For my Christmas present to myself, I figured I'd break out one of the beers I had aging in the back of my fridge... a Scaldis Noel from Christmas 2008. Scaldis Noel (AKA Bush De Noel) is from Brasserie Dubuisson in Belgium, and is considered a Belgian Strong Dark Ale. I originally tried this one at a beer tasting at BJ's in Baton Rouge along with some other Christmas & Winter beers and this was one of the standouts. Fortunately they have a few extra and I got to take a bottle home with me. They said it would taste even better with some age... hopefully two years was enough!
As you can see, it's a bubbly beer! I wonder if the extra years of being in the bottle increased the carbonation, or if it's just normally like that? (Hey look, a Homer Brewing snifter!) An important note for beers like this... use the proper glassware, and let them warm to 50 degrees or so before drinking. Serving them ice cold kills all the best flavors!
Underneath the bubbles, the beer is actually more of a deep red color. Really nice looking brew. The aroma is malts and dark fruits and alcohol. The 12% abv comes through pretty strong on this one, but that's not really a bad thing. The taste is more of the same but even more complex. The alcohol content is unmistakable, as is the Belgian notes of this ale. Spicy, malty, fruity, even some hops all contribute to a fantastic flavor.
I haven't seen this one around in the stores, but if you do, grab several. Try one now, share with a friend, and save some for a future Christmas. I know it's tough to let a beer just sit there and not drink it, but it'll be worth it!
Merry Christmas everyone!
My rating: A
Belgian Strong Dark Ale
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