De Ranke Père Noël

Rating: 2

Brouwerij De Ranke
Wevelgem, Belgium
Style: Belgian Strong Pale Ale/Seasonal
ABV: 7.0%
750 ml

Pours a rich amber color with solid, not spectacular head; the head dissipated quickly. A lightly hoppy nose, and quite a hop wallop with the first mouthful - an intense flavor that showcased the best of hops with little astringent bitterness. Even with this being a De Ranke production, we weren't quite prepared for the hoppiness: we had paired it with food better-suited to a more traditional winter beer. Once we realized that the food pairing wasn't ideal, we focused on the beer itself, and concluded that it is an exceptionally drinkable brew.