Val-Dieu Biere de Noel

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

Taps hazy topaz with a thick buttermilk head. Aroma generates butterscotch, spice and fresh malt. Flavor supplies butterscotch, stonefruit, fresh malt and spices, mainly ginger. Texture offers nice body and lively fizz. Let it snow, let the beer pour.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 6 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 8

Clear dark yellow, white lasting, lacing foam head. Light barley aroma, some grass and hay notes. Nice warm drinking feeling, light bittersweet, dominated by again grass/hay tones. very pleasant. (Velp 201603)

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

330 ml brown bottle, now available in Norway (Vinmonopolet, bestillingsutvalget). ABV is 7%. Hazy brown colour, huge head. Okay fruity aroma (orange peel and dark fruits) with notes of spices and oak. Flavour is moderately spicy and fruity with a fairly soft mouthfeel. Not the most complex Belgian I’ve had, but decent enough. Over-priced in Norway, though.

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

Hazy amber colour with a firm white head. Almond, grass, wormwood, light chocolate and dust in aroma. Yeasty and a bit thin flavour of almond and berries. Licorice, salt and grass in the aftertaste

Aroma: 10 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

Bottle: Poured a medium amber color ale with a huge foamy head with great retention. Aroma of cinnamon and pepper with some distinctive Belgian yeast. Taste is quite sweet with a good malt presence and a well mix balance of spices. Body is above average but a good creamy texture. Nothing extraordinary but good example of the style.

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 5 | Mouthfeel: 5 | Flavor: 5 | Overall: 5

Hazy nutbrown colour with big foamy head. Aroma of alcohol with some weak fruity hints. Flavour is mainly yeasty with some fruity sweetness. Also some hints of nuts. Quite un-interesting.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 9 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 10

The second time I've had this within the past 20 days or so (the first time was New Years Eve, when I was in no mood to be geekin' out and siting down at the computer to write a review!). But each time I've had this, I'm surprised by both it's drinkability, and the fact that it's listed here as something of a Tripel.

More of a Farmhouse Ale than anything else, IMO. Fluffy white foam atop a rather plain-jain brownish body. Earthy-yet-plesant notes in the aroma.

Quite light on the tongue, but filling enough to be satisfying. Hints of complex esters here and there, but generally quite solid and workmanlike -- more of a rough-n'-tumble farmhand than a plantation owner. Slightly dry/sweet in the finisbh, making this both satisfying and fulfilling. My 750mL sample went by way too quickly, with this one.

Not too sure how this is to be considered to be a Winter beer, since it's really not adventurous for what I would normally expect from a Holiday/Winter beer. Be that as it may, this is still nice and pleasurable to drink on an otherwise quiet Monday night. Recommended.
//TB

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

Orange gold color. Very large beige foamy head. Long lasting head, it left a couple of foam caverns in the glass on several occasions. The aroma is malt with citrus and other fruity and a touch spicy. A medium bodied Belgian Strong ale. Malts are fruity and sweet. Nice fruity esters with some spices. Very lively carbonation. The cork blew off as soon as I untwisted the wire around the cage. Nice beer. Very pleasant. Mouthfeel is full and round. Finish is clean and smooth. Aftertaste is slightly sweet.

Aroma: 10 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

caramel-amber colour, creamy head and a nice lacing, vinous, raisins and pear, full, smooth, some acidity, long bitter and spicy finish - nice and complex

Aroma: 10 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 10 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 7

Nice aged christmas beer. 750ml. Cloudy orange in color with a creamy head. It was a little spicy. I got nutmeg, and cloves.Cinnamon. Smooth and malty. Really good.