La Trappe Isid'or
Pours a turbid and cloudy deep reddish copper colour, deep like a thick Belgian beauty. Head is a robust thick off-white cloud that sinks to a little film. Lacing is ok, and there's a surprising amount of carbonation. Overall, a very nice look. Nose is a little thinner than I expected, some round Belgian characters come through and a little caramel sweetness. There's a hint of something a little peppery as well and a light hint of something green and fresh, but it's all very light - occurring only as slight accents to the base aroma, which is largely based around the sweetness. Taste is quite phenolic. Some initial sweetness is lambasted by the big phenolic bitterness, which rolls peppery sharpness up the palate through to the end. A little heat on the back accentuates this again. Really rather punchy, and very direct - it doesn't round out the palate very well. Mouthfeel is tight, but could use more body. Actually gets rather tiresome after a while. The phenolic bitterness is overwhelming when it's concerted, and I feel the heat in the body a little too much.