Jaded

Jaded by Stillwater Artisanal Ales
Style / abv: Belgian Strong Dark Ale / 10%
Source / Temp: 11.2oz bottle / 55 deg
Glass: Medium Sized Snifter

Appearance: Even though I poured fairly gently, the brew still poured with a thick tan head. The body is a medium brown with dark orange tones.

Aroma: I pick up sour plum, grapes and what seems to be dry white wine..

Taste: This starts with a very sweet and smooth red grape and plum front, a fairly spicy middle, and slight dry grain (maybe wheat?) finish. That doesn't really do it justice... this is a pretty complex brew and I'm having a difficult time nailing it down. It is reminiscent of a sweeter Rochefort 8.

Drinkability: This ale is just a little thicker than water with medium carbonation. This is a very enjoyable and at 10% abv, surprisingly drinkable beer.

Notes:
There is a noticeable alcohol warmth but I really don't taste it. After letting the brew warm a bit, the scent of alcohol is much more noticeable.

With the plethora of available Belgian Ales, I haven't felt much draw to try American takes on Belgian classics. After giving this brew a chance, it is apparent that I have been missing out. While I will always enjoy St. Bernardus, Rochefort, Westmalle and the like, Jaded is proof once again that the American brewers can come up with great variations of any style. The only real shame here is that this particular ale was only brewed once with no immediate plan to brew it again.

I give Jaded 8.5 out of 10.

Eis Igian,
Randall

Mission Two: A Festival Of Belgian Ales

Okay, the completion of this Beer Mission is coming quite a bit later than I had planned, but I have finally sat down to complete it. I thought a bit about the best way to put my thoughts to "paper" and have decided to do sort of a head-to-head comparison.

Brewer	Trappistes Rochefort	Trappistes Rochefort	Trappistes Rochefort	St Bernardus
Brew	6	8	10	12
Style	Belgian Strong Dark Ale	Belgian Strong Dark Ale	Belgian Quad	Belgian Quad
Alcohol	7.5% (Not noticeable)	9.2% (Hidden pretty well)	11.3% (Warm alcohol feel with each sip)	10.5% (Hidden very well)
Source	11.2oz Bottle	11.2oz Bottle	11.2oz Bottle	25.4oz Bottle
Glass	Orval Goblet	Westmalle Goblet	Westmalle Goblet	Large Wine Glass
Temp	50 deg	50 deg	50 deg	50 deg
Appearance	Cloudy light brown with a frothy tan head	Cloudy dark brown with a frothy tan head	Cloudy dark ruby red with a frothy tan head	Cloudy plum color with a gushing foamy white head.
Aroma	Some caramel and a little bit of sour fruit	Strong estery yeast with big notes of plum	Sweetest aroma of the four with notes of cherry and grape	Clove, anise, estery yeast, dark fruit and light notes of apple
Taste	Dry, mildly sweet with some apple and a small spice finish	Rich and sweet with warm fruit tones and a smooth fruity finish	Strong sweet grape, w/some "breadiness" and a light bitter finish	Sweet, smooth with some hints of anise and a sweet finish
Mouthfeel	Watery with medium carbonation	Slightly thicker than water with light carbonation	Syrupy with almost no carbonation	Watery with medium carbonation
Drinkability	I could drink more than one bottle.	One whole bottle is about my limit.	I could drink half a bottle.	Very, very drinkable. I could (and did) drink an entire 750ml bottle.
Notes	Lacks the rich and hearty attributes that I associate with the style	In my opinion, this is the  quintessential Belgian Strong Dark	Rochefort 10 is very well thought of, but just doesn't suit my tastes and borders on too sweet for the style	I absolutely love the craftsmanship of this ale.
Score	6 of 10	10 of 10	6 of 10	10 of 10

If you're new to these styles, let me make a note about drinkability. These are big, hearty ales that fill your belly and satisfy the taste buds. While technically they are all beer, they have about as much in common with a session beer as a Great Pyrenees does with a Chihuahua. These ales drink more like a glass of rich wine than a glass of Budweiser.

In closing, all four of these brews are good examples of fine Belgian ales and all four are well respected. While I can enjoy them all, St Bernardus 12 and Rochefort 8 are especially magnificent ales that leave little room for improvement. St Bernardus 12 was influential enough that I had to change my Sweet 16 and give it nearly top honors.

Mike, this was a great Mission, one that I throughly enjoyed!

Eis Igian,
Randall

Gulden Draak

Brew Details and Conditions:
Brewer: Brouwerij Van Steenberge N.V.
Brew: Gulden Draak
Style: Belgian Strong Dark Ale
Alcohol: 10.5%
Source: 11.02 oz bottle
Glass: New Belgium Goblet
Temp: 50
Appearance: Small tan head atop a a deep ruby brown ale.
Aroma: Sweet grape, plum and that awesome scent of estery Belgian yeast.
Taste: Sweet malt blended unbelievably well with grape and a light alcohol finish.
Drinkability: The mild carbonation and smooth body make this brew go down a little too easy.
Notes: This one was just as good at room temperature as it was cold.

I give this AMAZING brew a 9.5 out of 10.

Eis Igian,
Randall

Mission #2: Tackling the Tandem Trappist Task...

Since everyone seems to be in the mood to drink trappist brews lately, I figured it was time to deploy the beer brigade on a mission that I have been kicking around for awhile. Originally, I had planned to embark on this mission alone, but then I came to my senses and realized the extreme personal danger of being overwhelmed by those crafty trappists and their high gravity beers. Yes, troops... we are in this together, and you will want backup on this mission.

The Mission
This mission is basically an opportunity to further develop a palate while sampling some of the finest trappist beverages that are widely available. Brasserie de Rochefort makes the Trappistes Rochefort 6 (Belgian Strong Dark Ale), the Trappistes Rochefort 8 (another Belgian Strong Dark Ale), and the Trappistes Rochefort 10 (Quadrupel). The mission is simply to try these three beers and pick out the differences between them. The sweet malt backbone, apparent use of spices instead of hops, the dark fruit esters, and the differing alcohol content of each of these beers are all important characteristics that may help to distinguish differences and further develop your palate.

Mission Parameters
1) I do not think it is necessary to review each of these beers for this mission, but you can if you wish. A summary post of your adventures with the Rocheforts should give everyone a good idea of what these beers are all about.
2) Try to address the following questions during this beer mission: Did you like these beers? What did they taste like? What are the differences between them?
Optional parameter - If you wish, you can also try the St. Bernardus Abt 12 (Quadrupel) by the Brouwerij St. Bernardus NV and compare it to the Rochefort 10. How are these two beers different and which one (if you have a preference) did you prefer?

This beer mission is meant to be enjoyable without having to think too much. In my opinion, these are all great beers that will enhance your life with their unique characters. Have fun with this mission and enjoy the beer!