Trappistes Rochefort 8

Tonights review is courtesy of my parents.  They went out and found a new beer shop a while ago and bought me a few beers that they thought looked interesting.  Lucky for them they were not only interesting but delicious! They were all European based brews.  Two were Belgian golden strongs that I drank immediately, thus, no reviews.  They were so good!  The third I had forgotten about until I was at their house for Easter.  It was like a hidden gem in the back of their fridge!  So I wrote down some tasting notes and am just now getting around to writing the full review.

This brew is one of three in a line up from Brasserie de Rochefort.  Dunz reviewed the Trappistes Rochefort 10, the strongest in their line up, and he loved it.  I have high hopes for this one too.

Rich, creamy brown color. Little bits of yeast sediment gather at the bottom of my sniffer glass. Thin, light tan layer of foam lingers on top. Alcohol and toasted bread are the first two aromas I can find. Hints of fruit, bananas notably, come into play as it warms. Very smooth mouthfeel and surprisingly light body. Rum alcohol and sweet malt are at the forefront of this Belgian strong. Brown sugar and yeast phenols of banana and tropical fruit come into play as it warms. The warmer this becomes the better and more complex it is. Alcohol warmth is present throughout.

Overall - you can't go wrong with Rochefort brewery. Both Duns and I enjoyed two out of three of the beers available to us here in the states.  Look for our review of the 6 in the near future!