Allagash Grand Cru

Brewed by Allagash Brewing Company
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
Portland, Maine USA

The aroma has a tremendous amount of esters giving it a fruity character along with floral hops and brown sugar. The appearance is medium brown with haze. The flavor is sweet and fruity with some spice. The palate is a little thin for a Belgian but not bad. Overall I like it.

Amber colour with a huge white head. Lovely aroma of coriander, orange peel and little sourness too. Not as good as it smeel. Flavour of corinder, spices and little maltness.

On tap at Barcade: Pours a hazy orangey amber with minimal head. The aroma is slightly vinous with tart fruits, some yeast and candyish malt hints. The flavor is predominately fruity sweet notes. Cranberry, orange, some spicyness (cinnamon?) Later slightly roasted maltly sweetness with a light dry finish. Somewhat simple, especially when given the title of a "Grand Cru", but not bad.

Really nice, toasty, fruity, malty aroma. A distinct chamomile twinge to the flavor, fairly sweet and tastes darker than it appears. The finish is a little tobacco-y. Good stuff.

Light, spicy aroma, with gentle malts and yeastiness. Pour is mid gold with a mild head. Spicy, relaxed flavor, very well balanced with a refreshing palate. A very nice drink overall.

This big old bad boy pours an unclouded mahogany with a head that is Titanic in size, creamy in texture, light tan in color as it dissipates the resultant lace a silky covering upon the glass. Do I detect yeast, yes I do, caramel, sweet, fresh and clean, maybe a bit plummish, and even a nice hop floral aroma, a complex nose to be sure. Front is sweet, malt laden and the top middling in the feel to the palate; finish has a distinct hop spiciness, the acidity delectable and the aftertaste quite dry and long lasting, another keeper from this most spectacular brewery.

In the past, I’ve been fortunate enough to taste some aged samples of the Allagash Grand Cru. Yesterday, I eagerly purchased a 4-pack at Green’s in Atlanta and am quite Crurious about the fresh bottle experience. Appearance: Pours a hazy, orangey-amber body with a small, foamy white head. No amount of snifter swirling can seem to kill the gooey lacing. Smell: Flowery, doughy aroma that’s simply full of lush fruit notes, including bananas, oranges, and melons. Lots of spice character, too, with coriander and ginger. Taste: Bready, caramel maltiness with a perky Belgian dark candi sweetness followed by a pleasant cinnamon spiciness and a hint of herbs. All of the fruit juiciness blends well in the flavor and imparts a bit of sourness which, along with the spice, helps to balance the initial sweetness. Further spice notes appear on the drying finish leading into a peppery aftertaste. Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied. Moderate carbonation. Relatively smooth mouthfeel. Drinkability: A very lovely Belgian Strong, and one that I know ages fairly well. Cruriosity: sated!

Bottle, thanks again Greg. Certainly my favourite of the Allagash line so far. Dark orange, decent white head. Nice spice/fruit/alcohol aroma. Same flavours show up nicely balanced in the flavour profile as well, with a good chunk of malt. Overall has a tea like quality, which really works here. Quite nice.