Category Archives: Delirium

Hello everyone.  For today’s craft beer review I’m going to be trying the Delirium Nocturnum produced by the Brouwerij Huyghe Brewery in Melle, Belgium.

I’ve only had this beer once before and, honestly, I can’t even begin to tell you what I thought about it.  For that reason I decided to give it another go and do a proper review.

From the website, delirium.be, we find this bit of information on the Nocturnum.

Initially, a very good mouthfeel of alcohol and softness. This is followed by an increasing bitterness, partially from the hop, but also from the roasted malt and chocolate malt. Towards the end a nice balance between bitterness, sour and sweet.

Time for a pour and a drink.

This brew comes in an 11.2 oz. bottle and it has an ABV of 8.5%.

From an easy pour it appeared a nice, cloudy, burgundy/brown color with a somewhat smooth, creamy, tan head.  The size was adequate and the retention time seemed so-so, however the lacing was a bit underscored.

The nose brought forth hints of dark fruit.  Figs and raisins.  Some toasted bread crusts combined with that wonderful Belgian Yeast.  I also started to detect what I thought was a hint or two of ripe red apples.  Some sweet caramel malt and spices of clove really helped tie everything together for a very pleasant fragrance.  Kind of earthy on the nose as well as it opened up.   

The taste began with a minute alcohol punch.  It was quickly followed and hidden by the cloves intermingled with dark fruits of raisins and figs.  Again, a slight ripe apple flavor.  Very bready, yeasty and creamy through the middle.  The caramel sweetness was sturdy and some chocolate malt made an appearance, but never really became a dominating factor I didn’t think.  Oh well.  The hop presence and bitterness seemed light and almost insignificant.  As the brew warmed, the cloves and creamy yeast really started to shine at the back end.  Very nice I thought. 

The mouthfeel was medium bodied, mostly smooth, creamy, chewy and dry.  The carbonation was good and a very nice dose of warmth was felt from the alcohol.  Plenty of goodness was left on the palate long after each sip.

Overall, I think this is a very solid beer.  The aroma and flavor were very nice to say the least.  Plenty was going on to keep me interested for the duration.  In my opinion it’s an excellent example of the style.  The drinkability was quite good as well.  I think it could be enjoyed at anytime of the day and at anytime during the year, however it might be best sampled as a late night sipper.  Just my opinion.  I’d definitely give the Delirium Nocturnum a try if you have yet to do so.  I think that you will be satisfied by it.  Especially if you enjoy the Belgian Strong Dark Ale style.  Don’t be afraid to leave a comment if you have already had it.  I would love to hear your opinions.

Thanks for reading everyone.  As always, it most appreciated.

Until next time.  Cheers.

Score:  3.9 out of 5
Grade:  B+  

How about another craft beer review?  Today, I thought I would review a Belgian Strong Pale Ale called the Delirium Tremens from the Brouwerij Huyghe Brewery in Melle, Belgium. 

I’ve never tried this beer before, so I’m not sure what to expect. 

First, a little snippet from the website, delirium.be.

Feels like the sound shot of alcohol is igniting in the mouth.  In reality the tongue and palate are warmed.  The taste is characterized by its roundness.  The aftertaste is strong, long-lasing and dry bitter.

How ’bout we get it in the glass and give it a taste?

This brew comes in a cool looking 11.2 oz. bottle with an 8.5% ABV.

The appearance was a semi-clear, light gold/honey color.  With a gentle pour, I received an average sized, bright white head that had ok retention and lacing.  The crown appeared to be somewhat soapy, but with “fine” bubbles.  It was fizzy, yet smooth.

The nose was very fruity and spicy up front.  Some hops burst forth, which brought about a slight barnyard “funk”.  It smelled similar to a Saison or a Sour to me.  It had a sharp, floral note that was ok, however I found it to be a bit strong.  It just wasn’t balanced to my liking I guess.

The taste had more of a spicy, fruity, yeasty tone with a sharp, hop bitterness and sweetness.  The sweetness is toned down a bit in comparison to the aroma, but it was still prevalent.  Also, the sharpness seemed to be more gentle and bearable.  A slight alcohol flavor helped to finish the flavor profile.  To me, the taste was more pleasing, satisfying and balanced than the smell.

The mouthfeel was medium, dry, smooth and crisp.  Nicely refreshing with good carbonation.  The palate was left with some flavor.  Not a tremendous amount, but some.  For a relatively high ABV, I felt little to no alcohol warmth.

Overall, this beer was just ok for me.  It took a few sips to get used to the sharpness and sweetness, but as I got going and let it develop, it became more pleasant and balanced.  I could have another and be happy, but after that I would probably move on to something different.  I am starting to appreciate the Belgian Strong Ales more and more each time I try them, however I’m still learning to identify the subtle differences that each entail.  I would like to try this again sometime within the next year or so and see how my palate adjusts to this style and to see if I find a greater fondness for the sharp sweetness. 

Is the Delirium Tremens a favorite of yours?

I hope everyone is having a great day.  I appreciate all the support guys.  Please keep reading and commenting.  Thanks.  Cheers!!!

Score:  3.45 out of 5
Grade:  B- 

Tonight’s review comes from the Brouwerij Huyghe brewery in Melle, Belgium.  It’s a funky little brew called the Floris Apple.  I have yet to experience many “fruit” beers, so when I saw this I thought I would give it a try.

You can find a whole array of their products from the website, delirium.be.  Not much information was to be explained on each beer, however I did find a little comment on the Floris Apple.

Delicate, sour and light sweet fruity beer, with a soft note of cider and a sourish, green fruity sweet aftertaste. 

I wonder how it is?

This brew was a very light 3.6% ABV and came in a 11.2oz. bottle.

The pour produced a very hazy, gold/yellow color with a small, bright white head that had minimal retention and only a sparse amount of lacing.  The head was rather fizzy and had a combination of both large and small bubbles.  I did see quite a bit of sediment floating around in the glass, which appealed to me somewhat.

The nose brought forth some very nice aromas of fresh apples that conjured up similarities to fresh apple juice or apple cider.  I even started to detect touches of honey with spices that, unfortunately, I could not put my finger on to reveal their identification.  The apple was very dominate and not harmonious with the other characteristics.  This very well may have been the brewers intent however.

With the first sip, I got a nice rush of the apple juice flavors.  I also picked out some wheat and yeast tones, which seemed to add a bit of complexity, but not much.  The apple, again, is the primary factor.  Some bitterness caught my attention, which gave it a slightly sour profile.  It is very sweet all the way through.

The mouthfeel was medium to medium/thin, very refreshing and crisp.  It was a touch dry and seemed to cover the palate in an average way.

Well….  this is a nicely refreshing Summer beer.  I’m not real sure how many of these I could drink at one time though.  It’s really out front with the apple aromas and flavoring and the sweetness might become a bit distracting after a while.  I thought it was best served when cold because that seemed to tame the sourness.  All in all, it was a welcome change and would be suitable when taken in small doses. 

Let me know what you thought of it if you’ve had it.

Score:  3.15 out of 5
Grade:  C+