Chimay Bleue (Blue) / Grande Réserve Review #69

Chimay Bleue (Blue) / Grande Réserve
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
ABV: 9%
Part Of The Four Variety Chimay Collection
11.2oz Bottle From A Holiday Pack Poured Into A Chimay Chalice

Chimay Brewery ("Bières de Chimay")
Trappist Brewery
Southern Hainaut, Belgium
Scourmont Abbey Monastery
1863


Bottle conditioned - 150 cl, 75 cl, and 33 cl bottles. Named Grande Réserve in 75 cl bottles, and Magnum Grande Réserve in 150 cl bottles.
Chimay Blue 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. 

Appearance:
Scrumptious Appearance
Dark Root Beer  Brown Color
Hazy Clarity Due To Sediment Swirling About
Typical Cottony Belgian Foam Head
Rapid Decaying Head Retention
Streaks Of Lacing Mark The Beers Passage
Tickling Carbonation

Aroma:
Captivating Quality Aroma
Dates
Flowery Tones
Marshmallow
Pastilles
Nutmeg
Figs
Raisins
Brown Sugar
Cherries
Black Berries
Cocoa

Mouth Feel:
Sweet/Touch Of Bitterness
Classic Balanced Beer
Full Bodied
Slightly Sessionable- If The 9% ABV Doesn't Get You, The Heavy Feel On The Stomach With The Many Sweet Flavors
Luxuriant Texture That Is Clean And Wanting
Pleasant Hop Aftertaste That Gives You Childhood Memories Of Piping Hot Bread And Raisins
Intense Palate That Sure Packs A Punch, With It's Warming Transient Hot Alcohol Tang
Alcohol Is A Bit Hot, But Not Intruding On The Taste Buds
A Perfect Sipper Not To Be Chugged Like A College Frat Guy 
It Had A Nice Mouth Feel Of Dry Spanish Cedar And A Pinch Of Nutmeg
Fortified Finish That Is Flowery And Roasted With Some Spicy Hop Touches

     Molasses and spice mingle with nutmeg while my taste buds take in the fruit-felt bounty of raisins, prunes, black cherries (fresh and canned), and grapes before ending in licorice. There is a pervasive candied sugar sweetness which isn’t overpowering thanks in part to her effervescent body. Her palate centers all immediate pleasures on the top of my tongue, though as we further our tempestuous relationship, the back of my tongue and throat dries with spice and wood. For a brief moment, I have flashes of tropical paradise in the form of candied pineapple, and then she is gone. As my Blue warms, her flavors continue to melt into, with, and around each other in practiced Belgian Trappist artistry.  This Blue is no better way to obliterate the stagnant memories of a otherwise unfulfilled day. This is the granddaddy of Belgian strong ales, that is better than Westmalle,but not as good as Rocherfort 10. This is a good introductory to strong ales and is a great beer to cellar

5 Out Of 6
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