This Belgian Strong Dark Ale is pretty bloody good.  It has a nice full mouth-feel, typical Belgian fine carbonation and a nice full flavor profile.  The flavor is rather typical of Belgian Strong Dark Ales in that it is mainly dark fruits and dark malts (caramel), but that's not to say they aren't delicious, because it is very well done; and assuming you like those flavors, I think you'll like this beer, maybe not as much as me, but you'll like it.  The alcohol content is 10% and hidden so well, I couldn't even detect it on the palate, but man, half way through the first glass, I felt it in my nervous system,... the warm fuzziness and well being of ethanol.  The mouth-feel is not only full, but almost feels silky like a nitro draft, but I'm rather certain this wasn't a nitro draft as I poured from the bottle you see to the right.  Although the flavor is full, it's actually not that complex, and at this very moment, that's what I was looking for. I'm a bit surprised to see a rather simple flavor profile in St Bernardus Christmas Ale as I assumed it would be really spicy, but any 'spice' flavors are on the subtle side, the real flavors that come through are the aforementioned dark fruits and caramel malt.  When a beer is this delicious and this well done, it doesn't matter to me that it's not complex, plus the 10% alcohol is impairing my judgment so I'm liking it more every second.

Bottle Cap

Brewery Website

BeerTripper Rating

http://www.sintbernardus.be/

Alcohol Concentration

10.00

Belgian Strong Dark Ale

Ale