Le Cheval Blanc Blonde dAchouffe

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

Bottle: Poured a hazed orange-gold ale with a glistening sheen into my goblet. Substantial tight white cap... I’m not used to seeing on these high ABV ales...lasts reasonably and laces the glass well. Aroma is excellent: spice, pinapple, earthy-honey tones and mustiness. Solid malt spine, soft mouth feel, rounded satisfying character. Delivers a spiced load of malt in the front, corriander, cinnamon and other spice tones battle it out with the substantial malts for balance...mid palate the hops release their tastes to add a burst of drying bitterness against the yeasty fruit flavors...finishes dry , and spritzy but very clean with no after tastes for such a strongly spiced ale!?...alcohol is totally hidden. This "elf" ale has a distinctly different charater from its Belgian counterpart but in a good way. This ale is nice and malty yet all the spice and fruit are there...the dry finish is a surprise but seems to work as the strong spicing totally drops out in the end to leave you with a clean dry finish....nicely put together. I will buy more.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

I still have the real Chouffe ageing in the cold cellar so I make this review not in comparison to the authentic, which might be a good thing!? I have to say its only got me more excited for the official Chouffe.
This one has a great flavour with an underlying spicyness. An incessant beer with alot of integrity.

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

The second of two rather obscure Achouffe beers contract brewed in Quebec. And again I have to wonder why such an interesting beer isn't more widely brewed/distributed....

Pale gold in body, but not much in the way of foam/head production. Nil lacing, too. I have to say that the aroma is also a bit on the staid/subdued side of things -- room for improvement here, IMO.

But what this beer lacks in looks-n'-smell, it makes up for it in the flavor profile. Nicely spicey and complex, with some interesting phenol/alcohol notes in the backend. Perhaps a little in the "been-there, done-that" realm, as far as other beers of this sort that I've tasted and reviewed..., but I for one am not overally opposed to "imitation is the best form of flattery"-school of brewing. That is to say, while this beer may not break any new ground..., it does pay a good homage to other beers of this ilk (i.e. Duvel, La Fin Du Monde, etc).

A fine beer, that I would never turn my nose up at. Recommended.
//TB

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 6 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 6

Golden color beer witha nice head when pourred into glass. Aroma of spice are really present and very tasteful. The alcohol is well hidden and overall this is another very refreshing beer from Cheval Blanc

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

This La Chouffe imitation pours a hazy white-golden colour with some head, but no retention. The lacing left is quite small as well. The aroma though is quite something. Oranges (citrus), yeast and spices. The taste is spicy with coriander, yeasty and with some bubble gum finish. Smooth and mostly flat mouthfeel, very enjoyable and refreshing. Great spicy strong brew.