Chimay Bleue (Blue) / Grande Réserve

Brewed by Chimay
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
Baileux, Belgium

Serve in Trappist glass, Tulip, Tumbler

Poured a dark brown or maybe burnt copper color and off white foam that was lacey. Aromas bread, some sort of fruit, i think pepper? and slight hops. Taste was malty but sweet, very sweet with a fruity peppered taste. strong after taste that held me wanting more...great beer, happy night for this guy

(Bottle 25/10-2011) [2011] Low beige head, dark amber color, medium co2, yeast aroma, smooth taste. [2005] Taste seems more intense but still smooth.

Good spiced flavor the 9% really hits the palate. A caramel, spiced beer. More bitter than Rochefort. My second favorite beer. If you like Chimay and you like Belgian Trappist ales you should try Trappistes Rochefort 10.

Dark brown, cloudy, with a bit of sediment and a thin white head that doesn’t fade. Dark fruits, black pepper, and caramel in the aroma. Soft, velvety texture that is full of caramel, toast, black pepper, a little banana, and butter. A little heat from the 9% ABV warms on the way down. As with most Trappist beers, the more it warms and the more you savor this, the more complex and delicious it becomes. A 25 ounce bottle is not enough! Outstanding. A must-have

Tasted from bottle into tulip glass. I prefer the small bottles. Poured a beautiful dark copper color with yeast haze and vigorous beige foam, lasting with excellent Belgian lace. Aromas of rising dough, fresh baked bread, caramelized brown sugar, only a hint of spicy hops, fruity and peppery yeast esters, and alcohol. Extremely rich malt sweetness: flavors of bread, toast, biscuits, toffee, plums, apricots, raisins and dried cherries, with very mild hops bitterness. Medium body and full, "chewy" mouthfeel. Alcohol could be felt, smooth and warming, but not at all harsh or overpowering. Dry finish, particularly for such a malty beer, with a lasting peppery aftertaste. No single aspect dominated; this beer could be the very definition of well-balanced. An absolute masterpiece of brewing, one of the greatest.

2 x 10 cl. samples from 75 cl. bottles. Cloudy, mahogany-brown colour, with a medium sized dense, tanned head. Dark, sweet malts, especially dark fruity ones: Plums, currants, dried berries stand out in the aroma. Followed by a light spiciness, cloves, very light black pepper. Not very yeasty for a big Belgian but just enough to add to the aroma. Medium to heavy sweet taste, much like the aroma: I detect a lot of the same dark fruits, alongside brown and candy sugar flavors. Hints of chocolate, bread and the subdued yeast make this beer complex and enjoyable. With warmth, the dark fruits take on a longlasting finish with notes of raisins and dark, dried fruits. A light warming effect from the alcohol. Full-bodied with soft carbonation. A super smooth, complex beer with high drinkability.

Bottle from a sample pack. Smooth drinking. Sweet with a lot of different fruit tastes mixed together. Light alcohol at the end.

Drinking this one to celebrate my second half marathon! It was pretty rough but hoping this beer makes it all better. Brown chestnut like color with a large foamy brown head. Smells a bit of dates, brown sugar and yeast. Taste is pretty yeasty. Alcohol is pretty well hidden. Has some of that brown sugar and a little roastyness.