Chimay Bleue (Blue) / Grande Réserve

Brewed by Chimay
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
Baileux, Belgium

Serve in Trappist glass, Tulip, Tumbler

send corrections   |   shelftag   |   edit barcodes   |   add pic

UPDATED: NOV 15, 2009 Rating based on aged samples A beer with an enormous potential. Apart from ’fresh’ Chimay Bleu’s i’ve also tasted two, three and (thanks to jbrus) five, ten, 15 and 20 year old ones. A fresh Chimay is nice, malty and a bit yeasty with notes of raisins, liquorice and some alcohol. However, it is nothing compared to ’aged’ one. After two years the flavour has not really changed much, but after 3 years an obvious difference occurs, it’s much more complex: malts, chocolate, coffee, fruits, raisins it’s all there. After five years the flavour has changed so much you wouldn’t recognize it being a Chimay Bleu. It’s more fruity and alcoholic, with an obvious port-like aroma and flavour. A ten year old one was IMO the best of the whole collection: incredibly full flavoured with long-lasting (alcoholic) finish and the aroma was one of the best i’ve ever experienced. Carbonation is totally lost in bottles aged for more than five years (NO head), but who cares? It’s great! Remarkably, the 15 year old bottle was inferior to the 10 and 20 year old bottle. In conclusion, the flavour changes the most after five years of aging and reaches an optimum after 10 and 20 years (and perhaps even later...?). Additional note: Recently also sampled a four year old bottle (Grande Reserve ’99). The flavour of this bottle was really in between a 3 year old (which still has the "fresh" Chimay Bleu flavour) and 5 year old (which is has totally different, more port-like flavours). My personal conclusion is that, if you want to drink a "fresh-flavoured" Chimay Bleu, you should stick to 3 year old bottles (much more complex than new bottles). After the turning point (5 years or older) more port-like, alcoholic and fruity flavours can be detected, which make it totally different from the "fresh" taste. This aged flavour is (IMHO) at best after 10 years (but still excellent after 20).

Hazy burnt orange colour. Dried currents, malt and vanilla on the nose. Rich, deep flavour - slightly sweet. Wood, fruit and caramel coming through too.

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.