Bush De Noël - Brasserie Dubuisson Frères sprl

damndirtyape

Ohio

4.33/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Single 25cl bottle poured into a tulip. No date on bottle.

Appearance: The head died down quickly to nothing - no lacing as I drank it down either. Bubbles do move up slowly through the liquid, which is a nice reddish orange - very clear.

Smell is unusual - when cold you can smell the alcohol, but as it warms up it takes on a definite wine-like smell. A pleasant grape-like mustiness and some other fruit like smells with a hint of alcohol at the end. It's very appetizing.

Taste: Strong cherry flavor right up front - just right, not too sweet and not too tart. Some caramel flavors towards the end and other sugars as well, but again, not too much that it would be cloying. If there are hops present, I can't find them, but maybe their bitterness is balancing out the other sweet flavors. Quite tasty.

Mouthfeel: Very carbonated, not at all watery...maybe even a bit slick and oily but not in a bad way when combined with the spiciness on the tongue.

Drinkability: Definitely a sipper, and definitely a winter warmer at 12% ABV. A pleasant experience with the meal and afterwords for savoring.

Serving type: bottle

12-29-2009 23:11:30 | More by damndirtyape

InspectorBob

New Jersey

4/5  rDev -0.5%

05-21-2013 19:56:08 | More by InspectorBob

Slatetank

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev -0.5%

05-20-2013 22:30:33 | More by Slatetank

mikeburd1128

New Jersey

4/5  rDev -0.5%

05-11-2013 15:22:55 | More by mikeburd1128

twenty5

Pennsylvania

3.25/5  rDev -19.2%

05-10-2013 15:27:15 | More by twenty5

Ciocanelu

Romania

4/5  rDev -0.5%

05-09-2013 12:29:28 | More by Ciocanelu

jwat

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +11.9%

05-07-2013 03:54:46 | More by jwat

Jason1337

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev +5.7%

04-26-2013 15:20:33 | More by Jason1337

Metatron6

Maryland

3.75/5  rDev -6.7%

04-10-2013 22:15:03 | More by Metatron6

Sparky44

Illinois

3.75/5  rDev -6.7%

04-04-2013 01:26:46 | More by Sparky44

RochefortChris

South Carolina

2.75/5  rDev -31.6%

03-31-2013 02:32:32 | More by RochefortChris

reitzbrewing

Pennsylvania

5/5  rDev +24.4%

03-27-2013 02:34:58 | More by reitzbrewing

grahamboudreaux

Tennessee

5/5  rDev +24.4%

03-23-2013 07:35:33 | More by grahamboudreaux

BGsWo22

New York

4/5  rDev -0.5%

03-20-2013 22:30:31 | More by BGsWo22

harpus

Alabama

4/5  rDev -0.5%

03-20-2013 17:35:26 | More by harpus

alelover

Michigan

4/5  rDev -0.5%

03-13-2013 19:02:25 | More by alelover

Herky21

Iowa

5/5  rDev +24.4%

03-11-2013 23:23:06 | More by Herky21

spycow

Illinois

3.75/5  rDev -6.7%

03-11-2013 05:21:51 | More by spycow

ommegangpbr

New York

4.08/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Not a pretty version within a style that is normally very visually impressive. Color is diluted cola color with cola like foam.
Scent is much more striking, even from afar. Developed yeast/sugar things going on. Fresh baked bread mixed with candy shoppe.
Probably the most impressive feature of this beverage is the 12% alcohol that is very difficult to detect. Seriously, very very difficult to tell it is that strong. Really quite smooth and enjoyable all around. Not at all sugary or syrupy in a style that can err in that way. Worth sampling and resampling.

Serving type: bottle

03-06-2013 03:21:14 | More by ommegangpbr

elNopalero

Texas

3.53/5  rDev -12.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

2012 Update:

Bottle opened after 2+ years of age.

I like the little bottle—it’s the perfect amount for a personal-sized serving of a high gravity beer. If this was in a 750 ml bottle I don’t think I’d get a chance to open it anytime soon. As it is I sat on it for over 2 years.

Poured a clear, light ruddy raisin-colored hue with a thin, tight lace ring.
The aroma has a dried stone fruit touch—raisin, fig, dates—but there’s an overpowering phenolic alcohol aroma that dominates and overpowers it. The aroma is off putting. The more time I spend with it the less pleasant I find it, unfortunately.

Flavorwise its lightly raisin/fig/stone fruit/fruit cake, with a caramel malt finish. The booziness doesn’t come across as strongly on the sip but it’s still evident.
What can I say. It still doesn’t excite me. Eh.

Previously: This has a light amber color with a good amount of lingering foam. There is a muted aroma belying a lot of flavor on the palate. Noticeable booze. At 12% there’s no where to hide but it still plays well. The malt profile dissipates rapidly under it, and it carries a bit of a bite. Another year on this and I think we’d be good friends.

Serving type: bottle

02-28-2013 06:54:03 | More by elNopalero

Peyton5410

New Jersey

4.25/5  rDev +5.7%

02-21-2013 13:06:55 | More by Peyton5410

coreyfmcdonald

Georgia

3.33/5  rDev -17.2%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25

25cl bottle into a snifter

A: Pours a medium amber color with a finger of white head. The color of this beer is quite light for a BSDA.

S: Dried apricots, plums, prunes, and a hint of licorice. Nutmeg and orange bitter spiciness is there, but it's fairly restrained. Smells quite boozy.

T: Fairly light on the palate for the style. I get dried apricots, but not as much prunes and plums as the aroma. A bit of peppercorn and orange bitters. Overall, the taste is not nearly as complex as the aroma. This is also very, very boozy.

M: A bit light with light carbonation.

O: Not bad, but I'd like more dark fruit and more esters. Extremely boozy, too.

Serving type: bottle

02-19-2013 01:34:34 | More by coreyfmcdonald

Stinger80OH

Ohio

4.75/5  rDev +18.2%

02-18-2013 11:45:12 | More by Stinger80OH

Louski

Pennsylvania

3.55/5  rDev -11.7%
look: 4.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Poured from bottle into Leffe chalice.

A: Pours a deep amber with about a finger's worth of head that I had to force while pouring.

S: Malty, fruity undertones are coupled with the sharp alcohol fumes.

T: Right off the bat the fruit, bread, and caramel are apparent but too quickly overcome by the alcohol. If only thise flavors could have held on. Sipping buys you a little time, but not enough in my opinion.

M: Paints a nice profile across the palate but again the alcohol heat crashes the party so I couldn't let it stay on my tongue long enough.

O: I think I expected a bit more from this one. The flavors are there, but the darn alcohol just took over. I enjoy a strong beer but this one just packed a little too much punch. I'll give it another go next winter to be fair.

Serving type: bottle

02-16-2013 18:16:08 | More by Louski

bsopko

New Jersey

4/5  rDev -0.5%

02-16-2013 17:48:45 | More by bsopko