Continuing my reviews of Belgian beers sipped at Great Lost Bear, I enjoyed a Nostradamus, by Brasserie Caracole (their domain appears to be for sale, so this is not an official brewer site), while meeting with Russ and Luke to form the Maine Beer Writers’ Guild. This is another strong dark ale, like the Nocturnum I posted yesterday, and it’s another winner.
The one was served in a chalice (thank you, GLB, for proper beerware) and came out a slightly reddish hue of brown with a thin white head. The head settled rather quickly and left just a touch of lacing. The scent was of brown sugar or maybe molasses, roasted malts, and green apple. There were also some dark fruit notes in there—a very appetizing aroma altogether.
The first few sips showed off the brown sugar and malts. The 9.5% ABV yielded a pleasant burn on the way down my throat and there was a very crisp finish. After the beer warmed slightly, the apple and raisin flavors began to shine through a little. A thick and creamy mouthfeel make this beer a sipper most assuredly (as if you could drink 9.5% beer as a session beer!). The drinkability of this is quite high and I enjoyed it a great deal. It is just a notch below the Nocturnum for me, but I’m not entirely sure why. I’ll have to try them both in one sitting to compare more directly. Highly recommended, especially on tap.
My Rating:
