REVIEW 88: CORSENDONK CHRISTMAS ALE

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN:  Belgium

BREWERY:  Brouwerij Corsendonk

STYLE:  Strong Dark Ale

ABV:  8.5%

PURCHASE:  25.4-oz. bottle (gift)

SERVING:  Said bottle, poured into Chimay branded chalice. Just under an inch of head from a standard pour; about three quarters of an inch from a slower one. Retention is better than average.

APPEARANCE:  It's a beaut. A delicate, but firm, beige head atop an effervescent, ruby-tinged mahogany body. Great lacing. 

BOUQUET:  Aroma is mainly dark fruit and malt, but hints of spice--cinnamon?--and confections are noticeable. A strong alcohol presence as well. Deceptively complex.

PALATE:  Not as heavy a body as I expected. Carbonation is soft, subtle, and slow to take effect. Doesn't really taste like a Christmas ale--most I've had are very piney; rather, like your usual dark Belgian. Not quite as spicy on the palate as it is on the nose, and it's a spice--or blend of spices--that are not particularly discernible. As with the aroma, though, the main attractions are dark fruit essences and malted barley, up to the finish. At that point, alcohol will hit you. Smooth mouthfeel despite that. Somewhat yeasty aftertaste.

MUSINGS AND METAPHORS:  'Twas the night before Valentine's and all through my house . . .

I will say this:  It is perfectly acceptable to have a "Christmas" ale in mid-February! Especially if it really is just a Belgian dark ale. Evaluated along those lines, I recommend this one whole-heartedly, no matter what holiday it is.




GRADE:  A

Get it, kids? It's a VALENTINE'S tree!