Brew Engineer - Chimay Grande Réserve (Blue)

Chimay Grande Réserve (Blue) Featured

Beer Reviews Belgian / Abbey Strong Ale

Written by Steven Albright

Sunday, 27 January 2008

Editor's rating

4.8

out of 5

Reviewed by:
Jay Spies
Top 10 Reviewer
View all my reviews
Thursday, 28 February 2008
Average user rating: 0.0
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Brewery

Brewery: Bières de Chimay
Brewery Type: Commercial Brewer
Brewery Homepage: http://www.chimay.com

Brew Information

Seasonal?: Not Seasonal
Recommended Temp: 50 - 60
Alcohol by Volume (%): 9.000

Place of Origin

Country: Belgium

Lovibond Color

Color:

Named Grande Réserve in 75 cl (25.4 fl.oz.) bottles, it is principally distinguished by its character of a strong beer. This is a beer whose fragrance of fresh yeast with a light, flowery rosy touch is especially pleasant. Its flavour, noticed when tasting it, only accentuates the pleasant sensations perceived in the aroma , while revealing a light but pleasant touch of roasted malt. This top fermented Trappist beer , refermented in the bottle, is not pasteurised.

Editor review : Chimay Blue - Belgium's real King

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful


Overall rating		4.8
Aroma		5.0
Appearance		4.0
Flavor		5.0
Palate		5.0
Overall		5.0

If you haven't tried Chimay Blue, you'll probably not be ready for the experience. In terms of flavor, it's a bit like drinking from a fire hose. Best to sit down for this one. Usually available in 750ml Champagne corked wired-down bottles, this beer presents well just from an appearance standpoint. At this point, you should pay some attention to what you're using for glassware. As with nearly all Belgian beers, Chimay recommends a certain type of glass for its beers. Almost all Belgian beers do this, and it's for a reason - the shape and size of the glass affect the presentation of the aroma, the foam stand, as well as give a unique artistic signature to the beer. (Look up Pauwel Kwak's beer glass and you'll see what I mean). Chimay recommends a goblet-shaped glass. If you don't have one, find a big round wine glass. For God's sake, don't dump a beer of this caliber into a pint glass. I'll have to come over and beat you myself...

Opening this type of bottle is always a little ceremony in itself. Usually arriving with a pronounced POP, the beer initially pours with a tremendous rocky, almost meringue-like tan head. The color is ruby to garnet, usually sparkling during the first few pours, then clouding up somewhat toward the end as the yeast dregs get roiled up. Try to pour this in one fell swoop between all partakers, as the yeast prsence can detract somewhat from the malt esters if it gets too mixed in. Let it stand for a moment to breathe.

The aroma is initially very fruity, with plum, black currant and ripe cherry notes hitting you up front. Peeking out from behind those is a deep caramel, almost toffee-ish malt backbone. This beer is as much nose as it is flavor. Hop aroma is nonexistent, as it should be. This beer is about malt and yeast.

On the first sip, the beer floods your palate with rich red fruit esters, and the very high level of carbonation carries the plummy raisiny flavors everywhere. As it settles down, the malt hits. This beer's malt profile is characterized by raisiny, plummy, curranty notes, and a good bit of caramel sweetness comes through mid-sip. You'll also notice some bready, toasty notes toward the end. That's the yeast sounding off. Chimay is bottle-conditioned, so you'll always have some yeast flavors making an appearance.

Probably the most striking thing about Chimay Blue is the finish. It goes on for miles. You never really finish tasting it before your next sip arrives. Plum and raisin linger well after you swallow. Pair this beer with a nice hearty cheese and a baguette and there's lunch, right there.

This beer is really the world benchmark for the Belgian Dubbel style. If you haven't tried it, you absolutely must do it, at least once. You wonâ€™t be disappointed. But like I said, be ready... ;) Jay

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