Chimay Bleue (Blue)

Cloudy with an amber color and an almost constant stream of carbonation. It’s nutty caramel flavor gave way to fruity aftertastes. I didn’t think about the alcohol content until I started to get a little silly. The flavor was masked by the exceptional flavor. My dinner party beer of choice.

This beer tastes completely traditional, from the nose to the finish, but it is all done in a greatly polished fashion. Tons of overripe dark fruits, and dark sugars of caramel and toffee. Nothing shockingly good, but it is an extremely pleasant ale to drink. With 2000 ratings, what more can I add to this discussion? A classic.

750 mL bottle, dated 03/07. Pours amber red with a large off-white head that quickly dissipates into a small but stable head. Aroma is dark fruits, caramel sweetness, some tart apple, yeasty banana scents. Flavor is dark fruits, caramel, a bit of banana. Some mild hints of sweet and sour flavors. Lively carbonation that complements the flavors well. No lasting lacing. I used to think I might not be a big fan of Belgian-style ales, but after Orval and this I guess I just wasn’t trying the right ones!

Iced coffee colored body with a light tan head that dissipated quickly. Faint nose of grass, yeast, and caramel. Nicely balanced taste that hid the above average alcohol content. I tasted hints of caramel and dark fruit. Nothing in the taste overpowered. Very nice beer.

11.2 oz bottle Pours a darker brownish red with a medium sudsy creamy beige head that settles into something silky. Aroma is faint, some nutty spice, dark fruit, sweet toffee malt. Sweet dark fruit, slightly burnt malts, yeasty, a good amount of alcohol, light nuttiness, some bitterness as well. Much richer fuller flavor than the rouge but still not unbelievable like I remember it. The palate is also much better than the rouge, while still a little light, its airy, silky, but still has a nice consistency. 7 4 8 4 15 Grand Reserva Magnum wow... so much better and as complex as I remember it being years ago... 8 4 8 4 16

A pleasant belgian ale with contemporary flavors, color, and palate. This is quite a good ale overall, but lacks anything new in character that can’t be found elsewhere commonly. Still recommended.

Pours a muddy brown color with a beige head that has good retention. Forceful yeast aroma with some notes of grapes. Vinous flavor with dark molasses and prevalent yeast. Some dry fruitiness along the lines of figs. No alcohol taste whatsoever.

One of the first Belgian Strong Ales I tried. Lots of figs, raisins, citrusy fruits and brown sugar flavor. Deep amber/brown color and bubbly white head.