Although most people would likely rate the mighty Belgian Trappist ale, Rochefort 10, above its less alcoholic siblings, I have always been such a fan of the Rochefort 8 that I tend to overlook the 11.3% alcohol 10, described so keenly by Tim Webb as a "warming cosmic meltdown of a forcefully contemplative brew." It's the 8's remarkable affinity towards chocolate, plus its impressive complexity, that constantly lures me into its clutches.
And so it was with great pleasure that I recently attended the party thrown by the U.S. beer importer, Merchant du Vin, at a delightful Atlanta bar called the Brick Store, celebrating the addition of the Rocheforts to their impressive product portfolio. With both beers on offer, I was able to sample one, then the other, and appreciate that their complexities not only match - if anything, the 10 is the more complicated of the two - but even complement one another. I found that, even at 9.2% alcohol, the Rochefort 8 is a beer that welcomes the addition of food, while the Rochefort 10 is most assuredly an after-dinner tipple, meant to be enjoyed with cheese or, as Tim Webb further notes, begs to be "the last of the evening."
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