Bush De Noël Premium - Brasserie Dubuisson Frères sprl

feloniousmonk

Minnesota

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

Full, garnet hue,a little rosy, creamy head above. Soon gone.

Spice and fruit in the nose. Apple, grapefruit, & plum. Soft, furry, & boisterous, all at once.Cinnamon & ginger, clove.

Taste: Mmm...mysterious Belgian yeast and malt doing it's thing, exotic fruit and spice, again. Zest citrus snap meets the darker fruity feel, combined with spicy kick and plump biscuit malt.Delicious.

Full bodied, bursting with flavor, brimming withha incomparable Belgian feel...orange meets cinnamon meets lavender plus...all that more...Ym.

Serving type: bottle

05-07-2009 07:26:41 | More by feloniousmonk

htomsirveaux

Texas

4.33/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

750 mL bottle tried 11 Feb 2009. Gift from A&P, thanks guys! Labeled as Scaldis Noel Premium, code of 'BBE 2011'.

Poured in 0.4 L Steiner Pils glass. Large creamy off white head. Well carbonated. Clear ruby brown color with a bit of particulate matter floating about. Aroma of apple cider, tart cherries and allspice, as it warms the spiciness comes to the fore with cinnamon and vanilla. Tastes of spicecake and warm ginger. Lots of apples and cinnamon. Finishes with a slight bitterness and an aftertaste that is caramel sweet and spicy. Medium body. Ethanol is very warming but not hot.

Nice example of a Christmas beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-22-2009 17:39:06 | More by htomsirveaux

CHSLBrew

Minnesota

4.2/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

750 mL bottle poured into a white wine glass and shared at a family dinner.

A-Dark brown-amber beer, pretty hazy with a fair amount of floaties. Big, large-bubbled, off-white head receded quickly quickly to a consistent bubble blanket.

S-Ripening fruits, perhaps a bit of pear and light strawberry, and big spiciness. Alcoholic aromas poke through here and there.

T-Wow. Spices, cloves mostly alongside nuances of other spice flavors. A prominent bready and almost sweet maltiness holds this beer on its back as light fruity notes show off. A pleasant, complex flavor. Alcohol is present in the flavor profile, but well hidden and very smooth. Finishes with a residual sweetness and slight bitterness.

M-Warming, for sure, which makes sense considering the 13% ABV. But the alcohol feel and flavor are very smooth. Carbonation is characteristicly high in this medium-bodied Belgian brew.

D-Very tasty, a perfect brew to contemplate with family and a nice dinner. This beer would most certainly warm one up after a long winter day. As in previous ratings, I would be curious to see what may develop with some extended aging.

Serving type: bottle

02-03-2009 14:59:28 | More by CHSLBrew

Lexluthor33

New York

3.58/5  rDev -14.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Orange/reddish color with a creamy,tan head and great lacing action.

The aroma was subtle. Alcohol,malts,some caramel and tones of dark fruits and spices.

The taste started off with a sweet taste of caramel and spices full of alcohol kick. Some yeast was detected and malts were of course present.

The feel was medium bodied with moderate carbonation. It was full of spices and alcohol.

Notes: A technical review because I tend to disagree with many here on this beer. Was it good? yes it was,but it was not great. The alcohol was not well masked and while the balance was o.k. it did not help. All in all it was still a decent brew to have,but I would cellar this one for a year or two.
I had a problem sipping this beer. I felt it was not so easy drink and I say this because the day before I had a SAMI at 14% and it was so much easier to drink. I am a fan of high ABV so it is not that. Like some other really good beers out there this one just needed some time.

Serving type: bottle

12-29-2008 03:29:32 | More by Lexluthor33

jsanto

New Jersey

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

A. very nice christmas bottle that goes with a evening of holiday cheer. it poured a little cloudy with a little head oh foam.

S. smelled like a barleywine with a alcohol hints. maybe a little other flavors in there like vanilla and caramel, but the alcohol stood out the most to me.

T. first sip, i said this was better than expected, and enjoyed the taste to the very last drop. it was good cold, and even as it sat it stayed just as good as it warmed up. i sipped it slowly.

M. very enjoyable, then the alcohol flavor disappears, and the aromas kick in there. maybe a little vanilla, spice, caramel and just a good combination of flavors.

D. wish i had a little more. i will remember to get this beer every christmas.

Serving type: bottle

12-28-2008 03:41:08 | More by jsanto

pkpdogg

California

4.33/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A - Orange/amber color, very slight cloudiness.

S - Distinct presence of spice and high alcohol content. Faint sense of hops ... not too much to pick up.

T - The spices hit first, followed by the sting of the high alcohol content, which lingers on the tongue. The flavor mellows out with a nice combination of malts and hops. There's nothing really distinct or special here ... just a nice blend that keeps the fact that you're drinking a 13% ABV beer in the back of your mind.

M - Slightly thick and syrupy.

D - What I love about this beer is that it's really easy to drink for something that's 13% ABV. The spice really helps to hide the alcohol.

Serving type: bottle

12-26-2008 07:02:37 | More by pkpdogg

rborthwick

Virginia

4.93/5  rDev +17.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Pours a dark amber with a bubbly head. Top of head melts quickly, but a half inch of head lingers and provides nice lacing. Aromas of prune, malt and biscuit. Taste is of malt and prune with a little bit of hop entering over time. Nice backbone of alcohol, but this one is amazingly drinkable for a 13% abv. This is my absolute favorite beer on the planet to date and has become a Christmas tradition for me. Each year I wait to be disappointed vs the last, but I have yet to have that happen. A must have for spoiling yourself over the holidays. Instead of wine, pony up for a bottle of Scaldis.

Serving type: bottle

12-21-2008 01:47:52 | More by rborthwick

StoutSlayer

Illinois

4.65/5  rDev +11%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Sitting here in the middle of nowhere at a cozy B&B with my wife, I can't think of a better beer I could have selected to compliment the environment. December, a farmhouse Bed and breakfast, in a parlor with a glowing fireplace, over the top christmas decorations, and classic carols. As I crack the Noel it pours a deep broze and I let it rest while I flip through some pages of the local newspaper. Before I take a sip a good 5 minutes goes by and I notice there is still great head retention, and compact little bubbles are still making their way to the top. The smell is wonderful. Christmas in a bottle.. Everyhing is rich, a beautiful strong toffee aroma combined with friuty esters reminiscent of figs and raisins. Alcohol is evident in the nose as an afterthought; but to my surprise it feels quite understated when I learn it has a whopping 13% abv! Just what a Christmas brew needs to get you through the stress of the holidays and keep you warm. The taste compliments the nose perfectly. Unlike some beers the taste is exactly what the aroma represents itself as. Big, delicious toffee, Carmel, and friuty flavor. Some spiceyness but subdued. Also a little hotness from the alcohol, but again in no way representitive of it's true ABV. The drinkability is scary. It's amazing how flavorful this brew is whitout being heavy at all. Drink this how I am now- slowly by a fire. An awesome beer to match this holiday. You will not be dissapointed.

Serving type: bottle

12-07-2008 00:49:28 | More by StoutSlayer

popery

California

4.25/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A strong Belgian with a good mix of spice and fruit flavors. This beer pours a deep, dark amber brown, an excellent shade for a dark Belgian. The head is foamy and settles nicely atop the beer. It's definitely unfiltered with a plethora of little white floaties that can be seen through the side of the glass. The beer smells strongly of alcohol and fruity earthiness. Stone fruits, bananas and spice blend interestingly with the alcohol, although the alcohol tends to dominate a bit more than I'd like. The alcohol is less dominant in the flavor, or maybe I just appreciate it more here. The flavor is like a brandied prune-banana mix. It's spicy with perhaps a bit of nutmeg, although I would have appreciated even more spice in a holiday ale. The beer is well-carbonated yet silky but also a tad thin for such a strong Belgian. The strength of the alcohol and the feel mark down the drinkability a bit, but it's definitely an excellent beer. I know very little about cellaring, but it seems like a good candidate if it would tone down the alcohol heat and bring out more body in the feel.

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2008 01:35:40 | More by popery

MisterClean

California

4.53/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a tulip at Lucky Baldwins

A - Poured orange in color with a 2-fingered head. Dissipates moderately with a slight lacing.

S - Dark belgian candi sugars, prunes, and slightly spicy hops.

T - See the above.

M - Perfectly balanced. For a 13, where's the alcohol kick?

D - Excellent example of a belgian take on the winter warmer.

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2008 01:04:17 | More by MisterClean

GClarkage

California

4.08/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

05/31/08- Received as a gift from a friend.

Presentation- 750ml bottle with some kind of code imprinted on the label. Corked and caged while poured into my St. Fuellien chalice.

Appearance- Deep brown-prune juice like color. Large bubbled one inch plus head which settles at a somewhat creamy 1/4 inch frothy head. Leaves nice lace caking on the sides of the glass.

Smell- Dark fruits (prunes, figs and dates) with a very sugary nose. A bit of yeast and maybe even some banana and clove?

Taste- Really light tasting for 13% Seems a bit thin at times. Has the nice sugary carmelized fig flavor though. Dates and maybe some raisins as well. Very sweet and a tad yeasty.

Mouthfeel- As staded above, a touch thin. Heavy carbonation and a sugary tongue coating.

Drinkability- Was expecting a bit more, but still was pretty good.

Serving type: bottle

06-06-2008 22:23:53 | More by GClarkage

AKBelgianBeast

Alaska

4.78/5  rDev +14.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

This beer is quite good. It pours an orange red, with great off white head that retains quite well. The nose is very strong with thick candy sugar smell and dark fruit company and some slight spice. The taste is incredibly creamy and sugary. very smooth with some candied or baked fruit flavors. sugar lingers hard on the lips and in the finish. Very smooth mouthfeel, creamy and thick, but not to chewy. The drinkability is most drinkable 13% I have ever had by a long shot. This could be dangerous to those who dont know its 13% so for all of you getting a bottle BEWARE THE 13%!!!! warn your friends. great beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-09-2008 07:00:35 | More by AKBelgianBeast

brdc

Wisconsin

4.68/5  rDev +11.7%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Large corked bottle, fresh from this season, poured into a goblet.

Beautiful orange-red in color, with a thicker foamy light tan head than I expected given the high ABV. It coats the sides, and keeps a collar. Very good looking.

Sensational aroma, dark fruits but also lots of strawberries, sweetish caramelized malts, opening way to a full bodied, creamy yet quite drinkable brew that offers multiple layers of malty sweetness without being excessive, a fruit smorgasboard coming and going, well balanced by a nice warming alcohol.

Very impressive, a perfect brew for a winter storm, one of the best Christmas beers I ever had.

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2007 01:18:33 | More by brdc

TheManiacalOne

Rhode Island

4.13/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 750ml bottle into a tulip glass.

A: The beer is a dark copper color, with a short foamy off-white head that fades very slowly and leaves a thick lace on the glass.

S: The aroma is of apricots, dark fruits, Belgian yeast, caramel and brown sugar.

T: The taste starts out sweet with flavors of chocolate, caramel, brown sugar and some dark fruits. Then a hearty flavor of Belgian yeast comes in with a mild alcohol burn. There’s a gold malt character and a mild hops presence with a nice balance. The after-taste is slightly sweet.

M: Crisp and very smooth, medium body, medium carbonation, finish is clean.

D: Tasty, goes down dangerously easily for a beer with 13.00% ABV, not too filling, strong kick that will catch up to you, I found it to be very enjoyable as I relaxed on a cold Friday night drinking it slowly.

Serving type: bottle

12-08-2007 03:51:31 | More by TheManiacalOne

Tbone

Illinois

2.63/5  rDev -37.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

Served at about 45 degrees.
750 ml corked bottle.

A- Poured with an enormous head, leaving alot of lacing.
S- Some toffee and carmelized bananna, but acohol intensity overpowers.
T- Taste is more of the same with a bit of sweetness and yeastiness.
M- Thin and watery for the style.

I've had this before and recall it being more complex and less alcoholic.

I'll give this another try next year, but it might be crossed off my holidy beer list.

Tried this side by side with the smaller non-premium version.
That version is darker, more cloudy, more yeasty, and with slightly more toffee flavor.

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2007 02:45:27 | More by Tbone