La Bracine Noël
La Brasserie du Pays Flamand / Anosteké L'Estaminet

A: Very deep, almost black, red brew with a 1 finger light brown head that subsides in about a minute leaving minimal lacing.

S: Dark fruity esters, pronounced (American?) hop aromas, toasted malts. Faint spicy notes suggest a smattering of roasted grain. Not a particularly vibrant aroma.

T: Strong yeast presence hits first, with hints of taffy, fruit and banana, followed by a wave of toffee-like malt that comes and goes in the blink of an eye. A slightly astringent bitterness asserts itself in the middle, before fading slightly to leave a more yeasty, sweet, lingering finish.

M: Full, medium-bodied mouthfeel with a mild carbonation. Alcohol is well-hidden.

O: This was a difficult one to categorize. It's dark and has a noticeable Belgian yeast character, but it's more bitter than your average BDA. It's missing the spicy and roasted notes that I'd like to have in a Christmas beer, but it doesn't promise any of those anyway, so I'm hardly let down. An all-around decent beer that you won't regret picking up.