Corsendonk Christmas Ale - Brouwerij Corsendonk

TheHoppiest

Ohio

4.38/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Prepared from my a voice memo recorded at the Beer Engine last night.

Served in a small snifter, it is a cheery ruby mahogany color with very little head. Despite the absence of any head, it gets decent lacing down the sides as it is consumed.

Smells spicy, with dark fruits - grapes, currants, figs.

This is one of the better Christmas ales I've had. Spicy, fruity, and very flavorful, it finishes with a hint of cinnamon.

Mouthfeel is smooooth. Reminds me a bit of Troegg's Mad Elf in its smoothness.

Highly drinkable, my only regret is that I now have another great beer to fit in amongst the other good Christmas ales out there come December. Thank goodness for Christmas in July!

Serving type: on-tap

07-24-2010 22:05:44 | More by TheHoppiest

zeff80

Missouri

4.33/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Arrived in a Corsendonk Christmas Ale goblet, a somewhat cloudy, dary burgundy color with a one-finger, khaki head of foam. It left behind wispy trails of lace on the glass.

S - It smelled of dried fruits - plum, pear and raisin with some Christmas spices, like nutmeg.

T - It hits you with bready malts and the dried fruits. Raisin comes through the storngest. Plus, there is nutmeg flavor and touches of vanilla.

M - It was crisp, sharp and smooth with a dry finish. A medium-bodied ale.

D - This is a Christmas ale that does not disappoint. Fabulous on tap. It was a thrill to find it at Cafe Hollander.

Serving type: on-tap

01-07-2010 22:13:38 | More by zeff80

mckeowbc

Maryland

4.35/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I was apprehensive about ordering this beer because I usually don't prefer Belgian ales. I quickly learned that this is not your typical Belgian ale, whereas most Belgian ales taste syrupy sweet to me this beer is very well balanced.

The nose on this beer is big and complex. It's simultaneously fruity like a white wine, a little spicy, a little hoppy and a little malty. You do get a good sense of how strong this beer as well. The first sip does not disappoint. The flavor is complex to say the least but the most impessive thing is there is no rough edges. There's no flavor that is too strong or that becomes overwhelming as you keep drinking. The entire beer is enjoyable and leaves you pleasantly warm.

I'm sorry that I didn't find this beer until after Christmas but from now on this will be a Christmas staple in my house.

Serving type: on-tap

12-31-2009 01:07:39 | More by mckeowbc

david18

New York

3.5/5  rDev -15.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I typically don't like christmas ales but this one, as the style suggests, drinks more like a belgian strong than a christmas. If you like belgian strongs but not christmas ales, this one is good for you. I'm not crazy about either but still enjoyed it. Good across the board, but not great at anything. Very dark in color, good fruit aroma and flavor. Especially good on draft on a cold afternoon.

Serving type: on-tap

12-20-2009 18:50:05 | More by david18

ImusBeer

Georgia

3.85/5  rDev -7.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Served up in an 11oz wine glass, white wine.

It had a more brown appearance than black, with a tan head and produced some thin lacing on the side of the glass.

The smell was mostly light smoke and oak with some dark fruits. Taste of roasted malt, sweet malt/molassas, prunes with some spiceness like nutmeg.

The mouth was mostly thin for the color but did have some silkiness on the tongue. The alcohol is a bit too high for many of these but it's a really good sipping beer.

Serving type: on-tap

11-06-2009 16:20:43 | More by ImusBeer

drtth

Pennsylvania

4.4/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Served lightly chilled in a Corsendonk goblet. Glass of cold water on the side to sip from periodically. (Drunk and reviewed during early January 09).

Appearance: Tan head which leaves behind little lacing. Deep dark purplish red in color.

Smell: Complex with spices and dark fruits (e.g., plums, raisins) all mingled in a wonderful aroma.

Taste: The flavor is much what you'd expect from the aroma--Christmas spices and dark fruits with traces of hop bitterness. On the whole it is very rich tasting but in no way heavy or cloying in its sweetness.

Mouthfeel: The mouthfeel is a bit thin and lightly carbonated. The finish is medium long with hints of brandy like flavor, hops and a bit of alcohol.

Drinkability: This has an easy drinkability if you sip slowly. But don't let the ABV sneak up on you while enjoying the feelings of warmth and good flavor.

Serving type: on-tap

03-06-2009 22:11:27 | More by drtth

hopdog

Pennsylvania

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

On tap (12/24/04). I've also had this from a bottle on multiple occasions.

Poured a medium to darker brown color with an averaged sized, off white head. Aromas of spices, fruity, and malty. Tastes of the same spices, fruty, brown sugar, and malty. I wrote down that I enjoyed this X-Mas brew.

Notes from: 7/12/04

Serving type: on-tap

02-04-2009 14:18:53 | More by hopdog

Hojaminbag

Colorado

4.03/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served in a Corsendonk Christmas Ale glass.

Dark body with a crown of off-white head that has pretty good retention and leaves some great sticky lacing behind.

Definitely candied fruit in the nose here, cherries and plums. Some spices come through also, followed by a biscuity malt aroma.

The dominant and most noticeable flavor here is definitely candied fruits. Sweet, strong notes of cherry especially, but also of plum. Some spices are noticeable but not terribly strong. The most noticeable spice is anise, giving just a slight black licorice flavor. Next there is a good backbone of biscuity malt. With all the sweetness here it almost reminds me more of cake than biscuit though.

Mouthfeel is fairly full bodied with a good does of carbonation. Slight prickly from all the sweet flavors.

Not bad drinkability, I certainly enjoyed my pour of the this.

Serving type: on-tap

12-31-2008 16:35:05 | More by Hojaminbag

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

4.1/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Clear, deep reddish-brown body with a well-sized, foamy, light khaki-colored head. Nice creamy lacing on the way down.

Smell: Malty, sweetish aroma smelling of molasses, brown sugar, and simple syrup -- all sorts of sweet treats. There's a strong, downright perfumy orange note in the nose, like sniffing a full shot of triple sec. Touches of spicy and light floral hints.

Taste: Sweet, dark maltiness with tastes of dark caramel, molasses, and brown sugar. Slight nuttiness, maybe even some slight breadiness. As was the case with the aroma, there's that very distinct orange fruitiness. Pleasant spiciness with an extra added dash of coriander. Very, very faint floral hint. Never more than a minor bitterness present. Pinch of cocoa powder arrives late in the flavor. Finishes fruity with a lingering maltiness and hint of earthy spice.

Mouthfeel: Medium-plus body. Medium carbonation.

Drinkability: A tasty wintertime offering from Corsendonk and one I'd be happy (yes, happy) to return to next year.

Serving type: on-tap

12-26-2008 23:27:33 | More by ChainGangGuy

Chinon01

Pennsylvania

3.83/5  rDev -7.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

The taste of this beer is of orange, orange peel and orange Tang with yeast sizzle and noticeable hops in the finish. It also leaves a touch of cocoa around the outer back of the tongue and has a very clean finish. The mouthfeel was average and the drinkability was good.

Serving type: on-tap

12-24-2008 04:06:53 | More by Chinon01

MerkinMan

Georgia

4.13/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Served on-tap at Trappeze in Athens, Georgia.

A: Beautifully clear brown / ruby color. Nice head in a stemmed glass with flared top.

S: Christmas spices are certainly present, but not at all overwhelming. Yeasty character is also notable by smell.

T: A very nice Christmas beer that does not go overboard, nor lose its original identity behind the christmas spices. Cinnamon seems to be the most prevalent. Dark fruit notes from the yeast compliment the other spices very well.

MF: Light bodied and sparkly. Very nice.

D: One of the most drinkable christmas beers I have had this year. Recommended (especially on-tap).

Serving type: on-tap

12-23-2008 15:30:58 | More by MerkinMan

gdfan47

Pennsylvania

4.08/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A-pours a very nice dark brown (you can see through it), and a nice off brown head
S- cinnamon, ginger, chocolate, hops
T- spices, the nutmeg is present and really nice lots of them, really refreshing, it has a nice hop and malt finish
M- silky smooth, just the right amount of carbonation, this beer was served on the warmer side and it really worked for this style
D- very good, I would not have guessed at the slighty higher than normal abv very nice

Serving type: on-tap

12-22-2008 07:59:13 | More by gdfan47

pershan

Maryland

3.9/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Had this on-tap at Frisco Grille in Columbia, MD.

The beer poured a clear, deep amber with very little head into a chalice. Didn't really detect anything in the aroma. The flavor was of sweet candy sugar and bubble gum in the foreground, with a nice hop bite and slight yeast sourness in the finish. Nice carbonation too. Seemed to be very well balanced, with no individual component dominating, which you would expect from a true Belgian strong. Much better than the Legacy Euphoria I had a few days ago.

Serving type: on-tap

12-19-2008 13:48:23 | More by pershan

Cyberkedi

Georgia

4.35/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Comes out of the tap a translucent mahogany with a thick, fine-bubbled head. The rich, malty aroma has an undertone of cloves and caramel. Flavor is malty and spicy with a caramel undertone and hints of Coca-Cola and fruit. Texture is smooth, and finish is slightly sweet and pleasing.

Serving type: on-tap

12-14-2008 22:04:32 | More by Cyberkedi

adamette

Ohio

4.15/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Served on tap at McNaulty's Bier Markt in Cleveland a few hours ago. Review from notes. Poured into a clear, clean snifter.

A Brown translucent body with a minimal head which dissipates within about 30 seconds. There was no signficant head after that point.

S Smell of some alcohol but nothing extreme, sweet malt but no "Christmas Spices" necessarily.

T Tastes of sweet malt with alcohol kick. A nice, strong Brown Ale with maybe some spices in the background but really nothing exceptional. I have not had their Brown Ale yet but I am thinking that those two beers have got to taste a lot alike. It will be interesting to compare the two when the time comes.

M Moderate with high ABV and some carbonation.

D Really good for this high of an ABV.

Notes: It was a real treat to find it on tap but really, for the most part it tasted like a really good Brown Ale (nothing much screamed "Christmas" to me).

Serving type: on-tap

12-14-2008 06:56:03 | More by adamette

Stinkypuss

Pennsylvania

4.1/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A. Served ontap into a Corsendonk Christmas snifter. Dark brown abbey ale with a light tan head.

S. Whiffs of dark fruits and candi sugar, some distant booze.

T. Dark plums, very ripe apples, sweet malts. Adequetly hopped to balance. Baked apple pie, brown sugar. As it warms more of the fruityness comes out.

M. Medium bodied and slightly chewey.

D. This is probably my favorite Christmas beer. I think last years was better, but that was after some aging. Nice stuff.

Serving type: on-tap

12-13-2008 08:39:18 | More by Stinkypuss

glid02

Georgia

4.47/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Got this on-tap at the Brick Store in Atlanta.

Pours a dark amber with a two-finger tan head. The head sticks around for quite a while before settling into a pancake on top of the beer. Lacing is decent.

Smells of fruits - mostly light but hints of darker ones - along with mild spices and milder yeast smells.

Tastes good. Light fruit flavors up front that segue into darker fruits and very light spices. There's a nice classic Belgian aftertaste - very sweet but not overly so.

Mouthfeel is very good. Good thickness with a grainy carbonation that does it's job very well. Smooth.

Drinkability is good. I finished this very easily and could've had another.

Overall this is a solid Christmas beer that should be in everyone's rotation.

Serving type: on-tap

12-03-2008 14:33:36 | More by glid02

IronCitySteve

Pennsylvania

4.22/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Had on tap at Fatheads.

A: A copperish brown color. Gave a nice 1 finger foam head that quickly disappeared. Minimal to no lacing.

S: The smell intensified as it warmed a bit. Lots of spice, nutmeg, cinnamon, brown sugar, dark fruit.

T: Really put together well. All the flavors marry well and is a great Christmas Belgian Ale. Lots of dark fruit, caramel and spice flavoring.

M: Gave a sweet dry finish. Made you crave more.

D: A higher ABV makes this more of a really slow sipping beer. A must drink for the holidays!

Serving type: on-tap

12-02-2008 11:54:30 | More by IronCitySteve

pinotboy007

Virginia

4.28/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Enjoyed on 11/28/08 on tap at Brasserie Beck, Washington, DC.

A - Beautiful deep chestnut with a beige cap served in the Christmas Ale chalice.

S - Malt, leather, toffee.

T - Malt, toffee, dried dates and figs, almond, leather. Delicious!

M - Splendid creaminess and a soft carbonation that was made this pretty darn exceptional.

D - Hugely drinkable but it would be a bit rich as an after dinner drink. I recommend it before the meal or on its own. Very nice stuff.

Serving type: on-tap

11-29-2008 23:03:07 | More by pinotboy007

CrellMoset

Virginia

3.8/5  rDev -8.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

On tap at the Belgian Bar at Brickstore Pub, Decatur, GA. Served in a long-stemmed Belgian chalice.

Appearance: A robust, lively, ruby colored brew with a healthy amount of fine-bubbled active carbonation. A huge foamy off-white head with great retention, like a huge mass of snow, initially leaves an equally huge amount of sticky lacing, but it fades quickly as this brew warms.

Aroma: Lightly spiced and fruity - anise and cloves are accompanied by a number of other distinct phenolic notes. Fruity notes are both light and dark - figs and pears are both noticeable. It's well-balanced and pungent enough, but not really all that amazing a combination, in my opinion.

Taste: Malty, mostly to the tune of caramel and sweet, sugared, bready notes. Light spice and phenols again, with anise, white pepper, and candied ginger melding with the same fig and pear notes from the nose.

Mouthfeel: Medium to thick bodied, with a low, smooth, even carbonation that lends a frothy milk-like feel.

Drinkability: This was a decent brew, though I can't say I was blown away by it. The spices and fruits were, though balanced, a little medicinal tasting. I didn't not enjoy this one, but it probably won't become my Belgian winter go-to.

Serving type: on-tap

11-26-2008 19:45:01 | More by CrellMoset

neenerzig

Ohio

4.35/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Got this on tap recently at La Cav Du Vin. This beer is a fairly clear, dark brown color. The tan head is about 1/2 inch or so when drawn. Settles to a nice, sort of bubbly surface layer with good lace. Aromas of orange and apple (or maybe plum) are present along with some spice and cinnamon. Tastewise the beer is malty upfront with the aforementioned sweet fruit and spices present and is rounded out by some fairly subtle but definite hop flavors. Has a crisp, smooth, and frothy, medium to full bodied mouthfeel with moderate carbonation. Drinks very easily in the way well crafted beer should! An excellent beer! I hope to have this on-tap again soon!

Eric

Serving type: on-tap

01-30-2008 22:03:23 | More by neenerzig

Biscuit033

Pennsylvania

3.93/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: Dark ruby with 1/2 inch head that mellows to a constant ring and great lacing throughout. Served in a Chimay goblet.

S: Yeasty and spicy(mulling spices mainly.)

T: Same as the nose with sweet candi flavors and some red fruits, alcohol and a long ginger bread finish.

M: Bubbly and slightly oily with a long spicy finish.

D: I thought that the spices worked well with the flavors of the beer but were still to strong for even another. Something that I would get once a week, perhaps, while available.

Serving type: on-tap

12-29-2007 00:05:18 | More by Biscuit033

OWSLEY069

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a clean deep amber color with a light tan head. In the aroma, sweet cinnamon and hints of corriander. In the taste, dry cinnamon and hints of other Christmassy spices that blend together. A small spicey bite in the mouthfeel, and a dry cinnamon in the aftertaste. Hides the alcohol and mellow enough for newbies, but alway a very tasty beer.

Serving type: on-tap

12-26-2007 20:55:14 | More by OWSLEY069

drpimento

Wisconsin

4.2/5  rDev +1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Lovely, heavenly beer! A masterpiece. Pours with a nice fine head that lasts for a while but eventually mostly dissapears. Plenty of lace. Nice dark brown with strong red highlights. Spicey fruity malty nose. Good carbonation. Warming. Excellent mouth witth an extended finish.

Serving type: on-tap

12-19-2007 03:58:38 | More by drpimento

johnmichaelsen

Oregon

4.55/5  rDev +9.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

There aren't a lot of things about Winter that I look forward to, but the annual arrival of this beer is certainly one of them. Had this on tap at Mahaffey's the other night.

The beer pours a reddish amber color, with minimal head retention, but excellent, lingering lacing. One gets an initial blast of sweet malt on the nose, but it's intermixed with lots of wonderful spices, including allspice and nutmeg. The flavor profile on the palate is straight from beer heaven. The beer is moderately sweet, but that sweetness is braced with flavors of cola, cherry, rootbeer and even more spice, including nutmeg and ginger. The beer is medium bodied with an abv. that is pretty well disguised. The beer is not at all heavy or tiring to drink, and is really what I've come to think of as the quintessential Belgian X-mas beer.

Excellent and highly recommended.... especially if you can get it on draft.

Serving type: on-tap

12-07-2007 20:14:23 | More by johnmichaelsen