Noël Des Géants
Brasserie Des Légendes

Noël Des GéantsNoël Des Géants
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From:
Brasserie Des Légendes
 
Belgium
Style:
Herb and Spice Beer
Ranked #18
ABV:
8.5%
Score:
86
Ranked #19,837
Avg:
3.8 | pDev: 10%
Reviews:
132
Ratings:
197
Status:
Active
Rated:
Dec 05, 2022
Added:
Dec 31, 2007
Wants:
  7
Gots:
  14
No description / notes.
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Ratings by JohnGalt1:
Photo of JohnGalt1
Reviewed by JohnGalt1 from Idaho

3.58/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
330 picked up at the coop a week or so ago.. it's been sitting in the fridge waiting for me to get up the reviewin' gumption.... poured into my New Belgium snifter with a bunch of yeasty gunk left in the bottom of the bottle..

1" lite tan head ... great lacing... the brew is only slightly hazy deep chestnut amber..

the nose is spicy with a bunch of caramel and yeasty fruitiness.. I would guess... some cardamom.. lite peppercorns.. possibly cinnamon..

the flavor mirrors the nose with a little bit of juniper.. caramel and toasty toffee run well with the maltiness. fruitcake fruitiness with lite fruitcake spices.. only enough sweetness to try and tie all of this with a bow.. but I think it fails pretty readily.. the finish is dry with a caramel essence and orange peel and clove. The carbonation is big and flowery.. always peppery on every sip..

This may be better with food... I would actually assume so.. but as a beer in a snifter on a late snowy night.... I am not too big of a fan..

4/3.5/3.5/4/3.5
Dec 19, 2008
More User Ratings:
Photo of StonedTrippin
Reviewed by StonedTrippin from Colorado

3.8/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
a truly ancient bottle finally cracked, deep winter saison type at this point, not really sure what it was ever supposed to be, but i love this sort of thing, dusty belgian bottles, and this has fared pretty well, no date, but its definitely in the decade range, perhaps more. its impressively clear, light amber, and with a ton of fizz but only a patchy white head. the nose is oxidized of course, i get deep wet earth, an almost mushroom thing, the yeast collapsed a bit, but still some esters, white pepper and coriander, honey, toffee, raisin, too thin to be rich, but not dry either, festive without really being spiced or anything, old malt but not at all gone off. its light in taste and feel, a little dried date, raisin, prune, and a rum note, but then also some clove, molasses, and old abbey malt, but its almost watery despite still having effervescence, all thinned out by time. its oxidized sure, so there is a newspaper and old book thing to it, but it makes it sort of regal to me, and its drier than almost any belgian holiday brew i can think of, again a product of age most likely. seems almost to have some oak on it, hints of birch and cedar too, a warming vibe but not from alcohol, and overall still quite good, even though if its obviously degraded. these sorts of things are so fun, true beer archeology, do these guys even distribute to the usa anymore? if they do, it certainly doesnt come out west. a shame you always find these on warm shelves with dust on them, but better that than never getting to try. enjoyed this more than anticipated, which has been true of their others too, fun to bust something like this out with beer friends, certainly a first for all in our tasting group last weekend!
Dec 05, 2022
 
Rated: 4 by 1971bernat from Virginia

Dec 29, 2017
 
Rated: 4.24 by TwoTrees from Washington

Dec 29, 2017
 
Rated: 3.75 by kylehay2004 from Illinois

Aug 15, 2017
Photo of Bshipman8993
Reviewed by Bshipman8993 from Connecticut

4.48/5  rDev +17.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Pours a dark golden amber color. It was very carbonated like many Belgian styles. nice head with lacing that stays for a while.
Smells of candied malts with a touch of floral and citrus maybe. Can't really put my finger on it but smells nice but not as overly aromatic as many of my favorites of this style.
Taste is initially great with floral and fruity spice combined with the dark malts that hit with the carbonation and then the candied malt aftertaste that almost breathes out your nose. As it warms in the glass you get more of the toffee and candied malty goodness that I love so much from this style of beer.
It is a little over carbonated initially but as it warms up a little it looses some of that and the feel of it gets smoother and flavors more pronounced. I would recommend pouring and giving it a few min of admiration before drinking.
Overall a very good Belgian ale that I would drink way more often if I could find it as it way cheaper than similar beers from the area and just as good.
Apr 11, 2017
Photo of LiquidAmber
Reviewed by LiquidAmber from Washington

4/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Poured into a Gulden Draak tulip. Opened with a little bit of gushing. Pours a lightly hazy orange amber with tiny particles throughout, probably because of the turbid pour. Half finger white head dissipates to patches with light lacing. Aroma of caramel malt, toffee, peach and apricot, hints of orange and clove. Flavor is caramel malt, light stone fruit, orange rind, clove and earthy green herbs. Finishes dry with clove, cinnamon and herb bitterness. Medium bodied with hyperactive carbonation. A nice semi-dry pale Belgian ale with a strong spice and bitter herb presence. Initially has a Belgian pale ale profile, but changes to a more winter warmer, spicy finish. Tastes good with a slight medicinal herbalness, but this is well handled. The carbonation is a bit high, but otherwise a quite enjoyable holiday ale. It only arrived in our market in Spring, but I'd get this again for a winter warmer with a strong Belgian profile.
Mar 14, 2017
 
Rated: 4.16 by logicalparadox from New York

Jan 04, 2017
Photo of dcotom
Reviewed by dcotom from Iowa

4.21/5  rDev +10.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Poured from an 11.2-ounce bottle into a tumbler, as soon as the gusher died down. Hazy caramel-sauce color, with loads of soft off-white foam. Aromas and flavors of sweet caramel, tart fruit, and spice, with a slightly bitter and peppery finish. Interesting flavor profile and a very good beer.
Jan 03, 2017
 
Rated: 3.92 by MutuelsMark from Kentucky

Dec 12, 2016
 
Rated: 4.53 by dacord421 from Pennsylvania

Dec 07, 2016
Photo of rodbeermunch
Reviewed by rodbeermunch from Nevada

3.62/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Looks like auburn amber colored beer, good head surpassing the half inch line. Aroma was like belgian candy, still had the spice rack thing going for it, but not overly done.

Hides alcohol well, smooth, plenty of brown malt and sugar giving the beer a well placed balance. Any dark fruit notes don't come off overly harsh or bitter. Toffee is a smoothing agent here.

Not too many Belgian xmas ales I'd recommend, but this one was actually enjoyable.
Jan 25, 2016
 
Rated: 3.82 by Jeffwildcat from Arizona

Dec 25, 2015
 
Rated: 3.89 by Jlabs from New York

Dec 23, 2015
 
Rated: 4.5 by afsdan from Colorado

Nov 23, 2015
Photo of anfield86
Reviewed by anfield86 from New Jersey

3.77/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Poured into a tulip glass from a 11.2oz bottle.

L: hazy, ruby in color with a bubbly white head that settles into a thick lacing.

S: it has that classic Belgian yeast aroma (bananas, cloves) with an added sweet fruity malt aroma

T: delicious complex. lots of sugary malts showing dried fruit notes. Candied Apple, banana, clove and perhaps a hint of anise. ABV is very well hidden. A great Belgian winter warmer.

M: dry mouthfeel

O: a great winter beer that's worth checking out
Nov 07, 2015
 
Rated: 3.77 by Keepnitrl from Washington

Sep 12, 2015
Photo of tone77
Reviewed by tone77 from Pennsylvania

3.64/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Poured from a brown 11.2 oz. bottle. Came slowly oozing out of the bottle as soon as I cracked it. Has a cloudy medium brown color with a 1.5 inch head. Smell is lots of spices, malts. Taste is spices, malts, some ginger, just a touch of alcohol. Feels medium bodied and very carbonated in the mouth and overall is unique and enjoyable.
Jun 01, 2015
Photo of seedyone
Reviewed by seedyone from New York

4.07/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
From bottle at Rattle n Hum, NYC. Still cold outside but the spiceness is missing the spot. Rather then warming they are a bit biting. The body/mouthfeel is good, but the fullness of flavor was behind the texture. It filled out as it warmed, but still came up short.
Mar 25, 2015
 
Rated: 4.04 by tylerbrowe from Maryland

Mar 10, 2015
Noël Des Géants from Brasserie Des Légendes
Beer rating: 86 out of 100 with 197 ratings