The Twelve Beers of Christmas - Verhaeghe Christmas
My eleventh Beer of Christmas, the Christmas ale (7.2% abv) from the Verhaeghe brewery in Vichte, Belgium announces the season in three languages: “Noël Christmas Weihnacht.” This beer is a true Blonde de Noël, a style invented by the people of northern France and southern Belgium. A Blonde de Noël is light in color, but much stronger in alcohol than the typical Blonde.
Eyes: One of the beautiful aspects of this beer is its head. As you pour it you’ll see a ghost white head develop and surge up. The consistency of the head suggests meringue: a dense moussey head that stays with the beer even after you’ve taken the last sip of liquid. The beer itself is clear and golden.
Nose: The aroma is sweet and fruity, no hops.
Taste: The dryness of this beer reminded me of a Bavarian Pilsner. The flavor is grainy with a pleasant bitterness. It’s full bodied with plenty of maltiness and alcoholic heat. When you sip it, think of black pepper.
Overall: This is a very warming, full flavored beer. Good for sipping and thinking. I parked myself in front of the fire and watched the flames while holding this one close.
My Rating: 15/20 or 7.5/10 (see also the Oxford Bottled Beer Database)
Pro: The head is luxurious. This is a clean tasting beer with plenty of warming alcohol. Excellent cellaring potential. The label suggests that two years might be the upper cellaring limit, but I suspect you could put this one back for longer than that.
Con: You might have a hard time finding this in stores. If you want to try this beer, you might have to import it yourself. I have had good experiences with ordering beers from The Belgian Shop. They ship directly to your door. Check out their line-up of Xmas beers.
