La Chouffe | Brasserie d'Achouffe
Brewed by:
Brasserie d'Achouffe
Belgium
achouffe.be
Style: Belgian Strong Pale Ale
Alcohol by volume (ABV): 8.00%
Availability: Year-round
Notes / Commercial Description:
The gnomes of Fairyland are particularly fond of this golden beer. LA CHOUFFE, with its slight hoppy taste, combining notes of fresh coriander and fruity tones, is the drink which gives them their zest for life. At least, that's what these imps say when they are thirsty. Their secret used to be jealously guarded from one generation to the next until the day they shared the recipe with humans to seal their friendship. Of all the legends from the wonderful region of the Belgian Ardennes, the tale of LA CHOUFFE is the one which most merits re-telling.
Added by BeerAdvocate on 10-24-2001
HISTOGRAM
View: Beers | Place Reviews
Ratings: 2,643 | Reviews: 927
4.36/5 rDev +3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
4.06/5 rDev -3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
A 330ml bottle with a BB of April 2018. Purchased a while back from Booths. The ingredients include coriander.
A: Poured into a Duvel tulip. Bottle conditioned. A hazy orange-amber hue with fine suspended sediment and good carbonation. Produces a large head of creamy white foam that lasts for a while before slowly reducing to a patchy surface layer. Slight lacing.
S: Aroma of rich fruity yeast esters with hints of subtle dried fruit, light spice, a touch of coriander, earthiness, mild grainy malt and faint stewed hops. Balanced and well-rounded; superb.
T: Tastes of fruity Belgian yeast with notes of yeast esters, mild phenolics, coriander, spice, mild dried fruit, earthiness, light grainy malt and faint stewed hops. Bone-dry, with little bitterness to speak of.
M: Mouthfeel is smooth, tingly and dry, with spritzy carbonation and good body. Somewhat astringent; dries the palate. Aftertaste of fruity yeast, mild spice, earthiness, malt and faint stewed hops.
O: Nice - a classic Belgian brew. Looks great, while the aroma and flavour have a superbly yeasty profile with subtle spice and malt notes. Lovely body. Goes down a treat; a class act that is well worth sampling.
1,189 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
A 330ml bottle with a BB of April 2018. Purchased a while back from Booths. The ingredients include coriander.
A: Poured into a Duvel tulip. Bottle conditioned. A hazy orange-amber hue with fine suspended sediment and good carbonation. Produces a large head of creamy white foam that lasts for a while before slowly reducing to a patchy surface layer. Slight lacing.
S: Aroma of rich fruity yeast esters with hints of subtle dried fruit, light spice, a touch of coriander, earthiness, mild grainy malt and faint stewed hops. Balanced and well-rounded; superb.
T: Tastes of fruity Belgian yeast with notes of yeast esters, mild phenolics, coriander, spice, mild dried fruit, earthiness, light grainy malt and faint stewed hops. Bone-dry, with little bitterness to speak of.
M: Mouthfeel is smooth, tingly and dry, with spritzy carbonation and good body. Somewhat astringent; dries the palate. Aftertaste of fruity yeast, mild spice, earthiness, malt and faint stewed hops.
O: Nice - a classic Belgian brew. Looks great, while the aroma and flavour have a superbly yeasty profile with subtle spice and malt notes. Lovely body. Goes down a treat; a class act that is well worth sampling.
1,189 characters
3.53/5 rDev -16.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
Not a big deal. My gold standard of blonde beer is Leffe. In my opinion this one is not better than Leffe blonde
112 characters
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
Not a big deal. My gold standard of blonde beer is Leffe. In my opinion this one is not better than Leffe blonde
112 characters
4.1/5 rDev -2.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
4.23/5 rDev +0.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.38/5 rDev +4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
4.28/5 rDev +1.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
3.97/5 rDev -5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Had this for the first time in a small pub in Brussels in 2012. Got a bottle at home three years later and it’s still magnificent. Aroma of caramel, herbs, wheat and typical Belgian yeast. Pours a small white head on top of a deep orange-golden body and the looks aren’t promising too much. It’s delicious, with subtle hints of coriander in the finish. Starts out with creamy wheat, finishes with just the right amount of hoppy sweetness, the alcohol almost unnoticeable. Smooth palate, creamy texture and long pleasant finish. It’s subtle, pleasant and will keep you warm even on cold, foggy days in Brussels.
618 characters
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Had this for the first time in a small pub in Brussels in 2012. Got a bottle at home three years later and it’s still magnificent. Aroma of caramel, herbs, wheat and typical Belgian yeast. Pours a small white head on top of a deep orange-golden body and the looks aren’t promising too much. It’s delicious, with subtle hints of coriander in the finish. Starts out with creamy wheat, finishes with just the right amount of hoppy sweetness, the alcohol almost unnoticeable. Smooth palate, creamy texture and long pleasant finish. It’s subtle, pleasant and will keep you warm even on cold, foggy days in Brussels.
618 characters
3.78/5 rDev -10.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
4.2/5 rDev -0.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
4.37/5 rDev +3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Golden yellow body with fine effervescence; thick, sudsy head. Big aroma of citrus and coriander. Bready, spicy flavors; white pepper and coriander. Heavy body; sweet, residual sugars coat the palate; sharp and crisp; spicy and sweet feel on the tongue.
A very interesting, intensely flavorful beer. It has a heavy, non-cloying sweetness interspersed with some very intriguing candied and spicy tastes. A beer to experience!
425 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Golden yellow body with fine effervescence; thick, sudsy head. Big aroma of citrus and coriander. Bready, spicy flavors; white pepper and coriander. Heavy body; sweet, residual sugars coat the palate; sharp and crisp; spicy and sweet feel on the tongue.
A very interesting, intensely flavorful beer. It has a heavy, non-cloying sweetness interspersed with some very intriguing candied and spicy tastes. A beer to experience!
425 characters
4.5/5 rDev +6.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.25/5 rDev +1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.31/5 rDev +2.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Cloudy gold yellow color, above average carbonation as well as a slightly heavy thick feel. Aroma is yeast,malt, sugared fruit and soice. Taste is identical,a little dry and not overly sweet. An excellent all around beer
221 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Cloudy gold yellow color, above average carbonation as well as a slightly heavy thick feel. Aroma is yeast,malt, sugared fruit and soice. Taste is identical,a little dry and not overly sweet. An excellent all around beer
221 characters
4.24/5 rDev +0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.24/5 rDev +0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.22/5 rDev +0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.29/5 rDev +1.9%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25
4.21/5 rDev 0%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.43/5 rDev +5.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Brasserie d'Achouffe "La Chouffe"
33 cl brown glass bottle, "Best before end 07 2018..."
$4.49 @ Total Wine & More, Cherry Hill, NJ
Look: A slightly hazy deep gold body is capped by a finger thick head of loose creamy white that holds remarkably well. Very nice lacing.
Smell: Sweetish malt with the distinct La Chouffe yeast and delicate fruit and spice (mainly coriander).
Taste: As the aroma suggests. The sweetish malt is light, and "golden", without any caramel to it although there might be some wheat in play. The fruitiness is soft as well, and apple-like, and the spiciness from the yeast and coriander is delicate. The alcohol never shows, although its presence is felt. It balances nicely, and a moderate bitterness rounds it out, leaving it with some residual sweetness in the finish that the light spice and alcohol help to dry out.
Feel: Light-medium in body and remarkably soft and creamy with a very delicate, fine-bubbled, effervescent and "airy" carbonation.
Overall: A classic! Superbly balanced and way too easy to drink at 8.0% ABV.
1,058 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Brasserie d'Achouffe "La Chouffe"
33 cl brown glass bottle, "Best before end 07 2018..."
$4.49 @ Total Wine & More, Cherry Hill, NJ
Look: A slightly hazy deep gold body is capped by a finger thick head of loose creamy white that holds remarkably well. Very nice lacing.
Smell: Sweetish malt with the distinct La Chouffe yeast and delicate fruit and spice (mainly coriander).
Taste: As the aroma suggests. The sweetish malt is light, and "golden", without any caramel to it although there might be some wheat in play. The fruitiness is soft as well, and apple-like, and the spiciness from the yeast and coriander is delicate. The alcohol never shows, although its presence is felt. It balances nicely, and a moderate bitterness rounds it out, leaving it with some residual sweetness in the finish that the light spice and alcohol help to dry out.
Feel: Light-medium in body and remarkably soft and creamy with a very delicate, fine-bubbled, effervescent and "airy" carbonation.
Overall: A classic! Superbly balanced and way too easy to drink at 8.0% ABV.
1,058 characters
3.85/5 rDev -8.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
4.22/5 rDev +0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Look: Ever so hazy straw gold with a white head of large bubbles
Smell: Bubblegum, clove, yeasty, barn-y
Taste: Straw, lemonpeel, wet hay, yeasty, bread, sweet fruits like apple
Feel: Light and airy, smooth bubbles
Overall: An excellent example of a Belgian beer
262 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Look: Ever so hazy straw gold with a white head of large bubbles
Smell: Bubblegum, clove, yeasty, barn-y
Taste: Straw, lemonpeel, wet hay, yeasty, bread, sweet fruits like apple
Feel: Light and airy, smooth bubbles
Overall: An excellent example of a Belgian beer
262 characters
La Chouffe from Brasserie d'Achouffe
Beer rating:
4.21 out of
5 with
2,643 ratings
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