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Noir de Dottignies

Brouwerij De Ranke
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🌍 Belgium · Belgian Dark Strong Ale · One of 9 Belgian Dark Strong Ales in hopIQ

Noir de Dottignies is the darkest beer in the De Ranke range, a strong, top-fermented brown ale built on seven malts, among them chocolate and dark-roasted grades. Here the hops serve balance rather than aroma. It pours deep chestnut to ruby under a thick beige head. The nose brings bread dough, caramel, figs, plums and dates with cocoa and a light coffee edge. The palate turns to dark chocolate, toffee and roast, with a hint of liquorice and a firm, dry bitterness that keeps the sweetness in check.

ABV
8.5%
Bitterness
Strongly bitter46 IBU
Roasted bitterness
SRM
deep amber20
How it drinks· Its pace, balance and relationship to the style.
Pace
sessionsipper
Balance
malt-ledhop-led
Style expression
textbookdistinctive
Where this beer sits· Four axes, the same for every beer in hopIQ.
Body
Substantial body.
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
Off-dry finish.
drysweet
Bitterness
Firm bitter edge.
mildbitter
Texture
Very crisp mouthfeel.
crispcreamy

Very crisp and substantial.

A heavy frame with a sharp finish — a rare combination that stays pointed on the tongue.

Character· What makes this beer itself — not just another Belgian Dark Strong Ale.
Malt character
chocolate
roasted
caramel
bready
malty
coffee
Fermentation & yeast
fruity
Distinctive notes
dark fruit

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Noir de Dottignies

◎ Appearance

Noir de Dottignies presents a deep chestnut to ruby hue, holding considerable depth without opaqueness. A thick, beige head forms on the pour and maintains good retention, leaving sustained lacing on the glass as the beer is consumed.

deep chestnut-rubythick beige headgood lacing

◌ Aroma

The nose is layered and malt-driven, opening with bread dough and caramel notes that anchor the composition. Dried fruit emerges clearly—figs, plums, and dates—alongside cocoa and a restrained coffee edge that speaks to the dark roasted grains in the grist.

bread doughcarameldried stone fruitcocoa, coffee

◐ Taste

Dark chocolate and toffee dominate the palate, complemented by roasted grain character and a subtle liquorice undertone. A firm, dry bitterness—proportionate to the 46 IBU—enters mid-palate and persists through the finish, effectively counterbalancing the malt sweetness without overwhelming it.

dark chocolatetoffeeroastdry bitterness

◑ Finish

The finish is dry and moderately long, with the bitterness lingering cleanly on the palate. Residual cocoa and roasted grain notes fade slowly, leaving a measured, assertive aftertaste.

drymoderately long
85
hopIQ score
Aroma
87
Taste
86
Appearance
82
Finish
83
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Serve & Enjoy

How to get the most out of Noir de Dottignies

Serve at 9–12°C
Refrigerate, then rest 2 min

Serve at 9–12°C for the best flavour balance and aroma expression.

Goblet
Recommended for this style

The wide mouth and heavy base promote head formation and channel rich aromatics toward the nose. Traditional for Belgian strong ales.

Store in a cool, dark place. Check the best-before date on the label for guidance.

Food Pairing

What to eat with Noir de Dottignies

About Belgian Dark Strong Ale

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a Belgian Dark Strong Ale?

Belgian Dark Strong Ale is a distinctive beer style with its own characteristic flavour, aroma and colour. Discover what makes it unique and find similar beers on hopIQ.

Finding a similar Belgian Dark Strong Ale

hopIQ matches by flavor profile — not just style label. A beer with the same roasted, chocolate, bitter character as Noir de Dottignies will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

Other Belgian Dark Strong Ales in hopIQ

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