Surly Stunner Tropical Ale

Surly Stunner Tropical Ale. 6 % ABV. Surly Brewing Company, Minneapolis/Brooklyn Center, MN.

So, "tropical ale" is now a thing. It's actually referred to as "tropical-style" by Surly, whatever that can mean. Is it a style of ale brewed in the tropics? I don't think so. Tropical regions brew lagers and stouts. No, this is a recent American invention, and it must refer to the addition of tropical fruits, like pineapple, mango, coconut, etc, right? Nope. Just hops that give off tropical fruit flavors. And now we call it Tropical Ale, because that's what we do now.

Slight haze, bright golden hue, slim white head.

In the nose: Bright, fresh, and fruity. Yes, we're getting more tropical tones than citrus. Passionfruit, guava, et al.

In the mouth: Lively and juicy upon the palate. Moderate hop bitterness. Medium bodied. Easy drinking. Mellow malt mouthfeel. A touch of sweet, mixed with a trace of tart.

I like this one. Good beer and you can drink it. And a lot better than some other stuff they've been putting out lately. Pretty can design, too.

Get a taste of the tropics in the comfort of your own home with this tropical-style ale, dry-hopped with Amarillo, El Dorado, and Mosaic for notes of orange, papaya, and mango. A hint of lactose sweetness makes this easy-drinking ale a legit Stunner.

Inbound / Broken Clock Shot Clock Hazy American Pale Ale

Inbound / Broken Clock Shot Clock Hazy American Pale Ale.

4.7 % ABV. 38 IBU. Inbound BrewCo., Minnepolis, MN.

Highly hazed, bright golden hue, slim white head.

In the nose: Citrus notes aplenty. Nicely hopped. Yeast galore.

In the mouth: A whole mess of hoppy goodness at play on the palate. Juicy, citrusy, fresh and refreshing. Medium-bodied. Low bitterness. Easy drinking. Quite tasty.

Brewed in collaboration with Broken Clock Brewing Cooperative, Shot Clock is a gorgeously juicy, hazy American Pale Ale made with a soft malt bill plus light-profile rice and corn adjuncts. It’s hopped with Cashmere and Idaho #7 hops in the boil, and finally triple dry hopped with fruity, tropical Idaho #7 and Hallertau Ariana hops.

Stone Espresso Totalitarian Imperial Russian Stout brewed with Espresso

Stone Espresso Totalitarian Imperial Russian Stout brewed with Espresso.
10.6 % ABV. 65 IBU. Stone Brewing, Escondido, CA.

Solid blackness, rich, large, toasted tan head.

In the nose: Coffee. Cream. Cocoa. Mucho malt. Char, smoke, molasses, anise. Deeply complex.

In the mouth: Chocolate is king from the start. More of the same noted in the nose. Full body. Smooth, despite the strength. Nice and easy imperial stout. Full of favorite flavors. I like this. It's delicious.

With a beer as bold and robust as Stone Totalitarian Imperial Russian Stout, it’s not easy to build another level of flavor. That’s why we use hundreds of pounds of espresso beans to give Stone Espresso Totalitarian Imperial Russian Stout an added layer of rich complexity. The coffee flavors meld beautifully with the roasty bitterness of the dark malts for an intense complement of flavors, while staying true to the essence of this classic, historical style.

Wild Mind Third Round Triple IPA DDH IPA

Wild Mind Third Round Triple IPA DDH IPA.
(I mean, that's what the label reads. Pick one, guys!)
12 % ABV. 40 IBU.
Wild Mind Artisan Ales, Minneapolis, MN.

All kinds of hazy, of course. Dull orange color, slim ivory head.

In the nose: Floral, fruity hop aromas. Bright, shiny, citrusy. Sweet, tropical notes creep up next to the citrus.

In the mouth: Starts off strong and on the sweet side. From the get-go, the high-flying booze in this one is detected, far off in the distance. But, we don't mind, we're going in for the taste.
Along with the hoppy, fruity, malty flavors comes the heat. The unsubtle sting of alcohol that stands in for my night cap tonight.

This was not on tap when I went to the taproom a day after their 3rd anniversary party, but the crowlers were available. I can't say that it would be a big hit. Not a summer's day kind of a beer.

Triple IPA brewed with malted, unmalted, and flaked wheat, hopped with Citra, El Dorado, and Simcoe, and fermented using Voss Kveik yeast. The result is dank, bold, and boozy with a touch of fruit on the finish.

Drekker Freak Parade Double IPA

Drekker Freak Parade Double IPA.
8.2 % ABV. 70 IBU. Drekker Brewing, Fargo, ND.

More trips/freaky cartoon graphics on the label. Groovy.

Intensely clouded, highly hazed, dull orange color, under lacey ivory head.

In the nose: Soft, floral, citric, tropical, sweetness and fruit. Quite a delight.

In the mouth: More soft, more smooth. Low bitterness, hangs hard on the palate. Juicy flavors dominate throughout. Citrus up tops, and tropical tones at the side. Big hoppy tastes, up and all the way down. Tasty stuff.

I'm still tired of every Double IPA being a hazy New England-style. It's getting really fucking boring. And I rarely swear. It's that frustrating that it compels me to curse.

I don't know how long this trend will last, but the ones who are doing it well seem to be in it for the long haul. I hope they've got something else up their sleeves when this all dries up.

Malt:pale two row, spelt, flaked oats, carafoam, malted oats.
Hops: Vic Secret, El Dorado, & Mosaic.
Yeast: House IPA yeast. 

Drekker Brewing Company is a craft brewery in Fargo, ND. Beer is our craft, but Drekker is about much more than the contents of a glass. It's about what happens when a few of those glasses get raised together. Beer is FUN, act accordingly.

Odell Cloud Catcher Milkshake IPA

Odell Cloud Catcher Milkshake IPA.
6.8 % ABV. 47 IBU. Odell Brewing, Fort Collins, CO.

Folks, I feel like I'm at a bit of a crossroads. For many years, I have entered notes on every beer I've had the good or bad fortune to find, right here in the Nib. If it's in my fridge, it'll be on the Nib. I broke that rule last night when I wanted another beer and there was nothing around that I hadn't written about yet. So, I cracked upon a cucumber sour and I drank it. It was a sour that tasted of cucumber. Rah, rah. I don't regret not taking notes. (Also, it was an A-B "craft" brand, and I don't care about reviewing them.) I almost did the same tonight with a grapefruit hefe weizen shandy.

But this here can I will take notes on. I've had a lot of beer from Odell Brewing of Colorado, and I've had a fair share of "milkshake IPAs". I have not, however, had a milkshake IPA from Odell Brewing. Let's see what that's all about.

Clear, bright golden hue, slimmish white head.

In the nose: Soft, creamy, nondescript. Rather a lot of nothing. Can that be true? Slightly sweet, fruity.

In the mouth: Mild hop bitterness pounces the palate at first. Creamy mouthfeel, smooth and easy-going. Some odd flavors I can't quite pin down. Chocolate?

What's makes a "milkshake" beer? The shake-y, cloudy look? This one lacks it. The vanilla and lactose? I'm not picking up on that much. One thing is for sure, the initial blast of hop bitterness goes missing after the first sip. I still do not know why these things keep getting called India Pale Ales. Or IPAs, since no-one knows what it means, anymore.

Yep, I'm still the cranky old-timer, shaking my fist at cloudy beers. You kids, get your milkshake beers off of my lawn! But, I don't think they're good when they're good, and they're worse when they fail. I like Odell and generally feel that they don't miss, but I'm not liking this one even a little. A dud.

And their can copy is worse than New Belgium's: The infamous Cloud Catcher. Her adventures are storied, as she takes flight every evening, meticulously stockpiling fluffs of Cumulonimbus. She has one mission: to capture the key ingredient to our newest seasonal brew, a deliciously smooth, cloud-infused Milkshake IPA. Hop-forward with notes of creamsicle and peaches, it delivers a citrusy punch alongside its hazy, velvety texture. Just as if the Cloud Catcher caught it herself.

Yuck. Whoever wrote that, I want to trash all of their dream-catchers.

Central Waters Unsettled New England style India Pale Ale

Central Waters Unsettled New England style India Pale Ale.
6.7 % ABV. 50 IBU.

Central Waters Brewing, Amherst, WI.

Highly hazed, pale orange hue, slim white head.

In the nose: Pungent citrus aromatics at first, grapefruit and orange. Tangerine creeps in. Slight whiff of the tropical.

In the mouth: Hop bitterness smacks the palate at the start. Nice and bracing, leading the way to calm and pleasing. Medium bodied, quite an easy drinker.
Halfway in, I'm picking up the tropical fruit notes that are de riguer for this style. It's not devoid of bitterness, and not especially soft. Lacks some of the hallmarks of that New England style, but I don't care. It's a good India Pale Ale, and I can drink it.

Ever felt like something is just...off? So have we, and we know why! Although usually clear, we have manipulated the malt, wheat, and insane amount of hops in a way that creates a purposely hazy beer. Still unsettled? Give it a try...we don't think you will be!

Venn Brewing Cosmosis: Clusterf*ruit

Venn Brewing Cosmosis: Clusterf*ruit.
11.5 % ABV. Venn Brewing, Minneapolis, MN.

This one was released for their semi-anniversary. The real anniversary is in Mid-December, but no-one wants to go out in that time of year, so Venn is celebrating their .5 anniversaries. Makes total sense. I didn't make it out for the party, but there were still some bottles left. (I actually tried this one on my birthday, 6/30/19, but didn't take notes, as I don't on those occasions).

All hazed up, bright golden, slim white head.

In the nose: Big fruit. Bold aromatics. Large and in charge tropical notes and plenty of citrus. Sweet, then tart, and all fruity.

In the mouth: Boom! Yum. Juicy, fruity, sour and slightly sweet. Fresh and delicious. Big and lovely. All the juicy fruit, all the sour. Very nice. Alcohol hasn't hit yet, but, whoa, here it comes....and I can dig it.  I am digging this big time.

Actual Mango, Passion Fruit, Pineapple, and Guava. Sour & strong.
A commemorative release in celebration of our year-and-a-half anniversary.

Ready to take your taste buds on a trip to the tropics? Our kettle sour weighs in at a hefty 11.5% and is brimming with passion fruit, mango, pink guava, and pineapple. Pairs well with resting beach face.

Malts: Domestic Pale, White Wheat, Unmalted White Wheat.
Hops: None.
Yeast: Lactobacillus, Champagne.
Other: Passion Fruit, Mango, Pink Guava, Pineapple, Dextrose.

Inbound BrewCo Vienna Lager

Inbound BrewCo Vienna Lager.
5.1 % ABV. 24 IBU.
Inbound BrewCo, Minneapolis, MN.

You know, as much as I derail and the decry the pasty ales and lagers, the milkshake crap, the DDH NE IPAs flooding the market, every now and then there's a Vienna lager, and it's about time I drank it.

Clear, amber hued, slim white head.

In the nose: light, grainy, malty, slightly sweet.

In the mouth: Crisp, clean, refreshing. Sweet and malty. Light bodied, excellent in balance and drinkability, with malt sweetness lingering on the palate. Perfect for a day like today and perfect for the pizza.

Just a good ol' Vienna lager, and there ain't nothing wrong with that. Which I purchased because I'd never had it (though something tells me I got a sample bottle once, long ago) and it was on sale. It's not the sort of thing I normally pick up, but damn, if it isn't nice to drink.

So, pardon me, while I open up another IPA, and don't call me a hypocrite if it's yet another DDH NE, because that's all that's out there anymore.

A crisp, clean lager made exclusively with German malts. This beer is malt-forward, utterly refreshing, and a perfect pairing with giant pretzels and a second pint of the same.

Junkyard Dirty Pete and the Dungeon Chiefs NE IPA

Junkyard Dirty Pete and the Dungeon Chiefs NE IPA.
6.8 % ABV. Junkyard Brewing, Moorhead, MN.

All kinds of hazy. Bright golden hue, lush ivory head, leaving lace.

In the nose: Ah, hoppiness! Ah, big-time fruit! Ah, loads of citrus. Lovely. All the goodness is here.

In the mouth: Nice and bitter. Good ol' hoppiness. Creamy, lush, and tasty. It has just enough of the haze and enough of what I crave in a good ol' IPA. Yum. Even Yum a dum-dum. Quite delicious.

New England IPA with Mosaic and ekuanot hops.

Oliphant Funtalented Imperial Stout w/Raspberry and Peanut Butter

Oliphant Funtalented Imperial Stout w/Raspberry and Peanut Butter.
10 % ABV. Oliphant Brewing, Somerset, WI.

Solid blackness, under a nicely roasted/toasted tan head, leaving lace.

In the nose: Fruit is first, berry-licious, followed by the massive malt. Peanut butter creeps in and takes over. Very nice.

In the mouth: Bitterness hits the palate first, then tart fruity flavors, then dark, rich malt. Quite complex. Nicely roasted, with the peanut butter mixing with the jelly. Whoa. They did it. A PB & J Imperial Stout. Little bitter, little sweet, then more sweet, and well-balanced deliciousness.

funtalented

yet again, this one is not about ghosts. they say, jeremy, “enough with the ghosts”, and thens i say, “enough with you!”. then it is another time out for me, but little do they know, i just treat it as a nap.

russian imperial stout w/ raspberry and peanut butter. 10% abv

Drastic Measures Enforcer DIPA

So, Brett from Disgruntled got so disgruntled that he took off and started a new brewery. (I know, there's obviously more to it than that.) And that is Drastic Measures of Wadena, MN. At last, their beers are hitting the local stores and I picked up a 4-pack of a double IPA. I don't like paying $18 for 4 cans, but on the other hand, I just had to try it. And once again, I drank 3 without a comment or any trouble, and now I pour out #4 and will give it appropriate contemplation.

Disgruntled Brewing Enforcer DIPA.
 7.9 % ABV. 82 IBU.
Drastic Measure Brewing, Wadena, MN.

Medium haze. Cause that's half the craze. Murky-ish orange-like hue. Slim white head.

In the nose: Sweet, fruity, hoppy. Tropical tones loom over citrus notes.

In the mouth: Bitter and tart starts it off, quickly subsumed by fruity, sweet, tropical and a touch of citrus. Tasty stuff. Low bitterness, high smooth. Lean body, lush malt. Particularly pleasing.

I like this one, and look forward to trying more of their stuff.

El Dorado and enigma hops. Drastic yeast blend #2.

Wild Mind Carbonite Han IPA

Wild Mind Carbonite Han NE IPA.
7 % ABV. 20 IBU. Wild Mind Artisan Ale, Minneapolis, MN.

A twist on the earlier IPA called Han, but the variation being that Simcoe Cryo hops were used instead of regular Simcoe. Clever, guys, real clever.

Thoroughly hazed, bright golden hue, slim white head.

In the nose: Soft, fruity, delightful. Some sweetness, tropical tones, citrus notes. Beautiful melange.

In the mouth: Some flat-out lovely flavors in this one. Moderate bitterness, medium bodied, fairly easy-drinking. Flavors of orange, grapefruit and lemon pop out on the palate, with a twist of pineapple and guava coming from behind. This remains juicy and delicious throughout the drinking. Straight-up yum-a-dum-dum, this one. Long lasting fruity freshness. I'm just digging this.

One of my favorites from Wild Mind, out of many.

This is a variation on one of our previous offerings, "Han". The original was brewed with Ella and Simcoe hops, and so is this one, but all of the Simcoe used was Simcoe Cryo. The resulting beer has a nose full of tropical and citrus fruit that hits you hard. The body is soft and carries the flavors that mirror the nose with a finish that sustains.

Toppling Goliath Twisted Galaxy Double India Pale Ale

Toppling Goliath Twisted Galaxy Double India Pale Ale.
8 % ABV. 100 IBU. Toppling Goliath Brewing, Decorah, IA.

Thick and chunky. Impenetrable haze. Faded Orange. Big ivory head on top.

In the nose: Sweetness and hops. Tropical fruit notes. A trickle of citrus creeps in underneath. Very nice.

In the mouth: Murky morass. Soft ("pillowy"), slightly sweet, little to no bitterness. Getting more sweet. Light and easily consumed. Huh. Yeah.

Man, labeling this merely "double IPA" is such a cheat. It's not the kind of DIPA I want to drink. It's strictly for NE IPA fans, and no one else. When I'm looking forward to drinking a DIPA, it's the bitterness and the alcohol I'm looking forward to, and this does not deliver.

Very soft, very smooth, but utterly lacking in what makes a DIPA a DIPA. That's just me, though.

Oh, yeah "NE DIPA"...okay, sure...that's why I'm "meh."

That caveat aside, it works for what it is.

Showcasing the alluring tropical notes of the galaxy hop, twisted galaxy is a juicy double india pale ale that pushes the citrus and pineapple notes of the beloved galaxy hop to the foreground.

Mikkeller That's A Paddlin' IPA

Mikkeller That's A Paddlin' IPA. 8% ABV. Double NE IPA.
Brewed and canned by Mikkeller USA, San Diego, CA. Hop Series.

I'm a sucker for Simpsons references. In anything, but especially beer. If you've followed this blog with and doggedness at all, you'll know that. This one, unlike Fair State's Stupid Sexy Flanders, is as random a reference as Oliphant's Also Bort. (Although, brewing does use paddles) It doesn't matter, I just love 'em. Let's drink it.

Hazy. Bright orange. Lush, lace-leaving ivory head.

In the nose: Fruity hop notes. citrus and tropical. Sweet and flowery. Likable.

In the mouth: Juicy. Fruity. Moderate bitterness. Medium bodied. Easy drinking, for a double IPA. Big and beautiful. A taste of honey. A flood of flavors. Blast of bitterness meshes with waves of fruit, citrus splashes bumps up against swirls of tropical tones. Grapefruit meets guava. Tasty stuff. Smooth and delicious.

I don't not like it.

Jasper, on the hand, oh, you better believe he don't like it.

Insight Bourbon Barrel-aged Gravity Well Imperial Stout 2018

Insight Bourbon Barrel-aged Gravity Well Imperial Stout.
11% ABV. 82 IBU.

Crafted and bottled by Insight Brewing, Minneapolis, MN.

Utter blackness. Deep ebon. Slim brown/ash head. Complete opacity. Dark and dangerous.

In the nose: Thick. Vast. Cavernous. Bourbon. Char. Ash. Molasses. Dark rums. Evil elixirs. Tobacco. Leather. And, yeah, a bit of chocolate & a trace of coffee.

In the mouth: Thickness, again. Vastness, once more. Big, big, big. Giant bourbon barrel meets Brobdingnagian Imperial Stout. Richness upon richness. All the cocoa and the vanilla, compounded over and over. Roasted, toasted, ashy, burnt. Sweetness, darkness, and booze-ness. Rich in every regard. So, so, so. So everything.

Chapter XX: No Light Escapes The Gravity Well Imperial Stout. Galactic Sector XX Plural Z Alpha. "....I turned my telescope to a small patch of sky that had eluded my view: A null space, devoid of stars or light, beckoning me. The aperture yawned as I looked beyond our dimension, into a cosmic knot dripping with a thick, chocolatey stout. I needed this delicious-looking star treat. And resting against a fermentation vat, an idea alighted upon my expanding brain. What I really needed was a rocket ship...."

Eastlake Dave's Fave Flav Old School Pale Ale

Eastlake Dave's Fave Flav Old School Pale Ale. 5.2 % ABV.
Eastlake Craft Brewery, Midtown Global Market, Minneapolis, MN.

Clear, amber-hued, slim white head.

In the nose: bright, fruity, citrus-y, vibrant.

In the mouth: Fresh and zesty. Nice, balanced bitterness. Earthy malt character, fruity/herbal, biscuity. Little bit of malt sweetness to match the hoppiness. Right in line for a classic pale ale, nothing more to it. And there ain't nothing wrong with that.


Dave is a Brave knave and he'll crave his fave flav in a heat wave. We caved and gave that flav a home in our little enclave. It was a close shave. A classic Old School Pale Ale. engraved with that timeless sticky, floral, grapefruit and pine hop character that makes Dave rave. 

Samuel Smith's Pure Brewed Organic Lager Beer

Samuel Smith's Pure Brewed Organic Lager Beer.
5 % ABV. Samuel Smith's Old Brewery, Tadcaster, Yorkshire, England.

Well, what do you know, even Samuel Smith's is canning their beers, now. This is not the first one I've had, though. I was also presented with a sample of their Nut Brown Ale. I'd done a post on that one back in 2014. I've since used a photo of the canned beer to replace the terrible pic of the bottle from 5 years ago. I'm doing a lot of that lately. Some of, many of, those old pics I'm not proud of. Back then, I didn't care as much. It's the words that matter, dammit, the pic is just an illustration! I've come around some, now that iPhone cameras are better. And now that I've got a dedicate spot to take them, away from background clutter.

On the subject of Samuel Smith's, I'm dismayed at this is only the eighth beer of theirs represented in the Nib. Where's the pale ale, the IPA, the porter, one of my all-time favorites. The other missing ones are fruit beers, and a cider, which are low priorities for me. But as for those others, I've got to get on.
But back to this beer:

Crystal clear, bright golden color, slim white head.

In the nose: Grainy, lightly malt, slightly sweet, classic lager aromatics. Low hops. Pretty nice.

In the mouth: Just a little more sweet on the palate, mostly malty. Clean, crisp(-ish), light bodied. Tasty stuff. Good organic lager and you can drink it.

Brewed with great care using only organic malted barley, organic hops, medium-soft water and a bottom-fermenting yeast; matured at low temperatures to bring out its delicate flavour and soft hop-character finish. 

The cold maturation period allows the bottom-fermenting yeasts to secondary ferment and improve this lager’s flavour, purity and condition.

Best served at about 44°F (7°C).
Vegan Beers and Cider

Ingredients • Water, organic malted barley, yeast, organic hops.

Registered with The Vegan Society; suitable for vegans and vegetarians

Lupulin Sophistry India Pale Ale

Lupulin Sophistry India Pale Ale. 7.5 % ABV. 30 IBU.
Lupulin Brewing, Big Lake, MN.

Apparently this is the third iteration of Sophistry, though I haven't heard of it before, and certainly haven't tried the first two. So, I don't know exactly what I'm getting into. Some kind of IPA, if I'm not mistaken...

Hazy, bright golden hue, slim white head.

In the nose: Citrus hops on top, with a slice of tropical tones to the side. Beautiful hop bouquet.

In the mouth: Brash hop attack up front, then smooth sailing. All those island fruit flavors parade the palate. Citrus takes up the remaining space. Lean bodied, easy drinking.
This can goes down in no time.

(and I'll say anything but "crushable." How I wish the beer world would get over that dumb, dumb word.)

We took the same great malt base of Sophistry 02 and hit it with a massive amount of Citra and Mosaic Lupulin Powder in our custom whirlpool. Just for fun, we hit this beer with an astronomical amount of Galaxy and Kohatu, along with a big shot of more Citra just because we can. Huge notes of papaya, passionfruit, mango are ready to bang your buds. Get some before it's gone!

Trappistes Rochefort 10

Trappistes Rochefort 10. Belgian trappist quadrupel.
Abbaye Notre-Dame de St.-Remy. Rochefort, Belgium.
11.3 % ABV. 31 IBU.

A little while ago I was at a local store and saw some Belgian bottles on the shelves that I thought hadn't appeared here, in the Nib, just yet. My friend Paul was ringing me up and said "oh, I love the Rochefort." I ran back to the shelf to add the 8 to purchase, along with the 6. "No, it's the 10 that I like," he said. Yes, I love it, too, I told him, but I'll be back for it later. I was certain that the 10 had appeared here, after all these years, but not the 6 or the 8. And I took them home and went online and searched my own blog and discovered not only had they appeared here before, 4 years ago, but the exact same thing happened. I went out and bought the 6 and 8, and not the 10. Oh, well, I would use this opportunity to take a better picture. And now at last, I am making up for all this, and I am going to drink a Trappistes Rochefort 10 Belgian Quad, and I'll share my notes from.....sixteen and 1/2 years ago?!?

No, I'll write new notes, and put the old ones at the end.

Deep, dark Burgundy hued, slim beige head.

In the nose: Fruit, grapes, berries. Sweet malt. Oak. Fig, raisin. Dense and delightful.

In the mouth: More deep, more rich, more delicious. It's a complex web of flavors that gives and gives. Full-bodied, long lasting tastes, vastly rewarding. It tastes old, already, though I'm certain that it's fresh. Definitely one of the Belgian ales that would find benefits from aging. That's something I'm not entirely capable of doing, though I'm always thrilled when I can taste the efforts of someone else's aging.

So much malty goodness. Fruit meets caramel, toffee, cocoa. Belgian chocolate blends with berries and grapes. Good gracious, it's delicious, and strong. Powerfully tasty, a dream in a bottle, and a journey in a glass. Something to take back your breath, and slow down time for just a spell.

In December of 2002, I was very new to writing about beer, and posted this on BeerAdvocate.com:

Creamy, tan head; gorgeous violet color.
Aroma: dark, dark, dark, with spices, dark fruits, grapes, berries,strawberries
...distinctly port-like,plummy, raisinish.
 A tad flat, though...do I have an old, improperly cared-for bottle?
Terriffically strong, incredibly warming, the feel and the heat of a glass of cognac!
Absolutely perfect!

I'll add another note. This bottle marks the 4th time I've checked in this beer on Untappd since 2013. Not one other time did I not know it had never entered the Nib. What is wrong with me some times?

About the brewery: The Abbey of St-Remy, in the southern part of Belgium, was founded in 1230, and the monks began to brew beer sometime around 1595. The beautiful small brewery in the abbey, Rochefort Trappistes, is one of only eleven Trappist breweries in the world and makes full-bodied, deeply flavored dark ales. They are bottle-conditioned and among the world's most highly-respected beverages. Only beers made in a Trappist Monastery, under the supervision of the monks, can use the Authentic Trappist Product seal. There are only eleven Trappist breweries in the world.

About the beer: Dominant impressions of latte coffee with powerful chocolate aromas in the nose. The alcohol esters are enveloped with hints of autumn wood, citrus zest (orange, lemon) and freshly baked biscuits. The initial taste is sweetly sinful. Beer and chocolate trapped into one single glass, a liquid milky draught with a backbone of bitter malt. The alcohol warms the throat and, in the finish, you will pick up traces of cloves, citrus, orange and mocha.
The heaviest of the Rochefort beers, the 10 is a quadrupel style beer and can be recognized by its blue label.