A few weeks into the New Year and still a few Christmas brews left, I'm faced with the choice of ploughing through them before the winter months are up or putting them aside for next year. Of course, I opt for the former.
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Page 24 Bière de Noël pours a dark chestnut colour with bubbles rising lazily to a surface topped with a modest off-white head.
My first aromatic experience was an alarming but undeniable whiff of soy sauce through the bottle neck. Double-taking to make sure I hadn't picked up the wrong bottle and going in for more, I was delightfully confused to be getting more of the same.
The aromas are more complex once swished around the glass, sweet toffee and rich treacle dominating with notes of dark forest fruits. Although not as pungent the soy sauce remains present, but this time accompanied by tart apples and spirity, alcoholic notes that were slightly overbearing even for 6.9% ABV.
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Not feeling optimistic at this point, I go in for the kill. I'm happy to get more dark forest fruits with bags of chocolate and caramel malt, this time with a lingering and persistent butterscotch after taste, which might be enjoyable if I could be certain it was supposed to be there and not the unintended consequence of diacetyl.
The texture is smooth with the addition of a slight malty graininess, developing into a sticky, cloying warmth.
With plenty going on to pique my curiosity from start to finish, I left this beer with the overall impression that its many characteristics don't necessarily complement each other and frankly, aren't that enjoyable.
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Its full-bodied richness, intensity and warmth are good qualities to have in a Christmas beer, but however chaleureuse it might be, whether it's conviviale I'm not so sure.
Flavour 2/5
Mouthfeel 3/5
Summary 5/10
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