La Binchoise Spéciale Noël (Reserve Special - USA)
Brasserie La Binchoise (Malterie des Remparts)

La Binchoise Spéciale Noël (Reserve Special - USA)La Binchoise Spéciale Noël (Reserve Special - USA)
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From:
Brasserie La Binchoise (Malterie des Remparts)
 
Belgium
Style:
Belgian Pale Strong Ale
ABV:
9%
Score:
90
Avg:
4.03 | pDev: 12.16%
Reviews:
119
Ratings:
153
Status:
Active
Rated:
Oct 29, 2017
Added:
Feb 08, 2003
Wants:
  8
Gots:
  5
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by ggroller:
Photo of ggroller
Reviewed by ggroller from Pennsylvania

4.55/5  rDev +12.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5
Poured carefully from the bottle so as to not disturb the yeast.

Clear, rust colored liquid with plenty of carbonation. A tightly knit, tiny bubbled head comes raging up in the glass. The huge head settles down to a thin, finger's width in a short amount of time.

The nose is very subtle. It is very wine like with notes of apples while some biscuity yeast lingers in the background.

Tastes very delicate. Given the fact this beer is classified as a strong dark ale, I was expecting a stronger alchohol presence and more pronounced flavors. I taste apples and pears at first followed by slight maltiness.

Mouthfeel is well carbonated with a very clean and crisp finish.

This is a highly drinkable beer and one that I will look forward to drinking again.
Dec 14, 2005
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.9 by Stofko1992 from Pennsylvania

Oct 29, 2017
Photo of flyingpig
Reviewed by flyingpig from Scotland

3.91/5  rDev -3%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.75
330ml bottle from BeersOfEurope website (£2.49):
Great stuff with nice floral flavours, touches of fruits & a few bread malts. Nothing was overly pronounced giving the beer a nice balance with strong carbonation & a dry, fresh feel. It falls just short of some of the best Belgian ales but it's still a nice one & well worth looking out for.
Jan 12, 2016
 
Rated: 3.48 by WynnO from Florida

Dec 23, 2015
 
Rated: 4.53 by TinFang from California

Mar 01, 2015
 
Rated: 4.5 by Noelito76 from New York

Jan 04, 2015
 
Rated: 4.25 by afsdan from Colorado

Aug 27, 2014
 
Rated: 4.5 by adam5454 from Alabama

Jul 14, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by KAF from Iowa

Jul 07, 2014
 
Rated: 3.5 by BT_Bobandy from Ohio

Jun 12, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by smithj4 from New York

Dec 25, 2013
Photo of eduardolinhalis
Reviewed by eduardolinhalis from Switzerland

4.1/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
330ml bottle served in a Duvel tulip glass.

Best before 09/2013 in the bottle. Perfectly conserved.

A: Pours a dark and cloudy amber color which is also dirty with many particles floating inside the glass. Forms a huge and bubbled light yellow head leaving some lingering and molasses lacings in the glass

S: Very fruity in the nose. Strong notes of plums and raisins. Toffee, caramel malts, crystal malts. Belgian-style bready yeasts. A bit spicy. Some alcohol can be felt in the very end

T: Follows the nose. Sweet upfront: Very malty and fruity. Strong notes of plums, raisins, caramel malts, crystal malts and bready yeasts. A bit spicy. Mild hoppy bitter end. In overall, a sweet beer with a Belgian bittersweet profile. A bit of alcohol can be felt in the end

M: Heavy and bit molasses body. Medium carbonation. Bittersweet aftertaste: Mainly fruity and malty

O: Good drinkability. Solid Belgian Strong Ale
Aug 17, 2013
 
Rated: 4.25 by JeffreyJDavis from North Carolina

Aug 16, 2013
 
Rated: 4.25 by tooth_decay from California

Jul 27, 2013
 
Rated: 4 by mrfrancis from Kentucky

Jul 12, 2013
 
Rated: 4.25 by WOLFGANG from South Carolina

Jul 11, 2013
 
Rated: 4 by Slatetank from Pennsylvania

May 25, 2013
 
Rated: 3.75 by ZethOfTheNorth from Louisiana

Apr 06, 2013
Photo of 2Cents
Reviewed by 2Cents from Nebraska

4.91/5  rDev +21.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
This bottle has been aged for a long time, according to the bottle date, over 5 years.

LOOK: Pinkish amber with lot's of yeast swimmers, a thin, off white,
head and lacing that really sticks around.

SMELL: Sour Cherries, caramel, bread dough, yeasty esters and some phenols.

TASTE: The sour cherry taste really stands out. There is a, non cloying, candied malt flavor that comes through along with a slight hop bite; it's very nicely balanced. The Alcohol is present but not over powering.

FEEL: Kind of chewy with a medium mouth feel. There just enough carbonation and alcohol to give this a pleasant crispness.

OVERALL: This really tastes more like a strong dark then a strong pale ale, maybe the aging has something to do with that. Either way, This is an outstanding beer.
Mar 23, 2013
 
Rated: 2 by BGsWo22 from Texas

Mar 21, 2013
La Binchoise Spéciale Noël (Reserve Special - USA) from Brasserie La Binchoise (Malterie des Remparts)
Beer rating: 90 out of 100 with 153 ratings