Michigan Brewing Celis Grand Cru

Brewed by Michigan Brewing Company
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
Webberville, Michigan USA

A shared 12 oz. bottle and poured to hi-ball glasses for tasting. The color was a very clear, straw tone, with a bubbly, white head and modest lacing. The aroma was lightly yeasty and spiced, with soft malt. The flavor added light grassiness and wheat, along with low hop bitterness and a light dryness to the finish. Light bodied and sessionable rather than strong. I didn’t detect the 8% abv at all.

Poured from bottle, and proof appearances can be decieving. Pours a light yellow with some head -- looks like it will be thin and lagery. It is not. Nose is yeast, spice -- there’s almost a cookie aroma. Taste is rich, pronounced, and deep; I get spice, some dark floral notes, and stone fruit. Wonderfully textured. I like it.

Clear golden straw color with some carbonation and a short lived head. Subtle bread and yeast notes on nose. This is a light bodied, forward drinking ale with flavors of wheat, straw, and a touch of buttered bread. Short mouth coating finish.

On tap at the Trion. Gosh, I really expected to like this more than I did... I’m usually really happy with belgians as a rule, but this Vintage Belgian Ale really just didn’t do it for me. Aroma isn’t bad, some malts - bread, hay... but mostly yeast overtones - dough, banyard... like I said, not bad, but not exactly good. Appearance is pretty standard for a belgian. Pours a hazy amber with a frothy tan head. Taste is a dissapointment. A rotten sweetness follows through to... more rotten sweetness. Not very complex and the flavor and nose aren’t overly appealing. Once again, palate is not bad, but neither does it stand out in any way. Medium-full body and sticky, oily texture follow a nearly flat carbonation... the finish is long and cloying. Overall, not impressed at all with this Vintage Belgian.

12 oz. bottle poured into a tulip. Pours a clear, pale yellow with a creamy white head that lasts throughout. Quite effervescent. Fair lacing. Aroma of citrus, bananas, cloves and bubble gum. Taste is a balanced sweet malt and subtle hop flavor with oranges, bananas and a soft clove character. Very subtle bubble gum. Light to medium body. Lively carbonation. Crisp and refreshing. Short, dry finish. Easy to drink.

(Bottle into tulip) Poured a very light yellow with barely any head to speak of. This was EXTREMELY light, in my opinion for a Belgian Style Ale. Nose had some hint of herbs and spice that I really couldn’t place, and a little bit of a doughy yeast smell. The yeast was not too overpowering in the nose, but it was there. This also held through with the flavor. A little bit too much yeast was coming through, although there was a bit of the spice that masked it well. Overall a decent brew, but not even close to the epitome of the style.

A lite yeasty drink. Not really my style. For me too light for a belgian...I mean you could read a paper through this thing. Certainly spice notes predominating throughout.

Pours out a light yellow with zero head and a very small amount of carbonation. Mouthfeel is very thick, and almost syrupy. Taste is lacking, some spices and a bit of alcohol present.