Allagash Grand Cru

One of those suprise beers. Opened the fridge the other day and started shuffling beers around and SUPRISE, this one is sitting in the back, and who knows how long. Anyway it pours out a slightly cloudy orange/light copper color with a very small lacing head. Aroma is of some sweet malts, slight fruit maybe some apple or pear with a touch of spice. Taste stayed true to the aroma with notes of sweet malt, some yeast spices such as corriander and a bit of other sweet/tart spice. Notes of some smoke on the finish. Solid brew from a great brewery

Hazy orange color...decent Spicy aroma (cloves, coriander, nutmeg)... hints of lemon and orange zest, malt, yeast. An amazing, unique, candy-like "orange" flavor with a heavy sweet malty background and a touch of hops. Nice smooth, velvety mouthfeel, good carbonation and a dry finish. Overall pretty great, not too heavy on the spiciness, not too sweet.

[bottle] Spicy, sweet apricot aroma. Pours an orange color, with a short-lived, white head. Tastes sweet, with some good malts and yeast character, along with some apricot/marmalade sweetness. Very nice, fruity sweetness. Finishes with a subtle spicy, smokey note.

750ml bottle, batch 12, golden-orangeish hue, with a small beige head, with a spicy nose of coriander, curaçao, hint of anise, candied orange peels, caramelized malt, toasted malt, with a peachy and apricot fruitiness in the aroma follows through on a medium-bodied palate with a crisp sweet caramelized malt, with a nice candied orange peels fruitiness, curaçao, spicy coriander accent, smooth sweet bready dough malt, note of dried fruits, hint of marmalade, with an honeyish touch, leading towards a sweet candied fruitiness and a faint floral hops bittering finish.

A pretty good tasting mellow beer. Nothing too extravagant, and hard to describe. You can taste hints of fruit in the background, but I can’t really pull out any other distinct flavors...almost like a woody taste to it. I’m not really catching the smoke and licorice, but there isn’t a very mild spice in there somewhere.

Deep amber brew with abig head on a fast pour.Nose is slightly spicy with some Xmas spices coming out. Mulling?? Well the flavor was a bit muddled but I did like the soft fruity notes mixed with the spices.

Pour is a cloudy orange with a tall white head. Aroma is very much a nice grassy hops with some malts and candy sugar. Flavor is very good. Some hops but the spices really show up. Malts come in next along with some yeastness. Finsih is dark fruits with a slight touch of alcohol. Very tasty and pleasing to all the sences. Easy on the wallet as well makes this one to look for.

ORIGINAL RATE (8-6-2006): Odd that I found this at the South Portland Hannaford in the middle of the summer, but it was in the remnants of the last 4-pack of them. Hazy amber body with thin light tan head. Smells spicy, with yeast and hop notes. Tastes sweet, kind of fruity and spicy with just a hint of smoke. Honestly I have never ever been disappointed by Allagash, and this has not broken their streek. Possibly the best Maine brewery, especially if you’re more a fan of the Belgians than of the British Isles beers (that most other Maine brewers focus on) Check plus! I’d definitely get this one again.

RE-RATE (2-14-2007): 750ml brown bottle from Florian’s. Murky orange-amber body with a little less than an inch of off-white head. Smells sweet, fruity, and spicy. A plethora of spices dominate the flavor with more orange peel on the finish. Very well ballanced, pleasing flavor. Light to medium in mouthfeel, with a fair bit of carbonation. The combination of flavors and lighter body make this an extremely drinkable brew for the style and ABV. I’m very impressed, and am glad I picked up a couple extra bottles to cellar.