Southampton Grand Cru - Southampton Publick House

dbrauneis

New Jersey

3.98/5  rDev -6.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Served on tap at Waterfront Alehouse in New York, NY

A: Pours a clear amber color with a two finger tall white head. This beer had great head retention and very significant amounts of lacing.

S: Hints of clove, anise, orange peel, and candi sugar. There is a lot of fruit and alcohol present with some pale malts and spices.

T: Lots of spices, malts, candi sugar, and orange peel. Hints of cloves, pale malts, and some alcohol presence.

M: Medium bodied with moderate amounts of carbonation.

O: Enjoyable but not a real easy drinker - there is just too much alcohol presence to be an easy drinker. I think this is a more sipping over an hour or so kind of beer. Very nice beer.

Serving type: on-tap

03-04-2012 16:32:20 | More by dbrauneis

DIM

Pennsylvania

3.83/5  rDev -9.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

a: This was a slightly murky, dull golden color. It was served to me with a small, airy looking white head.

s: A very appealing balance of sweet candi sugar and pale malt, and spicy aromas of ginger and nutmeg. Some pear aromas emerged as this warmed.

s: I loved the first sip, but towards the middle of the glass this spice was coming on too strong. The yeasty phenols, pale malt, and candi sugar all work beautifully together. The finish adds grassy hops and spice flavor that reminded most of nutmeg.

m: Big and creamy overall.

o: I fell in love with the first sip, but turns out it was just infatuation.

Serving type: on-tap

02-08-2012 20:46:18 | More by DIM

socon67

New York

3.73/5  rDev -12%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A - Pour is copper colored with a bubbly white foam. Decent lacing, and slightly cloudy.

S - Smells spicy (nutmeg, ginger root, cinnamon) and with a yeasty lingering smell.

T - Tastes of candied fruit with a slight spicy bite on the back end.

M - Feels a bit heavy, but easily enjoyable. Raspy on the tongue.

O - One of the better offerings from Southampton. Glad to see one of the locals do a good take on a belgian style.

Serving type: on-tap

01-19-2012 04:20:32 | More by socon67

onix1agr

Pennsylvania

4.18/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

10oz into a tulip on tap.

Southampton Grand Cru glides into the glass golden with a small tint of faded bronze within. a nice sheet of bright white up top, leaving a cap and small splotches. OK retention. Smell is fruity with a bready Belgian yeast with trace amounts of candi. No grassy scents, some hints of alcohol. Pretty bold in scent off the tap with a bit candi like scent than alot of American versions. Taste is up front with Belgian essence and a fruit. Apple, pear, small earthy hop bite in between with some candi sugar in the end that does not cloy. First sips give off some alcohol that warms the gullet. The 9.5% is not all the way hidden. Feel is a strong medium with a nice crisp carb. After half the glass this becomes all to easy to drink. A nice stab at the style and much better than alot of American versions out there. I just wish bottles were not so damn pricey, this would be a nice one to slide into 4 packs or so. Until then, I'll grab it on tap.

Serving type: on-tap

01-19-2012 00:48:39 | More by onix1agr

ThePorterSorter

New York

4.13/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

$2.50/8oz sample... J Ryan's I love you.

Appearance:
Rich golden honey in color with a super sticky white head and lacing. This looks really golden in the light, screams grand cru, but could use a little more carbonation... This problem possibly solved by bottle conditioning (vs on tap)?

Smell:
Served way too cold, but there is still a strong sweetness mixed with fruity yestiness that cuts through like a knife. The alcohol is also quite pungent.

Tast:
There is really fruity Belgian yeast and just enough sweetness and alcohol. Quite tasty, especially as it warms up. There is a bold grape-like crispness that follows each sip. I'm reminded of a sensation I get when drinking Nelson, single-hopped beers.

Mouthfeel:
The beer is in fact quite fruity and juicy with a slightly bitter aftertaste. Definitely a delicious mouthfeel for a grand cru and more carbonation than expected!

Overall:
Amazing price on this beer and it's well worth the money! Thanks again J ryan's for providing outstanding beer at reasonable prices.

Serving type: on-tap

01-09-2012 23:10:37 | More by ThePorterSorter

HopDr

Pennsylvania

4.7/5  rDev +10.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Had this on tap on 3 occasions now, poured in a smallish chalice.

A- Nice golden/honey color, very little head but some good lacing. Almost opaque.

S- Beautiful! I am not a big fan of spiced beers, but I think they really nailed this one. Coriander and citrus (I think from additives, not hops), along with belgian yeast-type fruitiness all blended perfectly. All of the flavors are sublet with no one dominating, it is one of those beers that you get something new every time you take a sip.

T- I think they did a nice job here too of keeping it simple, letting the malt take a backseat and provide the backbone to let the yeast and other flavors do the talking. Spiciness comes though in the end.

M- On the thinner side with less carbonation than I usually expect from Belgian-style beers, but it works for me in this one.

O- This is the only beer I have had from Southampton, but it makes me want to try their others. It really is a nice beer, the first night I tried it I had a couple glasses with a meal and thought it was fantastic, so good that I wanted to go back just to try it again on its own to see if it was really as good as I remembered. It is nicely complex, subtle and balanced. This is definitely my favorite American Belgian-style beer I have tried so far.

Serving type: on-tap

01-05-2012 19:22:42 | More by HopDr

metter98

New York

4.33/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: The beer is clear yellowish orange in color and has no visible carbonation. It poured with a finger high white head that gradually died down, leaving some lacing on the surface and a coating of bubbles down the sides of the glass.
S: There are strong bouquet of citrusy aromas in the nose (orange stands out in particular) along with smells of candi sugars and spices.
T: Similar to the smell, the taste has complex flavors of candi sugars with some malty sweetness and notes of orange peel and spices.
M: It feels medium-bodied and rather smooth on the palate with a moderate amount of carbonation. A bit of bitterness and warming from the alcohol is noticeable in the finish.
O: The beer seems to be more malty compared to other beers in the style but hides its alcohol well and isn’t cloying.

Serving type: on-tap

11-29-2011 04:27:51 | More by metter98

afksports

New York

4.15/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Southampton's Grand Cru was on my original "Top 100" list to try. I tried it before I could learn about the way to appreciate beers of its style.

Fortunately, after football at Prospect Park today, I tried it on tap at Double Windsor in Brooklyn.

This beer is red, with a solid head retention and decent lacing on the Chimay goblet. It smells of spice- coriander and citrus zest. A little lemon, but a lot of malt and Belgian yeast. It's a true mix, but not one that I necessarily want to write home about.

It wound up being a highly spiced sipper. Spiced not in the hot pepper way, just in the way that one spice can take over a dish. Everything else was right about it: mouthfeel was creamy, it had a clean finish, it looked great. But there was just something about the taste where even within its balance, it just seemed too spicy.

For that reason alone, it's not a completely high rated beer to me, but I'll be blown away if it stops being highly rated, because it is damn well crafted. And perfect for after football. Cheers to Double Windsor for pouring it on tap!

Serving type: on-tap

11-05-2011 22:30:45 | More by afksports

corby112

Pennsylvania

4.22/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Serving type: on tap at Monks Cafe, Philadelphia, PA.

Pours a cloudy golden color with foamy white head. Spicy aroma with hints of light fruits as well a touch of hops. Very quaffable considering the 9.5 ABV. Spicy with hints of apple, pear,, and orange peel. Very nice interpretation of the classic belgian style.

Serving type: on-tap

11-27-2008 18:12:00 | More by corby112

TheManiacalOne

Rhode Island

4.33/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On-tap 10/9/08 at Pitcher's Pub in Cumberland, RI, served in a goblet glass.

A: The beer is a light golden brown color, with a short off-white head that fades slowly and leaves a thick lace on the glass.

S: The aroma is of apples, Belgian yeast, light malts, spices and a touch of hops.

T: The taste is sweet and tart up front with flavors of apples & caramel. Then the breadiness of Belgian yeast follows along with a heart malt character. There's a mild hops presence that brings a good balance. The after-taste is slightly sweet.

M: Crisp and very smooth, medium body, medium carbonation, finish is dry and slightly sticky.

D: Very tasty, goes down easily, not too filling, strong kick, good representation of style, this is nice high-gravity Belgian beer that is worth drinking for a long time.

Serving type: on-tap

10-13-2008 17:06:09 | More by TheManiacalOne

bosco7

Pennsylvania

3.85/5  rDev -9.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

On tap at Monk's in Philadelphia.

Golden in color. Very pie like aromas coming off this one- crusty malt notes, caramel, with loads of spices.

Big malt upfront with some baked apple. Very fruity, almost like liquid preserves. Finish is loaded with coriander, pepper, and alcohol.

Mouthfeel of a barleywine, sounds appealing but when paired with the Belgian yeast, it kind of turns me off.

The booziness, spiciness, and mouthfeel make this beer a little hard to consume vigorously. Nice change of pace beer, very unique indeed. I think I might try it again.

Serving type: on-tap

03-03-2008 04:06:40 | More by bosco7

UnionMade

Colorado

4/5  rDev -5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bright, shining, amber color tends toward orange, topped with a thin collar of head. Relatively clear, though nothing to shout about. The head keeps in a thin, unbroken collar through the drink, but no lacing on the snifter. Very bold, spicy aroma, filled with belgian fruitiness and yeasty, peppery notes. Strong apple and banana, along with clove, sugar and coriander. A little bit of booze in the back. This one's hot and lively. Taking a sip, I'm greeted with a veritable explosion of flavor. Nearly overpowering sweetness, sticky with caramel and belgian candi sugar. A little heavy handed with the fruit and spices, leaving nothing to the imagination. I'm tackled by candied fruit of nearly every tropical variety, drizzled over with caramel, then dusted with spices, very much like the most decadent liquid dessert you'd ever have. Yeast driven, spicy finish, though I wouldn't be surprised if some additional spices were added to the mix, namely coriander. Finishes sweet, with a lick of booze to round things out. Full bodied, with finely bubbled, moderate carbonation.
Maybe it's because I haven't had any strong belgian styles in a while, but I seriously doubt I could have more than one of these in a sitting. Palate melting.

Serving type: on-tap

07-18-2007 07:45:43 | More by UnionMade

ski271

Pennsylvania

4.58/5  rDev +8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

A-Medium amber with a small, slightly off-white, foamy, quickly diminishing head.
S- Perfumey Belgian yeast, caramel, berry, clove and coriander
T- Pungent fruit (some dark) and more of that wonderful yeast. Wonderful malt base and balance.
M- Medium body, juicy texture, soft carbonation
D- There’s something special about this one. Fantastic!

Serving type: on-tap

07-06-2007 19:20:13 | More by ski271

egajdzis

Pennsylvania

4.18/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured a hazy yellow orange color with a medium sized off white head, and light lacing on the glass. Aroma of sweet orange, citrus, and musty yeast. Taste was very nice, spicy vanilla oak, sweet caramel, lots of citrus fruits, yeast, and just a hint of alcohol.

Serving type: on-tap

12-19-2004 15:20:55 | More by egajdzis

yankeeheel

Maine

4.83/5  rDev +13.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

2004 vintage

Pours a lightly hazed medium amber. Large thick off-white head of foam settles out in to a sheet of lace that stays with the brew. Smells very grassy, yeasty and citrusy. Great smelling and so pretty in the glass.The taste is out of this world. I've never been to belgium, but this fits the picture in my mind of what a "real" belgian beer should taste like if the monks brought it down to me personally. The lightest most delicate malt taste passes over your tounge, followed by a slightly tart citrus wave of lemon and orange. Finishes slightly dry without the slightest hint of alcohol. However, my head knows it's there. Mouthfeel is moderate and in perfect proportion with the flavors of this beer. You could drink a lot of this and get in heaps of trouble fast. This is a must drink. If you see it and pass it up it's your loss.

Serving type: on-tap

08-15-2004 22:19:02 | More by yankeeheel

lou91

California

4.47/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

The cork did not burst out with a pop as I thought it would with a champagne cork. The cork had a great smell of pineapple juice. Bright orange color with tight small bubbles and a wonderful nose of pineapples, honey and a yeasty sweetness. This is an exceptional beer. Rich, thick, and oh so soft and creamy. The alcohol was evident but does not overpower the great tastes. The spices are so subtle but that does not matter. This has to be the best American Belgian-style beer. Got it at the American Beer Distributing Company, Inc in Brooklyn.

Serving type: on-tap

07-29-2004 06:38:20 | More by lou91

CRJMellor

Arkansas

4.65/5  rDev +9.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Pours a light amber with a rich, creamy 1/2 inch off-white head. tons of sticky lace on the chalice.
Aroma is caramel, tofee, apple, cinnamon, grain, yeat, bread and coriander.
Flavor is caramel, a myriad of darker fruits with some spicy cinnamon notes. Lots of yeast and spiced alcohol on the finish. Absolutely beautiful tasting beer.
Mouthfeel is wonderfully malty and flavorful. Spice and yeast provide just enough alternative and balance to the sweetness to make a truly remarkable beer.
Drinkability is near perfect. Absolutely delicious. It was my privilege to drink this fine nectar.
Thanks to Davo.

Serving type: on-tap

06-04-2004 01:40:20 | More by CRJMellor

longpondbeerman

Maine

4.47/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

2004. This is a real Belgian with lots of intricate and definitive spiciness--orange, corriander, even anise--but unlike most of the strong ales, there something understated about this superb, delicate brew. It pours a dark, slightly cloudy gold with a fine sticky lace. The aroma is sweet and piney, and the taste is exquisitely balanced. The carbonation is smoothly thin and perfectly appropriate for the mediummothfeel. This is one lovely offering, but note: very potent though you would not notice it right off the bat.

Serving type: on-tap

05-26-2004 22:46:42 | More by longpondbeerman

jeffboo

Minnesota

4.88/5  rDev +15.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Yum! I'm on a Grand Cru run and this will be tough to top. I went head to head with 4 breweries Cru's and this one jumped out of the pack.

It's a peachy golden nectar with a heavy, creamy head. The aroma of applesauce, spicy yeasts, vanilla, and an abundance of other spices. The flavor follows along with an incredible sweet fruit flavor (peaches,pears) spicy yeast and marshmellows. It's a verrry drinkable medium body with nice carbonation. The flavors are hard to put to words but this beer is not hard to put to mouth. My rec is go get this beer and let it do it's magic.

Serving type: on-tap

09-03-2003 02:26:35 | More by jeffboo

NeroFiddled

Pennsylvania

4.88/5  rDev +15.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

A hazy marmalade body lies beneath a huge head of pillowy off-white foam. Fine bubbles stream steadily upwards - continually adding to the head - and it holds a solid 1/2" or more throughout the entire glass. If that alone made up its appearance it would still be beautiful, but the almost solid sheets of Brussels lace are quite mesmerizing!

Delicate orange and vanilla cream candy (think creamsicle) reside in the nose with just a smattering of brilliant, fresh spice to jazz it up. It's quite alluring, and could almost be enjoyed on its own.

The mouthfeel reveals a meium/light body that's accentuated by a gently effervescent carbonation. It initally tingles the tongue, but then warms to become quite creamy!

The flavor is quite rich without being overwhelming; and it initially accentuates its cookie dough and candyish malt. Midway, however, a supple spiciness and orange flavor appear as it warms. Flashes of alcohol act to enliven its character, rather than detracting; and it finishes soft and sweet with a thin wash of drying alcohol and some residual cookie dough sweetness.

A most impressive brew! Its lush flavors are delivered within a perfect mouthfeel. Extremely well done. and absolutely worth seeking out! This beer rivals some of the top Belgain ales!

Serving type: on-tap

08-24-2003 03:05:45 | More by NeroFiddled

jrenihan

Ontario (Canada)

4.3/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

BB Sept 30, 2014.

No pop when the bottle opens, which was a bit of a surprise. Beer is cloudy golden, a bit of orange. Almost no head, just a bit of white.

Smell contains orange, Belgian yeast, coriander.

Taste is very good. Quite dry, some yeast and nice fruit flavours. Orange and pear. The spices come into the fore at the end, coriander in particular. I don't know exactly what star anise tastes like. but there is a strong spice flavour so it is probably there. The spices are strong but well-integrated. They do not dominate as I often find spices added to beer can do. Quite a dry finish.

Full bodied, low to moderate carbonation, a bit of booze. Quite smooth.

Overall, excellent. A really good BSPA.

Serving type: bottle

12-29-2012 20:38:30 | More by jrenihan

Jacobob10

New Jersey

4.1/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a slightly hazy golden orange with a large frothy white head that quickly disappates into a small head that clings to the side of the glass. Great aroma filled with lemon, coriander, and pepper. Lots of spice in the flavor but not overpowering. A touch of heat from the alcohol is noticable, but is more warming than uninviting. Surprisingly drinkable for such a strong beer. By far the best beer I've had from Southampton to date. Would definitely buy this again.

Serving type: bottle

11-20-2012 16:36:01 | More by Jacobob10

Dope

Massachusetts

4.13/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Bottle states 9501 9/30/14 (I assume "best by" date)

A: Pours a hazy, light golden-orange. Huge effervescent white head. Fades slowly, leaving an island of foam and decent streaks of lacing behind.

S: Lots of wet grass with oranges and coriander. Bready.

T: Loaded with grainy, yeasty bread. Orange and coriander are present throughout. A bit of cloves, anise and then some grass. Almost get some honey. A spicy, sort of sharp and estery finish.

M: Medium bodied, smooth.

O: An interesting and heavily spiced BSPA. Not as crisp and refreshing as a lot of BSPAs tend to be, this one is bigger, smoother and spicier. Nice balance of flavors and quite complex. I prefer mine on the lighter, crisper side but this is still quite good. Drinkability is oddly high despite the ABV. It's oddly smooth.

Serving type: bottle

08-23-2012 03:02:04 | More by Dope

Greywulfken

New York

4.38/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: beautiful deep golden beer with a fluffy head that left lots of lace - sediment easily visible throughout the beer, which may be a bad thing for some, but it may be the style - didn't bother me none

S: sweet spices and caramel orange

T: the bottle says it and you can detect it: coriander, orange peel, star anise; plus candi sugar, some smoky cardamom (?) and hidden pine notes

M: soft, fuzzy, and delightful (I had it at just a notch under room temp)

O: super - better than the Beast (Avery brewing), IMO, these being my only two "grand cru" BSPAs - reminds me of a tripel but with more spices and less fruity flavors - has the same soft character and grace.

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2012 23:46:58 | More by Greywulfken

UCLABrewN84

California

4.3/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to DrAwkward82 for sharing this one at jmgrub’s tasting.

Best by 9/30/14.

Pours a slightly murky honey orange with a foamy tan head that settles to a film on top of the beer. Small streaks of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Smell is of grain, spices, Belgian yeast, and some slight citrus aromas. Taste is pretty much the same with the spices lingering on the finish. There is a mild spice bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a good level of carbonation with a crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a very good beer with a nice set of aromas and an even better taste.

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2012 06:01:10 | More by UCLABrewN84