Rochefort

10

ABV 11.3% • Vol 330 ml • bottle • Belgium • Expensive • Flavour 9 • Bottle Conditioned
Other beers from Rochefort
Other beers from Belgium

Review of aged beer (c. 7 years), 2008:
This classic, high-strength trappist beer is generally considered to be something of a treat. I've only had the pleasure of trying relatively young bottles in the past, but this evening I decided to open one of the bottles that I've had hidden away for a few years. I can't remember exactly when I hid it in a cool, dark cupboard, but I'm pretty sure it was around 2001 - the bbe date on the bottle is 27/02/07 and I know they give it a pretty long lead time (even though it can happily last much longer), so perhaps some kind soul can tell me if my guess at the age is about right...
It pours almost black with a mahogany colour when held up to a strong light, and has a tight-bubbled, pale beige head that lasts well. The aroma is apparent from the opening of the bottle, with a whisper of strong, alcoholic volatile notes a little like a combination of paraffin and cough syrup. After pouring, a closer sniff gives a much more complex picture - the alcohol takes on a more brandy-like quality, and there are layers of rich, spicy, nutty malt, dark chocolate, dried dark fruits such as dates and figs, port wine and woody notes. In the mouth it is immediately rich and remarkably smooth. The complexity continues, with chocoalte malt, toffee or nougat, coffee, more dark fruit including raisins and plums, a little red berry fruit, a touch of almond or marzipan, cinnamon and cloves, plus more woody, tannic, vinous notes associated with fortified wines. Alcohol is present in the finish as a glowing warmth in the back of the throat, with volatile components of cough medicine and petroleum, though there is no roughness at all and it is scarily drinkable for its colossal strength. The lingering aftertaste is a blend of oak-aged port, dark chocolate and clotted cream.
This is undeniably one of the world's great beers - it starts out delicious, smooth and complex, then just gets better the older it gets - though keeping it long enough to appreciate the difference is a real challenge. Utterly gorgeous. [Score: 9]

Review of young beer, 1999:
This trappist ale is the strongest in the Rochefort range and identified by a blue cap. Stylistically it is probably best described as a quadrupel. It is very dark, with a patchy head and a complex aroma, consisting of rich malt, elderberries, chocolate, cocoa, damsons, prunes and raisins. In the mouth it is smoky, fruity in a vinous way, treacley-bitter, peppery and has lots of woody depth to the malt flavours. In many ways it is reminiscent of a good malt whisky - smooth, grainy, but without a harsh alcohol hit (although the alcohol is certainly apparent). There are also pronounced dark chocolate and marzipan notes, although this is much less sweet than might be expected from its strength. It is heavy yet quite phenolic towards the finish, with a long aftertaste of treacle and dark chocolate. This is a pretty special but hard-to-find beer, perfect with a meal, facing off stiff competition from other top-strength trappist ales. [Score: 8]

OBBD reviewer: Sparks

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Review updated 29 February 2008

Comments

This is an excellent beer. I enjoy it as a nightcap myself. Probably not a drink for warm summer evenings as it is quite a heavy beer, maybe preferable on a cold winters evening.
W H Wallace

I think this beer is absolutely delightful. I drank it recently in Hong Kong with a good buddy. We were on a beer tasting pilgrimage (we live in Taiwan where precious little variety is available). Although it was a hot summer day in Hong Kong, and we had been tasting beers for four days, this was a delicious beer. I can't wait to go back to Hong Kong to enjoy it again.
Michael

One of the best. It would be appropriate for a nightcap - though I had it with dinner. It was dark and heavy, very flavorful. If savored, this is an immensely rewarding experience!
Matt Azzara

This beer is truly wonderful with a complex mix of flavors. It is quite drinkable for its strength, which could be interesting. Very expensive but worth it.
St. Inebrius

Absolutely great, one of the most favourful and complex beers I have had.
Fabio

Very good but I did not find it as complex as others have. Perhaps it was not mature enough. The best by date was 10-2004. Expensive but incredibly light, smooth and easy to drink. My score 7.5.
Mike McWilliams

I'm from Belgium, so it's not so hard to find :o) Great beer, great taste, ... "quite phenolic towards the finish" if phenolic means black-out, yeah completely right ;o)
A Trappist Monk

This is one hell of a complex beer, right up there with Chimay GR and Westv 12. Big, dark, fruity and malty, with a great bitter dark chocolate aftertaste, and more 'oomph' (I think) than the Chimay or the Westv, or even St. Bernardus Abt 12 (which is a real bruiser). They have some in the Victoria St (London) branch of Army and Navy (also have St B 12 and a good range of others). Get there quick, though, or I might clean them out :-)
Alex Mears

Deep within the oak cask Yorick the yeast pulled his flap cap further down his forehead, licked his stumpy pencil and glared at the junior yeasts assembled before him. "Chocolate?" he barked. At the back a young yeast lifted his hand. "Here, Sir," he squeaked. Yorick made a tick on the clipboard in his left hand, then snarled: "Bread and Butter Pudding?" Two yeasts at the front of the mob lifted their hands together. "Present", "And correct!" they said, one after the other. Yorick continued down the list, ticking off each name as it was called, until he came to: "Alcohol!" There was no reply. Yorick raised his big bushy eyebrows and surveyed the nervous little yeasts in front of him. "Alcohol! I know you're here, I can smell you. Now answer!" There was a long pause, then something began stirring at the back of the crowd, pushing its way through. The little yeasts shuffled and moved sideways making a huge gap through which lumbered an enourmous, hairy ape of a yeast, muscles bulging, and scars all over its huge body. "What?" he growled as he approached Yorick. "Just checking that you're here, that's all," replied Yorick. The great yeast bent down to stare closely into Yorick's face. "I would have thought that was obvious," he thundered, before turning round to clomp his clumsy way to the back of the crowd.
Silk Tork

I am a serious lover of Rochfort Beers (both 8 & 10). They are always available in "The Porterhouse" in Dublin. Serious Beer - Great Taste.
The Kid/

Recently found both the '8' and '10' in the PlumpJack retail shop in San Francisco. They also had Westvleteren #12, Achel #8, and 60-70 other Belgians. Awesome!
Saison

For me, this is the best of the Trappist ales. The "8" is good, but the "10" is far better. Deep flavour, complex body, long aftertaste. Aroma is fruity, somewhat estery, but all of the elements work well together. Expensive, but well worth it.
If I had one beer to drink, I think this might be it. Truly a beer to be savoured and enjoyed.
T Hawk

Pours with an enormous and thick light tan head, beer is cloudy, very dark brown colour. Heavenly complex aroma: oak, port wine, dried fruit and spices. Flavour is complex, spicy and oaky - toffee sweetness is well balanced with hops. Warming mouthfeel, otherwise the high ABV is well hidden. Long lasting aftertaste. Can't find any faults with the beer - it deserves max points. Does that imply that any "perfect" beer has to be as strong as Rochefort 10? Certainly not - but in the strong division, this one is in the lead, at least untill I have sampled Westvleteren... (But the price in Norway is outrageous: GBP 5.50 for a small bottle - in the store!)
Sigmund

Yummy, rich dark with amazingly complex aromas and a wonderful flavour of treacle toffees..... excellent
Lin Beckett

It is no longer hard to find, by the way. Oddbins regularly stock it, along with a good selection of other special beers.
Stronk

COLOR: Caoba oscura y opaca. Espuma cremosa y compacta de color tostado, poco persistente. NARIZ: Intensa, compleja, higos secos, tostados, cacao, café, regaliz. BOCA: Potente, cereales tostados, regaliz, amplia de sabores, muy equilibrada, sabrosa, con mucho cuerpo, carbónico muy bien integrado, final dulce, cálido y largo. PUNTUACION: 9,50
Pedro Luis Barrera

El MARIDAJE consiste en el Arte de combinar y conjuntar bebida y comida de forma que ambas se complementen adecuadamente, se realcen y potencien. Pues bién, uno de los mejores maridajes que he disfrutado en mi devenir gastronómico ha sido y es la Unión entre la cerveza ROCHEFORT 10 y el QUESO de CABRALES (de Asturias en España). Este maravilloso ensamblaje que he disfrutado en repetidas ocasiones en la Cervecería Internacional en Sevilla (Spain) en la calle Gamazo nº3, representa una Unión sublime, donde Queso y Cerveza se potencian mutuamente sin perder un ápice de intensidad olfativa y potencia gustativa ninguno de los dos. Este tipo de Armonías es muy difícil de encontrar, puesto que normalmente alguno de los dos elementos sale perjudicado en el encuentro. La intensidad y complejidad en nariz de la Rochefort 10 aguanta perfectamente al embate prodigioso del Cabrales, igualmente intenso y complejo. En la boca, a pesar de la enorme potencia sápida de ambos, NO se anulan ni estorban, mas bien al contrario se COMPLEMENTAN; el Equilibrio y Calidez de la Rochefort 10 envuelve maravillosamente a la Explosión de sabores del Cabrales. Sevilla 20/05/2004 (Spain)
Pedro Luis Barrera

Thick foamy head, long lace. The first smell was of chocolate, then prunes and something I cant quite get. Very rich and dark. Malty. I can taste strong marzipan sweetness here. Sparks, is this brew bottle conditioned? Mine tastes way too young. Christ it's sweet....maybe a bad batch.(though it's the second one I've had). I'll let the others age, and then give another review. Way too strong and overpowering for mine.
HopsHappy

Found this beer in Cask bar in Castlefield, Manchester- Delicious. £4 a bottle mind, though worth every penny!
A H

Found some in a bar in Metajana, Alentajo, Portugal talked the barman into selling it to me for €1.50, there may well be better beers around but this is by far the best I've ever tasted, fantastic.
Rufus

My favourite of all in category of dark beers. Even thinking about it makes my mouth watery. Tried Chimay GR, but not as smooth as R10.
WK, Belgium

My fav trappist beer with Orval and Westmalle Tripel. The taste is very different than other trappist, lot more fruity. Enjoooooy!
Shinji

that's the best beer of the world!!! it's a strong trapist, very delicious... MY SCORE : 10/10
victor

I actually stumbled upon a 3yr old bottle which I've just had. A staggeringly different beer from the 12 month old bottle that my original review was from. I still seem to find that thumping alcohol taste that isn't too well hidden however. Way to overpowering. Many of these expensive beers just dont travel to well Im afraid. The prices are just way to high to keep on buying in the hope of finding a good one. Age is everything when it comes to these bottle conditioned brews. Each to their own. Cheers.
HopsHappy

Best beer ever imo
Eric

I would like to purchase this beer. Is it available in Australia? It is my surname..
Jo Rochefort

Jo, try the International Beer Shop in Perth. [See our beer shops list, under 'Western Australia' - Ed.]
Mark R

This is my favourite beer. I love living in Belgium. All the trappist beers and I really love Rochefort although Westmalle and Orval are also very good!
Hendrik

Had this in Singapore. Immensely rich aftertaste and balance of flavours makes every sip so satisfying. A top rate beer.
ferrari7

Oh lord, what a beer. When you drink something like this, it makes things Budweiser seem even more like dishwater. In fact I feel bad just mentioning them in the same breath. That sounds a bit pretentious but who cares!
Ally

Warning! don't have this beer as your first beer of the evening as everything later will just taste lame after this. Outstanding
Adrian

The smell to me smelt a little like banana and bubble gum to others u may smell something else great but ther is on thing that we can definitely agree on.....THIS IS A GREAT STRONG BEER !!
Christ ( t is silent)

Rochefort 10 is the Best Beer in the World rivaled only by Westvleteren 12! Both the Aroma and mouthfeel are fantastic with chocolate bursting on your tounge followed by an strong alachol finish! I have been drinking Rochefort 10 for over 11yrs and it has never dissapointed me! Even have some vintage bottles and at 5yrs it sinful... When I think of the term "Nectar of the Gods" I think of Rochefort 10!!!
Jay L.

This is one of the world's great beers. Unpretentious, fine, complex as a sonnet, but in the end unquestionably beerlike in its taste.
Herc

I'm enjoying a Rochefort 10 as I write this on a cold, snowy afternoon. I cannot imagine a better beer for this situation.
Strebs

Tried it in Brussels choosen for the strength but re-order for the great taste.
Grant Nicholson

I drank several bottles of this at the Great British Beer Festival this year, it was very pleasant to drink early afternoon, later in the evening and even at the end of the night it had the ability to cut through the residues of the other beers and revive the taste buds. The flavour it leaves is a lot lighter than it looks in the glass, but has many complex undertones which come to the surface differently depending on what your looking for in a beer at the time.
Chris Stevenson

10 out of 10. No further comment necessary.
Michael Schøler

I'm not trying to sound like an amateur, but this beer just won't make it for me.. After my last trip to Britain I bought nearly 40 bottles of quality beer from The Offie in Leicester (Wonderful shop, btw), including many of the Trappist beers. I've been enjoying, not merely drinking, beer for several years now but I find the R10 to be too alcoholic and cloying for me. It smells wonderful, but I find the taste to be more complicated than complex, even though I enjoy the fruity taste at the start of the tasting. As a winter warmer I prefer an old ale or a barley wine. My score: 6/10
Oyvind GG

This beer should be poured to produce a much larger head than is shown in the picture above. Otherwise it will be excessively fizzy.
Ewen

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