Grand Cru - North Coast Brewing Co.

rand

California

3.85/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

From tap to tulip glass

A: Golden-yellow with an nice frothy, 2-inch head. Looks indistinguishable from a DIPA.

S: Boozy bouquet, strong. Notes of over-ripened fruit, plums, and candied malts. The combination almost reminds of Dole Banana-Pineapple juice, although I can't pick up any distinct pineapple or banana. Weird but interesting.

T: Notes of sweet ripened fruit roll in first, joined by strong notes of biting alcohol. I'm still getting that tropical-banana thing, but it's rolled up with a bunch of other flavors. A smattering of hoppy earthiness keeps the profile from tasting actually like juice, because it's close otherwise. Finishes sweet and boozy.

M: Medium to heavy bodied, but given all that's going on in this brew its a lot lighter in complexion than you'd think. Ample carbonation to wash the residue.

One of the more unique brews I've had. I wouldn't exactly call it drinkable, but compelling and I've just blown a half an hour trying to parse the flavors.

Serving type: on-tap

12-30-2011 05:21:02 | More by rand

champ103

Texas

2.88/5  rDev -20%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

On tap at Petrol Station in Houston, TX

A: Pours a clear, but dull orange color. A mall bubbly white head forms with pour retention. The foam recedes to nothing in a second with light lace.
S: Apple juice up front. Some sweet malt, but that is about it.
T: Again, a big apple juice/cider flavor. Though without the great crisp, almost tart bite that I would expect with such a beer. Some sweet malt and hot alcohol. Overall, just blah.
M/D: A medium body and low carbonation. This needs to me much cleaner, and dryer. Plenty of hot alcohol makes this a very slow sipper. One I don't really care to finish.

Not much to say besides over priced, average at best, and disappointing coming from one of my favorite breweries. Not something I would recommend.

Serving type: on-tap

12-20-2011 01:05:42 | More by champ103

Beerandraiderfan

Nevada

2.25/5  rDev -37.5%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

Didn't expect this beer to come out looking like Coors, but it had a dark golden color. Just don't see that too often when something is labeled as bourbon barrel aged, but hey, something new. Aroma was all over the place. Mostly it was just the smell of alcohol. Throw in some roundabout fruit and wood, and there it is.

Taste, wow, even bigger disappointment. More alcohol heat, no distinguishable direction, seems like a grand cru where everything, including the kitchen sink is dumped together, slap it in a spirits barrel and a few months later, you have a beer that retailers can ask $20 a pop for. The bourbon aspect is paltry compared to the alcohol heat and belgian steroid yeast. Where the agave was, I have no idea. It was like a mix of raisin and pear, with wet oak, and rubbing alcohol with a boilermaker shot of whiskey added for 'bad' measure.

North Coast frequently gets it right with their affordable beers. Their barrel Rasputin was never in my opinion better than the regular, and this stuff is just downright disappointing on a whole nuther level.

Avoid unless the price comes down to like, $1 a bottle.

Serving type: on-tap

12-14-2011 00:16:13 | More by Beerandraiderfan

dansmcd

Australia

3.4/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A - A clear, pale golden colour under two fingers of fluffy white head, and then long strands of lacing.

S - Sweet pears, yeast, champagne, honey.

T - Sweet pear and peach, slightly acidic and quite boozy as you'd expect at 12.9%.

M - Medium bodied and sweet.

O - At first, quite an interesting beer, but after half a glass its more than a touch too sweet and sugary.

Serving type: on-tap

12-09-2011 08:19:30 | More by dansmcd

metter98

New York

3.6/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

On-tap at Mugs Alehouse, Brooklyn, NY

A: The beer is clear golden yellow in color and poured with a quarter-finger high off white head.
S: There are moderately strong aromas of sweet fruit in the nose.
T: The taste has malty sweetness along with fruity flavors.
M: It feels medium-bodied on the palate with a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: Considering its strength, this beer is relatively easy to drink because the sweetness is not cloying and the alcohol is very well hidden from the taste.

Serving type: on-tap

12-06-2011 00:28:46 | More by metter98

Arbitrator

California

1.43/5  rDev -60.3%
look: 2 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 1

On tap at the Bistro barrel-aged fest. One of the reasons I need to get a smartphone is that I can't check what crappy beers I've already had before. This is one I mistakenly purchased at an (average) cost of $3 a pour.

A: Pours a clear, pale gold body with a short-lived finger of off-white head.

S: Yeast. Lemon, floral hops, a touch of pepper in the finish. This reminds me of a tripel.

T: Lots of yeast. It's like they made some wort, tossed in some yeast, and killed the fermentation a day later. Ta-da! Yeast soup. Not much spice or Belgian flavor on the tongue, but it's nice and sweet, which is good.

M: Full-bodied with low carbonation.

O: Bah. I'm beginning to think North Coast is a one-trick pony, and that trick is Old Rasputin.

Serving type: on-tap

11-14-2011 03:53:13 | More by Arbitrator

david18

New York

4/5  rDev +11.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I've been enjoying this beer quite a bit lately but was surprised to hear it characterized as a Belgian Strong Pale. It was darker and not esthery enough in my opinion. However, as a strong ale I like this very much.

Appearance is a medium to dark brown with lots of carbonation. Very opaque but not cloudy.

Aroma is quite malty. More malt than anything. Not a lot of yeast in the aroma.

Flavor is quite strong but well balanced at the same time. Good malt flavor balanced with the hops. Very good.

Serving type: on-tap

11-08-2011 14:53:46 | More by david18

notchucknorris

California

3.73/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

On tap at The Bruery Provisions

A: Clear golden color with a lot of rising bubbles in the glass.

S: Butterscotch, brown sugar and a lot of oak.

T: The mouthfeel definitely weighs this one down a bit, but the flavors hold up to it. Honey, belgian yeast, butter and a bit of agave in here. An interesting grand cru.

Serving type: on-tap

09-15-2011 16:35:06 | More by notchucknorris

UCLABrewN84

California

4.28/5  rDev +18.9%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On tap at Bier Academy in Canyon Country, CA.

Pours a murky honey orange with a 1/2 inch off-white head that fades to nothing. Absolutely zero lacing on this one. Smell is of spices, yeast, citrus, and a slight sour funk. Taste is of spices, minor Belgian yeast, citrus, cane sugar, and some slight funky flavors. There is a noticeable alcohol burn in the throat with each sip as well. A high level of carbonation with a crisp, bubbly, and slightly sticky mouthfeel. Overall, this is a very good beer that is very tasty. I really liked the complex flavors, especially with the subdued Belgian yeast that let other tastes come out.

Serving type: on-tap

08-21-2011 20:48:17 | More by UCLABrewN84

ehammond1

California

2.5/5  rDev -30.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

On Tap

Blue Palms 3rd Anniversary Party
Blue Palms BrewHouse
Los Angeles, CA

Clear gold and yellow with a thin white head. Spotted, messy lacing down the glass.

Exceptionally sweet aroma: apple juice, pears, lemon, and alcohol.

Flavor follows the aroma, and it's not particularly pleasant. The beer is exceptionally sweet: lots of candied, sugary apples, pears, some lemon, some Belgian yeast tartness, perhaps some vanilla--and then more alcohol. Fairly unpleasant. Though those flavors don't sound terrible when listed, as a beer it just becomes a syrupy, sweet, boozy error.

Medium mouthfeel with relatively low carbonation.

A sweet, boozy, syrupy mess.

Serving type: on-tap

08-16-2011 19:12:19 | More by ehammond1

charlzm

California

4.08/5  rDev +13.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Consumed at Blue Palms 3rd Anniversary event in Hollywood, CA.

Exceptionally clear (almost like a pilsener!) with a white head a finger thick.

Delicious smell: mild pepper, sweet pears, melonoidins.

Flavor is complex and unexpected: again pears, juicy white grapes, a dash of wood-style bitterness, a fleeting dash of powdery Belgian yeast. Interesting that I got no bubblegum aroma or flavor, as others who had the same beer from the same keg have noted it.

Mouthfeel is unremarkable: medium bodied with low carbonation.

Absolutely delicious and there is NO TRACE of the nearly 13% alcohol. A real winner.

Serving type: on-tap

08-16-2011 06:24:20 | More by charlzm

womencantsail

California

3.25/5  rDev -9.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

On-tap at Blue Palms

A: The beer pours a lightly hazed golden amber color with a white head.

S: Nose opens up with sweet toffee and candi sugar. There are some sweet fruits such as pears, oranges, and apples. A ton of bubblegum and cotton candy.

T: The beer tastes primarily of cotton candy with a fair amount of bubblegum. Heavy on the sugar, plus brown sugar and toffee. There might be a bit of bread. Really, though, just very sweet.

M: Almost syrupy with a medium carbonation.

O: Cloying, sugary, and not something I'd care to have again.

Serving type: on-tap

08-16-2011 05:20:28 | More by womencantsail

Halcyondays

California

3.58/5  rDev -0.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

On-tap at Beachwood I,

A: Pours a medium gold with a firm white head leaving some good lace.

S: Loads of pears and booze, some honey and banana.

T: Banana and pear, quite estery with a lot of booze and sweet malt. A substantial big beer.

M: Full-bodied, with some solvent character, fizzy carbonation at times.

O: This is a beer that needs to be put into a hole in the ground and not touched for at least 4 years. It's awkward in its infancy and needs to coalesce. Something that could be really interesting come 2015, but right now it's all over the place.

Serving type: on-tap

08-12-2011 21:52:17 | More by Halcyondays

UnknownKoger

California

3.88/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Had this on tap at Congregation Alehouse in Long Beach. Was I drinking a different beer? Glad I didn't read the reviews before getting it.

Color is a pale golden. No head at all. Some light lacing/foam action is left on the glass. Nothing exciting here. The smell I couldn't quite detect because my allergies were bugging me, but it did smell sweet.

I thought it tasted fantastic. Other reviewers have mentioned an apple or cidery taste, but I didn't get that at all. I tasted vanilla. The bourbon notes were very slight. I could detect some booziness but it definitely wasn't hot like a bourbon barrel stout. It was sweet but not cloyingly sweet.

Mouthfeel was pretty decent for such a big beer. Almost 13%? Felt lighter than that.

Overall, this beer seems to be a pretty mixed bag of tricks depending on where/how you get it and what your own personal tastes are. Grab a drink and you be the judge.

Serving type: on-tap

08-10-2011 03:33:55 | More by UnknownKoger

LazFTW

Connecticut

4.29/5  rDev +19.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.5

Excellent and complex Belgian style ale. Its hard to believe that this is almost 13% ABV as most beers nearing 9%. you can clearly taste the flavor. I would highly recommend this to any fans of Belgian beers. It seems the U.S. can give some Belgian brewers a run for their money.

Serving type: bottle

06-10-2013 18:40:21 | More by LazFTW

thecheapies

Pennsylvania

4.03/5  rDev +11.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

$15.95 at a bottle shop. Poured into a snifter. Beautiful soft glow of honey amber. Practically no head, but I can't say that I was springing for much with that big 12.9% ABV rocking here.

Smells of Belgian yeast esters and bourbon. Sweet agave note offers that tequila vibe and some of the citrusy and stone fruit elements from the yeast combines not terribly unlike a margarita. Whiffs of honey, apricot, and golden raisin also contribute.

Kind of sweet, but there's a tasty whiskey note that carries some of the barrel without being too woody. Belgian pale malts and ruffling yeast offer more stone fruits. Hints of citrus conjure up flavors of orange and grape and apricot and golden raisin. More of that honey from the nose. Has a strange imbalance, the way mixing bourbon and tequila into a fruity cocktail would clash. Very interesting how it still retains a lot of Belgian flair. Booziness is kind of big, but not 12.9% big, in my opinion. My girlfriend disagrees, but I think this drinks on the easy side. Carbonation is tuned way down, but that doesn't hurt the feel too much. It's a beastly Belgian Strong Pale, not too much can be done about that. The body has a great full-on mouth-coat. A little tacky and quite condensed. I feel pretty good about sipping on this, even though I might be taking it down a little too fast for my own good.

Very unique BSPA. Maybe the first bourbon barrel-aged version that I've had. Would totally have this again and would be intrigued to try this one aged. Buy one at a good price and give me your take on it.

Serving type: bottle

05-12-2013 03:32:03 | More by thecheapies

SaintBenedict

Pennsylvania

3.35/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

North Coast Grand Cru pours a spectacular crystal-clear golden honey color with a short-lived spritz-y white head that soon settles to a thin cap of fine bubbles. After some time, a concentrated fountain rises from the center of the glass, directly above the etching at the bottom of the Duvel tulip.

The aroma is sweet and somewhat syrupy with notes of Belgian yeast and a touch of barnyard funkiness, along with damp hay, dried apricot, white grape juice, juicy tart berries, modest oaky wood and a kiss of bourbon.

On the palate, the agave makes itself known presenting a syrupy sweet flavor, as well as rum-macerated cherries, juicy apricot, fleshy peach, alcohol-soaked fruit bread, berry flavors, vinous notes and a super-charged malty sweetness. The ale finishes with hints of oak and bourbon.

The body is medium-full, with a thick viscous, oily texture and minimal carbonation, though a fair degree of effervescence is clearly present.

To be honest, both the nose and palate are a bit unrefined and overdone. I have a suspicion that a little more time would help to tone down the assertiveness of the ale. However, that being said, this bottle is already nearly two years old, so I'm not entirely convinced how it will fare after a few more years.

All in all, I'm torn: North Coast Grand Cru shows a lot of ingenuity and promise, but it comes off as green, immature—a bit too big for its britches, if you will. The "Grand Cru" designator should be reserved for the summum bonum of a brewery, which, by the likes of it, is an appellation that perhaps has been hoisted upon this brew too hastily.

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2013 00:12:37 | More by SaintBenedict

AgentMunky

California

3.83/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Poured from a half-litre bottle into a brandy snifter.

A: Light head and nice lacing. Clear gold with a mere hint of haze.

S: Smells like chardonnay. Straight up, nothing else.

T: Grapes and whiskey. Lightly carbonated, with a lingering yeastiness. I can taste the floral Belgian influence, but this tastes more like bourbon barrel aged white grape communion wine than anything else. Odd.

M: Pleasant, spicy, carbonated, and smooth.

O: I actually quite liked this beer. Tastes much more like a BPA or bière de champagne (or much more actually, a bière de chardonnay). Would have again.

P.S. The bottle is incredibly hefty. If you ever get in a fancy bar fight, this is the bludgeoning tool I'd recommend.

Serving type: bottle

02-20-2013 08:00:14 | More by AgentMunky

weonfire

Illinois

2.66/5  rDev -26.1%
look: 3.25 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 2.75

A - Golden. one finger of white head that fades quickly. As is sits- looks flat. Not inspired to sip this.

S - High amount of alcohol. Agave is also potent. smells like old cheap rum.

T - sweet agave at first. alcohol takes over and is not hidden whats so ever. Makes me cringe at every sip.

M - while it didn't quite 'burn the nostrils', straight booze coats the mouth and throat. not a pleasant taste.

O- I was looking forward to aged nectar in bourbon barrels. Greatly disappointed. $15 for this bottle? I expected far better from North Coast. I would not recommend this to anybody.

Serving type: bottle

02-03-2013 03:32:40 | More by weonfire

artdob

California

4.73/5  rDev +31.4%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75

A 16 ounce bottle, topped with a cork kept in place with a wire cage. Surprised that the head was extremely minimal and disappeared entirely almost in a blink of an eye. That said, sure pours a very attractive, unique orange color.

This beer has a nose that hits you from a distance. Nice yeasty notes balanced with apricot esters. Can just about sense the agave that is noted as part of this brew on the bottle notes.

On the palate, oh wow. After seeing the pour, my expectations turned real low. But this is so unique. A very rich, fruity apricot, fruit compote in the glass. Warming and velvety on the mouthfeel.

This was a fairly pricy bottle, I think I paid about $14 bucks. Being a huge fan of North Coast, had to give this a try. Rare that I would do this would beers that are on this end of the price scale (per bottle), but tomorrow am going back to the store where I bought this to buy several more bottles. I could see laying this one down for awhile and popping open when feeling like indulging in something special.

Initial appearance disappointment was mire than made up with everything else that followed. Beer nectar baby. Kudos North Coast!

Serving type: bottle

01-28-2013 04:00:22 | More by artdob

DenverLogan

Colorado

4/5  rDev +11.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

From corked bottle...poured in chalice.
Pours a copper gold with significant head that melts down to little islands within a few minutes.
Aroma of amber malt, honey, white wine and alcohol.
Whoa...big mouthfeel and flavor. Modest carbonation. Flavor of bourbon, odd tropical fruit, sweet malt, light cocoa, lemongrass, white pepper, Chardonay, watermelon rind, candy sugar, oak, honey (agave nectar).
Overall assertively bold, complex and flavorful for the first ten minutes. After 20 minutes it's opened up nicely...less alcohol and punch, more sweetness and refined liquor smoothness...warming. That's the beauty of having this bottle solo...it's likely to last long enough so you can taste this beer at it's best. Like a good complex wine, it needs time to open up. I think many reviews would be higher if they let it sit 20 minutes or so.
With it's funky fruit, bourbon and spice notes,and given the alcohol (and price), this fits as a very tasty sipping beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2013 04:52:27 | More by DenverLogan

bobhits

Kentucky

1.58/5  rDev -56.1%
look: 1 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 1 | feel: 1.75 | overall: 1

A big beer at 12.9% the carbonation hardly lasts long at all. The body is crystal clear orange/yellow color. I'm not sure how a beer this big can be clear nor do I know why one would want it to be. Maybe they wanted this one aged a year or ten?

Sugary sweet, with Belgian style yeast aromas. There is a LOT of sugar aromas in here. Fruit aromas of bananas and pears come out. We went from sugars to fake sugars...I'm not sure why Agave was added...maybe someone was fooled into thinking it was healthy? Either way while crystal clear there is a clear weight and density to this beer.

Where is the bourbon barrel effects? This is ungodly sweet, overly sugary, and just frankly awful. Alcohol heat mixed with maybe some kind of oak, sugar, aspartame, sucralose, maybe molasses, and maybe some other sugars I can't place.

Clean taste but the alcohol heat is overwhelming. No carbonation in the mouth should cause problems, but the clean finish seems ok.

A grand cru should be the best a brewer makes. It should stand for something. Instead this is one of the worst efforts a rather good brewery has made. Bottom line drain pour.

Serving type: bottle

01-12-2013 11:25:51 | More by bobhits

SlothB77

Virginia

4.6/5  rDev +27.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

poured from 1 pint 9 ounce bottle into a snifter.

This is the champagne of beers. and by that i mean the beer tastes like champagne. Smell: floral aromas. Taste: like champagne. Very sweet. Mouthfeel: very acidic, very carbonated, light-bodied. As close as beer gets to champagne. $36 for a 1 pint 9 ounce bottle in NoVa,

Rave reviews.

Serving type: nitro-bottle

01-12-2013 04:17:39 | More by SlothB77

BEERchitect

Kentucky

3.5/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

As an American brewery which has flirted with Belgian styles with much success, It's easy to become currious on which one that they think is the best and entitled with the moniker "Grand Cru".

The pop of the cork yields a mild spillover of foam that seeps from the bottle (have your sinks ready kids). But then I was surprised by the relatively light colored ale inside. Medium amber in color, the beer carries well the hues of honey and pine sap. Even the most gentle of pours cause the froth to separate from the beer beneath with an expansive and heady cap. Spotty lace takes the forms of broken rings and isolated pockets, but is surprisingly mild on both retention and lace.

Complex Belgian character slathers the olfactory senses with a ton of fruit, malt, and spice. Caramel, honey, and biscuit lay the foundation but its the fruity complements that come in the form of apple, apricot, cherry, spiced pear, banana and dates that quickly gain command. Its balanced scent is a crazy melange of pepper, cumin, taragon, chai tea-like spices, clove, and of course coriander. Along with the stronger alcohol components, the beer begins to seem lightly of cough syrups.

The fruit and spice balance also battles it out in taste. But first its the coat of malty sweetness that emerges first- honey, caramel, crusted bread, and confectioner's sugar all lay the ground work for the Belgian influences to play upon. Apricot meets coriander, cherry with taragon, mellon with chai tea, banana and clove, alcohol and cayenne, fenel and dates... it seems that the balance of fruit and spice is never ending. But with the immense taste of lingering malt sweetness, all that ester-phenol interplay is fully supported.

Supported so well that it interferes with the beer's overall drinkability. As the candyish malts penetrate the mouth, it buffers against the strong alcohols and spicy notes. But the left over sweetness makes the beer a slow sipping affair rather than a drinking ale. The reluctant recession of malt delays the beer's finish and reserves the beer's spicy dryness and alcohol warmth until very late.

Overall, I would classify the beer as a very complex yet unrefinned ale. It suffers much the same fate as many other American brewed, Belgian inspired ales that portray a half-hearted Belgian depth and lacking the raw rusticity and supple dryness that makes those from Belgium so great.

Serving type: bottle

01-11-2013 06:30:15 | More by BEERchitect

Greywulfken

New York

4.48/5  rDev +24.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

First things first: beers reviews always come from biased sources, right? Everyone's got their idea about what they like, and how this style should be done, etc.
Second, let's consider North Coast Brewing. They brew the classic RIS, Old Rasputin. They brew a barleywine-esque old ale, the Old Stock Ale. These two beers are top flight. Their other major beers, Pranqster and Brother Thelonius, are respectably good beers.
When I see North Coast on a label, I expect good things. When I see Grand Cru on a label, I expect the best of the best. It is, after all, a grand cru.

A: Deep gold/pale amber body with slight haze from a center-pour unto a tulip kicked up a slim finger of tan head; the beer leaves the glass clean as you drink

S: orchard fruits, apricots and peaches soaked in bourbon

T: luxurious sugars from the malts and aromas from the hops create a tapestry of the lush orchard fruits and booze - a very sultry, heady flavor. Fresh and juicy.

M: brisk carbonation creates a warm fuzz to the medium-to-full bodied feel

O: ignore the mundane (so far) reviews, and just get it already.

Buyer beware: it's just a pint-and-change bottle, so you're not gonna get much of a second pour!

Serving type: bottle

12-13-2012 17:26:53 | More by Greywulfken