Delirium Noël

Delirium Noël comes from the Huyghe Brewery located in Melle, Belgium; famous for their pink elephants and unfiltered goodness.  I am fond of their Delirium Tremens so I was excited to try their new Christmas brew.  The beer that a brewery selects as their “Christmas Ale” should reflect the holiday and the changing season.  It should be zesty and complex.  One should feel at home sipping it surrounded by mounds of snow, one should feel warmed by the beer, it should rejuvenate and invigorate.

This beer pours a frothy khaki head, which dissipates within seconds forming a light film over the beer, a burnt orange-amber in color.  Holding my glass to the light I see yeast particles suspended in the amber matrix. Delirium Noël is malty and smells of banana and dried fruits, notably prunes and apricot.  The taste is on the rich end and rather sweet, reminiscent of a fruit cake, with a tinge of anise and soy sauce at the finish.  The carbonation is lazy and the hops are not present at all, making this a rather drinkable beer despite having an alcohol content of 10% ABV.  For a Christmas brew Delirium Noël is lacking in complexity, I was bored and disappointed.  I give it a B-. 

Beer: Delirium Noël

Serving Type: 750ml bottle

Style: Belgian Strong Dark Ale

ABV: 10%

Score: B-