Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Abbaye D'Aulne Triple Brune

Abbaye D'Aulne Triple Brune


Brewed by: Brasserie Val De Sambre, Gozee, Belgium


Bottle: 1 pt., 9.4 fl. oz. - champagne bottle


ABV: 9.0%


Served in: Tulip glass


Place of purchase: Cost Plus World Market


Price: $5.99



OK, another beer served in a tulip glass. Why not? Mugsy and Jugsy like the Belgians!


But this one is a little different…

As you may have noticed in previous reviews, Mugsy and Jugsy often agree on the general characteristics of the beers they review. However, their views on this particular brew were so different as to cause them to question, “Are we even drinking the same beer???" Pick up a bottle and try it for yourself! You be the judge!


In every proper review, our Beeraucrats will examine the Appearance, Aroma, Taste, Mouth-Feel, Drinkability and Overall Rating of the Beer and arrive at a Total Score from 1 to 10.


Abbaye D'Aulne Triple Brune


APPEARANCE:


Mugsy: Dark, coffee brown with slight hints of red in the light. Thin head which dissipates quickly.

Jugsy: Pours dark like cola, reddish-brown when held up to the light. Medium head which dissipates somewhat, but thin head remains.


AROMA:


Mugsy: Strong smell of fermented fruit, like plums or prunes. Can smell the alcohol in this one. Hints of dark chocolate, as well.

Jugsy: First scent is that of strong malts, followed quickly by yeast aroma. Chocolate and oak smells detected. Faint scent of smoke and cloves - like someone is smoking a sweet pipe in the next room!


TASTE:


Mugsy: Spicy Winter berry and clove, mixed with more fruit; again, prunes. Aftertaste is of roasted malt, almost like a lighter and nuttier porter. Little bit of sourness and of chocolate in the aftertaste, as well.

Jugsy: Roasted or burnt malt flavor is initially overwhelming. Secondary taste is of bitter hops. The aftertaste is definitely chocolate, possibly with some coffee grounds. Yeast flavor emerges as the brew warms. There may even be a touch of citrusy spice buried underneath.


MOUTH-FEEL:


Mugsy: Lots of hops bite the tongue but don't really come through in flavor. A little watery going down.

Jugsy: Creamy and thick, almost chewy. Goes down smoothly with a moderate amount of carbonation.


DRINKABILITY:


Mugsy: Easy to drink and not really feeling the alcohol. Would be easy to have a few more.

Jugsy: After just a few sips, this beer already feels a bit heavy and I can certainly feel the 9% ABV - although the brew itself doesn't necessarily taste strong. I think one bottle, shared with Mugsy, is quite enough!


OVERALL:


Mugsy: Pretty good beer. Have tasted many beers similar to this before, especially those from Eastern Europe, interestingly enough. However, this slightly more complex. Would go well with desserts, like fruit pies or fruit cakes. Not bad but would not necessarily seek out again.

Jugsy: As Belgian Abbey ales go, this is a pretty decent one. It's flavorful and complex and would be a great accompaniment to a rich, meat-based dish. It's a little heavy for my taste and I think I have a slight headache developing - - not sure if I can blame the beer, but there it is.


SCORE:

Mugsy: 6.50

Jugsy: 6.75

2 comments:

  1. Could it be that the chemistry in your mouths was different the day you were tasting this beer? AB

    ReplyDelete
  2. Oh, I suppose that's possible! OR... maybe one of us is just better than the other! It'll take a mean game of Rock/Paper/Scissors to decide for certain ;-)

    ReplyDelete