Day 22 of the 2nd Annual Advent-ure Calendar
Day 22: Delirium Noel
Broad has a special place in her heart for Delirium (produced by Brewery Huyghe). It was one of the first craft breweries she fell in love with and Tremens is one of her all time favorites. Unfortunately, these beers tend to be a little on the pricey side so we don’t buy them often. In Belgium, this beer is sold under the label “Delirium Christmas”. Noel is actually a Belgian Dark Strong Ale, so it has a bit more caramelized notes than Tremens, a Belgian Strong Ale. Let’s get to it!
REFLECTIONS
Beard & Broad
Beard: Huge fan of this. Comparing two beers of the same style (this and Esther from Platform Beer Co.), they differ greatly. This is a bit lighter in color, but way more effervescent like what I would expect from a Belgian beer. It also finishes MUCH drier. That leads to the very noticeable alcoholic bite in the finish. It has some nice phenolic character though (clove-like, medicinal or smoky aromas), that comes through as a slight spice that’s typical in something this dry. Overall, like this a lot but I’m also curious to see what aging would do to it and the harsh alcoholicynessesness…
Broad: AH I LOVE THIS! It’s boozy, Christmasy and warm. I taste the hints of dark fruits and spice and it has the perfect amount of maltiness. The initial taste does have a boozy mouthfeel but the finish is nice, fruity and light. This beer could be quite dangerous as I could spend the night curled up on the couch drinking many of these. In true Delirium fashion, I love this beer. It is definitely one of my favorites so far.
Adam & Alex
Adam: Belgian beers are boozy and Belgian Christmas beers are basically wine. I love this beer and get dark fruits like cherries and plums and just a kick in the face of alcohol. It’s warming and delightful.
Alex: This was another boozy beer. I enjoyed it a lot. It was pretty foamy when it was poured and was a pretty deep amber color. It’s a malty Belgian beer with spices and fruit. I could taste the spices more at the beginning but it leaves a fruity after taste.
Scott & CT
Scott: Whatever Christa says, she’s probably wrong about this beer. I really like this one, although I’ll admit the strong carbonation is off putting first. I love the flavor of this Belgian Ale and I have to admit, peeling off the foil is just fun. I’m happy to report my possible beer burnout has passed thanks to Delirium Noel!
CT: Oh man, I am so bummed I don’t like this beer. It’s such a beautiful bottle AND it’s a Belgian! One of my tried and trues! It smells like cinnamon with a hint of citrus. It’s first taste is all the goodness I’m used to with Belgian: tart and crisp. But what follows is all carbonation. Just way too much for me. I already feel like I’ve ate too much Christmas dinner and I haven’t even gotten started yet!
Lou & Jen
Lou: I love the presentation of this beer. Snow white bottle with a red shiny foil top makes for a Christmas present ready to be enjoyed. I will always remember Delirium because of the infamous elephant on the label, and once someone telling me Delirium Tremens was declared the greatest beer of all time..Anyway, this beer has all the classic Belgian beer qualities from the nose to the taste, and of course the high ABV. I get mostly a bitter aftertaste and a lot of carbonation, but overall drinkable. This is the type of beer that I would love to bring to a Christmas party for aesthetic purposes, but I would be searching for a Xocoveza to actually drink during said party.
