Delirium Black Barrel Aged
Delirium Black Barrel Aged is an 11.5% ABV Belgian strong dark ale from Brouwerij Huyghe in Melle, Belgium — a blend of two Delirium icons, Nocturnum and the Noël Christmas seasonal, aged nine months in Buffalo Trace bourbon barrels and bottle-conditioned. Dark fruit, bourbon-soaked oak, and Belgian yeast spice in a 750mL bottle built for sharing. It's available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.
- ABV: 11.5%
- Style: Belgian strong dark ale (barrel-aged)
- Size: 750mL
- Blend: Delirium Nocturnum + Delirium Noël
- Barrels: Buffalo Trace bourbon barrels, 9 months
- Brewery: Brouwerij Huyghe, Melle, Belgium (est. 1906)
- Rating: 93 — BeerAdvocate
Two Deliriums, One Bourbon Barrel
The pink-elephant brewery — Huyghe, brewing in Melle since 1906 on a site active since 1654 — took two of its darkest, strongest beers and gave them nine months in ex-bourbon American oak. Blending Nocturnum's dark depth with Noël's seasonal richness, then resting the marriage in Buffalo Trace barrels, pulls vanilla, toffee, and toasted oak into the Belgian base of dark fruit and candi sugar. Bottle-conditioning keeps it alive in the glass, and the 93 on BeerAdvocate confirms what the elephant faithful already knew. Find more Belgian imports in beer and everything from Delirium — or explore the barrel's origins in bourbon whiskey.
Tasting Notes
Official notes promise "a spicy & vanilla scented strong beer": vanilla, dark fruit (fig, plum, raisin), bourbon-soaked oak, caramelized candi sugar, clove, and orange peel on the nose. The palate brings caramel, bourbon, vanilla, and a hint of almond over a rich dates-raisins-toffee entry, with bourbon-barrel vanilla and toasted oak at mid-palate. The finish is smoothly bitter, woody, and warming without harsh burn, trailing dried orange peel and bread yeast.
How to Enjoy
Serve at 10–12°C (50–54°F) in a tulip or snifter — too cold and you'll mute the barrel character. It drinks like a digestif: rich, warming, and built for slow sipping, ideally split between two people and a long evening.
Frequently Asked Questions
What beers are blended in Delirium Black?
Delirium Nocturnum (Belgian strong dark ale) and Delirium Noël (the Christmas seasonal).
Which barrels are used?
Buffalo Trace bourbon barrels, for nine months.
How strong is Delirium Black Barrel Aged?
11.5% ABV — firmly in Belgian strong-ale territory.
Is it a limited release?
It's produced as a limited/annual release — when the vintage is gone, it's gone.
Beer collectors and barrel-aging fans: order Delirium Black Barrel Aged online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.