Brasserie D'Achouffe N'Ice Chouffe (7/10)

This week we'll look at a beer from Belgium's Brasserie D'Achouffe.  N'Ice Chouffe is is described as "a strong, brown beer that will warm y ou in the depths of winter. Spicy (thyme and curacao) and tinged with hops, this is a very balanced beer.  N'ice Chouffe is an unfiltered beer which is refermented in the bottle and in barrels."

N'Ice Chouffe pours a slightly cloudy mahogany color with a finger-thick beige head that lingers a little while.

The aroma is malty, fruity, and sweet.

The flavor is not betrayed by the aroma. It's malty, sweet, and slightly dry like a red wine.  The finish is mildly bitter. and there is a lot of carbonation. This is another Achouffe beer that should be among my favorites, but it just isn't.  I want a little more sweetness, a little less bitterness, and more of the usual Belgian spice and fruit.  This beer doesn't really have that.

Beer Advocate and Rate Beer disagree with me on this beer as well.  I rate it a 6 out of 10, leaning a bit toward a 7.  Beer Advocate gives it a 91-93 (outstanding).  Rate Beer rates it a 98 overall.  When I had the draft version around the holidays last year, I did like it a bit better than the bottled version reviewed here.  I still don't think it's "outstanding" when compared to Belgian beers like Gulden Draak, Karmeliet Tripel, and the like.

I found this particular beer at Palmer's Beverage Center on Indianola.  During the Christmas season, you may find it there or in other area retailers.  There's also a good chance The Winking Lizard Tavern will feature it during the winter months as their Achouffe draft that month.