Bush De Noël - Brasserie Dubuisson Frères sprl

beerpirates

Belgium

4/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Had this On tap @ kulminator

A- Copper colored with hinting orange hue. Thin white head, dispensing out to a thin line around the glass.

S- First thing I thought was pear. Also smells a bit like apple as well. A bit of spice, but I can't quite put my finger on it.

T- Malty sweetness and candied sugar, followed by fresh apple/pear lingering on the palate. As mentioned above, the flavor does a good job of masking the ABV of this brew.

M- Well carbonated; feels very light and refreshing.

D- One of these will set you up nice; very warming if the temperature gets low.

Nice brew .

Serving type: on-tap

12-04-2011 20:31:59 | More by beerpirates

chrisdenny

Texas

4.45/5  rDev +10.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into a Chimay Tulip

A- Copper colored with hinting orange hue. Thin white head, dispensing out to a thin line around the glass.

S- First thing I thought was pear. Also smells a bit like apple as well. A bit of spice, but I can't quite put my finger on it.

T- Malty sweetness and candied sugar, followed by fresh apple/pear lingering on the palate. As mentioned above, the flavor does a good job of masking the ABV of this brew.

M- Well carbonated; feels very light and refreshing.

D- One of these will set you up nice; very warming if the temperature gets low.

I really like this beer, saw it on the shelf at Central Market and thought it looked intriguing. Then when I picked it up and saw it was a Belgian Holiday Ale, I had to get it...Glad I did, it was excellent.

Serving type: bottle

12-04-2011 03:28:15 | More by chrisdenny

CampusCrew

Florida

4.5/5  rDev +11.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Scaldis- Huge belgo yeast aromas, fruity, subtle spice, another favorite and possibly the winner of the night. more like a quad for style

We did a large christmas and winter beer tasting panel and this was one of the many that we tried. Most of the beers we tried we solid including this one that the panel liked.

Serving type: bottle

11-28-2011 06:36:35 | More by CampusCrew

flannelman808

California

4.4/5  rDev +9.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

loooong overdue for this one... so I had it fresh.

2011 vintage (most recent)

A: Burnt copper orange rose with good clarity. A thin white foam rims around the glass. poor-ok retention and poor lacing.

S: A breath of burnt orange peel followed by a waft of Werther's Original in the best sort of way. Macintosh apple and butterscotch.

T: Sweet rock candy broken up with lots of carbonation slowly smoothing out and resolving with a medley of ripe fruit. Black Plum, Bosc pear, and orange zest come to mind albeit faintly. Warming alcohol brings a numbing sensation to the gums and helps to further balance the sweet aforementioned flavors also leaving a suggestion of eucalyptus.

M: Rich meets the divided sky

O: One of my favorite belgian holiday beers if not my top selection. Price has fluctuated a little bit recently which is of some concern, however, as I review this it's cheaper than it was last year. I've yet to try this aged sadly and feel it may develop into something quite different and perhaps even better. aging potential shot in the dark... 2 - 6 years.

Serving type: bottle

11-25-2011 05:39:26 | More by flannelman808

BrewerB

California

4.1/5  rDev +2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Picked this up at my local Whole Foods for $4.99.

Pouring into the SF Beer Week 2011 tulip. It's a slightly hazy amber with a 1-2 finger off white head that fizzled down and didn't fully retain. Sticky legs cling the glass after a swirl.

Toasty, caramel malts reach for the nose first not to be outdone by a cinnamon raisiny fruitiness.

Upfront malty sweetness undersells the strength of this brew. Caramel, light chocolate and prunes. Brisk, dry finish leaves a scant malty sweet on the palette.

Medium-light bodied with a moderate-high level of carbonation. Warming sensation without even a subtle pass at hot or solvent alcohol.

Wow…for the impressive ABV on this beer it's exceptionally smooth and drinkable. Great example of the style.

Serving type: bottle

11-23-2011 04:26:15 | More by BrewerB

BobZ

Massachusetts

3.68/5  rDev -8.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

250ml 8.5 Oz. bottle. Poured into my Duvel Tulip.

Appearance: Small head maybe ¼” that quickly recedes to a cap. Deep reddish orange in color. Decent lacing.

Smell: Spicy alcohol with a bit of lightly toasted malt.

Taste: The spicy (maybe nutmeg) flavor is equally upfront with the alcohol. There is also an element of caramel from the malt. Not bad, as there is both depth and some complexity to these flavors.

Mouthfeel: Smooth and the alcoholic warmth cleans the palate.

Overall: Looks like a barleywine but taste much better, as mentioned above this beer is defined by its spice (makes sense for a Christmas ale) and it’s alcohol flavors. As Christmas beer go, the St. Bernardus is far superior.

Serving type: bottle

11-20-2011 17:16:07 | More by BobZ

dorianmarley

Ohio

4.18/5  rDev +4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Appearance is deep brown with a pancake head and some lacing.

Nose is Starburst candy, roasted malt, and almond.

Taste is very dyanamic and constantly changing on the tongue. Bready, sweet malt fades into bright Starburst candy. Finishes with vanilla and almond. Alcohol phenols and rye flavors sizzle throughout.

Mouthfeel is not especially smooth, but does have some creaminess. The strong alcohol is constant, and can be distracting from the flavor.

Overall, a dynamic Belgian that does not disappoint. But it is a big beer that, at times, becomes unbalanced.

Serving type: bottle

11-18-2011 04:06:32 | More by dorianmarley

DovaliHops

California

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

Pours a dark amber red color with a very tiny white head that disappears quickly. Scent is intense with the dark fruits. Tons of plum and fig. Very nice malt profile...again, the dark fruit aroma is crazy with this beer. Taste is initially raisin with hints of plum and figs. Nice prunes as well. A bit of apple. Caramel malt and a bit of alcohol. Finishes with some green apple and chocolate. Mouthfeel is medium bodied with a bit of alcohol burn. Drinkability is high, until the high ABV catches up to ya. Overall, this is a very tasty holiday beer that would be very enjoyable on a cold night next to the fire.

Serving type: bottle

10-15-2011 07:34:00 | More by DovaliHops

dbaker61

Ohio

4.83/5  rDev +20.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

From notes. Enjoyed at The Bodega Brew Pub, La Crosse, WI on Aug. 10, 2010.

Appearance: Coppery color with a hint of red. Only half a finger or so of light tan foam, retention of just a minute or two, but left nice lacing down the glass.

Smell: A snoot-full of aromas! Spicy, yeasty and alcoholic, there were dried fruit notes, along with caramel and banana. Almost enjoyed the smell more than the taste (almost!).

Taste: Quite sweet with caramelized sugars and nutmeg. Definitely Christmassy, even though this bottle was enjoyed in the sticky summer. Lots of fruit flavors, among them banana, cherry and dried fruits like raisins and figs. The alcohol seems well hidden.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied. Great finish, with a lingering sweetness, and dryness from the formidable alcohol level. Plenty of carbonation in this beer.

Overall: Always a favorite, it had to be one of my requests at the Bodega after a year in China. I never want more than one, but I often want one.

Serving type: bottle

10-11-2011 13:19:55 | More by dbaker61

cnally

Indiana

3.23/5  rDev -19.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Ho ho ho, or something like that. Noel always makes me think of Christmas. Right now all I am thinking about is the impending doom of cold weather and snow. Damnit.

The beers pours with nary a head, flat and wine-like as possible. Yeast particles abound and find a difficult time getting to the bottom of the glass. Slightly translucent reddish brown body.

The aroma is a very brandy-like one, sweet and cloyingly so. Major caramel aroma, some fruity esters--grapey--raisins more so.

The flavor is not quite as boozy or sweet as I would have expected. Even keeled sweetness mixed with a good dose of back-handed peppery bitterness, and while the booze flavor is lower for a 12%, it is one of the dominant flavors. Lack of depth from this style, in my opinion, with mild if barely noticable aspects of caramel, fig, and very slightly nutty. Relies big time on the bitterness and booze. A little different for this style.

The mouthfeel is a little watery but has the fizz and punch I love in a good Belgian.

Personally, I'm a little disappointed. I feel the beer doesn't take you on a journey as so many of its bretheren. Very two-note in the flavor, with little else to offer in its other aspects. I'll stick to any other Belgian Dark.

Serving type: bottle

10-02-2011 01:58:28 | More by cnally

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

3.9/5  rDev -3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This beer poured out as a darker shade of brown, it had a fluffy off white head on top that left a soapy lacing down the glass. The smell of the beer was spicy, plenty of yeasty aromas also. The taste of the beer was had some dark fruit sweetness that was balanced by the spices. The flavor seemed pretty good. The mouthfeel was pretty good, bubbly and warming, lots of heat from the 12%. Overall, I liked it, I found it to be great for the winter season.

Serving type: bottle

07-26-2011 03:57:56 | More by Knapp85

rvdoorn

Netherlands

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

Look: the beer pours a light amber-orange color, with a nice fluffy light brown head.
Smell: Sweet malts, caramel, dark fruits and spciy hops
Taste: Sweet malts, fruits, nuts, caramel and peppery hops. Perfectly balanced.
Mouthfeel: High-carbonation, creamy silk mouthfeel.
Overall: Very nice xman brew.

Serving type: bottle

07-23-2011 12:39:26 | More by rvdoorn

sfprint

Germany

4.43/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 2 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Drank out of a Bush glass.
A: dark apple cider, suspended sediment, no head, very slow and minimal rising carbonation. Pond waterish
S: Apple, peach, somewhat sweet but heavy, cidery.
T: Alcohol shockingly subtle for 12%, spicy and even slightly hot, reminds me of belgian blondes/ambers. perfect degree of sweetness, not syrupy. A hair of bitterness, excellent balance.
M: Barely tongue drying/astringent, mild to moderate sting,
O: Excellent, incredible balance, body and breadth.

Serving type: bottle

07-07-2011 18:09:49 | More by sfprint

emmasdad

Colorado

3.9/5  rDev -3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from the small bottle a rustic brown color with a smallish light brown head. Aromas of caramel, yeast, brown sugar, dark fruits and booze. On the palate, this one is medium bodied, with flavors of booze, brown sugar, Belgian yeast and candy. A warming and delicious holiday offering.

Serving type: bottle

06-17-2011 22:22:36 | More by emmasdad

benfons

Belgium

4.13/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

25cl bottle, that's an exception in Belgium certainly for this kind of beer

A: Cloudy, dark copper colour, small but stable head

S: there' a lot happening: caramel, red fruits, malts, smells pretty great

T: roasted caramel, loads of spices like clove and nutmeg, malty finish

M: Creamy, normally i would say slightly undercarbonated but it works

O: this has a slight cognac feel to it, very alcoholic (now i know why it's a 25cl bottle). It's a good warming beer.

P.S. keep it for the winter, don't drunk it in June like i just did , it will probably taste better at 0° then at 25°)

Serving type: bottle

06-13-2011 20:37:28 | More by benfons

mdvatab

Indiana

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

Poured from 25cl bottle into Ommegang chalice
No bottled on date

Aroma: BIG carmelly, butterscotch, sherry, and flat-out scotch. Faint sweet apple cider. Lots to find here!

Appearance: Hazy brown body with yeast in suspension (did not decant). Off-white head almost immediately disappears.

Flavor: Spicy scotch, sweet butterscotch (like a butterscotch candy), raisin, and spiced cider. Sweetness appears to come from both the malt/sugar and the alcohol.

Mouthfeel: Alcohol is very warming. Med-to-low carbonation. Medium body. Slightly hot, drying finish.

Overall: Definitely a tasty winter warmer. I felt funny buying this out of season, but it's equally delicious around a campfire or firepit (or on the couch in front of the TV!) during the summer. There's some great complexity to both the aroma and flavor. Too rich, and too much alcohol to drink more than one, but definitely a treat to have once in a while!

Serving type: bottle

06-08-2011 04:39:07 | More by mdvatab

loren01

Oregon

3.48/5  rDev -13.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: Pours a bubbly mahogany color small head that disspiates quickly not much lacing
S: Smell is sweet and fruity, Belgian style yeast also very evident
T: Dark fruit flavors are very strong as well as brown sugar and spices.
M: Medium bodied beer, carbonation is just fine
D: Pretty good Belgian sipping beer, alcohol is not well hidden, couldn't do more than one of these and one might be pushing it.

Serving type: bottle

06-01-2011 23:10:44 | More by loren01

nickfl

Florida

4.1/5  rDev +2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Pours with one finger of off-white foam on top of a clear, amber-brown body. The head settles fairly rapidly and leaves little lace on the glass.

S - Dark, fruity notes of malt and yeast. Red apple, plums, caramel, cloves, and coriander.

T - Spicy yeast notes up front with some toasty malt and toffee. More spicy notes in the middle with coriander and red apple as well as some clove. Caramel and toffee come up in the finish with spicy, almost hot alcohol.

M - Medium-thick body, high carbonation, and a slightly sweet finish.

D - Very complex and interesting. This beer has all of the classic fruity notes of a dark Belgian ale with some spicy notes that differentiate it from some other examples of the style. The alcohol is still a bit hot in the finish despite the six months or so of age that this bottle has on it. Definitely worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

05-31-2011 02:33:00 | More by nickfl

kingcrowing

Vermont

3.15/5  rDev -21.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

25cl bottle poured into a chalice.

Pours a brown hazy color with a small light brown head that fades quickly, little lacing. Nose is very potent, boozy, malty, sweet and full of spices, caramel, yeast and candi sugar.

Taste is boozy and sweet, a bit sharp from carbonation. It's very complex and almost too much. It's hot on the way down and leaves a strong bready flavor. The mouthfeel is a bit syrupy. Overall, it's an ok beer but not outstanding.

Serving type: bottle

05-06-2011 21:56:16 | More by kingcrowing

brewdenver

Colorado

4.28/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Bottle poured in a red wine glass. Was in the mountains and was all that was available.

A: A nice red hue to this beer in the light. Head poured fairly big, but did not hold together for long. Minimal lacing and fingers around the glass.

S: Caramel, banana, breads linger in the nose. Very pleasant to smell.

T: The sweet side of the beer stands out first. Leading into the caramel and spices in the middle. Finishes smooth with a slight bread dough end.

M: Spritzy on the tongue and cheeks. Good body.

O: Excellent Belgium.

Serving type: bottle

04-27-2011 10:09:45 | More by brewdenver

SuperSpy

Georgia

4.05/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Nutty brown with a three-finger tan head. Rather cloudy from all the yeast floating around. Decent head retention and lots of sticky lace.

A sweet, dark aroma. Brown sugar, fruit cake, prunes, raisins and a bit of dark bread.

Full bodied, and lightly carbonated. Lots of sweet flavors. It's similar to what's in the aroma. Brown sugar, candied fruits, dark cherries and a good helping of phenols. Overall it's reminiscent of sherry with all the sweet flavors and alcohol warmth.

This is a very good beer overall. I will have to stock up this next Christmas.

Serving type: bottle

03-31-2011 21:40:09 | More by SuperSpy

seanyfo

United Kingdom (Scotland)

4/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

250ml bottle poured into shaker pint glass.

BBE 17/10/2007

A- Mahogany body with lots of yeast floaters, 3 finger creamy tan head with lots of lovely sticky lacing and excellent retention considering abv.

S- Malt domination, rich fruit cake, prunes, dark fruits, slight vinous note. Some wholemeal bread.

T- Liquid rich fruit cake. Some sweet sherry alcohol heat richess lingers in the finish. Detecting a wholemeal bread and lingering after the alcohol.Finish is suprisingly tea like.

M- Low carbonation, full body.

D- Age certainly hasnt hurt this one. A classic sipper. Excellent nightcap.

Serving type: bottle

03-29-2011 21:32:27 | More by seanyfo

nhindian

Pennsylvania

4.18/5  rDev +4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

250ml bottle poured into a Delirium Noël bottle. It seemed appropriate!

A - Pours a very dark mahogany-colored body, bordering on the darkest levels of brown. It's pretty clear for the most part with lots of tiny bubbles of carbonation streaming from the bottom of the glass, rising to replenish the head. Speaking of the head, it has excellent retention, and when it finally levels out, it leaves a half-inch thick cap that sits casually on top. Lacing consists of thick bubbles which sporadically stick to the glass, but it's nothing much special.

S - The smell is interesting and consists of multiple elements of various Belgian styles. The aroma has a nice phenol quality of it with plenty of bananas, figs, Belgian yeast, grapes, malts, cinnamon, nutmeg, and alcohol. Certainly unique and makes me want to get in and taste it!

T - After one sip I'm a bit overwhelmed. Where as in the nose the alcohol is more concealed and relegated to the back of the smell, in the taste it plays a more prominent role and is apparent from the start. Not to say that it doesn't integrate well with the taste, but don't expect it to be hidden. The spices of the nose are more subtle as well, but give the impression of cinnamon sugar coated raisins. The bananas and cloves curb each other to streamline the assortment of flavors into interesting combinations of flavors. The finish is long and sweet, and has a good mixture of sugar, grapes, and alcohol.

M - Mouthfeel is moderately light-bodied with good carbonation. Given the amount of bubbles seen in the glass, I was expecting a lot of carbonation but what is presented is definitely acceptable. Leaves a decent amount of coating on the palate.

D - Drinkability is moderate. It was a tough choice to pick this bottle given the size of the bottle and price, but I feel the size is a blessing for this beer. It's easy to drink and the flavors are interesting and work together great, but the alcohol will easily creep up on you. I keep getting drawn to drink, but the flavors are complex enough to delay the entire bottle over about 30 minutes or so.

Serving type: bottle

03-12-2011 23:24:18 | More by nhindian

david131

Michigan

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

A- A clear, red/orange/brown liquid with a thick and creamy bone white head that settles to a thin covering.

S- Bananas, figs, brown sugar, hazelnuts, vanilla, and alcohol. Very inviting.

T- Sweet fruit, brown sugar, candy, and alcohol. Complex and tasty.

M- A bit light on the carbonation and the alcohol warmth on the finish is very noticeable.

D- A great sipper that would make for an excellent desert beer. The small packaging is greatly appreciated.

Serving type: bottle

02-24-2011 05:18:22 | More by david131

Radome

Spain

4.1/5  rDev +2%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a 25 cl bottle into a Duvel tulip glass.

A - Color is a medium reddish amber and extremely clear. The head is beige, creamy and long-lasting with lots of Belgian lace on the glass. A beautiful beer.

S - The aroma is of malted grains, caramel and dark fruits. With the plum/raisin notes and a boozy alcohol background, it reminds me of a rum cake or alcohol infused fruitcake at Christmas. Despite all the complexities, it remains very clean and fresh smelling.

T - As in the aroma, clean grains are there, along with dark fruits. These fade into a long alcohol burn in the aftertaste.

M - The body is moderate to heavy, lightened a bit by carbonation. There is some hop bitterness, but at a low level. Hot alcohol is the dominant aspect of the mouthfeel.

D - This has some truly great characteristics, but I think the alcohol taste is so over-the-top that it blows out some of the finer taste complexities.

Serving type: bottle

02-20-2011 05:50:09 | More by Radome