La Binchoise XO
Brasserie La Binchoise (Malterie des Remparts)

Murky amber in color. Big, off-white head. Dried fruits, Belgian yeasts, caramel malt, spices and a hint of cognac in the aroma. Sweet taste, heavy body. Light, balancing bitterness. Expected more.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Crazy-looking 750ml bottle, poured into an Old Engine Oils tulip. Big thanks to Dan for sharing this random bit of luxury.

A: Clear medium amber body, half an inch of fine off-white head. Good retention and spotty lace. Ok.

S: Delicate, fruity, slightly sweet and slightly spiritous. Nice.

T: Follows the nose: fruity, spiritous, vinous, and smooth. I'd never guess it was 12%, but it's not all that interesting, either.

M: A little light-bodied, but full of smooth carbonation.

O: This tasted really nice, but it was amazingly lacking in power and complexity considering its description and strength. I don't think I'd shell out for a bottle myself.

Cheers!

 

I got tipped for this beer by a beer friend at the Mug pub.

A - A nice clear light brown fluid. The head is quicker gone than it appeared. There's no carbonation visible.

S - Very special and rare, the Armagnac scent mixed with wood, white wine, vanilla, apple and a heavy booze are clearly present.

T - This beer is leaning to heavy on the Armagnac, there is no hop bitterness to be discovered. The taste is indeed very special and exceptional. What the scent promises is rewarded in the taste. The 12% ABV is nicely hidden in the taste, remarkable.

M - A medium carbonated beer which fits the taste perfectly. In the aftertaste is a lot of Armagnac presence and no bitterness.

O - A special beer but not as nice as I thought. I don't really like it, but because this beer is so special and exceptional the scores are still good.

"Ale aged in Armagnac barrels."

Quite an elegant large format, corked and caged bottle split with friends and poured into a cervoise. The brew appears a clear amber orange color with very faint particulate keeping it from having a perfect polished clarity. When held to the light, it displays a lighter orange coloration around the edges. A tan finger of head appears and quickly fades with an audible pop and fizz. A swirl revives the quick dissolving finger that places a pattern of patches and spotty lace on the glass.

The smell of this brew is initially reminiscent of champagne with a fruity white grape character that includes some zesty alcohol character. While the alcohol is bold with a fruited character it is not at all fusel, solvent or distracting. Very vinous all around that is juicy with a touch of hops. This brew smells deceptively lucious and sweet like fresh grapes.

The taste is equally vinous that gives way to a fruity alcohol character that is almost numbing to the tongue with an evaporative quality and slight amount of fusel character. There is a toasty malt presence that is almost almond-like that attempts to contrast the alcohol warmth. Big and bold with the alcohol really being forward but not at all distracting or off-putting. There is a faint oaked quality that provides a nice depth whih brings out more focus on the vinous aspects of this brew. Once the brew goes beyond ideal temperature, there is some faint yeasty inclusion with mild spices like clove and the faintest residual sweetness that again places the focus back on a white grape sort of flavoring.

This is a medium to full bodied brew with a fizzy amount of carbonation initially that breaths out. This really is a solid brew with wonderful vinous quality, mild herbal hop aspects and gets faintly medicinal. For 12% it is easy drinking. I need to get more of this!