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 tempest:
Photo of tempest
Reviewed by tempest from New York

4.05/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Picked up a bottle for about $3 from Abe's. Poured a hazy dark amber with an off-white head. The aroma has a rich, spiced plum element to it, while the flavor has a fruity apple-caramel melt profile with a hint of dry, minerals (sort of like a German pils). Digging a little deeper I get slight cranberry and raspberry notes in the taste and smooth candi sugar caramel in the aroma. The beer is a bit sweet, and too much so for some people, but I'm a fan and would drink this again. Reminds me of a little of St. Bernardus. Tasty.
Jan 26, 2009
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