Atomium Premier Grand Cru

Brewed by Brouwerij Van Steenberge
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
Ertvelde, Belgium

Bottle into Atomium tulip, Hop Leaf (Chicago). Pours a pale golden yellow with a huge, fluffy, pillowy white head that lasts a long time and dissipates somewhat rockily into a milky, melted ice-cream looking foam. Overall, this beer is all about spice, from the aroma to the flavor to the finish. Smells strongly of ginger, some nutmeg, some banana (very little), crisp yeasty and acidic notes, and maybe a little black pepper. Reminds me of LaChouffe. Not much body for the alcohol level. Soft melony acidity, but mostly spices in the mouth. The finish evidences some drying noble-type hops. A nice crisp and light beer for summer.

Draft, at Union Jacks on the Manatawny. Poured yellow-gold, with a minimal white head. Sweet aroma, with honey, yeast and some spice. Sweet on the palate, with malt, honey, and some anise. I had no idea it was 8%, surprisingly easy to drink.

Pours dark, cloudy orange with a moderate, white head. Smells strongly of orange and spices. Cinnamon and nutmeg. Moderate mouth feel with a rather strong alcoholic warmth. Yeasty, spicy flavor with some wheat and citrus undertones.

Bottle from Capone’s. Hazy golden pour with huge, fluffy, 4-finger white head. The head looked like the La Chouffe Houbblein head. Aroma of candi sugar, pale malt, yeasty funk, spicy florals. Tastes grainy malty, dry, with a lot of hopcitrus, floral, and spicy notes. Dry, floral, citric palate.

Bottled thanks to drewbeerme, sampled at "Better Know a Style: Belgian Strong Ale" Blind Tasting 07. Clear light colored body with tiny particles, a tall white fizzy head that’s mostly lasting with nice lacing. Aroma is not pretty poor, piss poor, in fact is that piss in there? Straw, hops, pear, barnyard, cheese, soured milk, and urine. Sweet flavored, hay, grain, hmm ... not much else. Light bodied, fizzy, watery. If this is a grand cru, i don’t want to try any of their others.

Bottled, served in Atomium branded Trappist glass. This has been popping up in better beer bars and stores in my area. Line between beer and foam is jagged, what with streams of bubbles constantly running up the sides. Head shrinks, leaving shape of a baked custard and light lacing, Smell is sweet with bits of coriander. Color is hazy gold, like my old "Aurum" class ring. Taste is a bit drier than the smell, full of bubbles like a dubbel. Crispy malt taste, coriander again, and… lemon basil? That’s my impression. Hints of orange cream, too. Mild sweetness kept in check by respectable noble hops. Center pillow of foam stays there until the very end. Some peppercorn in the finish.

There is a fruit-peal dry acidity early. An annoying larger like sweetness near the finish. Lemon and possibly pear or banana. Impressive pilsner-like white bubble head.

Pours a hazy yellow-orange with lots of floaters. A bit of pear in the nose and in on the tongue. Diacetyl is evident in the off-putting butterscotch. Probably an old or poorly handled bottle. A bit of fizzy head, sloppy lace. Light pear/apple. Not a favorite, would not try again unless someone else went first.