812. Trappistes Rochefort – 8 Belgian Ale

Posted By kkozlen on Jul 4, 2016 | 0 comments

It’s been quite a while since I last posted. I’ve been enjoying a lot of beers, but just not taking the time to sit down and write a review. By starting this blog, I’ve learned how much I enjoy beer, but how writing about every beer I drink is kind of inhibiting. I’ve also had several problems with WordPress, the blog platform this is built on, but I won’t bore you with that. Since it’s the 4th of July, I thought I’d get back on board and keep going in my trek to 1000 beers.

A couple months ago, my sister mentioned how much she liked quads, and asked me to brew one. Therefore, I bought a few examples of the style to see what I liked.

Location: Poured into a St. Bernardus goblet glass at my home in Bloomington, IL

Numbers: 9.2% ABV, 20.8º Plato, 276 Calories

Appearance & Aroma: It’s a brownish-brick red color and somewhat hazy. The head was tan and fell very quickly, almost like a soft drink. There was a lot of carbonation in it, but there was only a ring of bubbles around the edge of the glass. The aroma is a very nice caramel maltiness.

Taste & Feel: The body is medium-full and the mouthfeel is mostly smooth with a bit of crispness from the carbonation. The flavor up front is malty sweet with some caramel and hints of nuttiness. There’s a dose of earthy bitterness in the middle that balances out the sweetness, but the finish is mostly a caramel sweetness with some Belgian spiciness and nutty flavors mixed in. The finish is somewhat dry, and the maltiness lasts for a brief time in the aftertaste, with some warming alcohol sensations mixed in.

Food Pairing: This is a malt forward beer, which I would pair with a savory meal to balance it. Therefore, I’d pair this with a nice steak for contrast. If you wanted something more complementary, wet BBQ ribs would go great with this beer as well.

Overall Impression: I’d been eyeing this in the fridge for a few weeks, and enjoying it on the deck on a holiday was the right way to enjoy this beer. Although, the warm sweetness makes it a perfect cold weather brew. I enjoyed the malty sweetness, which wasn’t overly sweet or bold. It was a smooth, flavorful beer, and very easy drinking, especially for such a big beer. I’m definitely going to have to try more beers from Trappistes Rochefort.

My Rating: