Chimay Bleue (Blue) / Grande Réserve

Brewed by Chimay
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
Baileux, Belgium

Serve in Trappist glass, Tulip, Tumbler

50th rating! :D Tasted while listening to The Beatles’ "White Album" on vinyl. Served at approx. 12 degrees C.

Pours a deep red-brown with a huge off-white head. Malty nose with toffee and some berry-like sweetness. Mouthfeel is thick, with a low amount of carbonation I find very pleasant. Aroma has hints of caramel, raisins and something I can only describe as "general fruitiness", but leaning mostly towards banana. Nice bitterness around the edges. The 9 % abv is quite noticable. Aftertaste is short and malty. Overall I’m a little disappointed and unimpressed, since this one is so highly regarded. Nothing wrong with it, but my expectations were very high. On the other hand, I might be approaching this style wrongly.

Medium brown pour with a huge tan head. Very effervescent and the head stays put for quite a while. The aroma is more subtle that I’d expect, but there is a nice combo of sweet fruits, candied fruit, malts, and just a little hop bitterness. Flavor is nearly fine wine like in it’s smoothness. Nothing jumps out, just a fine mingling of sweet and dry. One of the best.

Bottle. Deep ruby color with off white, foamy head. Aroma is dark fruit, slightly alcoholic, and sweet. Taste is bready, sweet, dark fruit, and vanilla. Overall a really good brew.

A brown ale with golden edging wears a soapy off white head. This rises high but falls quickly, leaving not much lacing; but a swirl reinvigorates about a finger’s worth. The nose is of candied sugar and a dominant yeast character that brings to mind ginger snaps and freshly baked bread. There is alcohol up front, but this gives way to the hops. In the mouth it’s drier than I expected, and drier than most quads; though it shares those essential qualities of spices, malts and honey. The hops seem fresh on this. The body is medium with a high level of carbonation. Again the yeast is strong and leads on into the finish where the beer grows a certain tartness. I’m not amazed by this.

0,33l bottle. This is truly a ledgend among the Belgian Trappistes. Deep-dark and hazy amber body with a offwhite head. It has a perfect combination of raisins and caramel which gives the beer a smooth taste. The alcohol is more present in the aroma than in the actual taste. High on carbonation but this only enhances the impression. Chimay Blue truly deserves its great reputation.

UPDATED: NOV 3, 2011 Bottled a year and a half ago. Wonderful hazy, woody color. Aroma is almost nothing, almost smells like a lager; no sediment at the bottom. Well balanced flavor, not overly sweet, no detectable bitterness; light, but sharp carbonation. Very smooth. Dried bottle smells like beautiful tasty yeast. Very enjoyable mellow character. Best beer I’ve had. On retry this beer varies greatly from bottle to bottle

rich caramel colour with brown/butterscotch ripple kinda colour and good carbonation. very dark fruits on the nose, plums, dates with a hint cloves and toffee.rich and thick on the palate with a rather spicy almost tannic finish. finishes with a little heat. rich caramel and toffee notes mixed in with a lightness that i can’t quite describe. beautiful and complex stuff. it has a slight mellow character that i enjoy alot.

A deep dark murky brown brew with tan head and carbonation. Aromas and flavors of dark fruit, raisins, earthy tones. Lots of yeasty flavors. Somewhat bittering finish. Heavy body and abv is well masked. Some sweetness. Really a legendary brew among brews!