2 bottles in your cellar have entered their drink window.

BELGIAN STRONG ALE

Caracole Nostradamus

Brasserie Caracole • Namur Belgium

Top Fermentation Bottle Conditioned● 9.5% ABV

A dark, warming strong ale from Caracole, the wood-fired artisan brewery at Falmignoul near Dinant. Rich and complex, with notes of mocha, licorice, dark fruit and anise over a deep caramel malt base.

PERFECT FOR
☾ Cozy Evenings☾ Quiet Reflection🍂 Autumn Evenings
Ask the Monk
FLAVOR PROFILE
MochaLicoriceDark FruitAniseCaramel

Characterful and well-balanced, with notes of mocha, licorice, dark fruit, with a balanced, moreish finish.

SERVING

Serve at 10-14°C in a chalice to maintain a generous head and let the aromas bloom.

10-14°C

CHARACTER
DryOff-drySweet
LightFullFull
SoftSoftBitter

Style-based profile from ABV, style & tasting notes.

TASTING NOTES
Appearance
Golden to amber, with a soft, lasting head
Aroma
Dark Fruit, Caramel
Taste
Balanced, medium-bodied, mocha, licorice, dark fruit, anise
Finish
Clean and a warming glow.
BEER DETAILS
Style:
Belgian Strong Ale
ABV:
9.5%
IBU:
-
Origin:
Namur, Belgium
Glassware:
Chalice
CELLAR1 to 5 years

Can age. Will soften and gain a honeyed depth, though it is lovely fresh too.

PERFECT PAIRING

"A winter beer: game, rich stews, blue cheese, or dark chocolate."

Aged Cheese

Aged Cheese

Gouda, Trappist, Bruges

Stews & Game

Stews & Game

Carbonnade, venison

Chocolate

Chocolate

Dark chocolate, tart

Cook this: a wedge of aged abbey cheese (Chimay, Orval), Flemish stoofvlees, or a dark Belgian chocolate tart or speculoos.

AVAILABILITY

Specialty shops & better bottle stores

UntappdBeerAdvocateTotal Wine
PRICE GUIDE
$$$$

Premium

A considered, special pour.

II

Flavor & Aroma

IOn the nose
  • Mocha
IIOn the palate
  • Mocha
  • Licorice
  • Dark Fruit
  • Anise
  • Caramel
IIIThe finish
  • Warm, balanced

A dark, warming strong ale from Caracole, the wood-fired artisan brewery at Falmignoul near Dinant. Rich and complex, with notes of mocha, licorice, dark fruit and anise over a deep caramel malt base.

III

Story & Heritage

ABOUT THIS BEER

Brasserie Caracole brews at Falmignoul near Dinant in one of the last breweries in Belgium still heating its kettles over a direct wood fire. The brewery takes its name and its snail mascot from the old Caracole carnival of Namur. Nostradamus is its dark winter strong ale, rich with mocha, licorice and anise, a beer built for cold Walloon nights.

On the Belgian Strong Ale style, Strong, malt-forward ales that range from pale to dark. High alcohol content provides warming sensation and complex esters.

Explore the Belgian Strong Ale guide Source: RateBeer
BREWERY

Brasserie Caracole

COUNTRY

Belgium

REGION

Namur

STYLE

Belgian Strong Ale

IV

Glassware & Ritual

The Chalice
THE CHALICE

For Trappist & abbey ales

The broad, open bowl releases the deep malt aromatics of strong abbey ales and supports a thick, protective head, built for slow, contemplative sips.

01

Cellar-cool the glass

Clean and dry, never frosted

02

Pour straight & bold

Down the centre to raise a head

03

Build a rocky crown

A full head locks in the aroma

04

Let it warm

Malt complexity blooms as it opens

V

Reviews

No reviews yet

Community ratings will appear here. In the meantime, see what drinkers say on:

UntappdBeerAdvocate

YOU MIGHT ALSO ENJOY

View All Recommendations
BELGIAN STRONG ALE

De Dolle Oerbier

Brouwerij De Dolle Brouwers

9% ABV 4.7

Dark FruitCaramelTart
BELGIAN STRONG ALE

Pannepot

De Struise Brouwers

10% ABV 4.7

Dark FruitCaramelSpice
BELGIAN STRONG ALE

Bush Ambrée

Brasserie Dubuisson

12% ABV 4.4

CaramelToffeeDried fruit
THE MONK'S NOTE

Pour it into a chalice, served around 10-14°C, and let its aromatics open before the first sip. Lovely now, though a year or two will only soften and deepen it.

Brother Anselm, cellarmaster

ADD TO YOUR JOURNEY

    Belgian Beer Wisdom

    Did you know?

    Many Belgian beers refermenent in the bottle, creating natural carbonation and complex flavors.

    Why it tastes different

    The Monk's Dispatch

    One letter a month from our cellar: a beer worth seeking, a brewery worth knowing, a small lesson in the art. What is this?