'05 Corsendonk Christmas Ale

Well, I had an awesome beer last night, and I had to post a little blog about it. A few years ago I bought an 8 pack of 2005 Corsendonk Christmas Ale. It was on sale for 16 bucks and it came with the glass you see in the pix. So, I thought I'd give it a shot. I had a few of them then and I wasn't impressed. I threw the last 3 in the closet for the next few years and last night I thought I'd pop one open. It's a totally different beer. I wish I had saved the other 5.

Appearance: Deep dark brunette/brown with copper highlights. Creamy, long lasting head about 1/2 cm.

Aroma: Bright and crisp Belgian esters, prune, cherry, pear

Taste: Complex chocolate (but not roasty) toffee, caramel with cherry, and some notes of dried fruit. There was some oxidation, but it only added to the complexity.

Mouthfeel: Bright carbonation, but not harsh. Finishes dry and does not linger.

Drinkability: Extremely drinkable, especially for an 8.5% alcohol beer. I've got two more that have been sitting since xmas '05. I'm not sure how much longer I can wait to drink these.

If you can find it, I suggest picking one up and let it sit for a few years. I know I'll be hunting for it again.