N'Ice Chouffe
Brasserie d'Achouffe

 

 

Pours dark, clear mahogany with a compact off white head. Head retention is good with lots of lace clinging to the glass. The aroma is of stewed fruit, , raisins, caramel cake and roasty malts. The taste follows suit with huge walls of fruity, toasty malts, butterscotch notes and vinous port-like elements. The mouthfeel is full bodied with light, creamy carbonation. Dry finish for such a big malty beer.

This is a complex and quaffable example of the style. Approachable and highly recommended.

Was gifted one of these beer from a friend. Looks interesting, so I am going to try it!

A: Pours a deep, clear brown. A 3 finger, thick tan head forms that lasts a long time and leaves thick, sticky lacing behind.

S: Strong aromas of dark candi sugar and dark bread malts at the begining that ends off with orange, curacao, floral hops, and thyme.

T: Follows the nose with more dark bread, caramel and dark candi sugar notes upfront. Deep, rich flavor that quickly begins to incorporate orange, curacao and Belgian spices. Finally, the light floral hops and the thyme play together in an incredibly interesting way that ultimately does a pretty good job of cleansing the palate.

F: Medium-full bodied with moderate carbonation. Soft and smooth, yet finishes dry.

O: This was an incredibly fun beer to drink, just as most Belgian beers are. This one is incredibly easy to drink, even at the high ABV, so be careful not to put too many away to quickly. The thyme and curacao were playful additions that normally aren't found in the style and I welcome that. Very well thought out beer with unique character.

Appearance: Pours a clear, dark brown, color that hits the center between amber and black. A massive light tan head that lingers for a long time. (4.50)

Aroma: Moderate aromas of deep caramel and bread malts upfront that soon lends toward a spice orange citrus, curacao, and some floral, thyme and mint off the finish.

Flavor: Strong flavors follow with more bread and caramel notes upfront. Rich and dark. This quickly turns into an orange citrus, curacao, banana bread and Belgian spice flavor in the middle. Finishes with some light floral, thyme, and mint notes to somewhat clean the palate. Not overly sweet.

Feel: Medium-bodied, strong carbonation. Soft, smooth mouthfeel with a light drying floral bite.

Overall: An excellent Belgian Strong Dark Ale. Dangerously drinkable for 10%. Show cases all the Belgian components well with the malts upfront. followed by some orange citrus and Belgian spices that leave a floral note to dry the palate off the end a bit. Sort of reminds me of a mix between a Winter Warmer and a Caribbean Pirate Ale with the curacao spice. Dynamic. Rounded. Very well-made. (Rating: 4.27)

 

 

 

 

Poured a 330ml stubby bottle into a chalice. A thin tan head on a very dark brown. The head diminishes to a ring. Patchy lacing.
Cocoa in the nose.
Chocolate and dark fruit taste. A mild hop finish.
Medium body and low carbonation.
A fine strong dark overall.

 

333 ml bottle
Bottle Date: 05.2024
Glass: tulip snifter
ABV: 10%

Look:
Slightly cloudy chestnut brown with mahogany highlights. The beige head starts as 2 fingers of creamy foam that slowly dissipates to 1 finger, leaving excellent lacing.

Aroma:
Fruity, yeasty, and spicy. Cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and some pepper.

Taste:
Candi sugar, fruits, yeast, and spice. The spice is sharper here than in the nose. Notes of orange peel. An earthy note shows up later in the sip and a light dryness occurs. The sip finishes spicy, earthy, and just dry.

Feel:
Smooth but more than a tad tingly which makes is seem almost crisp. Well carbonated. Warmth can be felt from the alcohol. The body is medium.

Overall:
An interesting specimen of a Belgian Dark Strong Ale. Surprisingly easy to drink and not a sweet fruit bomb (which would not be up my alley). Quite spicy. I can see how the spices would be matched to thyme.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I've been a fan of this brewer from the first. It was widely available wherever we were in France, so I developed a liking.

It pours brown and crisp with biggish bubbles. The aroma is exotic - yeast is in there, of course. It has a very authentic Belgian feel, with an astringent bite right where it should be, hitting your taste buds with a blast.

Recommended. It's nice that we can get these pretty readily here in the US.

Best before May, 2024 - enjoyed December, 2022. Poured at 43F from a 330mL bottle into my Trappist Westvleteren goblet.

Cloudy sienna/chestnut with a small lasting almond head. Fine, sandy, sticky lacing; very good retention.

Deep, spicy aromatics suggesting cinnamon, black bread, candied ginger and orange. Nice yeast character for balance.

Flavors follow the nose, growing in intensity. Dark (candi?) sugar accentuates low sweet-ish herbal notes as the thyme and hops combine forces. Low even bitterness throughout. Rich malt and overt phenolic yeast flavors in the medium-dry finish.

Medium-bodied, full carbonation, ABV creeps up on you.

Perhaps a little over-spiced, though I'm impressed with the brewer's deft use of thyme.

Pairs well with cheese (enjoying this with an English coastal cheddar).

 

A: Pours slightly hazy, dark mahogany, dense appearing light khaki colored head with good retention, some lacing. 4.5

S: Dark fruits, tons of spice both baking spices and a slightly biting white pepper and clove, surprisingly floral. Very nice nose that’s pretty unique with its spice profile. 4.25

T: Taste follows with huge spice, not much sweetness for the style, moderate bitterness is also high for the style. 3.75

M/D: Lighter side of medium bodied, big carbonation, ABV completely unnoticeable, good drinkability. 4

O: Good beer, but far from my favorite christmasy BSDA. 4

 

 

 

Appearance: Clear dark brown with ruby/garnet highlights. Pours to a frothy off-white head with great retention.

Aroma: Yeasty and malty. Dark fruit, herbs and hint of bubble gum.

Flavor: Malty with dark fruit, toast and caramel on the front end quickly followed by herbs, spiciness and mint. Semi-sweet malt backbone drying at the finish. Low bitterness. Notable alcohol warming at the end.

Mouthfeel: Full bodied. Highly carbonated. Medium length finish that is dry with herbal spiciness trailing.

Overall: I can see why this is a winter/holiday favorite. It has just about everything you want in a winter warmer. Pours to nice big frothy off-white head holding nice retention to the end of the glass. Starts somewhat sweet but quickly transitions to herbs and spices with a minty accent. You'll note the prickly carbonation start to finish. Quite try at the end for a malt forward beer with spiciness trailing and a notable warming from the 10% abv. Excellent, well crafted Belgian Dark ale. One of the best. Not sure what else they could do to be better in this style.

330ml bottle into a glass. Best by May 2024.

Looks fantastic in the glass. A lively pour makes for swirling carbonation and a growing off white head. This leaves a sheet of lacing.

The aroma is a little odd. Fruit with a very faint metallic note.

On tasting, no metal. Warming, strong, smooth, slightly sweet with a good amount of dried and fresh dark fruit flavors.

Mouth closer to full than medium. Finish sweet and plummy, strong but not boozy.

Overall, very nice drink, happy to have the rest of the 4 pack in reserve.

 

Mahogany in color, off-white (tan-ish) head, lots of lacing and great retention. Sour cherries and red wine on the nose. Very prominent orange peel, baking spices (cinnamon) and thyme on the palate. Some caramel and brown sugar. Definitely has that Belgian bready-yeast character. Can hardly tell it’s 10%. Nice Christmas beer, but think I’ll still vote for St. Benardus as my go-to for the holidays.

 

11.2 oz bottle bought at Bottle Craft in San Diego for $4.25. Poured into a snifter. Best by 05/2024, consumed 11/26/22.

A&S: Dark hickory-colored beer, with lively carbonation bubbles rising up. Light yellow/cream-colored head which hangs around in a thin, spotty layer. The aroma contains caramel, earthy hops, and woody tones.

T&M: Malty, figs, and brown sugar tones upfront. Very spicy (nutmeg, cloves, and cinnamon) in the finish. Semi-dry. Unsurprisingly, no real hop presence. ABV is incredibly well hidden (probably the most hidden I have ever tasted). The only sign that it was 10% is the buzz, and warmth in my throat. Carbonation is tingly and the feel is medium to full-bodied.

Overall: An above-average, good beer, but a 1 time buy for me.

 

Mid 20's here now, so finished the last bottle from the 2021 holiday season. A nicely spiced dark beer that's never harsh, artificial, or too boozy. At 10% abv, this is perfect for settling down with after a long (cold) day.

 

 

 

11.2oz bottle
best before end 05 2024
thanks to Derek for the bottle - I’ve had this once before and it was at least a decade ago. Definitely time for a re-taste and an actual review.
L: brown body with a creamy off-white head
S: spicy Belgian yeast, dark candi, bread, caramel, brown sugar
T: pumpernickel crust, fruit cake, dark candi sugar, brown sugar, fig, spice, earthy & leafy hops
F: fuller body, effervescent carbonation, dry and balanced finish with alcohol well concealed
O: great Belgian Dark Strong Ale!

 

Great Belgian Christmas beer, spice flavors are noticeable but not overpowering. It's a very balanced beer where the abv can kinda creep on you a little bit. Definitely would have it again

Best by 5/2023

After trying the La Chouffe earlier in the year, I’ve been picking up any Chouffes that I find, as they’re classics that I’ve mostly missed out on so far. This one is their take on a Belgian Dark Strong Ale, let’s see what it’s all about

Pours a murky medium brown with a finger of creamy tan head that slowly fades to a thin cap leaves minimal lacing. Quite a bit of particulate in suspension

This is quite sweet and fruity in the nose, but not in an overdone way. I’m picking up on aromas of golden raisin, fig, brown sugar, dark bread, toffee, herbal hops, and light orange zest

In taste, it’s not quite as cohesive and defined up front, but the swallow makes up for it and it’s still good for what it is. On the front end of the sip I’m tasting raisin, brown bread, burnt sugar, and light caramel. The swallow brings notes of plum, brown sugar, toffee, orange zest, light port wine, caramel, and brown bread

A medium full body pairs with gentle carbonation, resulting in a chewy and slightly boozy beer. Finishes neutral but drinks below its abv

This one is very good. Nicely complex but not overly so and drinks surprisingly easy