Bottleworks Van den Vern Grand Cru

Formerly brewed at De Proefbrouwerij
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
Lochristi - Hijfte, Belgium

Serve in Trappist glass, Tulip, Tumbler

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330 ml bottle shared by dbsdelight- thanks again, Dan! Dan said he found this at Corral Liquors years ago for $1 a bottle. 2004 vintage with a slim shape like a Struise bottle, not the Duvel-shaped one in the picture. Pours a clear amber with some sediment that hazes it a bit and a small off-white head that settles into just a ring. Aroma of brown sugar, toffee, dried fruits, candy apples, and a little Belgian yeast. Flavor of caramel malts, toffee, brown sugar, nuts, dried fruits, and rust. Light-medium bodied, with low carbonation and a sweet, malty mouthfeel and sticky finish. Interesting beer that has held up okay since 2004 but probably won’t last any longer.

Quite dark color, medium foam. Aroma is caramellish and toffee, some bready yeast. Flavour is too sweet for me. Medium body.

Pours a hazy brown. Smells of bread and apple juice. Very sweet with a moderate bitterness. Lots of caramel aromas.Light alcohol touch. Also aromas of dates. Bready. Fullish bodied. Soft carbonation. Over the top.

2004 Bottle pours hazy nut brown color with thin tan head. Aroma is nutty, raisin, plum, dark fruit. Medium mouthfeel. Flavor is more raisin, nut, dark fruit, bready, and finishes semi dry. A pretty tasty brew. Not quite a 4 though.

11.2 oz bottle. Pours a ruby red body with a foamy one finger beige head that faded to a wispy thin film and left tons of thick lacing. The nose is deep dark fruity malts and some Belgian yeast with some light alcohol, and a touch of leather. The flavor is heavily Belgian with lots of plum and dark fruits over a yeasty base. Fairly prominant alcohol taste. A lot of similarities to many Belgian Quads. Fairly full and soft in texture with soft frothy carbonation. Decent, but not overly unique or a stand-out.

Pours burnt orange. Nose is tart fruit, cherries, plum, grapes, some burnt caramel. Flavor is yeast, tat fruits, some funk, sweet fruity esters, toffee.

Bottle. Pours cloudy reddish brown with a huge lasting beige head. Tart apples on the first sniff, followed by bread and raisins. Rich malty taste of dried fruits- apple, raisin, date, fig- bread, and spice. Subtle and smooth with a sweet and slightly bitter tobacco finish.

330 mL bottle picked up at Bottleworks. Bottled 2004. Pours a murky brown with bit of a red hue mixed in. Lots a small bubbles form close together along the sides and bottom of the cup. Also has some bottle conditioning sediment. Nose is heavy with candy apple suckers and dark fruits. Also has a slight yeastyness to it. Entry is very sweet with candy, light cinnamon, a bit of french oak, caramel, dry chardonnay. Mouth is light with a slight syrupiness to it. Alcohol comes through a little stronger towards the end. Pretty flat in carbonation.

Courtesy fogdog. 2004 vintage. Pours a hazy, brownish-red color with a foamy tan head. Minimal, spotty lacing marks the glass. The aroma shows figs, fermented dark fruit, caramelized tart apples, mild chocolate malt, and hints of molasses. Some bready yeast comes through as well. Flavors follow along the same lines, caramel and dark fruits being accompanied by a mild roastiness. Raisin and fig play big roles. Mostly sweet, with hints of balancing earth. Medium-plus on the palate, smooth, finishing with lingering fruity notes. Solid brew.

C&PLYFOTD: Bottle, courtesy fogdog. Dark brass pour, some frothy head and lacing. Some tart elements in the nose, cherries, chocolate, and some licorice. Flavor is full of caramel, chocolate, and delicious sweet fruits. Full-bodied, extremely good, balanced and quite drinkable.