Den Herberg started off in 2008 producing solid, but only locally important top-fermented beers before about a decade later, they ventured into lambic and became the trusted lambic producer many more beer lovers know them for today; back in the exclusively top-fermenting days, I recall having their dubbel at average strength (still produced today as well), but apparently this strong version has joined in meanwhile. From tap at the café out of which the brewery grew, during this year's Toer de Geuze event. Moussey, medium thick, pale yellowish beige, slowly receding head over a misty caramel brown robe with ruddy hue. Aroma of dry caramel, toasted bread, even coffee (grounds), dry cookies, dried apple slices, clove, nutmeg, autumn leaves, brandy, halfripe apricot, pear, brown bread, coriander seed. Dried-fruity onset, hints of dried fig, apple peel, slight pear and dried peach, not overly sweet but sweet enough for the style, lively carbonated with smooth mouthfeel - feeling a tad thinner and more 'supple' than the ABV would suggest. Dry-caramelly, brown-bready malt core with a growing toasted-bitter accent, turning ever so slightly coffeeish in the end, where it meets a leafy hop bitter undertone and warming, (cheap) brandy-like alcohol which nonetheless remains remarkably well hidden at this strength, along with nutmeg- and clove-like phenolic touches and coriander. Drier and more toasted bitter than average for a quad or generic Belgian strong dark, a bit reminiscent of Scotch in that sense - which in Belgium means old school, as Scotch has long surpassed its heydays in this country. Smooth, dangerously drinkable and very solid indeed.

Magus, karamelline, linnaseline, belgia pärm. Ok.