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

April 2015: Shared 330 ml bottle at local tasting. Brown colour, off-white head. Moderate aroma, hints of brown kandij sugar and herbs. The flavour is more defined, brown kandij sugar without being too sweet, herbs and hops. Nice enough.

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 5 | Overall: 5

330 ml bottle, as Kinn Haust Belgisk Dubbel, from Vinmonopolet Odda. ABV is 6.5%. Hazy brown colour, large off-white head. Moderate aroma of malts and brown sugar, hints of yeast and wood. Soft mouthfeel. Woody and yeasty flavour, "unfinished", hints of brown sugar, but not too sweet. Minimal hops. Not entirely successful.

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

500 ml bottle, as Frejdahl Sigurd Belgisk Dubbel, from BilkaToGo, Denmark. ABV is 6.3%. Clear brown colour, moderate off-white head. Aroma of brown kandij sugar syrup, caramel, Belgian ale yeast and dried figs. The flavour has the same elements, but is not too sweet. Hints of mild spices. Very moderate hops. Nice enough to drink.

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

440 ml can, from Vinmonopolet Hinna - Stadionparken. ABV is 7.5%. Hazy and deep reddish brown colour, moderate to small off-white to beige head. Aroma of dark dried fruits, particularly prunes and raisins, also hints of molasses and brown sugar. Very fruity flavour, notes of apricot and raisins, a moderate acidity, not too sweet, moderate hops. Unusual and nice to drink.

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

330 ml gusher bottle, as Urthel Vlaemse Bock, from Voldby Købmandsgård, Denmark. ABV is 7.5%. Cloudy dark brown colour, large to moderate off-white head. Malty and slightly sickly sweetish aroma, notes of molasses, oak and dark dried fruits. Rich malty flavour, sweet but not extreme, notes of caramel, molasses and brown kandij sugar. Minimal hops.

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

Shared bottle at local tasting. ABV 8.5%. Deep reddish brown colour, off-white head. Aroma of chocolate malts. Malty flavour, notes of chocolate again, not very "Belgian" in style. I also bought a 500 ml bottle in Denmark, might re-rate.

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

Shared bottle at local tasting. Hazy golden to orange colour. In the aroma pleasant and spicy notes of Belgian ale yeast collide with some less pleasant hints of vomit. Quite sweet and distinctly spicy flavour, hints of ripe bananas and cloves. Warming mouthfeel.

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

(700 ml bottle, bought in Denmark). Copper colour, slightly hazy, moderate head that doesn’t last very long. Lovely aroma of dark fruits and spices. Malty and slightly spicy flavour, could have been more complex but is still very good. Pleasant aftertaste. They have used Saazer hops for this beer, nothing wrong with that, but additional hop varieties would probably have brought the beer closer to "perfect". Still, quality is of course lightyears ahead of what most people know as "Carlsberg".

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

330 ml bottle, as St. Idesbald Dubbel. Some say this is the same beer as Duinen Dubbel. ABV was 8%. Bought in Frederikshavn, Denmark. Pours deep copper coloured with floaties, large off-white head. Sweetish malty aroma with caramel and some oak. Flavour is malty sweet and spicy with plenty of caramel, some hops, oak and alcohol in the finish. Moderately warming mouthfeel. A bit too sweet for me.

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

330 ml bottle, as "Kapittel Watou Dubbel" (no "Het" anymore), bought in Frederikshavn, Denmark. Chestnut colour, large light tan head. Lovely caramel aroma, also hops and dark fruits, hints of sherry, spices and oak. Flavour has also caramel sweetness with lightly roasted malts and moderate oaky and spicy elements, nice. Moderate hops in the finish. A pleasant beer to drink, will appeal to people with a "sweet tooth".

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

330 ml stubby bottle, bought in Frederikshavn, Denmark. Pours with an enormous and lasting creamy greyish light tan head, underneath the head a reddish brown beer very slowly appears. Pleasant and quite strong fruity and yeasty aroma, notes of bakery, spices and ensilage too. Flavour is sweet and fruity, notes of caramel malts and mild spices too, slightly acidic finish. Good beer.

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

This Easter beer seems to be brewed specially for the Danish market, where specific "Easter" beers (normally less interesting than this one) have more of a tradition than in Belgium. It's kind of a hybrid between the the Brune and the Blonde, leaning more heavily on the brown side. 750 ml bottle, corked champagne-style. Bought in Denmark. Very large and lasting cream-coloured head, beer is hazy brown with a reddish hue. Very strong and "raw" aroma of barnyard, ensilage, ammonia, leather and fermenting fruits, mellows gradually in the glass. Flavour is a bit smoother and mellower than the aroma - chocolate sweetness, some oak and spices, moderate but decent hops. Mouthfeel becomes strangely metallic and watery (for a 7.5% beer, that is) in the finish. Some liquorice in the aftertaste. An interesting beer after all.

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

750 ml corked (champagne style) brown silk print bottle, bought in Denmark. Brown colour with a slight haziness, pours with a large fluffy off-white head. Very nice aroma of oak, leather, yeast, brown sugar, dried fruits and spices, hints of barnyard. Flavour has plenty of brown sugar, malts, oak and figs, hints of sour berries. Some spices and a certain alcoholic bite in the finish. I had to struggle to finish the big bottle by myself, which means that the brown sugar sweetness combined with 8% ABV becomes a little too much in the end. The big bottles are for sharing! Still - this is another solid abbey beer.

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 6 | Mouthfeel: 5 | Flavor: 5 | Overall: 6

Bottle, vintage 2001, RBESG 2005, Grand Tasting. Hazy brown colour, malty sweet (far too sweet) flavour. Haven't had the ordinary Kloster yet, but this stronger Christmas special is too sweet to go with any traditional Scandinavian Christmas fare, except cakes, cookies and dessert.

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

330 ml bottle, at the 32nd Cambridge Beer Festival. Served directly from the fridge. Had to wait half an hour before I could drink it. Strange thing with British pubs and beer festivals - they’re very conscious that their native cask ales should be served at cellar temperatures, but foreign bottled beers are served ice cold, no matter what! Barnyard aroma with notes of dried fruits and oak, improves as the beer warms up. Flavour has much of the same elements as Rochefort 8 and 10, just on a more moderate scale. Dried fruits, brown sugar, tobacco, oak.

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

(750 ml corked bottle, champagne style. Bought in Denmark.). A Christmas beer in August, why not? Amber colour, large fizzy head that doesn’t last very long. Pleasant and complex aroma of oak, caramel, dried fruits and spices. I find the flavour less complex, maybe because of the beer’s fizzyness. Still it is reasonably malty and easily drinkable, fairly sweet. Aftertaste is OK but not impressive.

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

A helluva lot better than the Leffe Blond! (Guess I'm a malty guy.) Pretty sweet; caramel, chocolate, oak and dried fruits in the aroma, malts (somewhat roasted), caramel and oak in the flavour, hops in the finish, a little too sweet in the aftertaste. Not bad!

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

ABV was 7% (bottle bought in Finland). This beer pours with an enormous lasting head, cloudy brown colour. Lovely aroma of oak, leather and spices. Well balanced spicy flavour, slightly bitter finish. Aftertaste could have lasted a bit longer, but this is still a thoroughly well made beer.

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

330 ml bottle. Chestnut colour, large head. Vinous aroma, claret, caramel, spices. Malty aroma where the sweetness is well balanced with decent hops. Elements of caramel, liquorice, dark chocolates and some spices. Nice warming mouthfeel. Definitely a beer I’ll buy again when I can find it.

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

This one certainly has a lot more going than the Blond/Enkel. Moderate aroma of oak, spices, dried fruits and English pipe tobacco (before smoking!) Delightful flavour of gently roasted malts, some yeast and spices. Moreish indeed. Moderate hops in the aftertaste. I'm looking forward to the Triple and Quadruple!

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

(33 cl bottle). Beautiful reddish colour, good head. Surprisingly weak initial aroma, improves as the beer warms up - toffee, caramel and oak. Malty caramel flavour with some cloves, a tad too sweet for my taste. Needs some more hops to balance the sweetness. Malty, rounded aftertaste.

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

330 ml bottle, bought at Vinens Verden, Odense, Denmark. Deep red-brown colour, large light tan head. Surprisingly moderate malty aroma, notes of caramel and oak. Improves as the beer warms up, some vinous qualities. Flavour is malty with some caramel and brown bread notes, moderate hops. Easy drinking, refreshing for its strength. Okay.

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

Rerate, 33 cl bottle, now available in Norway (Vinmonopolet, + Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger): ABV is 7.0%. Hazy brown colour, big and lasting off-white head. Spicy complex aroma and flavour, some winey and woody notes too. The mouthfeel has still too much carbonation, but this is none the less a very fine beer. Original rating: 33 cl bottle, at the White Horse at Parsons Green, London. Served in "appropriate" Chimay glass (whether those wide chalices really ARE the most appropriate for savouring complex beers, is a discussion of its own). Unfortunately served far too cold - you’d think White Horse waiters knew better. For good measure, the waiter poured the beer along the side of the glass, which prevented the beer from "opening up", the head disappeared quickly and the beer kept too much carbonation. The beer has a brown colour, aroma of leather, balsamico vinegar and barnyard. Flavour is quite dry, well hopped, elements of leather and tobacco. Hints of cardamom and ginger. Aroma and flavour improves somewhat as the beer slowly warms up, but altogether this remains my least favourite of the Chimays - give me a Bleu, please! Still a decent beer, but with the Trappists I expect more. Will re-rate when I personally control the temperature and the pour.

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 5 | Mouthfeel: 5 | Flavor: 4 | Overall: 4

Sampled 330 ml bottle, under its Spanish import alias "666 La Bière de la Diablesse". Cloudy golden colour, large head. Aroma and flavour VERY alcoholic and slightly yeasty. Not good. Travelling from Spain to Norway in the hot trunk of a car probably didn't help.

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

Shared bottle at RBNAG 2011 in Oslo. Golden-brown colour. Spicy and "typically Belgian" aroma. Pleasant and moderately spicy flavour, not too sweet, again "typically Belgian". A decent trappist, but not of the trailblazing kind.