Bocq Christmas
Brasserie Du Bocq

Bocq ChristmasBocq Christmas
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From:
Brasserie Du Bocq
 
Belgium
Style:
Belgian Dark Strong Ale
ABV:
8.1%
Score:
88
Avg:
3.93 | pDev: 9.41%
Reviews:
10
Ratings:
13
Status:
Active
Rated:
Apr 27, 2021
Added:
Dec 13, 2009
Wants:
  1
Gots:
  1
No description / notes.
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Photo of Sigmund
Reviewed by Sigmund from Norway

4.27/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
750 ml corked bottle conditioned, as Regal Christmas, cool label! Brown colour, slightly hazy, good initial head but not lingering, lovely spicy aroma, yeasty, malty and spicy flavour - a real treat for the Christmas table.
Apr 27, 2021
 
Rated: 4.06 by JonnoWillsteed from England

Feb 25, 2021
 
Rated: 3 by Pretendbeard from Japan

Dec 01, 2014
 
Rated: 3.5 by mattfancett from England

Aug 26, 2014
Photo of mick303
Reviewed by mick303 from Canada (ON)

4.12/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
330 mL bottle, poured a nice crowning tan head, pretty good retention and nice lacing. Colour is quite dark brown-black.

Smell is strong malty molasses, sticky and boozy, rummy raisins, coffee, hints of cigar smoke. Fair bit of plummy fruitiness. Rich, but terrific complexity.

Taste has a ton going on, a fair load of boozy malt, coffee, plums, cigar, not much discernible bitterness, some dry pepper and some nutmeg spice. Alcohol is a bit too present. The balance is a bit heavy on the malt and boozy but it makes a nice festive sipper. Finish is spicey, malty.

Mouthfeel is big, quite boozy, soft carbonation, quite smooth and easy. Wet finish. Long bitter-spicey finish. Drinks quite easily, some sweetness to it actually.

A big boozey christmas ale. Really rich flavour and would be great for the holiday season. Some strong dark fruits and spices coming through, makes for a nice allround complex beer. I'd have it again, although I found it a bit too boozy this would make it a really nice holiday after dinner beer.
Mar 09, 2013
Photo of eric5bellies
Reviewed by eric5bellies from Australia

4.03/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Drank from my Duvel Tulip glass. The bottle is labelled as "Gauloise Christmas" but it is the same brew.

A - Pours a clear deep Mahogany colour with an off White head that retains very well.

S - Very perfumic aromas of sweet dark fruits.

T - Nice malty sweetness to it with a nice kck of spice at the finish. No sign of the ABV. A little ginger notes present but mostly dark fruits.

M - Medium body and carbonation.

O - A very tasty beer that is smooth, balanced and worth seeking out.
Jan 07, 2012
Photo of Raven3464
Reviewed by Raven3464 from Japan

4.05/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Appearance: It pours an extremely dark brown body, almost like cola, with a huge tan head.

Smell: Sweet brown sugar and roasted malts are the most noticeable aromas. A pinch of orange can be detected as the beer warms.

Taste: It almost tastes like cola at first but then subtle malts arrive on the tongue to remind you it is indeed a beer. Hints of licorice and Belgian yeast (the "Belgian twang") are apparent in the finish. The aftertaste is sweet and slightly spicy.

Mouth feel: It feels like Christmas! In other words, smooth, creamy, and not much bitterness. The carbonation compliments the taste and the alcohol is well hidden; it feels more like five or six percent rather than over eight percent.

Overall: This is a great holiday make over for a Belgian Strong Ale. It is well balanced and a great change of pace for those use to drinking Belgian Ales.
Jan 07, 2012
Photo of Mar02x
Reviewed by Mar02x from Netherlands

4.12/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
I tried this beer during a visit at Roots (a pub in Vlissingen, The Netherlands).

A - A dark brown beer with a off white head.

S - A sweet and malty kind of smell.

T - Again sweet and malty, nice but not extra ordinary.

M - Soft carbonation and not really bitter.

O - A nice beer and I would buy it again.
Nov 27, 2011
Photo of thierrynantes
Reviewed by thierrynantes from France

4/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Beer bottle (33 cl.), tasted January 2011.

Appearance : deep dark red color, with a huge tan foamy head (nice lacing).
Smell : roasted malts and spicy aromas.
Taste and mouthfeel : sweet fruity wih malt and spice notes.
Drinkability : a very good beer in the style Belgian strong dark ale.
Jan 02, 2011
Photo of jeranbrews
Reviewed by jeranbrews from Oklahoma

4.55/5  rDev +15.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5
Purchased Dec. 2010. Consumed 12/23/10 from a tulip glass.

A - A nice large champagne bottle with a cork. Color of the liquid is a dark dark mahogany. It also came with puffy cloyds of beige head and very small islands of lacing.

S - Instant notes of honey, nutmeg, like eggnog. Followed by rum and brown sugar. After warming mild caramel and pronounced floral esters came out.

T - It's spicy like a sharp cheddar melted with brown sugar. Initial tastes are spicy, this progressed to smooth middle tastes, and after taste is sweet and tart.

M - Very smooth goes down creamy. No noticible alcohol bite.

D - Ahh this is a wonderful beer; why do they only sell this one month a year? It's a strong Belgian ale but also could easily be classified as a spiced beer. It's a wonderful seasonal treat that makes me want to ask Santa for more next year.

Notes: label says it includes barley malt, hops, starch, licorice, anis, coriander, and orange peel
Dec 23, 2010
Photo of Sammy
Reviewed by Sammy from Canada (ON)

3.7/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
cloudy dark grapefruit body with loads of lace lines and big bubbly beige head. Aroma promises bang on, despite a few extra months of cellaring. I am getting cardamon, a little ginger, candi. Somehwat above average creamy
mouthfeel. Good drinkability.Thanks Lubiere and the Quebec gang.
Aug 26, 2010
Photo of Phyl21ca
Reviewed by Phyl21ca from Canada (QC)

3.7/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Bottle: Poured a cloudy brown color ale with an off-white foamy head with good retention and some lacing. Aroma of candi sugar and nice rich Belgian style malt is quite enjoyable. Taste is also a nice enough mix between candi sugar with some notes rich sweet Belgian malt and light dry figs. Body is full with limited filtration and great carbonation with no apparent alcohol. Doesn't necessarily stand out for the style but quite enjoyable nonetheless.
May 14, 2010
Photo of BlackHaddock
Reviewed by BlackHaddock from England

3.98/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Dumpy brown 33cl bottle, red label with a picture of Santa as a centre piece. Poured into my Gordon's thistle shaped glass.

Dark ruby red body with an off-white tanned foaming head, the head thinned out very swiftly, but still giving a full covering with good lacing.

Christmas spices mixed with liquorice in the smell.

The taste follows the aromas to the letter, it is full, creamy, rich and very Christmas like.

You never know what you are going to get with this brewery, some of their beers are terrible, while others (like this) are very, very good.

Drinkable and worth finding.
Dec 13, 2009
Bocq Christmas from Brasserie Du Bocq
Beer rating: 88 out of 100 with 13 ratings