Taken in the lovely old bar ’Morte Subite’ Brussels during Dec 2011. This is a great beer to ’people watch’ with on a cold Belgian afternoon. On tap. Looked good in its glass, a hazy dull brown body with a full biege head above. The nose was a good mix of maltiness, fruit cake and spices, a Christmas feel to it I suppose. The taste was simular to the smell, but with a yeast flavour coming through the malts, some hop bitterness towards the end of the sip as well. Pleasant more than wonderful, thought it a bit lively, so slightly over carbonated for my taste perhaps.

Imported from my RateBeer account as De la Senne Winter Mess (by Brasserie de la Senne):
Aroma: 7/10, Appearance: 4/5, Taste: 8/10, Palate: 4/5, Overall: 15/20, MyTotalScore: 3.8/5

28/11/2011 33cl bottle @ home - BB: not indicated (2011-680)

Little cloudy red brown to purple beer, nice creamy light beige head, unstable, non adhesive. Aroma: raisins, dried orange peel, some spices, pepper, bit alcoholic, touch of caramel. MF: light carbon, medium body. Taste: caramel, bit sweet, chocolate, mocha, somewhat fruity with citric touches. Aftertaste: bitter hoppy ending with coffee as well. Alcohol warming the throat.

Bottle from Dranken Geers, Oostakker, Gent, Belgie, 12.11.11 consumed at home 23.11.11 Wonderful chocolate, spice and bitter combination, fruity with a little toffee. Pours hazy dark brown with off-white head. Yeasty, tangy and lovely fruity beer but it is the wonderful bitter chocolate that keeps coming back, cracking beer. A7 A3 T9 P4 Ov16 3.9

25 cl. draft @ Chez Moeder Lambic Fontainas – obviously the new 2011 version – always curious about this brewery, not only are they one of the few craft breweries out there that specialize in lower alcohol beer outside of the sour spectrum but they are also one of the best breweries in Belgium – Pours a murky brown/amber with a slightly off-white head / Smell carries a multitude of yeast going almost into superglue territory, slight excess at brewing but excess makes the heart grow fonder, decent amount of hops, slightly soapy grapefruit, lots of spice, I am even getting some wood here / Taste is somewhat peculiar, I am getting lots of malt here & even heavier spice, indeed some winter spices but they are mixed with a definitely present vinous streak, overripe dark fruits, touch of berry hops, Belgian yeast & a hint of wine barrel wood (?) / Medium body & carbonation / Bit of an odd beer taste-wise, not peculiarly special more of the peculiar and ok kind

Draft @ Moeder Lambic, Fontainas. Couleur orangée/ambre, col épais beige. Arôme fruité noir, sucre brun tout en gardant ce profile typique de DeLaSenne, petite pointe de caramel. En bouche, profile levure qui est accompagné d’une légère note épice et de fruits noirs; date, raisin et figue. Rappelle un léger sureau avec en retrait du cardamome et muscade. Houblon de type allemand rajoute des notes d’amertume et d’épice qui se mélangent bien à la levure. Une approche intéressante de saison pour la Zinnebir qui trouve là sa compagne pour l’hiver.

Some question as to where to enter this one. Barcode and label match the 2007 vintage, but if someone from the Richmond crew finds that it is something else, let me know and I’ll move it. 12 ounce bottle courtey of Butters at the 14th Richmond Ratebeer Gathering, 3/19/11. Pours a murky brown colow with a medium creamy tan head. Decent head retention and lacing. Aroma of spicy and earthy notes, toffee, citrus and caramel. The taste is caramel, toffee, citrus hops and a bitter hop finish. Medium bodied.

330 ml bottle from a Belgian Christmas Sampler Pack at Bevmo Salinas. No year or BB on bottle or cap. Nose is prunes, yeast, a hint of sweet candi sugar, and a bit of background smokiness. Hazy brown with a medium lightly lacing beige head. Flavor is lighly bitter, lightly smoky, with bits of background brown sugar.

330 ml bottle, as X-mas Zinnebir, from Ølbutikken, Copenhagen. No vintage mentioned on the bottle, so I assume it is 2010, and that this is the same recipe as 2009. ABV is 6.5%. Mahogany colour, huge beige head. Spicy aroma, also notes of dark dried fruits, caramel and brown bread. Soft and rich moutheel. Malty and spicy flavour, some caramel and brown kandij sugar without being too sweet, some roasty notes, well balanced mild Christmas spices, peppery and hoppy finish. Very enjoyable.

Bottled@The 2nd ES/CS Beer Tasting. (thanks XA!). Hazy orange colour, small off-white creamy head. Aroma is sweet malts, some spices, raisins and yeast along with some slight caramel malty notes Flavour is being quite similar in a very nice balance. Raisins, spices and sweet malts in the aftertaste.
Earlier Rating: 2/2/2009 Total Score: 3
Draught@Black Door. Hazy amber colour, mediumsized beige head. Aroma is very fruity and also has some wooden sweetness. Flavour is grassy hops, some wood, slight yeast and mild sweet malts as well. Not very exciting.

Milder Aufbau von trockenen und sehr herben Malznoten, die mit der Zeit aromatischer werden und zum Ende vollmundig und etwas schokoladig sind. Die Bitterkeit steigt, der Hopfen ebenfalls, er bleibt aber immer ein Stück hinter der Bitterkeit zurück. Im Nachgeschmack noch intensiver, angenehm, dennoch harsch. Charackteristisch, gelungen! 7/11/11/12/7/12