BJs Grand Cru

Brewed by BJs Restaurant & Brewhouse
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
, USA

Serve in Trappist glass, Tulip, Tumbler

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Draught at BJ’s, Burbank (CA). Cloudy mahogany colour. Aroma of cinnamon and sage. Sweet and full bodied with sticky mouthfeel. Notes of raspberry and band-aid. A bit artificial, overly spicy and cloyingly sweet.

10.4% version at the Sacramento venue. Aromas of orange peel, spice and candi. Golden color with a creamy white head that laces somewhat. Medium bodied with creamy carbonation. Flavor is sweet (not quite caramel) malt and candi with a little citrus or more likely cardamom; some light stone fruit. Heat in the throat. Noble hop comes forth as it warms in the finish. Smooth, spicy, fruity finish. Tasty, but not alive. Went well with blackened chicken.

Draft at Orlando brewpub. Poured hazy orange color with an average creamy white head that mostly lasted with fair lacing. Moderate yeasty sour citrus aroma. Medium body with little carbonation and sticky texture. Medium balanced citrus flavor with a medium sweet & sour finish of moderate duration. Drinkable brew that met my expectations.

On tap @ BJs Westminster poured a clear reddish brown with a small lingering light amber head. Aromas of dark fruit, carmel and brown sugar. Palate was medium bodied and crisp. Flavors of carmel, toffee, brown sugar and a hint of cherry with a warming lingering bittersweet finish.

2009 Vintage listed at 10% ABV. On tap at BJ’s Westwood, CA. Pours with a large, creamy white head over a hazed tangerine hued body. Sheets of lacing. Aroma of coriander, banana esters, candi sugar and alcohol. Taste is cereal, light alcohol, coriander, bananas. Alcohol is there, but decent;y mellow. Some pear notes as well. Sweet and fruity. Odd silky mouthfeel, nearly feels like a nitro tap. Light carbonation.

Cloudy orange color with a huge white head. Served crazy cold in an ice cold glass(nice glass)...aroma is loaded with coriander, orange, spice, yeast and some honey. Flavor is sweet and yeasty with some fruit, honey, orange peel and a little alcohol warming as it got warmer.

Transparent hazy yellow golden with wispy lacing white head. Has a semisweet biscuity pale caramel malty nose with some coriander and orange zest notes. Starts with pretty good fullness and sweet caramely maltiness with a touch of light fruity esters and coriander before a drier bittersweet finish. A pretty true to style and drinkable Belgian strong ale.

A showcase offering, Glendale location. Cloudy urine yellow, with white head and lace. You can see the carbonation bubbles. Yeasty aroma. Taste is rather too sweet, corriander and yeasty, a tad spicy. A Belgian lager. Not that drinkable as cloying.

Boulder, Jan 2005. Light yellow body with a white head. Mostly clear. Spicy, sweet trippel-like candy sugar and spiced flavor. Sweet lemons and spices in the nose. Light body, watery at times. Perfumy white grapes and coriander... a light alcohol finish as well. Very drinkable.

Sample at the Brew Kettle in Strongsville. This brew pours a cloudy copper color with a medium and bubbly off-white head that dissipates slowly. Patches of lacing on the glass. Aroma of sweet spices, yeast and bananas. Medium-bodied with a spiced character. Flavors of spices, bread and hops with more banana in the background. Sweet spice finish with touches of hops in the aftertaste. Decent overall.