yet satisfying brew. Peach and apricot-like fruitiness surface midpalate. The finish is dry with grassy hops and a bit of spiciness. A top-tier Strong Belgian Pale Ale and a brew that is not to be passed up.

Serving type: bottle

07-24-2012 02:46:16 | More by chanokokoro