DuvelvsLa Chouffe

Poured into its signature tulip glass, Duvel performs. The foam is enormous, the colour is golden perfection, the aroma immediately complex — pear, apple, a yeasty funk, very faint spice. The sip reveals why it's dangerous: it tastes like 5% and it's 8.5%. The sweetness is balanced by a clean bitterness that finishes completely dry. No heaviness, no cloying sweetness — just a beautiful, sophisticated lie about how alcoholic it is. It takes discipline to drink slowly.

The gnome on the label is accurate — there's a playfulness here that Duvel's technical precision lacks. The aroma is spiced and fruity: coriander, orange peel, a banana yeast note. The sip is rounder than Duvel, slightly sweeter, with a distinct spice quality that develops in the middle. Less bitter in the finish, which feels friendlier. The alcohol is more noticeable than Duvel but still well-integrated. A beer with character and a sense of humour.