Serafijn Christmas Angel - Microbrouwerij Achilles

NateMac13

Illinois

4/5  rDev +4.2%

12-22-2012 20:16:27 | More by NateMac13

UCLABrewN84

California

3.6/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

On tap at Lucky Baldwins in Pasadena, CA.

Pours a hazy orange with a foamy beige head that settles to a partial film on top of the beer. Foamy rings of lace line the glass on the drink down. Smell is of malt, grain, fruits, and lots of honey aromas. Taste is much the same with a honey flavor on the finish. There is a mild amount of spice bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a lower level of carbonation with a slightly crisp and medium bodied mouthfeel. Overall, this is a pretty good beer with some solid aromas and flavors.

Serving type: on-tap

04-14-2013 23:48:51 | More by UCLABrewN84

brewcrew76

Wisconsin

3.75/5  rDev -2.3%

12-28-2012 01:22:29 | More by brewcrew76

rand

California

3.75/5  rDev -2.3%

12-22-2012 06:10:38 | More by rand

SocalKicks

California

4/5  rDev +4.2%

12-01-2012 13:24:22 | More by SocalKicks

t0rin0

California

3.75/5  rDev -2.3%

11-22-2012 02:59:55 | More by t0rin0

NOLANDMAN

Massachusetts

4.75/5  rDev +23.7%

09-12-2012 06:08:48 | More by NOLANDMAN

superspak

Michigan

3.9/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

330 ml bottle into tulip glass, no bottle dating. Pours cloudy orange amber color with a 2-3 finger fluffy off white head with good retention, that reduces to a nice cap that lingers. Slight foamy lacing clings to the glass. Aromas of cherry, raisin, pear, herbal, cinnamon, candi sugar, honey, and light yeast spices. Nice and well balanced aromas with good complexity and decent strength; very pleasant. Taste of cherry, raisin, pear, plum, cinnamon, herbal, earth, caramel, pepper, candi sugar, and yeast spices. Lingering notes of light fruits, herbal, pepper, cinnamon, candi sugar, caramel, and yeast spices on the finish for a bit. Good balance and complexity of flavors. Medium carbonation and body; with a lightly slick and prickly mouthfeel that is good. Alcohol is very well hidden with only a slight warming noticed after the finish. Overall this is a very nice Belgian strong pale ale. Good flavor balance and complexity; very smooth to sip on. Really enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

08-26-2012 05:50:16 | More by superspak

wvsabbath

West Virginia

3.9/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Serving Type - Bottle

Appearance - Copper tan/brown, 1/2 creamy head with some minor lacing. Some floaters are noticable.

Smell - Herbal fruits, some spices, dark fruits like plum and rasin. Not very strong smelling.

Taste - A nice mix of fruits and spices. Lots of cherry, grapes, oranges and plum. Spices add some peppery and herbal notes. Hops are present and give this a floral flavor.

Mouthfeel - Its bold, strong and lots of flavor. Fruits and spices coat tounge with some sweet and bitterness. Palate gets some malts, hops and more sugars. Aftertaste is strong and sweet.

Overall - Pretty good, lots of fruits and sugars makes this easy to enjoy. Not sure what makes this a christmas ale though, seems like a straight up strong ale. Worth a drink for sure.

Serving type: bottle

08-25-2012 00:01:21 | More by wvsabbath

spinrsx

Ontario (Canada)

4.1/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

11.2oz bottle from Bevmo La Quinta CA for 3.99$

Appearance - Hazy amber/copper colour with an average size fizzy off-white coloured head. There is an average amount of carbonation showing and there is some faint lacing. The head lasted for around 4 minutes before it was gone.

Smell - Herbal, corn, dark fruits, spices

Taste & Mouth - The beer has an above average amount of carbonation and I can taste candied sugar, grapes, and caramel/butterscotch. There is also a light amount of all-spice/clove spiciness and some coconut. It ends with a fruity sweet aftertaste and a bit of lingering spiciness/bitterness.

Overall - Really enjoyed this one. Great flavours that are well balanced yet potent. Doesn't necessarily strike me as a Christmas beer though.

Serving type: bottle

05-23-2012 00:48:23 | More by spinrsx

SLeffler27

New York

3.9/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

An enormous white cloud overtakes the glass and lasts a long time over a golden amber beer that seems to serve only as a medium for waves of carbonation. A coating of lace clings to the Dogfish Head snifter.

Perfumy with some fruits and hidden earth aromas.

Heavy on orchard fruit throughout with modest sweetness and a subtle, lingering finish that is drying and peppery.

Dry with modest alcohol and carbonation that surprisingly is less than expected from the appearance.

Another nice beer that perhaps has the Christmas tag more for marketing than for any other reason. That is unfortunate because this is a fine Belgian Strong Pale Ale in its own right.

Serving type: bottle

03-03-2012 13:41:07 | More by SLeffler27

Beerandraiderfan

Nevada

3.18/5  rDev -17.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A rather dark appearance for the classification as a pale ale, this was light brown with dark orange, red going through it, mild thin head, off white. Aroma was light on the clove and pungent Belgian yeast strains, some citrus rind.

Some alcohol warmth, relatively light body, again the light citrus rind aspect, very mild bitterness and hopping. I really thought it was more of a darker fruit, belgian strong dark ale type of presence moreso than pale. GF liked it more than I did, but I still thought it was a pretty solid offering. But this seems to be more along the lines of a different style, it doesn't have the dryness, hops or body of a pale ale.

Serving type: bottle

03-01-2012 20:37:08 | More by Beerandraiderfan

HoistinBrews

Minnesota

4.5/5  rDev +17.2%

02-26-2012 03:04:13 | More by HoistinBrews

coachdonovan

Rhode Island

2.5/5  rDev -34.9%

02-18-2012 02:21:56 | More by coachdonovan

Kahlerbock

Kansas

3.5/5  rDev -8.9%

02-10-2012 21:47:03 | More by Kahlerbock

RickS95

Indiana

3.53/5  rDev -8.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours an orangey-peach color. The head is a finger width of white bubbles. Head lacks retention, but a good looking example of the type.

Has a champagne-like scent to it. Pear and white grape mixed in with some peppery spice.

The white pepper spice is very prevalent. White grape is there. Actually finishes like a pilsner.

It's got a sharp feel to it. The spice pops. Very acidic. Medium bodied. Slightly sweet initially, then spicy and dry throughout the finish.

I don't see anything to suggest this is a winter or holiday beer. A Belgian ale--yes; a holiday beer--no. Not bad, just a bit above average for the type.

Serving type: bottle

02-05-2012 04:18:15 | More by RickS95

impending

California

3.18/5  rDev -17.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

C+

750ml into a tulip. Pours a mid tone mildly hazy orange copper, cream colored head, ok lacing.

Yeasty aroma. A honey sweetness, minor phenolic note, slightly musty. Something overshadows it all but is not complimentary like an old brass shell.

Taste too begins sweet then turns to a minor bitter in the finish. The peculiarity continues but to a lesser extent. Somewhat fruity but it is solely defined by the yeast.
Light to medium bodied mouthfeel.

Not sure if this was to be a Noël brew as it is ok as a strong pale as a Noël it fails.
cheers
jd

Serving type: bottle

02-04-2012 06:20:14 | More by impending

RoryOMoore

New Jersey

4/5  rDev +4.2%

02-03-2012 15:22:42 | More by RoryOMoore

ROGUE16

Delaware

4/5  rDev +4.2%

12-07-2011 12:17:19 | More by ROGUE16

Rochefort10nh

New Hampshire

4/5  rDev +4.2%

11-25-2011 21:08:12 | More by Rochefort10nh

gregoryboytos

California

5/5  rDev +30.2%

11-23-2011 01:20:43 | More by gregoryboytos

srobertson59

Ohio

5/5  rDev +30.2%

11-19-2011 14:32:41 | More by srobertson59

mrfrancis

Kentucky

2.28/5  rDev -40.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

A: Pours a hazy, ruddy amber with a puffy white head.

S: Really harsh on the nose. Caramel, woody spice, and orchard fruit aromas are swallowed by fiery alcohol and an odd metallic scent.

T: The alcohol hits hard, all but burying notes of caramel, apple, and biscuits. There is a heavy spiciness from the yeast and an odd, unpleasant metallic flavor present as well. The finish is dominated by flavors of alcohol, spicy yeast, and that unpleasant metallic tang.

M: Medium bodied, dry, and firm, but poorly balanced. Carbonation is rather prickly. Far from drinkable.

O: I'm hoping that something is wrong with this bottle because this is just plain bad. I doubt I'll go out of my way to find this beer again.

Serving type: bottle

11-09-2011 21:02:30 | More by mrfrancis

WVbeergeek

Ohio

4.1/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Small 11.2 oz bottle 330 ml bottle, whichever...this one pours a slightly hazed amber color with a fine white head forming thick even lacing patterns. Aroma has tart apples with a grassy earthiness going on with smooth flowing alcohol notes. A smooth hint of caramel in a well constructed easy drinking christmas amber ale, goes dow so esay. Very nice drinking Christmas ale goes down super smooth velvet texture, with even strong flowing carbonation almost effervescent texture going on. Great Christmas biere that I will revisit, when available what's funny is that I've never seen this one in my life.

Serving type: bottle

11-05-2011 01:24:57 | More by WVbeergeek

jdhilt

New Hampshire

4.28/5  rDev +11.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours five+ finger white head that fades very slowly, leaving some lace. Hazy amber color. Good carbonation and medium bodied. Grass and malt nose and flavor has malt, hints of honey - nice mellow sweetness. $3.99 for a 330ml bottle from Julio's Liquors Westborough, Ma.

Serving type: bottle

05-25-2011 22:28:55 | More by jdhilt