Saint Landelin Spéciale Noël
Brassierie Goulant

Saint Landelin Spéciale NoëlSaint Landelin Spéciale Noël
Beer Geek Stats | Print Shelf Talker
From:
Brassierie Goulant
 
France
Style:
Belgian Dark Ale
ABV:
6.8%
Score:
80
Avg:
3.41 | pDev: 14.08%
Reviews:
24
Ratings:
28
Status:
Active
Rated:
Jan 13, 2015
Added:
Aug 17, 2004
Wants:
  0
Gots:
  1
No description / notes.
View: More Beers
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
 
Rated: 2.89 by vermilcj from Ohio

Jan 13, 2015
 
Rated: 3.5 by olradetbalder from Sweden

Nov 27, 2014
 
Rated: 3 by GraduatedCashew from California

Aug 28, 2013
Photo of chinchill
Reviewed by chinchill from South Carolina

3.88/5  rDev +13.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Brown 750ml cork-and-wire finished bottle. Date stamp on front label 07.03.13.

Appearance: An orange-amber color with good clarity and some visible carbonation bubbles. Generous and durable bone-colored head leaves plenty of sticky lacing on the glass.

Aroma: mix of Belgian dubbel and French biere de garde. Hints of honey, dark dried fruits and apricot jam.

Palate: Medium body; medium-high carbonation is both soft and midly crisp; Soft and smooth overall.

O: a pleasant Holiday ale that is more than a little like a Belgian dubbel and which worked fine in the 100F degree heat of Arizona.
Jun 05, 2013
 
Rated: 4 by animal69 from Louisiana

Dec 11, 2011
Photo of rhoadsrage
Reviewed by rhoadsrage from Illinois

3.26/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
(Served in a chalice) L32.1.07 2.28.10 on the bottle
A- This beer has a crystal clear slow slightly dense deep copper body with a cobweb off-white head that breaks down quickly. There is a gentle slow carbonation of tiny bubbles.
S- The aroma is pretty clean with a very faint malt sweetness and a green quality underneath. There is a wet straw note that comes through and grows as the beer opens.
T- There is a light hard candy sweetness followed by a mineral water taste. There is a very light tartness then a soft carbonic acid and bitter note in the finish. As the beer warms there is a live cherry quality to the malt and much of the taste turns cidery.
M- This beer has a medium mouthfeel with a slight slippery texture and a tight fizz finish. There is no alcohol heat noticed.
D- This beer is very light in flavor and a bit dulled or mellowed. There is not any depth or contrast to taste or smell.
Sep 15, 2010
Photo of Rayek
Reviewed by Rayek from Colorado

3.38/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Poured into a shaker pint.

A: Pale toffee with great clarity and a fair amount of carbonation. A foamy cream cap starts well, but retreats to a patchwork film fairly quickly. Leaves bits of lace.

S: Very sweet. Brown sugar and caramel give the beer a cookie dough quality. Alcohol adds just enough of a tingle to keep the beer from going over the top with the sweetness.

T: The sweetness continues. The brown sugar from the nose is joined by toffee and the slightest bit of anise. Alcohol is present, which seems odd given the ABV. However, it and the anise are the only thing keeping this beer from being crazy sweet.

M: The body is light and syrupy, with about the right amount of carbonation.

D: This is certainly different. Did I mention that it's sweet? The anti-hop-bomb. I' glad I tried it, but don't think I'll be back.
Jun 02, 2010
Photo of Asgeirr
Reviewed by Asgeirr from Svalbard & Jan Mayen Islands

3.68/5  rDev +7.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Appearance: Saint Landelin Spéciale Noël pours a dark amber colour along with a great large number of small bubbles and a eggshell-to-cream white toned crown, slowly diminishing and leaving a great amount of lacing after several minutes.

Smell: A sour apricot tone, fresh hops, some toffee, a undertone of butter. Generally, this one is relatively mild in all of it's scents. None of them really do stand out.

Taste: Sweet, citric touch, some peach-to-pineapple burnt under somewhat metallic-bitter notes covered by a gentle butterscotch shroud. Once again mellow, yet qualitative.

Mouthfeel: Creamy, round towards the palate, medium high in carbonation.

Drinkability: Surprisingly easy to down, decently resounding in respective sensory-compartments, which overall gives it a higher grade of likeability.
May 19, 2010
Photo of thekevlarkid
Reviewed by thekevlarkid from Maryland

3.1/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3
Out of a 750ml bottle this beer was a very clear orange hue, similar to that of a dried apricot with some visible rising carbonation. The one finger of yellowish head soon became a skim and the lacing was so-so. The aroma was a blend of spices, citrus, and some tanginess atop a generic maltiness. The flavors were quite weird, my initial reaction was "WTF 'holiday' are those French brewers trying to celebrate with this?" Needless to say, not what I consider a 'Traditional Holiday Ale.' It was sweet and tasted like orange zest and apricot nectar blended with (cheap) caramel malt as well as malt extract. The spices were barely perceptible . The mouthfeel was slightly below average, being a little oily and prickly at first but it mellowed as I drank it. The body was medium and the carbonation a little high. Found this one on sale and I'm glad I did. It's not a Belgian Style Dark Ale, not a Holiday ale and not worth full the price.
May 11, 2010
Photo of Pleepleus
Reviewed by Pleepleus from New York

3.58/5  rDev +5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Enjoyed this Holiday brew this past Easter with fellow BAs Moxley and Hyland. Poured from bomber to tulip a darker amber with a 1/2" of white bubbly head that reduced to sketchy lacing and a nice bubble sheen. Fruity spicy nose. Typical Belgian ale taste with some serious spice and fruit notes or "flavour sil vous plait". Light and satifying, not overly fruity and very drinkable. Thanks to Judy from Siebert's for this one!
Apr 08, 2010
Photo of BeardedBoffin
Reviewed by BeardedBoffin from New Mexico

3.2/5  rDev -6.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
Being a fan of French ales, I approach this bottle with high hopes. The beer settles in the glass a dark amber color with 1.5 inches of foam above it. Not a bad look.

The aroma is a tad spicy with some pear and raisin. A little grain maly trickles in as well. The faint esters clear the way. The aroma hints at the sweetness to come.

This beer is medium bodied on the palate, nothing much more to say. The flavors are similar to the aroma: malt, raisins, and sweet fruit. In totality, a light combination of flavors mingles with some sweetness.

The beer finishes with a small amount of bitterness. The sweetness lingers on the palate, and on my lips so it seems. A mild warming is felt down below.

This beer did not match my expectations. I was hoping for rich complexities and a fireside friend. I found a fairly one-dimensional conduit of sweet malt.
Feb 01, 2010
Photo of Haybeerman
Reviewed by Haybeerman from Colorado

3.16/5  rDev -7.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
A: Orange amber color. Poured a 2 finger tan head that dissipated to 1 finger that held. Decanted continually. Laced in wavy rings aroiund the glass.

S: Roasted malt and pepper. Grass and floral hops. Yeast.

T: Very consistent with smell with some caramel and fruit. Very muted though. Evenly bitter in the finish.

M: Light body. Ample carbonation. Some sweetness lingers through the mild bitter in the finish.

D: The bottly and price frankly, had me expecting a bit more. That said, its easily drinkable, just not that special.
Jan 17, 2010
Photo of Kendo
Reviewed by Kendo from New York

3.58/5  rDev +5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
A: Poured into a Duvel tulip. Body is slightly hazy coppery-amber with 1-finger whitish head. Leaves some splotchy lace.

S: Not much in the nose at first, though it's possible it's too cold. Some mustiness and spice.

T: First impression: fruitiness. Also some sort of non-descript spice. Warmth is felt in belly. As it warms I think ripe apples and tart apple skins. Finishes slightly dry with a lingering tartness fighting the fruity sweetness.

M: Medium in heft, active prickly carbonation.

D: OK. A bit too sweet.
Jan 09, 2010
Photo of bheilman
Reviewed by bheilman from Indiana

4.2/5  rDev +23.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
I've been partial to French beers lately and this one definitely did not let me down. Nice color with a small head and a fair amount of lacing. The smell is fairly subtle but does add to the flavor a bit. The taste is sweet and malty with a nice bite of carbonation. The flavors of chocolate and caramel in more of a rich rather than sweet flavor highlight the flavor. The aftertaste is smooth and finishes with a bit of bitterness, but again very subtle. The beer is very drinkable, but also a bit expensive. Definitely a great tasting winter beer to keep you warm at a nice family gathering.
Jan 08, 2010
Photo of rarbring
Reviewed by rarbring from Sweden

4.05/5  rDev +18.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
The beer is copper toned light brown, with an off-white head leaving quite some lacing.

The smell is rather sweet (raisins) and bread plus a hint of salty cheese.

The taste is corresponding to the smell, rather sweet tones dominating (dried fruits and some caramel), but also this exciting salty roquefort cheese type of nuance. I like that!

A mild carbonation and a creamy feeling.

To me very suited as an after dinner beer a cold evening.
Jan 08, 2010
Photo of robbyc1
Reviewed by robbyc1 from Illinois

3.25/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Roasty dark look with an off white ok head, lacing not.

Malty on the palate, very much like the Goudale, I was expecting something xmas about this beer but there is nothing beyond their normal malt palate. Bready, earthy, but without complexity, certainly a bit lighter than most of this style, which I'm not sure it correct. Nothing wrong, well balanced, but forgettable.

An easy if dissappointing drinker, Ok for an autumn day, but for providing as satisfying winter warmer or Noel brew look elsewhere.
Dec 04, 2009
Photo of Evil_Pidde
Reviewed by Evil_Pidde from Sweden

2.84/5  rDev -16.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3
A: The bottle looks great: 75 cl. with a cork and steel cage. When you "pop" it and starts pouring it's pure amber with a medium large head that leaves some lacings.

S: Light roasted malt. Faint floral hops. Yeast. Unbalanced.

T: The smell all over again but completed with some fruityness. The taste is really mild - there's nothing wrong, but very mild.

M: The aftertaste is short and holds some sweetness and bitterness. The body is surprisingly light and in the carbonation there's lots of small bubbles.

D: Quite a dissapointment; the price and look of the bottle indicated something else (at least to me). The quality is lower than anticipated. The price is SEK 46,90 - about $ 7 - for that I can buy two bottles of Westmalle Dubbel (in the same liqour-store), a beer I rated A+ (all 5)...
Nov 21, 2009
Photo of BuckeyeNation
Reviewed by BuckeyeNation from Iowa

2.68/5  rDev -21.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5
Bright coppery orange with no yeasty haziness yet... or ever. This beer is either a Belgian amber ale or the lightest Belgian dark ale in existence. The toasted marshmallow colored crown is large, rocky and sticky. More (and better looking) lace would have helped.

Like the color, the aroma is darker than pale and lighter than dark. It's low on power, is generically fruity and is only slightly spicy. SLSN better have more punch and personality on the palate or this could be a long 750 ml.

The three other Les Brasseurs de Gayant ales that I've reviewed weren't great, but they were above average. Saint Landelin Speciale Noel is the worst of the lot and is definitely below average. The label doesn't say and it doesn't taste like any spices were added. At least they would have added flavor, something this brew lacks in a major way.

The beer tastes like a watery Belgian amber ale with a minimal amount of caramel malt, a shot of corn syrup, a little apricot fruitiness and a barely perceptible clove-like spiciness. It's so weak and so bland that I might have thought it was old... if 2.28.10 wasn't right there on the label. Why in the world did I spend $9.99 for this stuff?

The body/mouthfeel is lighter than it should be, even though the (probably added) sugar tries to make it feel more full. There isn't enough carbonation and there isn't one iota of expansivness. This really is a sub-standard product from top to bottom.

This so-called 'French Holiday Ale' doesn't make me feel the least bit festive or jolly. Don't make the same mistake I did. There are much better ways to spend a ten-spot than this. What a disappointment.
May 24, 2009
Photo of atis
Reviewed by atis from Finland

3.6/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Pours light brown with slightly off-white head with two finger head that slowly fades to a dense long-lasting layer, slim patchy lacing. Aroma is rich sweet malty, bunch of fruity esters, hints of caramel.

Taste is very sweet (but not cloying) malty with mild spice and light fruity esters (orange perhaps). Mouthfeel is light creamy medium, medium carbonation.

Overall, slightly above average, very drinkable and light Dark Ale.
Mar 03, 2009
Photo of baggio
Reviewed by baggio from Sweden

3.43/5  rDev +0.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Bottled@home

A: Copper color with a decent sized, white, head and some lacing.

S: Fruit, Hops, Spices, Honey and hay.

T: Caramel, Hay, Spices, Orange, Fruits & Berries.

M: On the sweet side with not much bitterness at all. Low carbonation.

A disappointment. Tastes very little and not very christmasy at all. An easy drink tho.
Feb 27, 2009
Saint Landelin Spéciale Noël from Brassierie Goulant
Beer rating: 80 out of 100 with 28 ratings