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Houblon Chouffe
Brasserie d'Achouffe
- From:
- Brasserie d'Achouffe
- Belgium
- Style:
- Belgian IPA
Ranked #2 - ABV:
- 9%
- Score:
- 93
Ranked #2,900 - Avg:
- 4.2 | pDev: 10.48%
- Reviews:
- 1,284
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Mar 13, 2024
- Added:
- Jan 13, 2006
- Wants:
- 227
- Gots:
- 469
The gnomes of Fairyland may be little, but they have big, very big, personalities. HOUBLON CHOUFFE matches their impish spirits. All gnomes, with their innate good taste, are in full agreement about HOUBLON CHOUFFE, which is flavoured by three different types of hops. This India Pale Ale is appreciated for its pronounced bitterness combined with the fruity tones of traditional Achouffe beers: it softens the strongest of characters.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by RoyalT:
Reviewed by RoyalT from Michigan
4.53/5 rDev +7.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.53/5 rDev +7.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Appearance This gave off the most beautiful Appearance that Ive ever seen in a Belgian ale. The body is a gorgeous cloudy orange and the head is pure white and as bountiful as they come. It slowly dissipated into clumps of lumpy foam.
The lacing was unbelievable. I took notes on my first bottle but had to buy a second one to review live just to see if it left the same lacing, and sure as shit it did.
Smell This is the strongest Tomahawk smell Ive ever gotten from a Belgian Ale, thats for damn sure. The other European hops are milder, but the spicing is huge. This is also probably the biggest whiff of coriander that Ive ever gotten short of cooking with it.
I dont mean to ignore the malt structure, Belgian yeast, or lemony fruit, its just that the hops and especially the spices are so big. This is an awesome bouquet worthy to be smelled many times over.
Taste The big, giant hops come over at the taste, and the fruit flavors are a bit bigger here as well. There is so much complexity in the hop and fruit flavors that I just cant imagine what went into making this ale. It is super sweet, ultra hoppy, and bitingly spicy.
Mouthfeel This Belgian Ale has a nice, fluffy, carbonated mouthfeel that is both live and smooth at the same time.
Drinkability This really is in a class all by itself. Its a big beer no doubt, but you just want to session it all night long.
Notes This is classified as a Tripel but really is a Double IPA-type of Tripel as it states on the label. I think if I were to rate this IAW strict Belgian Tripel guidelines it would have went down a notch or two, but as long as they are proclaiming their intentions right on the bottle I threw caution to the wind and just went for a more open-mined approach.
May 20, 2006The lacing was unbelievable. I took notes on my first bottle but had to buy a second one to review live just to see if it left the same lacing, and sure as shit it did.
Smell This is the strongest Tomahawk smell Ive ever gotten from a Belgian Ale, thats for damn sure. The other European hops are milder, but the spicing is huge. This is also probably the biggest whiff of coriander that Ive ever gotten short of cooking with it.
I dont mean to ignore the malt structure, Belgian yeast, or lemony fruit, its just that the hops and especially the spices are so big. This is an awesome bouquet worthy to be smelled many times over.
Taste The big, giant hops come over at the taste, and the fruit flavors are a bit bigger here as well. There is so much complexity in the hop and fruit flavors that I just cant imagine what went into making this ale. It is super sweet, ultra hoppy, and bitingly spicy.
Mouthfeel This Belgian Ale has a nice, fluffy, carbonated mouthfeel that is both live and smooth at the same time.
Drinkability This really is in a class all by itself. Its a big beer no doubt, but you just want to session it all night long.
Notes This is classified as a Tripel but really is a Double IPA-type of Tripel as it states on the label. I think if I were to rate this IAW strict Belgian Tripel guidelines it would have went down a notch or two, but as long as they are proclaiming their intentions right on the bottle I threw caution to the wind and just went for a more open-mined approach.
More User Ratings:
Reviewed by Bluerabbitbell from Pennsylvania
3.9/5 rDev -7.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
3.9/5 rDev -7.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
1/14/24 Poured from a bottle from a gift pack of four Chouffe.
Aroma.....Lemon or tangerine rind, pine needles, cotton candy essence.
Taste ....Highly carbonated. Starts as a typical IPA and finishes sharp and dry with Belgian touches.
Unfortunately not impressed. Really wanted to enjoy this one.
Jan 14, 2024Aroma.....Lemon or tangerine rind, pine needles, cotton candy essence.
Taste ....Highly carbonated. Starts as a typical IPA and finishes sharp and dry with Belgian touches.
Unfortunately not impressed. Really wanted to enjoy this one.
Reviewed by Grax from Iowa
4.26/5 rDev +1.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
4.26/5 rDev +1.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Strong aroma of grapefruit and citrus along with a heavy, bitter hop kick. The body opens with grapefruit followed by creamy, sweet fruits and ending with a bitter hop kick as in the smell. A complex set of flavors with lots of typical Belgian spices and yeast accompanied by some familiar IPA tones. As usual, Belgians knock it out of the park
Dec 22, 2023Reviewed by BJB13 from Maryland
3.72/5 rDev -11.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
3.72/5 rDev -11.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
330 ml bottle poured into a Tulip.
Best by 10/24
Lively pour. Pale gold and lightly hazy with a large white rocky head that goes the distance and leaves lace. Subtle nose, bright floral hops, notes of spice and bread malt. Spicy/fruity hop and clove-like yeast flavors. Assertively bitter and overall sharp, fairly dry as well. Spicy/bitter finish and aftertaste. Warming. Medium-ish body, frothy, enough carbonation to work a small finishing crisp bite. Bitterness seems to increase as I drink. Good but a bit more sharp than I would like.
Nov 22, 2023Best by 10/24
Lively pour. Pale gold and lightly hazy with a large white rocky head that goes the distance and leaves lace. Subtle nose, bright floral hops, notes of spice and bread malt. Spicy/fruity hop and clove-like yeast flavors. Assertively bitter and overall sharp, fairly dry as well. Spicy/bitter finish and aftertaste. Warming. Medium-ish body, frothy, enough carbonation to work a small finishing crisp bite. Bitterness seems to increase as I drink. Good but a bit more sharp than I would like.
Reviewed by spectru from Florida
3.77/5 rDev -10.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.77/5 rDev -10.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
10/5/2023 - Blond with a hint of hazy, big white head; I was distracted and didn't pay attention to this beer, so I cant write a cogent review. It was not bad, but I'll need to get another one to give it a fair review.
Oct 06, 2023Rated by Nprguy
4.81/5 rDev +14.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
4.81/5 rDev +14.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
Was getting weary of IPAs. This one breaks the mold. Fresh, clean, not overly bitter. Great flavor.
Sep 11, 2023Reviewed by BillyNoonan from Ireland
4.44/5 rDev +5.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.44/5 rDev +5.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Oof. This Chouffe packs a punch. Pours a golden amber, big soapy head. Decent carbonation with a fullish feel. Hints of wood and fruity florals on the nose, follows with hoppy goodness, botanicals as promised and possible citrus zest in the aftertaste. Complex and delicious. Love Belgian blonds but this is converting me to IPAs!
Jul 07, 2023Reviewed by Ant777uk from England
4.86/5 rDev +15.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 5
4.86/5 rDev +15.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 5
Reviewing again because I am bored in this shit country that is not Ukraine.
This for me is probably the best beer ever that is commercilly available.
I spend a lot of time drinking beer. The Belgians know how to brew. And the Americans know how to add hops. This is a perfection of both and commerciallly available, definitely, unlike Carlsberg, one of the best beers in the world.
Jun 23, 2023This for me is probably the best beer ever that is commercilly available.
I spend a lot of time drinking beer. The Belgians know how to brew. And the Americans know how to add hops. This is a perfection of both and commerciallly available, definitely, unlike Carlsberg, one of the best beers in the world.
Houblon Chouffe from Brasserie d'Achouffe
Beer rating:
93 out of
100 with
3000 ratings
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