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Scaldis Noel/Bush Noel |
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Scaldis Noel/Bush Noel |
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When it comes to beer, few can match
the Belgians for producing amazingly complex and flavorful brews. And just
like in America, Christmas is really the most wonderful time of the year for
Belgians-and that carries right on into their beer. A good example of this
is Scaldis Noel. Just wait a minute, you say. Scaldis Noel? You’ve been to Belgium, and there’s no such beer there? Has Bruguru had a few too many brews for his own good and started making up beers at random? Not at all, dear reader, allow me to elaborate on your perspicacious commentary. You see, you can buy Scaldis Noel in Belgium, you just can’t buy it under the name Scaldis Noel. The Brasserie Dubuisson, makers of this finely luxuriant libation, sell it in Europe under the name Bush Noel (they also sell a lighter colored variant of this holiday beer under the name Bush). Obviously, marketing the beer in the United States under the same name would cause problems. Certainly not due to a similarity in name to our current or 41st president, either; Scaldis was sold in the US long before either occupied the White House. No, the name of the beer was changed to avoid confusion with that American brewing colossus responsible for such brands as, you guessed it, Budweiser, Michelob, and more: Anheuser-Busch. From where I stand, it’s better to have Bush as Scaldis than no Bush at all, so there you go. Scaldis Noel (aka Bush Noel) pours to a dark brownish chestnut color with a light creamy head formation and a perfumey, spicy sweet malt nose. A thick layer of Brussels lace clings to the side of the glass. The palate is very rich, thick and sweet with dark malt flavors of chocolate and molasses. You may pick up caramel, toasted nuts, a touch of fruit, spice cake and figs, too. This beer is dry hopped for several months, so you should also get some floral, herbal hop flavors in the finish. A gentle hop bitterness balances out what would otherwise be a hugely cloying sweetness, and a big alcohol warmth helps to dry out the beer too. The spices and nutty malt notes emerge again in the finish as well, too, and linger on the palate after sipping. Probably the biggest downside of Scaldis Noel is that it’s sold in 250ml bottles (about 8 ½ ounces). The beer is so good that that will leave you wanting more. Still, the beer is strong and fortifying at 12 percent alcohol by volume, so a just a little bit should go you a long way. Indeed, this hearty, complex brew is perfectly suited for a before or after dinner drink-just the thing to aid digestion after a large holiday meal. The attractive foil labels and red-capped bottles make this a very attractive gift the beer lover on your list is sure to appreciate, too. Update 7/25/2020: It's July 25th, Christmas Day in July! To celebrate, I popped a bottle of Scaldis Noel. Did I complain about the beer coming in small bottles? The one I'm drinking tonight is 750 ML-a lot of beer at 12% alcohol by volume. My bottle says BBE 2017, so I have been aging this one for a while. It sells these days for $10.99 at Total Wine, which is not a bad deal at all, really. Or you can get 4 330 ML bottles for $19.99. My bottle says on the back: Brewed especially for the holidays, Scaldis Noel, is a brilliant red amber ale, unfiltered and refemented in the bottle, sure to delight the most demanding connoisseur. My latest bottle of Scaldis Noel pours to a murky brown color with a thick fizzy tan head and a lovely nose like a fig married a lemon and they had a candied fruit peel baby. Taking a sip, the beer is big and beautiful, rich with sweet nutty and caramel malt and dark fruit fig and raisin. There is a hint of citrus, vanilla, brown sugar and candi sugar, citrus peel, and a huge warming alcohol finish. Spice cake and spices emerge as the beer warms, but the hops have faded with age. What a lovely beer, one I enjoyed very much, so much so I drank the entire bottle and scampered off to bed. A perfect nightcap on a wonderful Christmas in July.
And remember, try a new beer today, and drink outside the box. *Pricing data accurate at time of review or latest update. For reference only, based on actual price paid by reviewer. (B)=Bottled (D)=Draft
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