Grottenbier Bruin

Brewed by St. Bernard Brouwerij
Style: Abbey Dubbel
Watou, Belgium

I have to admit that the name of Pierre Celis drew me to this bottle. Pours with a huge white head and a very deep ruby and brown body. Aroma is candied yams and apples with cinnamon. The taste is peach skins with some light nutmeg and dark bread. Relatively dry like many dubbels.

Brown sugar, cereal malt, bubblegum, plums and tomatoes in the curiously intriguing, musty aroma. Hazy amber-brown body is topped by a generous and long lasting off white head that coats the sides of the glass with lacing. Musty flavour is somewhat sweet but has an underlying tartness and quite a pronounced bitterness that I don’t usually associate with the style. Soapy and floral in the aftertaste. Medium body with quite strong effervescence. An interesting beer to say the least but the flavours just don’t come together for me. Tulip glass. Cellar temperature. Bottle (Best Before End of 2005) purchased through Bieropholie Sep-05.

Bottle, corked, Pierre Celis Selection, Grotten Brown, Cave Aged Ale, served in my NB worthy glassware: Poured a russet brown hue with a small frothy head and good lace. The nose displayed berry, current, starfruit, oak, cashew, earthy and musty yeast esters. The taste starts with a splash of twangy and tannic fruits on top of a solid base of roast malts. A heavy duty vein of acidic tartness runs throughout and cleans the palate. Oaky, nutty, and mineral softness adds to a neato balance. The feel is crisp and refreshing, I sort of dig this more than expected. An interesting brew that is neither Dubbel nor Sour Brown, yet added characteristics of both. I really found myself in trance with this beer the more I tasted it. The overall component is greater than the parts.

deep browncoloured ale , ovaltine malt nose, malty flavour rich with a hint of ovaltine

Tastes rather like a Flanders Red - lots of blood and guts. High carbonation eventually dies down to a pleasant, though not outstanding brew. I had mine too young, and it tasted a little unbalanced. [3.1]
Re-rate. Drunk at the Ramsgate Brewery. Malty sweet dark beer, Belgian in character. Very pleasant without being complex. Clove, butter, spiced bread tones.

Bottle. White head. Dark amber body. Aroma of green apples. Spicy flavor with hints of berries.

Bottled, at least a few years old. Poured clear, deep garnet with a delightful creamy cap of beige head that stayed ’til the end. The aroma picked up a nice, dry, spicy yeast strain with some white pepper, light fruits, and some piney notes.. soft, a touch sour, and very well-composed. The flavor didn’t dissapoint.. chocolate and aged caramel at the mildly sour core with darker fruit skins, pepper, and crusty bread riding the edges.. mild fruity bitterness. Just shy of medium-bodied with a nice sweet/sour contrast throughout.. dry and refreshing on the palate. Great beer!

Tap: Dark Mahogany with a thin long lasting off white head. For such a nice head the beer was smooth and fairly low in carbonation. Aroma of grape candy, dark fruit, and malt. Flavor is malty, fruity, and short. Short bitter finish.