Chimay Bleue (Blue) / Grande Réserve

	Score
100		99
	OVERALL	Style

Brewed by Chimay
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
Baileux, Belgium

Serve in Trappist glass, Tulip, Tumbler

bottled
common

on tap
common

Broad Distribution

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RATINGS: 3078 WEIGHTED AVG: 4.01 EST. CALORIES: 270 ABV: 9%

COMMERCIAL DESCRIPTION
Bottle conditioned - 150 cl, 75 cl, and 33 cl bottles. Named Grande Réserve in 75 cl bottles, and Magnum Grande Réserve in 150 cl bottles.
Chimay Blue is principally distinguished by its character of a strong beer. This is a beer whose fragrance of fresh yeast with a light, flowery rosy touch is especially pleasant. Its flavour, noticed when tasting it, only accentuates the pleasant sensations perceived in the aroma , while revealing a light but pleasant touch of roasted malt. This top fermented Trappist beer, refermented in the bottle, is not pasteurised.

Most Recent Top Raters Highest Score Rated By

4.2

AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 18/20

fonefan (23599) - VestJylland, DENMARK - OCT 7, 2006

UPDATED: OCT 8, 2006 Bottle. Dark amber color with a nice head, very complex flavors. Hints of different spices and fruits. One of my favorite beers. Great beer. Vintage 2001. Dark amber color with a nice head, very complex flavors. Hints of different spices, alcohol and fruits.

AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 9/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 17/20

Ungstrup (22906) - Oamaru, NEW ZEALAND - SEP 29, 2002

A dark brown beer with a good head. It has an aroma of fruit and yeast. The flavor is sweet and that of fruits. It tickles the tongue with the high alcohol content - but doesn’t taste of alcohol. It has almost no bitterness. Definately one of the greatest beers in the world.

AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 16/20

Papsoe (21781) - Frederiksberg, DENMARK - MAY 19, 2005

UPDATED: JAN 9, 2006 (Bottle 75 & 33 cl) Vintage 1992. Reddish dark, hazy and impure with a tall head. Very full-bodied with a warming but never cloying alcohol - actually, it doesn’t really appear that strong. Chocolatey and spicy - perhaps even a bit peppery? I cannot really taste the difference between the "Bleu" in small bottles and the "Grande Reserve" in the big, but try sampling different vintages at "Kulminator" in Antwerp - it’s a great experience. 201193

4.1

AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 17/20

yespr (20653) - Copenhagen O, DENMARK - JUL 15, 2007

RB #1000 in 2007 and one of my first belgians finally to be put on as a rating. 33 cL bottle. Pours deep slight muddy brown with a light brown and creamy head. Malty, raisin, caramel and toffee sweet aroma. Malty sweet flavour with dried fruit notes. Warming alcohol feel without any alcohol flavour as such, well hidden. Complex beer yet accessible palate. Malty to slight bitter finish with warming alcohol finish.

3.8

AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 15/20

omhper (15600) - Stockholm, SWEDEN - MAR 7, 2002

Darkish brown. Pours thick. Fruity nose. Very malty, velvetty mouthfeel, some butterscotch and toffee. Late bittterness. Complex.

4.1

AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 17/20

oh6gdx (15510) - Vasa, FINLAND - JUN 4, 2005

Bottled. Hazy orangeish colour eith beige bubbly head. Sweet toffeeish plummy aroma with hints of licorace. Sweet sugary and caramelly flavour with hints of licorace. Alcohol grows a bit in the finish.

3.4

AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 13/20

joergen (13935) - Frederiksberg, DENMARK - DEC 16, 2004

Redbrown colour with beige head. Disappointing aroma dominated by yeast and spices. Sweet but watery flavour with notes of fruit and spices. I must admit, I prefer the trappist beers from Westvleteren, Rochefort and Achel.

AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 18/20

MiP (11256) - Sønderborg, DENMARK - APR 23, 2005

UPDATED: MAR 4, 2011 Bottle. Malty, brown sugar, yeasty aroma. Dark brown colour, slightly cloudy. Big semi-stable head. Peppery and brown sugar flavour. Alcoholic, very dry aftertaste. Good mouthfeel, as if there is rye in there and with pleasant carbonation.

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Rating Notecard:
Beer: Chimay Bleue (Blue) / Grande Réserve Rating Avg: 4.01 No. of Ratings: 3078

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