Chimay Rouge (Red) / Première

Brewed by Chimay
Style: Abbey Dubbel
Baileux, Belgium

Serve in Trappist glass

I kept this magnum bottle at room temperature because I wanted to drink the beer at a slightly higher temperature … expecting a deeper and more complex taste. There is a lot of pressure when I remove the cork, the beer tries to find its way out immediatly. Colour: Chimay Première leaves a reddish brown beer in the glass, slightly hazy with not much carbonation. The creamy head is thick and beige. It leaves a nice lacing on the glass when dissapearing very slowly. Aroma: very sweet smell with a malty undertone and a spicy touch of pepper. A very inviting and intense smell. Taste: Chimay Première is a very drinkable beer with an ABV of “only” 7%. At first, the taste seems relatively simple, dominated by malts and hop bitterness. When taking a few more sips however, the beer becomes complex of taste and very well balanced with a warming alcohol presence. The full body is combined with a fresh crispness. The mouthfeel is a bit like syrup and sticky. The dry finish makes you longing for more instantly. Try this beer with a beef stew … why not use it IN the beef stew. Chimay Première will also go well with any grilled meat dish. And why not drink it as dessert ? Beats a cappucino !

Bottle - Pours reddish brown with a frothy off white head. Nice mix of spice and fruit in the aroma. Smooth mouth feel. The alcohol comes through nicely in the taste.

It’s a good beer, but I love the triple (blanche) so much that I’ll usually choose it over the chimay red. Not to say that this isn’t a great beer... strong taste of alcohol, light florals.

UPDATED: DEC 20, 2011 Aroma: Dark malt, Belgian yeast is very pungent. Appearance: Opaque brown with a pillow style head and carbonation action in the goblet. Taste: Rich. Light caramel, light bitterness, mostly just a smooth belgian ale with a semi-dry finish. Palate: Thick but smooth. The quality is clear from the first sip. Overall: Incredible beer. It’s nearly impossible to pick a favorite Chimay. All three are killer.

Dark brown, light, big bubble head that sticks well. Medium-dark reddish brown. Tons of spice in the aroma, along with a good dose of Trappist funk. Effervescence is high, but doesn’t bite too hard--actually quite soft. Good dryness to it. A bit of metal and fruit rind in the flavor.

Brown with only a little head which only lasted for a short time. Probably the bottle was not chilled enough. intensive smell of banana, citrus and other fruits. tastes quite the same. some spicy flavours in there, too. full body and soft carbonization. long lasting taste of yeast and a little bitterness can be found at the end. very good!

Tasted from bottle into tulip glass. Poured a beautiful copper color with some yeast haze and frothy, dense, lasting off-white foam, some Belgian lace. Aromas of sweet bread, caramelized brown sugar, rising dough, some plum, raisins and dried cherries, no late hops. Flavors of rich, diverse malts: bread, toast, biscuits, toffee, more dark stone fruits, slight clove balanced by low earthy hops bitterness. Medium body with well-rounded mouthfeel, lasting sweetness and fruitiness in the finish. High carbonation, tiny bubbles from active bottle fermentation. Delicious in every way. An absolute masterpiece.

Bottle from a sample pack. Sweet and fruity with a light tartness. grows more complex as it warms up. A touch of bitterness at the end.