Winter Warmer
The Alchemist

Winter Warmer
12/28/23

The Alchemist Belgian Strong Dark Ale

Nose has some seriously dank, dark, sweet fruitiness. Sweet n' sour dank yeast, tangy but deeply fruity with the color purple all over it. Thick and smooth feel, dank is the best, maybe the only word for it. Roasty in the finish, burnt fig and dry dates. The unique Belgian yeast pushes it over the edge.

 

 

 

 

 

Pulling tasting notes from way back over the holidays. Cracked this brew during a chilly evening and it brought tons of warmth.

Reddish maroon hue with a puffy head.

Aroma is the holiday season in a can without going overboard on the spice - roasted malt, caramel, pumpernickel, toasted pumpkin seeds, clove and dark fruit.

Taste is a sweet blend of malt and fruit followed by all kinds of toasty brown breads that you look forward to during the winter. Earthy, nutty, spicy and sweet with a bit of alcohol warmth.

Delicious and a mouthful. Great sipper.

Very impressed with this beer. Got it when it was on rotation last time I was up there. I am not in love with Belgium's but this one definitely had my interest.

 

 

This one pours a mostly clear dark brown, with some reddish tints, and a small head, and a lot of foamy lacing.

This smells like loads of spiced dark fruit, nutmeg, pumpernickel, toasted bread, and dried cherry.

This is really quite excellent. It's full of roasty, toasty, and malty goodness, and contains much less overt spiced character than I would expect from the stlye, which works for me. I get rye and pumpernickel bread, dried cherry and raisin, slight nutmeg, and a bit of caramel and chocolate. This has a killer malt complexity to it.

This is medium bodied, a bit creamy, with a normal level of carbonation.

I love the new non hoppy beers The Alchemist has been producing- it's nice to see that they are diversifying and trying to bring back the diversity of the original pub.

 

From a 16oz can, undated. Served in a tulip.

Pours a heavily hazed, nearly opaque, plum-brown colour, like a glass of prune juice, with a ton of busy carbonation and a scant finger of soft, light beige head.

Fairly faint nose of raisins and toast.

Taste is a little sweet and puckering. Toasted wheat germ, tart apples and sour grapes, allspice, sweet tea, bitter herbs and chamomile flowers. A long, dry, sweet tea and bitter herb finish.

Feel is crisp, medium-thin bodied and aggressively carbonated. Aside from a little boozy warmth going down, I wouldn't have known this was alcoholic at all if the abv hadn't been printed on the can.

I can't say I was particularly fond of this. My general impression was of a rather potent old-fashion herbal remedy being disguised in a cup of cold thin tea. When bobv says this isn't for everyone he may be referring to me. Your results may vary.

Poured from the can into a willi becher.
Pours a lovely deep garnet color with one finger of bubbly head.
Aromas are a lot of delicious yeast, lots of fruit and some mellow hops in background.
Flavors are fantastic, some spice, lots of fruit, good yeast. Complex and deep.
Mouthfeel is excellent.
This beer is delicious. It's perfect for the season and very well crafted.

Gentle to moderate pour yields a one inch off white head over muted mahogany body with some lacing. Nose of dried fruit with an almost fruit cake/holiday spice cookie thing going on. My Mom's date cookie comes to mind, but even more than that. A definite sweet and aromatic aspect to this with the flavor following suit very, very nicely. Hops are here, but lose out to the dried fruit and malt characteristics. This isn't for everyone or everyday. That being said, with temps below zero this morning, there is no better time than the present! Nice feel and overall, a great sipper for this holiday season. Cheers!