Corsendonk Christmas Ale - Brouwerij Corsendonk

TheLiterati

California

4.83/5  rDev +16.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Picked up a $20 gift pack (as a gift to myself!) at my local Whole Foods Market. Came complete with eight bottles of ale and a gratis gift glass to enjoy them in. Also available in a brown bomber, which is good to know since I'll definitely enjoy more of this seasonal for as long as it’s available.

Pours a nice deep brown, with a deep and creamy caramel colored head. Scents of plums, raisins, dates, cloves tease the olfactory. The taste is much the same: deep and complex, mildly fruity and even woodsy, with a smooth mouthfeel and pleasant carbonation.

Quite the quaffable ale.

Serving type: bottle

12-11-2004 01:43:44 | More by TheLiterati

Hautacam

Connecticut

4.83/5  rDev +16.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I've had this on tap and from the large bottle and found no difference in quality.
Appearance is pretty dark brown.
Pours with a huge frothy head, which settles down to almost nothing.
Smells great..malty and slightly fruit.
Taste is fantastic!...very complex, fruit, malt, anise, caramel, just enough sugar. I found this to be a very well balanced ale. Mouthfeel was medium to light..but really just right , I thought. The large bottle took my girlfriend and I about 90 minutes to drink...we just savored it like a cognac....and as it warmed, more complexity developed. Nice semi sweet -semi dry finish.

I went to the liquor store a few days later and bought the last 5 bottles they had. We really loved this ale !

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2005 17:10:18 | More by Hautacam

HopDerek

Pennsylvania

4.83/5  rDev +16.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Served on tap in a Corsendonk Christmas Ale glass.

Appearance is deep brown with dark red hues, with a lovely off white head and some lacing. Smells of fruits, spices, and caramel. Tastes of cherries, cinnamon, nutmeg, other spices, sugar, and some smokiness. Very smooth and creamy, yet also a bit chewy. An excellent Christmas brew, looking forward to having another one next year.

Serving type: on-tap

12-23-2006 16:36:45 | More by HopDerek

avalon07

South Carolina

4.83/5  rDev +16.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

A: Poured from a bomber to a tulip glass. Had a dark brown color with ruby red tints. Cloudy consistency. There was a big, off-white, creamy, long-lasting head. Good lacing.

S: A fruity, malty, spicy smell. Very aromatic.

T: Tasted of malt, citrus fruits, esters and spices. Remarkably well-balanced with clean lines. Alcohol is barely noticable. An excellent flavor.

M: Lots of carbonation with a very dry finish. Medium- to full-bodied.

D: A drinkable beer if there ever was one. AN extremely well-constructed Belgian Strong Dark Ale that's one of the best I've had in the style.

Serving type: bottle

12-13-2009 14:03:38 | More by avalon07

Gehrig

Illinois

4.85/5  rDev +16.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

I stopped by the sterling Sun Singer this afternoon, and found this gem lingering from early winter. A great find, and I'm fortunate to have had it. I admit that I'm a sucker for a good presentation and I like to think myself sufficiently scrutinizing to separate a beer's book from its cover, so to speak. This has both a great appearance and taste. The presentation is glorious--three off-white fingers of foam on a reddish-mahogany body, with thick lacing on the Ommegang glass. Five stars.

The nose is impressive--lots of fruit and spice, especially ginger, cinnamon, and anise. The taste is enough to make one rave--fruit, and dried fruit at that, with raisin combining with more pleasant citrus; spice; all smoothly delivered. Well carbonated and smooth, this is a great BSDA and Christmas Ale, really outstanding.

Serving type: bottle

02-18-2008 00:13:55 | More by Gehrig

BrianBoruma

California

4.88/5  rDev +17.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

I've actually had this one several times on tap but reviewing a bottle recently purchased served in a brewery glass.

A: Thin white head over a dark brown body with rubyish highlights. Head leaves lacing as I consume it.

S: Fruits, dark fruits, spices are hard to distinguish, I like that. I get some allspice and cinnamon, maybe some anise.

T: Lots more dark fruits, a bit like raisins or plums, spices come forwards in the finish, definitely get a bit of anise in there and some cinnamon. Malt comes a bit afterwards and a slight warming sensation from the alcohol. Can't tell if the floral comes from phenols or hop selection.

M: Rather well rounded. Not too much malt roundness, like a true Belgian this one finishes dry, not syrupy for the amount of alcohol.

D: Definitely could have another on a cold winter night. Though past that would not be a good idea with the 8.5% Definitely makes it on the list of favorite seasonals though.

Serving type: bottle

11-17-2010 07:05:48 | More by BrianBoruma

halo21

New York

4.9/5  rDev +17.8%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: We poured this amber and brown colored beer hard into a Duvel snifter glass, with plenty of room for the tan chunky head to expand upwards. It was dark and rich looking, with fine carbonation bubbles.

Smell: Rich, with candied fruits; big raisin and a bit of apple, all with a kick of spice.

Taste: Sweet with fruit flavors, malts and yeast, with a drying spice finish; coriander and a bit of pepper in the background.

Mouthfeel: Medium to full bodied, with warming heat and nicely viscous; finely carbonated that is almost a festive component.

Drinkability/Palitability: Medium to high - very smooth and warming, but at 8.50% ABV, this is not a Summer session beer, but a few would go down easy on a cold Winter night.

Notes: This is an A+ beer, not only in the style of beer, but across all brews. The best part about winter is the big heavy beers that are released and enjoyed. This bottle was popped open not only on a bitter cold day, but also a long workday full of manual labor and cleaning. Perfect end to the day.

Serving type: bottle

07-24-2010 22:50:04 | More by halo21

sitarist

Ohio

4.95/5  rDev +19%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Pours a deep, clear ruby color. There are a lot of bubbles rising up to a thick tan head. The head last for awhile before falling to an 1/8" cap that leaves rings of lacing, the lacing slowly slides back into the beer.

The aromas are sweet, fruity, and spicy. I smell hints of stewed plums, ripe red apples, grape candy, poppy roll, anise, and coriander.

The first thing I taste is spiced apples, there are hints of plum, grape candy, anise, pepper, and coriander. Its more like a punch than it is a beer.

A little to light, and a little to dry. I sure would like for the flavors to stick around a little longer.

This is a highly drinkable, and also a highly deceptive beer. The alcohol is almost undetectable. I cant believe how many times Ive passed by this one; I'm glad that I finally tried this gem.

Serving type: bottle

12-22-2010 01:44:58 | More by sitarist

talkingpoints

Connecticut

5/5  rDev +20.2%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

The one beer that I just absolutely love!!! A great brewery that produces the Monk Brown Abbey Ale has stepped it up a notch with this seasonal offering. This dark beer is not renowned for its hops(which are on the light side) but for its maltiness. It is a thick and rich beer with flavors and spices pouring out. You don't really have to think hard about this one but rather just sit back and sip that 750Ml of magic malt. this should be the favorite seasonal offering of any Guiness drinker. Once again. Wow

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2004 16:55:43 | More by talkingpoints

kstokem

New York

5/5  rDev +20.2%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Had Corsendonk Christmas Ale on draught at Mahar's Pub in Castleton-on-Hudson just before Christmas. It was offered at $5 for 10 oz. or $10/20oz. I started with a 10 oz. but had to follow it with a second 10 oz. It was one of those "oh I have the perfect beer for me" evenings.

Unfortunately, this beer is seasonal. I went back after Christmas and it was gone. Mahar said he was trying to obtain another keg. It was being searched for among the diminishing stock of Corsendonk Christmas Ale in the Albany/Capital Region, NY.

I hope to check in with Mahar tomorrow to see if he was successful in getting more.

If you come across Corsendonk Christmas Ale
on draught, don't drink it, save it for me.

I have had Corsendonk Christmas Ale in bottles a few times before and it is great that way too, but to my mind, no beer is better in the bottle than it is when you can get it draught style. I did however, recently purchase 2 750ml bottles so I could enjoy the Ale sometime later this year.

I recommend the Mahar's Pub in Castleton on Hudson, NY. It is a small neighborhood off-shoot of the long term, well established Mahar's Pub neighborhood pub on Madison Ave. in Albany, NY. Both Mahar's are serious places to drink a huge international variety of great beers.

Serving type: nitro-tap

01-18-2011 20:49:00 | More by kstokem

Dasa1044

New York

5/5  rDev +20.2%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Picked this up as a Christmas gift, and shared gift with the happy recipient!

Pour: Dark brown, almost black. Not as thick as expected building a nice head.

Nose: Subtle spices, and mildly hoppy smell. Very pleasant.

Taste: Much lighter taste than the alcohol content would suggest. Definitely a surprise. Lot's of great flavors to discern. Cloves, Cinnamon and nuts.

Mouthfeel: Very smooth, not thick at all, very lively carbonation.

Overall: It really made the perfect Christmas gift. A beer to savior.

Serving type: bottle

12-27-2011 15:55:17 | More by Dasa1044