BdA McChouffe

The Beer

This dark brother to the famous blond La Chouffe first hit the market back in 1987. The Mc Chouffe aims to steer a middle course between a traditional dark Abbey beer, belonging to the ‘dubbel’ beer style, and a Scotch ale (although the latter generally offers a more pronounced malty taste than see in the Mc Chouffe).
Brasserie d’Achouffe refers to this beer as an ‘Ardense sKotch’, with a nod and a wink to the most popular gnome beer within the family. The Dutch word for gnome is ‘Kabouter‘, hence the inclusion of the capital K. Compared to other re-fermented dark beers, the taste of aMc Chouffe is really quite neutral. Herbs are not added to the brew, in contrast to the La Chouffe. Once poured, this unfiltered dark beer is a feast for the eyes thanks to its deep ruby-red colour.
The nose fills up immediately with potent aromas, however, pushed along by a respectable alcohol content. Aniseed and liquorice demand centre stage, and are complemented beautifully by a creamy touch of caramel. Despite this beer’s challenging aroma, its taste is surprisingly mild, giving impressions of tree fruits such as pears. The Mc Chouffe is not overwhelmingly bitter, and whoever tastes it will be rewarded with a long and warmingaftertaste.