La Rullés Cuvée Meilleurs Voeux (Bière De Gaume)
Brasserie Artisanale De Rulles SPRL

Bottle 0.75L.
Slightly hazy dark copper body with a large, creamy, off-white head, mostly lasting with nice lacing.
Moderate malty (caramel, toasted) and light hoppy (herbal) aroma with notes of spices, alcohol, nuts and maybe some licorice.
Moderate sweet and light bitter flavour; long-lasting finish with notes of bread and dried fruits.
Medium body with oily texture; soft carbonation.

Copenhagen 5/2 2021. 75 cl bottle from Belgisk Bryg, Emdrup Mosevej, Kbh. NV. Grinning Christmas elf on the label.

Pours slightly unclear amber with a mid-sized white head. Dense. Settles as 1,5 cm thick layer of foran covering the surface of the beer. Substantial lacing.

Aroma is medium intense with sweet malty odor mingling with a dry, citric scent. Sweet pale malts, caramel, hints of brown sugar. Sour gooseberries and citrus.

Light carbonation. Medium thick, oily, soft, smooth, almost flat texture.

Flavor is fairly intense with a medium strong sweetness followed by a slightly more moderate tart sourish bitterness. Aftertaste is bitter with a sweet undertone. Finish is dry.

Well balanced with an appropriate bitterness. Not the worst way to get my best Christmas wishes.

 

 

 

Pours a clear reddish brown, with fine, lacy head.

Smell is fruity, with raisins, dark syrup and hints of leather, orange and Gammeldansk.

Taste is rich and fairly bitter. Fruity raisins, some leather and more hints of Gammeldansk.

Mouthfeel is medium, with plenty of carbonation.

Overall, a well made dark Belgian, drinkable and a bit warming.

 

 

 

This was poured into a tulip. The appearance was a nice looking hazy dark brown color with a one to two finger white foamy head that dissipated within about a minute leaving some light lacing sticking and sliding at the same time. The smell had a glossed over slightly cooked sugary and slight chocolate /glazed cakey sort of breadiness. The taste pretty much copied the smell with a light sweet chocolatey aftertaste leading to a sweet wet finish. On the palate, this one sat about a medium on the body with a fairly decent sessionability about it. The carbonation sat pretty good for the style and for me. Overall, pretty nicely done Belgian Dark ale that I would love to have again.

 

 

 

 

From the 750 ml. bottle. Sampled on May 22, 2016.

The pour is reddish-brown with a modest, short-lived tan head. Good clarity.

The aroma is inviting but not unique with its Belgian candied malt sweetness, cellar, oil, mild herbs, and low hop profile.

Medium body of better.

The taste is toasted Belgian malts, Belgian sweetness, and a mild to moderate toasty bitterness to end. Really not extraordinary but still delightful in its way.

 

 

 

While I am partial to Belgian blondes, this one looked great in the glass... and stayed that way. ( I wanted the liquid to stay, but when all that was left was lace... I was satisfied I made the right choice.)

Full aromatics for the holiday season, the spices, the sugar, the fruits and the fruitcake also take turns presenting themselves.

One of the most interesting aspects of this beer was how it eventually finished dry; but, all the flavors that went on before still seemed to be present. I brought this large bottle to share, but almost didn't... a bit of self-indulgence once this river of flavors surrounded my senses.

While creamy cheeses more often are recommended with Belgian darks, I found this was great with a blue; as it kept interrupting the beer and then, eventually, all the beer flavors would come back. It was a great duet because I could keep tasting the beer as if I had just started.

There is something special about Belgian Holiday beers... something so special that it may be a while before North America's Belgian-focussed brewers can match it. In the meantime, if you see the Rulles rendition, buy it and you will learn that the spirits of Christmas are to shared.

Had on-tap at Champs in State College, PA. poured into a tulip glass.

L: Pours a semi-opaque mahogany color. Thick creamy off-white head and nice lacing.

S: Dark fruits and brown sugar... candied apples.

T/F: Malty up front but overall lacking on the flavor profile for a Belgian Strong. Mild dark fruits and sugars... caramel and spice. Medium carbonation and fairly smooth.

O: Disappointing for a Belgian Dark Ale... I expected more flavor and this one was just lacking. Not a bad beer by any stretch but not one that I would seek out again. There are much better Belgian strong's available.