L'Ensemble is a barley wine from De Dochter van de Korenaar (the daughter of the corn) that weighs in with a mighty 13% ABV and for a beer with such power comes in a very generous 500ml bottle. It's brewed just once a year and is available at Winter time (just perfect for warming the cockles)
COMMERCIAL DESCRIPTION
an all-malt barley-wine, double mashed to obtain 27 degrees Plato; two brews, blond and dark brewed seperately and blended in one fermenter, where it was fermented with both beer- and wine-yeast. Dry-hopped lightly one day before bottling. A beuatifull red coloured-beer, rich and full with a scent of cherries
L'Ensemble pours a very deep brick red that has a slight haze and despite the high ABV is topped with an impressive tan coloured, dense, bubbly head that really hangs around, fading in time to a lasting cap.
Intense aroma of pureed raisins, sticky toffee, sweet syrup (almost jam like) malt loaf and biscuits....bloody wonderful.
Taste follows along with a malty bitterness on the finish that stops the beer becoming too sweet and no way do you detect the 13%, yes it's intense and sweet but there is no burn at all...a masterpiece in brewing.
I'm thrilled to have finally sampled L'Ensemble and so glad I picked up 2 bottles, come next February I'll certainly be picking up 2 more.
http://www.dedochtervandekorenaar.be/
