Grand Cru De Pelican - Pelican Pub & Brewery

BeerAdvocate

Massachusetts

4.5/5  rDev +11.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Review from BeerAdvocate Magazine May 2007.

Oregon goes Belgian, from the ingredients right down to the Champagne magnum. Maybe it was just us, but the corks tore right in half. We managed to get the rest off with a corkscrew. Oops.

In any case, the cork came off with a very loud pop. Very foamy head drops down to a tan lace, sustained by very active carbonation. Dark chestnut colors border on black. Sweet malty aromas of raw cane sugar, toasted grain and shortbread pair with a ripe plum and blackberry fruitiness. Boisterous carbonation manhandles the mouthfeel with a full-on rolling crispness that doesn't let the full body get in its way. A juicy smack of fruitiness is followed by a drawn-out and complex malt character that takes a while and some warming to decipher. Suggestions of lavender, coconut and light-roasted coffee come to mind. Dark, bready malt and brown sugar flavors with steely apparitions. Hops are very mild, but a touch of bitter herbal phenol and a spicy alcohol help balance out the malt. Finishes dry with an intricate, bready malt flavor.

Outstanding! Sip, savor and enjoy! This one will surely give many other Belgian Strong Dark Ales a run for their money. So complex that it can stand on its own without a pairing--though a creamy blue cheese wouldn't kill you.

Serving type: bottle

09-27-2010 18:21:13 | More by BeerAdvocate

n2185

North Carolina

4/5  rDev -0.7%

01-20-2013 06:36:38 | More by n2185

Dracook

United Kingdom (England)

4/5  rDev -0.7%

01-16-2013 03:38:34 | More by Dracook

t0rin0

California

4.5/5  rDev +11.7%

12-07-2012 03:19:48 | More by t0rin0

UCLABrewN84

California

3.9/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to Tieman for sharing this one at his tasting.

Bottled 4/2012.

Pours a slightly murky orange-brown with a foamy orange-khaki head that settles to a film on top of the beer. Foamy streaks of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Smell is of malt, brown sugar, and dark fruits. Taste is much the same with an alcohol kick and a mild spice bitterness with each sip. This beer has a good level of carbonation with a crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a good beer that tastes better than it smells in my opinion.

Serving type: bottle

11-11-2012 08:19:38 | More by UCLABrewN84

draheim

Washington

4.38/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

750mL (bottled March 2011) into a tulip. Pours a clear mahogany w/ vigorous carb (typical of Pelican), big billowing khaki head, great retention, nice clumps of lace clinging to the glass.

Aroma is sweet bready malt, sticky dark stone fruit, warm booze.

Taste follows nose. Sweet dry bready malt, Belgian yeast, candi sugar, alcohol. Fermentable dark fruity malt has an almost vinous quality.

Mouthfeel is clean, light w/ a dry finish. Carbonation keeps it crisp and sharp.

Overall a really enjoyable BSDA. Only real flaw is that the alcohol is pretty evident. Well done Pelican.

Serving type: bottle

10-14-2012 05:11:12 | More by draheim

sukwonee

Washington

1/5  rDev -75.2%

07-28-2012 22:42:36 | More by sukwonee

impending

California

4.05/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A-

750ml into a tulip. Pours a dull deep mahogany, relentless tan head, core retains a dense head the outer melds to large supporting bubbles.

Classic traditional strong dark aroma. Dark fruits, yeast, camphor and old world spices.

Big long evolving flavor. Strong vinous phenols appear twice, the big initial flavor then the length of the long lived aftertaste each distinct and clearly defined. Easy to understand those who won't like this. With warmth the alcohol figures more prominent as a flavor component. Medium bodied mouthfeel isn't revealed until the carbonation dissipates. Delicious complexity. Enjoys warmth.
cheers
jd

Serving type: bottle

06-23-2012 05:10:44 | More by impending

drewone

California

4.25/5  rDev +5.5%

05-21-2012 03:55:32 | More by drewone

LiquidAmber

Washington

4.4/5  rDev +9.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a Gulden Draak tulip. Pours a dark murky red brown. Massive medium light tan head dissipates very quickly, leaving a ring with little lacing. Aroma of sweet caramel malt, plum and dark fruit, slightly sour. Taste is intense caramel malt, dark and fried fruit and alcohol. Long aftertaste of malt and dark fruits with a bit of a hop element. Medium bodied with active carbonation. An enjoyable Belgian ale, perhaps not as integrated as some, perhaps because of the alcohol kick.

Serving type: bottle

03-01-2012 04:48:36 | More by LiquidAmber

rogerthegill

Oregon

4/5  rDev -0.7%

01-26-2012 19:12:11 | More by rogerthegill

HopHead84

California

3.65/5  rDev -9.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

12/02/2011

Bottle shared by Javier at Strong Ale 2011.

A: Dark crimson with a beige head.

S: Strong esters redolent of sugary peach, apricot, plum, and date. The yeast is decidedly Belgian. Malt is bready and sweet.

T: Plum and apricot with bubblegum and banana. Alcohol is evident. Caramel accompanies bread and sugary sweetness. The finish has a pepper-like spiciness to it.

M: Upper medium body with high carbonation.

Overall: A pretty good Belgian Strong Dark.

Serving type: bottle

12-06-2011 19:37:56 | More by HopHead84

jophish17

Georgia

3.5/5  rDev -13.2%

12-06-2011 17:42:02 | More by jophish17

joefc

Oregon

4/5  rDev -0.7%

12-05-2011 00:29:49 | More by joefc

FlandersNed

Indiana

3/5  rDev -25.6%

11-30-2011 04:02:27 | More by FlandersNed

Rochefort10nh

New Hampshire

5/5  rDev +24.1%

11-25-2011 15:21:40 | More by Rochefort10nh

westcoastbeerlvr

California

3/5  rDev -25.6%

11-14-2011 22:46:02 | More by westcoastbeerlvr

billshmeinke

California

3.03/5  rDev -24.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a murky brown/orange/amber color. Finger of yellowish tan head. Retention is good, lacing is not.

Fruity esters, green apple, hints of caramel, spicey Belgian yeast.

Tastes of cherry cough syrup, a touch of band aid, fruity esters, touch of caramel, green apple, peppery spice.

Full, really nice carbonation.

Too sweet, too much band aid, otherwise ok.

Serving type: bottle

10-30-2011 22:58:34 | More by billshmeinke

loren01

Oregon

4.55/5  rDev +12.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: Pours a murky reddish brown color. Nice bubbly head with some lacing down the glass
S: Smell is sour, fruity and spicy
T: Big dark fruity taste, Belgian yeast and slight sour aftertaste.
M: Medium bodied beer, good amount of carbonation
D: This is a really good beer, glad I picked this one up.

Serving type: bottle

07-21-2011 00:13:34 | More by loren01

basica

Singapore

4.68/5  rDev +16.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

A - Pours a dark amber brown color into my Rochefort chalice with a very thick, rocky and milky white head and very good retention (5)

S - The nose is moderately sour with a bready backing; other aromas included suggestions of caramel, dark fruits, liquorice and alcohol; pleasant nose but not too pronounced though this improves as the beer warms (4)

T - Strong flavors of brown sugar sweetness and caramel malts smacks the taste buds upfront along with a very slight sourness/tartness that lasts towards the finish; right after the initial treat was a brief but distinct breadiness which quickly gave way to an explosion of dark fruits with suggestions of dates, plums, raisins, apples, berries, which are pleasantly blended with alcohol; flavors were without a doubt complex and very delectable (5)

M - Pleasant full-bodied thickness with a slight syrupy stickiness and a nice foamy, creamy smooth texture spotting just about the right amount of carbonation; goes down flawlessly with a nice and persistent alcohol warming to round things up (5)

D - Top class flavors and nicely blended in with the alcohol with the 9.5% hardly showing through; very well-balanced and complex with a great malt character, bready yeast nature and fruity explosion. I would definitely session this with friends if I can get easy access to this but this is definitely a sipper and something to be shared. (4.5)

The Pelican Grand Cru is nothing short of a great rendition of a Belgian Strong Dark Ale; the bottle that I have is a 2009 vintage bottled in October. Notable chaaracteristics include the fruitiness, balance and the sour notes. It is noteworthy that the Pelican Grand Cru improves significantly as it warms just as most Belgian Strong Dark Ales do.

This is #1 of 3 in a horizontal tasting with 2 other American brewed Belgium Strong Dark Ale. The other 2 are: Unibroue La Terrible and Lost Abbey 10 Commandments, both top class American BSDAs

Serving type: bottle

01-12-2011 18:38:30 | More by basica

twiggamortis420

Texas

4.53/5  rDev +12.4%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

750 mL bottle from the 2007 vintage shared by fthomasl, gracias bro! Pours a murky brown color with a fluffed, dark tan foam. The initially good looking head surprisingly fades fast and does not leave much lacing.

Dark fruit smacks the nose around at first, followed by a big dark bread aroma. Little bit of oxidized malt and alcohol bring up the rear but are still quite big. Huge nose on this beast and is really complex, kind of a mix between Old Ale and BSDA.

Starts sweet on the palate with burnt caramel and marshmallows. Has a mellow, balancing sourness and a dose of bready yeast. I must say, this is right up there with the best BSDAs from Belgium. Just a light bite on the finish and a heavy dose of fruitiness add to the complexity. Even throws out some cola and blueberries as it warms. Creamy mouthfeel and a light-ish body. Even better as it warms, great stuff! Does Pelican brew a bad beer? Doubtful.

Serving type: bottle

08-29-2010 22:35:20 | More by twiggamortis420

degerbah

Ohio

3.73/5  rDev -7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a dark brown with a ton of head. The aroma is spicy with a large amount of scents melding together into a potpourri of smells. The taste is very similar to the unibroue belgian strong dark ales. At best I think its not quite as good as La Fin du Monde.

Serving type: bottle

08-22-2010 23:53:51 | More by degerbah

hughesm4

Ohio

3.85/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured into a pint glass from a bomber.
a-pours deep amber in color with a ton of gold head.
s-Strong, very sweet smell that is sweet and fruity.
t-Malty caramel taste is the most dominant along with some random sweet fruit.
m/d-Decently thick but fades from the mouth rather quickly. Goes down smooth and leaves a sweet taste in your mouth.

Serving type: bottle

08-22-2010 23:49:48 | More by hughesm4

mwa423

Ohio

4/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Pours a dark brown with reddish hues. The first pours are full of head but evens itself out in the later pours. The head is long lasting and sticky and an off white.

S - Lots of dried fruit, some belgian yeast, a slight sour note and also some sweetness.

T - Taste is strong and fills the mouth with the Belgian yeast and dried fruit. The aftertaste is a bit yeasty. Certainly a good BSDA but not worth seeking out if not close to the brewery.

M/D - Mouthfeel is good with a very full body and good carbonation, surprisingly enough there isn't really any booziness in this with the abv, but this is a reasonably drinkable BSDA.

Serving type: bottle

08-22-2010 23:49:15 | More by mwa423

scratchchance

Hawaii

4.65/5  rDev +15.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Pours effervecent, dark brown carmel in colour with a nice head. Very light almost citrus, estery, sweet smell with almost Champaign like notes.
Belgian lacing down the sides of the glass are present.
Malty, slightly sweet up front with a slight citrus bitter finish. Light belgian esters present but not over powering are balanced with the darker caramel flavours.
Nicely effervecent but not overly hot.
Overall one of the best belgian styles made here in the beautiful Northwest by one of the best brewerys in Oregon.

Serving type: bottle

06-06-2010 05:18:58 | More by scratchchance