Trappistes Rochefort 10
The last of my informal countdown of cellar favorites leading up to my #300 review...It was going to be this, but I pushed it to #299 instead. Poured the cellar temperature 33cl bottle into my 70s era Westmalle chalice, the 10 is a dark, deep murky mahogany, with a modest, but thick, creamy tan head that leaves light, scattered lace. Aroma is like no other, really exceptional. Very thick and rich, sweet, boozy. Lots of brown sugar, molasses, dark fruits and vanilla. Taste is also strong, but more roast then sweet dark fruit, which are raisins and prunes. Husky, with hints of peppercorn and smoke, this is way more astringent then I recall, with some plasticy phenols and a very boozy finish. It's interesting that this was the first belgian I'd ever had, in some cafe in Amsterdam, and it left such a huge impression on me, that I've always fancied it my favorite beer ever. The last few times I've busted it out for special occasions, I've come to realize that's no longer the case. Still, it's a monumental beer, and will always have a special place in my heart. The mouthfeel is pretty light for the style, and very creamy and carbonated. Drinkability is pretty low, not to knock the beer, but it's incredibly rich, strong, and generally expensive and hard to find. Your just not going to want to sit down and drink more then one or two of these in a sitting. In fact, I find myself really slowing down with this last 1/3, with the booze and astringency leaving a lingering harshness on the tongue and all the way down the throat, particularly tickling my uvula. Damn, I need to get back to Amsterdam!