Chimay Bleue (Blue) / Grande Réserve

Brewed by Chimay
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
Baileux, Belgium

Serve in Trappist glass, Tulip, Tumbler

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UPDATED: JUN 8, 2005 7/3/04 Rating: 3.1. Big bottle into Chimay Trappist glass. Disappointment. Tasted like the bastard stepchild of De Dolle Oerbier Special Reserva after a severe punishment and no supper. Comes from a good family, mind you, and the foster parents mean well, but they can only do so much with what they’ve been given. Considering the high ratings this got a few years ago, I’m guessing it’s going downhill. Shame. Poured brown-orange and darkish, beige head large to fully diminishing, fizzy. Not much lacing at all. Smelled citrusy and yeasty, maybe a bit of honeydew melon in there. Tasted vaguely like an orange peel, somewhat smoky, alcohol, malt. Not much of a finish. Fizzy, medium bodied mouthfeel was kind of unpleasant. 6/3/05 Re-Rate: 3.7. (2003 Bottle, 750 ml into tulip glass). Uncorked quickly, lots of pressure. Yeast, bread, banana, lemon, some skunk and black pepper on the nose. Huge fizzy fluffy grayish-beige head, rocky, with a latice of sticky lace. Clear ruby brown in the light, darkly transluscent in the glass. Medium body, prickly carbonation, low to medium acidity gets stronger through the finish. Caramel and chocolate malts with a tad bit of roast, slight malted milk ball flavor and lots of musty white bread toast in the middle. Some nuttiness in the beginning of the finish. Some tangy mealiness in the beginning of the finish detracts, but the banana flavors in the finish are awesome. Overall, despite all the complexity, I found the flavor profile to be kind of weak in intensity and the feel to be watery for how big the beer is, especially since I could notice the alcohol in the mouthfeel.

Many flavors here that are fighting for attention. Dried fruits, toffee, caramel and a pleasant bitterness. Recommended!

Hazy Brown, cloudy, lovely full and persistent head, firm bubbles. Yeast, caramel and fruits (figs) on the palate its broad, creamy full on with good length and well integrated bubbles which refresh nicely, add weight and volume. Lovely!!

An old favourite, from long before my beer interest reached its current level, it’s nice to notice this one still is as good as I remember it from the late 90’s when esp0r and I discovered the excitement outside of Lagerland. Dark brown, good tanned head. Warm aroma of dark fruits, malts, vanilla. Really complex taste of dried fruits, alcohol, spice, yeast and flowers. Good aroma, with just the right level of carbonation - lasting sweet finish

Bottle shared with (and courtasy of) Inbreak and ClubGonzo. Vintage 2007. Pours a hazy brown colour with a small beige head. Nice sweet aromas of dried fruit, wood, leather, fudge, port and a hint of alcohol. In the flavour I find leather, dried fruit, coffee and some anis and something salty (licorice). Light bitterness, and slick but a bit watery mouthfeel. The beer has a good aroma but feels a bit thinner in the taste.

Pours dark brown-amber with a thick creamy-smooth tan head. Sweet malt, yeast, some spices and some dark fruits on the aroma. Roasted malt, caramel, dark fruits (probably plums), yeast and spice. A little alcohol at the finish. Smooth and balanced beer with complex taste. Great beer.

Excellent beer that you must try. It has smell of dark fruits, cherries, malt and yeast. It’s medium, creamy and has great carbonation. Smooth and rich beer that tastes like mild cherry, belgian yeast and caramel. 9% alc didnt feel so much. Great beer!

Aroma is plums, prunes, raisins, smoky malts, caramel, metallic hops and booze. Taste is plenty of caramel, cocoa, roasted malts, sugar, raisins and plums, spicy and a bit nutty. A bit of metallic hops with a liitle sour funk. Palate is medium with tons of carbonation. Very rich, smooth and complex. Very, very well done.

Oh my goodness, ladies and gentlemen. This gem pours to an amazing head and lacing with a beautiful dark copper color. Intoxicating scent - plum, mandarin, banana, yeast, floral, pure bliss. Suppose it could be a tad stronger, but still. Flavors - candy apple, banana, malt, booze, grapefruit, heaven. Lingering lip-licking complexity. One of the greatest beers to ever grace mankind.

Very well balanced, but nothing about it stands out as spectacular. Some raisin and dried fruit flavors mixed with a little herbiness. A tasty and very solid beer that’s been overhyped.

Roasty and malty. Slightly yeasty plum raisin flavor. Overly carbonated for my taste. Nice dark caramel color ---Rated via Beer Buddy for iPhone