Brasserie Dubuisson Frères sprl Scaldis Noël

The Stats
Style: Belgian Strong Dark Ale
ABV: 12%
Current Ratings...
- Untappd: 3.98/5
- Beer Advocate: 4.04/5
- RateBeer: 3.66/5

"The Scaldis Noël was introduced in 1991 to respond to consumer demands for the ideal beer to add lustre to their end-of-year celebrations. The Scaldis Noël is brewed solely from malts, hops, candy sugar and water. It is a filtered, top-fermented beer with an alcohol volume of 12%. The use of caramel malts produces a copper-coloured beer with a full, rounded taste. The Scaldis Noël owes its fruity taste and subtle hop aromas to the well-thought out choice of hops in this brew."

Pours out burnt orange bordering on blood red in color with a mostly transparent body and a finger of off-white head.

The aroma is full of bananas and dark fruits like cherries and plums. Belgian yeast and flowers are also noticeable.

When you think Belgium, you think county fairs. Wait...what? No? Ok, well the immediate flavor I get is a sweet, caramel apple. Red apple and almost a butterscotch flavor bulk up the confectionery character in a big way. More dark fruits from the aroma with an emphasis on the cherries and raisins. A warming, boozy touch of alcohol along with spices remind me of spiced rum and I even get some cinnamon and brown sugar to boot. Fresh flowery notes and familiar Belgian yeast keep the beer rooted in its style without letting things get too sugary.

Mouthfeel is remarkably light and well-carbonated (almost fizzy). The warming and slightest bit of booze remind you this is 12%, but it can be mistaken for a much lighter beer. The abundance of sweetness helps with drinkability.

I don't know the style too well, but Scaldis Noel was a delectable Belgian Strong Dark Ale. I really dig the sweet flavors, but the dark fruit presence, Belgian yeast, and alcohol remind you this is still a massive brew that you need not take lightly. I was intimidated on my first sip with the booze factor, but once you adjust, this one is good for every season and not just the holidays.

Rating
9.0/10

Brouwerij Van Honsebrouck N.V. Kasteel Winter (2013 Vintage)

The Stats
Style: Belgian Strong Dark Ale
ABV: 11%
Current Ratings...
- Beer Advocate: 4.23/5
- RateBeer: 3.6/5

"Kasteel Winter is a unique departure from the standard Christmas ales known for their potpourri of cinnamon and clove. In fact, it stands alone as one of the most decadent and elegant Quadruples of Belgium in its own right. This 11% ABV beer pours a Chestnut brown with an off-white head. The nose is rich, with a warming scent of Coffee, Toffee, and Dried Fruits. The mouthfeel is rich and sweet like that of melted candy. The key ingredients to this delicacy is Belgian Chocolate and Coffee...noteworthy phrases in any brewers handbook. All of these elements come together to provide an after taste reminiscent of a tootsie roll."

Pours an ugly, murky, muddy, dark brown, but does have hints of glowing burgundy red. The pour produced barely any head, but what was there was beige or khaki-colored.

The aroma is quite enticing with tons of coffee followed by raisins, a little bit of dark chocolate, and slight booziness.

I can't get over how much coffee there is in this beer (after three years no less). This style isn't known for adding in dessert-like ingredients, but the coffee is working incredibly well in this case. Equally as big is the bitter dark chocolate which tastes genuine and not artificial. The 11% is adding some heat, but it's a refined alcohol flavor and is more than welcome in this case. The Belgian yeast is throwing in some dark fruits with a kick of spice. The sweet flavors and booze are creating a rum-like feeling, but without the intensity of the alcohol. On the back end I'm getting iced coffee with noticeable vanilla that keeps the dessert theme going all the way to the finish.

Mouthfeel has a booze presence thanks to the abv, but overall it is smooth and calm with noticeable carbonation bubbles on the tongue when held in the mouth. I'm drinking this on a 90-degree Summer day and am having no trouble putting it away.

I didn't know what to expect when I picked this up off the clearance shelf, but it would have been worth full price. The traditional Belgian base beer is here in full swing, but the addition of the coffee and chocolate turned out to be a big risk/big reward for Kasteel Winter. Being unique doesn't automatically make you good, but Kasteel Winter backs up its talk with a delicious beer that is arguably one of the best of its kind.

Rating
9.1/10

Spencer Trappist Holiday Ale

The Stats
Style: Belgian Strong Dark Ale
ABV: 9.0%
Current Ratings...
- Beer Advocate: 4.16/5
- RateBeer: 3.81/5 (9 ratings)

Last year, the first certified Trappist Brewery in the United States opened its doors in Spencer, Massachusetts. The monks committed themselves to brewing one beer which is the Spencer Trappist Ale - a Belgian Blonde Ale. Those from the state have been wondering if the Spencer Brewery would ever expand into other authentic Belgian styles. I am not sure if this is a guaranteed sign of things to come, but at least for this winter, they have bestowed upon us the Spencer Trappist Holiday Ale which a big Belgian Strong dark Ale coming in at 9.0%.

It looks black, but is actually a dark ruby red with two fingers of off-white, eggshell head.

A blast of cinnamon greets me on the aroma along with raisins, plums, and figs. Some nice cherry (not tart) too.

Those dark fruits are here in full force and are reminiscent of a solid Belgian Quad. It's also sweet, but not sugary or artificial. I actually get almost a rum-like taste when combined with the alcohol. Cherries and plums are the boldest of the dark fruits and there is also an unexpected dark coffee and maybe even dark chocolate taste to this too. I don't think this is made with those ingredients, but somehow they are in here. There's some leftover cinnamon from the aroma and even some nutmeg.

Mouthfeel is full and boozy, but in a good way. This makes full use of its 9.0% with a full body and a fair amount of carbonation to move the abv and rum-like qualities along the palate.

Overall this is a bold Belgian Strong Dark Ale, but I enjoyed it more than others with the sweetness of the rum-like taste and the cinnamon and nutmeg spices. A big bastard of a beer you need to sip on for an hour or two, but this Belgian ale is a great 2nd member of the Spencer Brewery family.

Rating
8.9/10

Trillium Sinister Kid

The Stats
Style: Belgian Strong Dark Ale
ABV: 10.00%
Current Ratings...
- Beer Advocate: 3.92/5
- RateBeer: 3.72/5 (5 ratings)

Not gonna lie, I'm not too experienced with this style, but I thought the label art was so cool and kinda fu**ed up. Not familiar with Belgian Strong Dark Ales? Me neither, but a quick research easily shows notorious beers such as Chimay Blue and Trappist Rochefort 8 as some of the highest rated of the style. Those are some elite names, so it might be hard to follow in those footsteps, but let's give it a shot before we pass judgment.

The pour is nearly pitch black. Only around the edges do I see hints of dark brown or mahogany. Picked up a finger of a frothy, beige head.

Big plums and raisins on the aroma. It has characteristics of both sparkling champagne and red wine. Dark cherries and red grapes with Belgian yeast and hints of banana.

Like I mentioned before, I don't have too many beers of the style to my name, but with this one I get some interesting flavors on the taste. The first thing I notice is a sour apple, or applesauce with hints of caramel and cinnamon. Dark fruits such as plums and raisins are next with a small helping of cherry. The finish has a lingering sourness. It's not a good, mout-puckering tartness like with most sour ales, but instead more of an off-Belgian yeast. Not repulsive, but it's not exactly blowing wind up my dress either.

Mouthfeel is dry with a healthy dose of carbonation. There is somewhat of an alcohol taste. It's present, but not overpowering with a slight warmth on the finish.

Sinister Kid is a heavy-hitting dark fruit bomb with tons of fizzy carbonation. The sourness can deter you from the true Belgian characters of the style, but there's just enough cherry, plum, and raisin flavors to hold you over and make this enjoyable.

Rating
7.4/10