Val-Dieu Grand Cru

Brewed by Brasserie de l’Abbaye du Val-Dieu
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
Aubel, Belgium

Serve in Trappist glass, Tulip, Tumbler

Semi sweet chocolate, spice and coffee. Really warming on a chilly night, without being over powering. The ABV was well hidden. Silky smooth.

Bottle (75 cl) from The Cracked Kettle. Shady dark reddish brown, medium dark beige head. Fruity, very caramelly and nutty aroma with some floral hops. Medium bodied, medium carbonation. Sweet with a nice balancing bitterness. A very good sipper.

Pours a very dark ruby with a very light white head. heavy dark fruit and grapes in the nose. Some dark sweet malts, and almost a dark red wine smell. One of my favorite winter brews. The alcohol is very present in this beer is the first thing I notice. taste is quite similar to the nose, very sweet but dark fruits and grapes dominate the flavor characters. alcohol is present the whole way through. I’m not a huge fan of this brewery normally, but this is by far their best beer and I love this one.

Tasted 11/22/07. 750ml bottle. Murky brown hue and almost opaque. Taupe head. Musty cocoa aromas. Touch toast and fruit. Aromas of apples and dark fruit. Rather full bodied with a good dose of alcohol. Super smooth. Citrus yeasty flavors counter with the smooth sugary malts. Nice caramel notes. The second glass has a clinging head from a vigorous pour. Tootsie rolls and toffee. Plays well over the tongue and palate. Good stratigraphy from the head. Candy and cola flavors. Dried fruit notes. Really Nice!

The first pour produces a transluscent brown colour with little suspended yeast, but the second pour leaves a good amount of large particulates. The head is small and dense, light beige, and leaves good lacing. The aroma is rich with caramel malt, buttery toffee, blueberry, vinous notes (pinot noir), rasins, other dried fruits and some almond. The aromas are very distinct in this beer, leaving little guesswork for me. The flavours are equally distinct and rich. Flavours of buttery caramel, raisins, figs, other dried fruits, brown sugar, nuts, apple, cocoa and barley any booze to be detected. Its a little meaty too. The palate is full and chewy, finishing a bit oily, with gentle carbonation. Amazing.

Draft at Jacs. Served in official glass. Deep purple-red hued black, with a thick, luscious, beige head. Smooth and creamy, light carbonation. I probably prefer the mouthfeel from the bottle nine times out of ten with Belgians, this being no exception. Some sour cherry tones, as well as a rich, deep raisin malt tone. Easy going for the ABV, with a lot of dark fruit tones the whole way. Quite an excellent example of an Abt or a Quad in my opinion. Well, maybe a Belgified Doppelbock too. So many pungent fruity tones. Creamy finish.

Bottle 75cl. Reddish-brown pour. Nose was slightly alcohol and that of which I can only describe as a buttery triple cream brie cheese. Flavor was slightly sugary, with hints of dark fruit and yeast. A nice beer with lots more potential with cellaring.

Bottled. Pours dark brown with a massive cream colored head (almost like canned foam). Aromas of alcohol caramel, Flavors of dark cherry and raisins. Alcohol present, but not overwhelming. I will buy thisagain.