Brewery Ommegang, Cooperstown, NY; 6.2% ABV

Aroma of Belgian funkiness, spices, floral-citric hops. Delightful golden-honey appearance, hazy, with generous amounts of bubbles rising into a dense, thick cream-coloured head. Starts with subtle fruitiness, then an explosion of flavour follows on the palate – wow! This is excellent! There’s so much going on here – a sour and even pithy aspect, rounded biscuity malt with a solid bitterness in the background, some spice from the yeast (clove, coriander), floral-citric hops and general Belgian funk. Medium body with finely-beaded, generous carbonation and some creaminess added by that luxurious head.

Leaves a lingering sour-bitter finish. I would try with a nice salad of mixed spring greens & roasted veggies, slice of rich quiche, or a sandwich of brie on baguette or croissant. This is simply fantastic!

New Glarus Brewing Co., New Glarus, WI

Wisconsin ale brewed with raspberries

Appearance is a deep, raspberry-pink-red hue topped with a pale pinkish head of very fine foam. Amazing aroma of raspberry danish – sweetish and fruity. Very fine carbonation tingles the tongue. Medium body and a smooth, almost velvety texture. Superb raspberry flavour is again reminiscent of a danish or maybe a pie, with a sweetish front followed by a tart, almost puckering finish. No hop character at all, and the malt has a light, bready or pie crust effect, but make no mistake, this beer is all about the raspberries. I get a mix of both red and black raspberry flavour. The back end has a little butteriness or oiliness to the mouthfeel. Good depth of flavour. Finish lingers a bit and fades. Wow.

Unibroue, Chambly, Quebec, Canada

5.5% ABV, beer brewed from lightly smoked whisky malt

Clear, bright pale amber hue with a creamy, pale beige head. Aroma is that Unibroue house yeast, with notes of clove, coriander, and faint vanilla & banana. Very spritzy on the tongue – generous, fine carbonation keeps the body on the lighter side of medium. Honeyed caramel with a tangy quality, followed by notes of clove over light coriander & banana-vanilla. I get the slightest whisper of smoke in the finish, with a gentle bitterness and a return of the tangy honey note.I think I expected a bit more smokiness, but this is very drinkable, thirst-quenching, and more-ish. Very pleasant, quaffable beer.

North Coast, Fort Bragg, CA

5.5% ABV, 53 IBUs

Opaque black appearance with garnet highlights and a thin head the colour of espresso crema. Aroma combines roasty note with molasses. Smooth, rich texture but with a medium body. Carbonation has a brief tingle but is lighter overall. Assertive flavours start out with an espresso character, roasty with an almost burnt edge and some bitterness, followed by some molasses and a tangy sweetness, drying into a roasty finish. Very nice. Leaves a roasted note on the palate reminiscent of dark chocolate-covered coffee beans.I'm thinking this should pair well with Belgian chocolates, chocolate cake, and tiramisu.

The Bruery, Placentia, CA (Famille Rue);

Belgian-style dark ale brewed with cocoa nibs & toasted pecans, unfiltered, bottle-conditioned, 12% ABVI was fortunate enough to cross paths with a sample of this brew at Dorothy Lane Market in Centerville, OH before the holidays, and ended up buying a bottle. The beer pours a deep reddish-black, opaque except near the bottom of the stemware glass I used. Maintains a solid warm tan head of thick, tightly-knit foam. Aroma of dark, unsweet cocoa and roasted coffee beans, with acohol strength evident. Fairly full-bodied with a richness, lifted by insistent and fine carbonation tingle. Carries some fruity, mildly sweet notes up front reminiscent of baked prunes or prune bread, then some alcohol heat, rounding into dark chocolate and hint of toasted pecan with a fleeting bitter edge that weaves in and then fades. Bit of a molasses-like tang flits in at the end. Complex, big, and most satisfying as an evening sipper.Inspired by the chocolate, caramel & pecan candy, this is a wonderful liquid treat that captures the essence of the candy and takes it to new heights. Lovely!