This beer is deliciously described by the current CEO if the brewery Xavier van Honsebrouck as being ‘the successful marriage between beer, coffee and chocolate.’ Quite a reference for one of the breweries newest labels.
But it isn’t truly a new creation, as the beer was previously marketed as Kasteel Winter, the Christmas seasonal beer. It was unique among the Belgian Christmas beers in that it lacked any herbs or spices. Instead this beer relies on Belgian chocolate and coffee.
So keen to capitalise on a year-round marketability of this beer, we have the updated label with that same delicious beer inside.
As you’d expect, the beer is really rich and full-bodied. Sweet malts, creamy chocolate, dark stone fruits, hints of red wine, molasses and vanilla, with a pleasant layer of coffee present throughout.
There is just hop and/or yeast character to provide a bitterness and little spice to the beer, and this stops it short of being cloying. The aftertaste is long, rich and warming; though it hides the 11% ABV really well.