Caracole Nostradamus Strong Dark Ale

Another Belg-a-Rama has begun, number ten. Six more Belgian kegs we haven't tapped since these mini-events began. Two of them have already been covered in this blog (St. Bernardus Pater 6 and Wittekerke), 2 are new to me and need a proper review, before they depart the taps (Brasserie d'Achoufee Biere du Soleil and Glazen Toren Ondineke Tripel), and 2 have been covered in my online reviews elsewhere, but not here. Let's tackle Nostradamus from Brasserie Caracole, and peek at notes from a bottle, back in December, 2004. It's one of those let loose and let 'er rip, ramblin' type of reviews. Maybe if I were editing these for a book, I'd cast a keener eyes at these stream of consciousness tastings, but until that happens, I'll own them, and embrace the crazy that spills out of my brain when tossing back beers like this:

Bright crimson color, hazy, and gorgeous, huge, luscious head, a beigey-near-green thing, altogether a picture of beauty...urging me for the next sensory experience...


ah, this is the stuff, the nose is tickled by this deliciousness, dark fruit, vibrant spice, grape and clove in harmony, alive and sizzling...perfectly plays out exactly what is desired..cheers to that... 

A repetition on the palate, a revisitation by these same full flavors, a big buzz on the tongue, a rich, sumptuous repast, unmatchable...well, maybe...but i'm so content that I toss about hyperbole with utter abandon...spicy, zesty, rich and fruity, a tangible tingle all throughout the duration...zam, bam, boo-ram!!! 

This is my first taste of this excellent ale, and I'm damned glad to have drunk it. "Belgian brown ale" says the label, but it's not like any other brown ale, from anywhere...possesses a zest that only the luckiest and happiest should take as their succur...and no matter what you were before, when you have it, you are one of them...I said "yum" already, right? No? Well, to nail it in the shell of the nut, ...there you go...yum, yummy, yummers...

Brasserie Caracole Saxo Belgian Blonde Ale

This one found it's way on tap, part of Belg-a-Rama #9. Caracole's Saxo Blonde. Here are my notes from March, 2005, to accompany my photo of right now:

A pic from a bottle in 2018, much better from the one
on tap in 2011, to go with those notes from 2005.

Besides beautiful beer, Belgium can be proud of bringing into being another exceptional invention, the saxophone, courtesy of Adolphe Sax. So, I lift this glass and raise it to Bird, Lester, Coleman, Coltrane, Sonny, Ornette, "the Jug", and the other giants of the golden horn. 

Straw gold color, half opaque, immense head, incredible effervescence...gorgeous. 

Nose is mostly spice and a little sidecar of fruit, pleasurable enough for repeated sniffs...airy, angelic...lovely. 
Taste? I'd say "yum", but I've run that into the ground lately...big, juicy citric flavor matched with tingly spice (cardomom, coriander, ?) Ripe fruit, develops beyond citrus into peach,. apricot....delicious. 

Mouthfeel is warm, full, if finally fading, and always replete with flavor, a ciric kick, and zesty effervescence. Never tastes like 8% abv, until the end...you want another, and another, but it'll make you feel it tomorrow! 

All in all, a very satisfying golden ale...one to luxuriate in while drinking in the complex and glorious beauty in a Ben Webster solo.