AleSmith Grand Cru

	Percentile
	99
	overall

Brewed by AleSmith Brewing Company
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
San Diego, California USA

bottled
common

on tap
unknown

Regional Distribution
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Ratings	Average	Score	Seasonal	ABV	Style Pctl	Serve in
614	3.9/5.0	3.89/5.0	Winter	10.6%	96.7	Trappist glass, Tulip, Tumbler

Commercial Description:
Bottle conditioned.
AleSmith Grand Cru really needs to be tasted to be truly appreciated. Toasty, caramelly flavors, as well as flavors imparted by the Belgian yeast strain, predominate over a tapestry of subtle nuances. Winner of the blue ribbon at the 1999 California State Fair, it is a thing of beauty. It is available in 750 ml. champagne bottles. Appearance: Crystal clear (when served properly), with a toast-brown color. Flavor: Starts with the tangy flavor of our championship Belgian yeast, then fades to a medium-light flavor of vanilla, caramel and chocolate. Finishes dry and well-balanced with a slightly toasty flavor. Aroma: Vanilla and chocolate aromas predominate, along with the Belgian yeast characteristics. Mouthfeel (body/texture): Clean and crisp, medium-bodied. Warmth from the high alcohol content makes it feel like a fine wine.

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blutt59 (2102), Dallas, Texas, USA

3.2	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
3.2	7/10	4/5	6/10	3/5	12/20

Nov 21, 2009

Bottle, dark ruby brown with 1" of bubbly tan foam, aroma of belgian sugar and Flavors of diet coke, chocolate and caramel, finish is watery, bitter

ante (2928), Stockholm, Sweden

3.8	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
3.8	7/10	4/5	8/10	4/5	15/20

Nov 20, 2009

Bottled. Pours out in a cloudy dark reddish brown colour with a low firm tan-coloured head. Rich solid aroma of yeast, dark chocolate, tart cherries, banana, salty licorice and mild pear. Full-bodied with touches of yeast, licorice, cardamom, cherry-skins, banana and prunes. Firm and chewy mouthfeel. Long warming finish of spicy yeast, prunes, dark bread, licorice and black cherries. Good stuff!

Gypsy19 (621), California, USA

3.5	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
3.5	6/10	3/5	8/10	3/5	15/20

Nov 15, 2009

Pours a dark cinnamon brown with a medium light brown head. Aroma is of caramel malts and has that usual AleSmith dusty aroma as well. Flavor is of real Belgian yeast, sweet dark malt, toffee, a little chocolate too. Flavor gets better as it warms up. Thick viscosity, average mouthfeel for the style. Overall, very good.

Hank1980 (744), Athens, Georgia, USA

3.9	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
3.9	8/10	3/5	8/10	4/5	16/20

Oct 27, 2009

Bottle with at least a 18 months age. Poured a cloudy dark brown with a redish tinge and a really small white head. Aroma of tart cherry, belgian yeasy, spice. Taste is similarly fruity, with sweet malt, belgian yeast & spice. Mouth is lightly carbonated and sticky. Booze is lightly detectable in the finish, though not overly so. Complex fruit and belgian flavors dominate. A very nice brew.

boamr (118), Pennsylvania, USA

4.2	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
4.2	8/10	4/5	9/10	4/5	17/20

Oct 7, 2009

Pours a dark brown with a little white head. Has a slight cherry yeasty smell. Has a yeasty dark fruit taste. ABV well hidden in this. Very well done

craftbeerdesign (747), Alpharetta, Georgia, USA

4.2	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
4.2	8/10	4/5	8/10	4/5	18/20

Oct 4, 2009

sample from the pitcher at GABF on 9/26/09... pours a dark red... some Belgian spice, yeast and dark fruit on the nose... light sweetness throughout... apple, cherry, plum and spice over the mouth... smooth medium body with a sweet finish.

drjay44 (776), Salida, Colorado, USA

3.2	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
3.2	6/10	4/5	6/10	4/5	12/20

Sep 27, 2009

Pitcher pour at 2009 GABF. Pours a thin white head, no lacing, over a clear, golden (SRM 10) body.....nose has a bit of barnyard, plus dried cherry, fig, floral honey.....taste is light grassy, sweetness dominates and lingers....mouth feel is light, carbonation low. This beer under these conditions (GABF) did not seem as rich and complex as expected. Sweetness dominated, and it seemed rather uni dimensional. Tasting 9/26/09.

potbeercollege (335), Boulder, Colorado, USA

3.5	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
3.5	8/10	3/5	7/10	3/5	14/20

Sep 26, 2009

Tasting GABF. Copper yellow with white head. yeasty spice, and citrus in flavor. Alcoholic

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