Julemandens Trøst
Brasserie Du Bocq

Nov. 2006: 330 ml bottle (BB 13/09/09). Now also available in Norway (Vinmonopolet). Copper coloured, huge light tan creamy and lingering head. Moderate but pleasant aroma of dark fruits, spices and oak, hints of claret. Flavour has plenty of malts, caramel, Christmas spices, Christmas fruitcake and oak, hints of sherry. Not too sweet. Nice mouthfeel, pleasant to drink. Definitely a treat for "Julemanden" (Father Christmas / Santa Claus).

Pours a dark-brown color with a small top off beige head that dissolves quickly. Aroma is of dark fruits, malts, caramel, bread, raisins, licorice and spices. The taste is sweet with a toasted malty background. Notes of dried fruits, spices and bready malt in the flavour. It is also some small sour notes in the flavour that i no so fan of. The finish has some slight bitterness still with nice malt profile in the back, and leaves a nice lenght in the aftertaste. Soft and creamy mouthfeel with a medium carbonation and a medium body.
A nice belgian dark ale.

 

330ml bottle served in a snifter glass.

A: Pours a dark amber to brow color. Clear. Forms a creamy and fluffy beige head. Good retention and some lacings left. Some spotty lacings on the top that remains for long time

S: Very sweet and extremely fruity in the nose, with some spices too. Notes of raisins and figs. Toffee, caramel malts, very bready yeasts

T: Follows the nose. Sweet malts upfront. Very fruity with strong notes of dark fruits, mainly raisins, plums a and figs. Spices can be also felt, maybe black pepper. Complex. Toffee, caramel malts, brown bread. Belgian bready yeasts and a soft hoppy bitterness in the end

M: Heavy creamy, and bit molasses body. Medium carbonation. Bittersweet aftertaste. Belgian style

O: Good drinkability. Very decent beer from Du Bocq. Classic BSDA

Dark red color. Light beige foam, a lot.
In the smell some citrus fruit, and flowery, sweet.
At the taste it goes on the sweet zone, a bit too much. I goes in the sweet strong belgian ale a bit too sweet, but not in the worst corner of it.
The citrus freshness vanishes quickly, leaving note of honey, fruit and cane sugar.
Average body, sweet aftertaste, with hint of toasted malt.

When i cleaned out the fridge today i found yet another winter-seasonal that i had forgot....damn :)

A: Dark red with a decent head.

S: Malt, Figs, Raisin, Portwine, Spices (cardamom)

T: Caramel, Dried fruit, Prunes, Spices.

M: Very sweet and oily with a heavy carbonation.

This was a surprise. A bit too sweet but still interesting and complex enough for a winter-seasonal. Give it a go!