Achel

8 Bruin

ABV 8% • Vol 330 ml • bottle • Belgium • Expensive • Flavour 8 • Bottle Conditioned
Other beers from Achel
Other beers from Belgium

One of the two beers currently (May 2004) available from the most recent Trappist monastery to start brewing, this bottle-conditioned ale was purchased from Utobeer in Borough Market. The two Achel beers - blond and bruin - are identical in strength and appear in identical bottles, only distinguishable by the lid.
It pours with a good head and displays good condition. The strength comes through in the nose, along with citrus hops, caramel malt, dark fruit and yeast. In the mouth it is volatile and light, with cloves and liquorice balanced by a worty sweetness. There is little hop character. Towards the finish there is an alcohol warmth that burns the back of the throat, leaving a bitter, chocolate and dark treacly malt aftertaste. Adding the yeast in doesn't detract from the flavour of the brew, and may actually be healthy. A welcome and worthy addition to the range of Trappist beers.

OBBD reviewer: Sparks

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Review updated 24 May 2004

Comments

This is a wonderfully aromatic beer - strong, but with a pleasant finish. Ridiculously easy to drink - beware.
Ronan T.

Russet brown colour. Creamy head and body. Fruity nose with some acidic tones. Sweet currants and raisins in the flavour, with some acidity. Dryish finish with less residual sweetness than some others in this style (which is fine by me) - still bittersweet though, with spicy hints. Very drinkable, but not exceptional - not enormously imposing.
Chris O

This is a great tasting beer. I thought that it had strong cherry flavors with a definite alcohol kick. Very easy to drink, fruity scented with a yeasty brownish head. Found both Achel ales at D's Six Pax in Edgewood, PA (Pittsburgh)
Matt Kapusta

Colour: brown with orangey shine throughout; brownish-yellow head, fast disappearing.
Nose: candi-sugar, gingerbread, raisins.
Taste: rather sweet, with bitter back-of-mouth taste, bitterness from dark malts. Some esters. Flavour of kind of dark caramel-sweets, grapes or raisins, rhubarb.
Mouthfeel: medium-bodied, some alcohol and warming effect, which grows.
Aftertaste: no real new taste. Main flavours fade.

One to be kept in mind. Batches tend to better, everytime.
[Score: 7.5]
Joris P. Pattyn

Very good beer indeed. Maybe a link to the website of the abbey (and brewery!!) may interest you... http://www.achelsekluis.be
Eric B. (Antwerp, Belgium)

330ml bottle, bought at Borough Market, London. Pours with a large light tan head, colour is brown, slightly hazy. Excellent aroma: Oak, sandalwood, camphor, caramel, toffee, spices. Flavour has caramel, spices, oak - but is not quite as complex as I hoped. Still very good - it’s a Trappist! Moderate but decent hops + spices in the finish.
Sigmund

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