Winter
Brasserie de l'Abbaye du Val-Dieu

Copenhagen 9/12 2018. 33 cl small chubby bottle from Holte Vinlager, Kbh Ø. Christ-massy and snowy version of Val-Dieus usual design with the church and Coat of Arms.

Pours murky golden yellow with very big white head. Settles as thin layer of foam just covering the surface of the beer. Crawling up the side of the glass. Massive lacing.

Aroma is sweet but balanced by a more spicy odor. Sweet oxidized apples wit pronounced citric notes. Lighter hints of ginger. Humid basement yeasty odor.

Strong carbonation. Slightly thick, prickly texture.

Flavor is medium sweet followed by a more moderate bitterness. Aftertaste is sweet with light citric tang.

Pleasant Belgian with a nice citric zest and balance.

Pours an amber color with a slight head and lacing
Aroma has fruity and spice hints
Taste has well balanced fruity and spice flavors
A medium bodied well carbonated beer
A nicely balanced Belgian Dark Strong Ale

 

bottle into glass
Fine mousse white head with sustain. Medium light golden orange with a touch of haze. Subtle, floral, cardamom? aroma. Light malty, fruity note to the flavor. Medium/light bodied with a quick finish, with the faintest trace of the cardamom/floral characteristics.

From a corked, caged 750 ml bottle stamped 22/07/22. Sampled Dec 4, 2020,

Golden appearance with a constant streaming upwardly mobile carbonation erupting with a lacing-leaving ivory head.

The aroma has a caramel malt presence, clove and spices, Belgian yeast, but a kind of distracting soapiness.

Smooth, medium or better mouthfeel.

The taste is a pleasing caramel malt sweetness with a hint of spice, pepper and a dry finish. Except for that soapiness, it was an easy drinking beer.

Poured from a bomber into a tulip glass. Cloudy golden yellow with a great head and wonderful lacing. Nice floral fruit smell. Taste slightly sweet with pear, apple and orange. Some warm spice. Nice beer!

 

 

Billowing bursting cap of foam, looks like some advanced fermentation has been taking place in the bottle.
Tastes more akin to a Dubbel than a Belgian strong dark, whatever yeast they using is special stuff, a fruity element in the taste along with the biscuit flavors. My bottle says 7% not the 10.5 listed here.

Anyway, one of those purchases where I return to get more, only picked it up since there was 20% off Belgian beer sale at State Line and I'd never seen this before. Very finely crafted and special imo.

 

 

 

The nose is full with molasses, sweet dried fruit like prune date and fig, with sour green Apple and bread. The flavor is stronger to the bread and malt with touches of anise, carriage, figs and crabapple. Slightly thick in feel it has a sticky sweetness in the mouth. I enjoyed this thoroughly and found it to be an excellent example of the style.