Chimay Dorée / Refterbier

Brewed by Chimay
Style: Belgian Ale
Baileux, Belgium

Serve in Trappist glass, Tulip, Tumbler

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26/02/2011 - 33cl bottle @ Kulminator - BB: end 2010 (2011-67)

Murky cloudy dark amber beer, white creamy head. Some caramel, banana, hop, citrus. After adding the yeast a huge dried prunes aroma was noticable. MF: ok carbon, light body, bit watery texture but ok for such a light beer. Taste: come caramel, clearly banana is present (possibly due to aging), citrus, somewhat bitter, herbal and grassy, malts and brown bread. Aftertaste: citrus notes, slightly bitter.

"Trappist" beers are brewed by monks in Europe who take the proceeds from the sales and use them for charitable causes. Most of their beers are sold commercially in the United States, but nearly every monastery brews a small, sessionable beer intended for the monks’ personal consumption with lunch and dinner. These beers are only sold to the public at the individual monastery and "Doree" (French for "golden") is the Chimay version of this style.

I received a 330ml bottle from a friend in Belgium (thanks, Bart!), and poured it into the official Chimay chalice

Appearance: dirty golden/light brown, like an unfiltered apple cider. Forms an off-white, soapy, fizzy head which evaporates fairly quickly like a soda. Extremely effervescent carbonation present in the glass despite the nearly opaque color.

Smell: Granny Smith apple and white grape with a distinct sour scent. More akin to white wine than beer.

Taste: This beer is much closer to a dry white wine or a hard cider - but without the clean, crisp palate. Much like the nose the flavor is sour, with tart white grape and green apple. It’s a very sharp taste and it’s very impressive a beer so statistically "small" can have such a bold body. That being said, the flavor is isn’t exactly super delicious as it does remind me of a green apple past its prime.

Mouthfeel: This beer doesn’t dance on my tongue the way many Trappist beers do, but instead seems to scrap it like a razor. The body is very light and thin.

Drinkability: Surprisingly low for a beer this petite. The extreme carbonation gets stuck in the throat and induces a lot of belching between swigs. Drank cold it’s fairly easy to get down, but as it warms it becomes a sipper. The sharp, sour palate demands this beer be paired with cheese or a light meal to dull the edge.

Overall, one of the most interesting and original beers I’ve ever drank. I did find it somewhat refreshing, but it’s difficult to imagine being a monk drinking this on a daily basis because of the sharp palate. Definitely worth trying for the unique drinking experience alone.

NOTE: Watch the video version of this review at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PydYRdyXVjg

Bottle courtesy of yngwie.Pours cloudy golden with an off-white head.Aroma is malty , honey, bread and spice.Flavor is sweet and bready with a dry spicy finish.Medium body, average carbonation.Nice spicy , yeasty beer.

From bottle. A year old so there seems to be a bit of light oxidation. Pear and dusty grain, light pale malt aromas and a bit of sweetness. Mild fruity notes. Pale golden hazy (dregs) with thin off-white lacing head. Medium-light body with light carbonation. Light flavors. Caramel and pear, neutral fruits. Watery but pleasant with a clean after.

On draught at the Chimay cafe. Golden in color with a thin white head. Belgian yeast on the nose with fresh grains and citrus notes. Mild sweet malt on the tongue. Very drinkable. Nothing special but I would enjoy this if I were a monk.

Bottle thanks to Papsoe. 2006 Vintage. Pours a slightly dirty golden amber with no head. Almost flat with minimal carbonation. Great floral and spicy aromas thanks to the hops and the yeast. Some dark fruits coming through also. Definately Chimay. Flavours are a little on the thin side. Very sweet up front with lots of caramel and some candi. Bitterish finish and some yeasty fruitness. Mouthfeel is on the thin side.

Smell of coriander. Taste is bitter with hints of apricot. Taste reminds most of a white beer.

Glad I could taste this one, and I tasted a 5 years old bottle, so a bit special also. Cloudy light orange small head, probably cause the age. Wheat, lots of wheat and yeast it seems. Spicces, sour-sweet fruits. Not a bad smell at all. Taste is wheat, spiced, frutiy, very good, nice balance between biter-sweet-sour for me. At this age, it taste for me like the perfect witbeer! Nice brew, now I’m wondering how it taste if it’s fresh...

Bottle at De Herren. Pours a cloudy yellow with a medium white head. Served at cellar temperature. A very spicy aroma of hops and yeast. The flavor is very smooth; banana esters, loads of yeast, very spicy, no dark fruit. Very fresh and unique. Best by 2011. Nice.

Dark yellow colored with cloudy appearance, little yellow head. Yeasty and spicy aroma with some fruity peach note, thin grass hops also come up. Thin to medium bodied. Flavor is more hopped with grass, nice yeast also comes up. Nice recogniceable Chimay aftertaste, refreshing brew.