Southampton Grand Cru - Southampton Publick House

asabreed

New York

4.6/5  rDev +8.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

750 ml. bottle into a Brooklyn tulip. At least 2-3 years old, but there's no freshness date and I forgot to mark it on the bottle.

Happy New Year to everyone.

Appearance: A coppery orange color with awesome floaties, which I imagine is the yeast, and there's a lot of it, which I love. Huge bubbles on the top, leaving both good lacing and nice clumps. Pretty in the glass.

Smell: So bright and complex that it's tough to give the rating anything less. I keep trying to pick out more, and I can't. Does star anise bring a tropical flavor to the licorice aromas? That's a lot of what I'm getting here. Major sweetness. Caramel malts. Graham cracker. Cookie Dough. Plums. Big peppery spice. Black magic marker. A bit of scotch, which probably comes from the sweeter caramel malts. A wealth of aromas to be discovered here.

Taste: I was wondering when the orange peel would make itself known, and this happens in the lingering finish with the taste, as I got none in the aroma. Tons of sweetness, but there's a good amount of balance with the hops. It makes me wonder how this isn't more toward the 11% or 12% mark, because the complexity and sweetness feels like it. There's also some good husk and earthiness presence at the end. The forefront brings caramel malt sweetness, with some Balvenie-type scotch going on, and a bit of licorice, along with a wealth of bright peppery spice. I'm not sure I'm picking out the coriander here, but it's probably there, adding to the citrus quality at the end. This is the metamorphosis in a beer. Insane.

Mouthfeel: Big and creamy and rich and sweet and wild and everything else. Lots of good carbonation to balance all that's going on. Pretty wonderful.

Drinkability: A completely transcendent buzz comes from this beer. One of the weirdest and euphoric I've ever received, if not the weirdest and euphoric. I'm starting to think wormwood was involved in this or something. But Wow. What a beer. One of those "experience" beers without having to be something completely new. I wish I had a case of this to sit, because weird and wild things will certainly be going on as the beer ages. Get. A. Bottle.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2009 23:29:14 | More by asabreed

br3wmeister

Colorado

3.7/5  rDev -12.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Large bubbly off white head with weak retention but good lacing. this beer pours a bright pinkish copper that looks beautiful when held to a light. The aroma of this beer is very fruity and sweet. I hate to say it but it reminds me of fruit loops and lemon drops. Unexpected amount of spice in the flavor, the nose was really deceiving. Lemon zest, oranges, peaches, hint of ginger and black pepper, a little boozy, and some nice earthy notes. This is a nice beer to sit around and sip on. Wrong beer for tonight, still very good though.

Serving type: bottle

12-29-2009 01:31:39 | More by br3wmeister

alcstradamus

Illinois

3.95/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Received in a trade with Solomon420. Thanks!

Pours a rich amber/orange color, a bit darker than I was anticipating. Nice finger and a half of head and some effervescent bubbles rising up the sides of the glass.

I could smell the lemony tartness as I poured. Upon further inspection, I also pick up apple skin, very light spice, and Hot Wheels toy cars (not joking).

The taste is musty malt up front. None of the tartness that I picked up on the nose. A healthy dose of spices and orange peel. Faint hints of band aid and a strong leather presence. Cheap aftershave. Muss melon. It really is a harmonious blend of a bunch of odd elements. I can't really say that I've ever had anything like this before. Took a little while to grow on me.

Mouthfeel is medium to medium/full with a healthy dose of stingy carbonation. This is one odd beer. Very impressive that all these unique characteristics blend together to create a one-of-a-kind beer that makes you want to keep taking sips to see what you'll find next. If it wasn't for the metal/plastic aspect that was present mostly in the smell I would have rated this higher.

Serving type: bottle

12-16-2009 17:24:26 | More by alcstradamus

younger35

Minnesota

4.68/5  rDev +10.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Received this brew from BeerTruth many moon ago in the original Fight Club BIF. I've been sitting on this beer for quite some time just waiting for the right time. Don't know why, but tonight was the night. Drank from my Ithaca Excelsior pint glass (also received from very same BIF).

2007 written from gold waxed pen on the back of the bottle.

Appearance- Pours a light burnt orange with a nice sized two plus finger bright white head that is somewhat fizzy yet creamy. A super creamy head remains upon the beer the entire time along with plenty of thick lacing.
Smell- Surprisingly intense in a super fruity way with lots of dark luscious fruits (which is surprising considering the color of the brew). Plums and raisins with some booze soaked black cherries. The orange peel is also immediately noticeable as is the coriander. I don't think I would have guessed the anise without the labels help (is that the dark fruitiness I smell?). The yeast is nice but not overly crazy. Great nose.
Taste- Starts with a pithy sort of bitterness and a fair amount of orange peel right from the get go. Perhaps a bit of some of those Euro hops hiding in there as well adding some of the grassy bite. A nice malty base that really isn't sweet but there is just enough of something hiding back there that keeps the bitter in check. Some spicy yeast with a bit of white pepper and the coriander. There is a touch of some black licorice (anise perhaps?) toward the finish as well as a bit of cherry fruitiness. The alcohol is slightly noticeable but nothing too bad. Just a touch more than I expected.
Mouthfeel- Nice effervescent zip on top of a nice hearty body. The full body is nice and it remains super creamy and awesome. A slight bit of warming on the finish.
Drinkability- First and foremost, I'm not a huge fan of the style. Usually the American version of these brews are either too sweet or too highly spiced. Hell, even the Belgium versions of Belgium's sometimes are too sweet or too spicy. This brew is neither and is quite simply tasty as hell. Glad I let this be for over 2 ½ years because it's drinking freaking spectacular. Thanks Adam!

Serving type: bottle

10-31-2009 14:37:55 | More by younger35

ffejherb

Pennsylvania

3.3/5  rDev -22.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Poured via 750ml bottle on 10/26/09.

A - Poured a hazy amber/orange body with lots of active carbonation and a quarter inch of frothy beige head.

S - Butterscotch is very apparent and dominates the initial aroma, with a hint of spices in the background.

T - Very buttery and sweet with an apparent butterscotch character. Hint of candi sugar and mild peppery spiciness. Overall, the flavor is quite sweet.

M - Medium bodied with a syrupy texture and moderate carbonation. Quite sweet on the palate.

D - Decent example, but not nearly as good as their Saison. I found this to be a bit too buttery and one-dimensional.

Serving type: bottle

10-30-2009 02:44:50 | More by ffejherb

jnn4v

Virginia

4.43/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a bottle I'd picked up locally a few months ago.

A: Orange / honey brown color. About 1/3 of the glass was filled with a cream-colored foamy head that took several minutes to dissipate. Some haze + yeast sediment.

S: Ginger ale, Orangina soda, and Grand Mariner liquor are the first three scents. Musty orange peel as well. My brother says he can smell nutmeg as well. Very interesting and unique so far.

T: Can definitely taste the oranginess, although it's not as dominant as in the scent. Some clover / floral sweetness as well. Hints of the yeastiness on the tail end.

M: Medium body thickness with a very silky texture from the fine carbonation.

D: Very drinkable. It was very good both cold and at cellar temperature.

Serving type: bottle

10-12-2009 17:55:40 | More by jnn4v

Pencible

Virginia

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

This poured a nearly opaque copper color with fluffy light tan head. It smelled like sweet oranges and lemon zest, with creamy wild yeast and a variety of earthy spices including nutmeg, vanilla, and ginger. It tasted like oranges and cream, with lemon zest and bready yeast, and some nutmeg and ginger and coriander. It was somewhat thick with mild smooth carbonation, and had a mellow bitter aftertaste. Overall this was a very complex and delicate beer that blended many tastes and scents together very well. It had awesome body and hid the alcohol nicely too, so it was very easy to drink but worth taking your time with. It could probably improve with some age, also. This is a fantastic beer that's unique but classic.

Serving type: bottle

10-12-2009 15:51:58 | More by Pencible

Sean9689

Illinois

3.88/5  rDev -8.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

750ml bottle poured into Lost Abbey Rastal Teku.

A - Pours a burnt orange/copper color with a couple of fingers worth of frothy white head. This beer has some good head retention and some sticky lacing stays along the side of the glass.

S - Tangerines, oranges, burnt malts. Lots of sugary sweetness on the nose, but really not much else.

T - Sweetness once again up front. Some mangos, oranges, burnt caramels. A nice hint of bitterness on the end and melds with some spicy notes as well. A very well-balanced beer.

M - Light bodied with fizzy carbonation that tickles the lips on each sip. Very clean and refreshing and not heavy at all. An oily finish that makes you want to take another sip.

D - Gotta be in the mood for this one but if you are, it's an excellent beer.

Serving type: bottle

09-25-2009 01:45:57 | More by Sean9689

srandycarter

California

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

A - Honey, murky, off white small head, leaves fast to disk. Some cling lace.

S - Deep vat smell. Some malt and tinge of tart.

T - Malt mixed with cherry candy is the best I can describe it. New to this one.

M - Medium body, fair coating, good carb

D - Too unique and palate killing for long term. Fun to try, though.

Serving type: bottle

09-19-2009 04:23:30 | More by srandycarter

BEERchitect

Kentucky

4.35/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

It's always a privilage to drink a top rated beer, especially one from Southampton. This beer holds true to its Belgian Pale roots while giving a bright hoppy taste, fruity dominance, and spicy textures.

The beer sure dresses for the occation. A firm and steady pour proves difficult to get fit into the chalice. A huge, rocky head billows from the liquid in an expansive and lively fashion. Solid but deeply golden in color, the beer pushed into orange, rusty, and amber territories. Great formation of the off-white foam and it lingers for ever. Great lacing on the glass reaffirms the quality of the appearance.

Pear dominant in the aroma but with accompanying esters of pears, apples, white grapes, mangos, oranges, pineapple and figs. Caramel scents and bready malts provide complimentary notes from the malts. Spicy from phenolic character that carry white pepper, corriander, nutmeg, and allspice notes. Hops are really not detected in the nose.

Flavors of the beer hold much more caramel and true barley taste than expected from the Belgian Pales. However, those ripe and lighter fruits shine here very well (see those in the aroma). The sweetness of the beer keeps the spiciness balanced and keeps them in check. Light earthy hops give flavors of grasses, pine, and a slight mustiness that creates complexity.

The body is a bit sweeter and heavier than I expect- making it feel more like a Tripel or a Biere de Garde/Mars. Definately not the bone-dry spicy version that I find in Duvel, but pleasant to drink nonetheless. Fruits and earthy hop bitterness linger long into the finish; almost as deep as the spicy phenols allow.

A very, very nice beer. I cannot make up my mind whether I think the sweetness is an asset or a deterant to the beer- whichever, it is modest. There's also an 'it' quality in the earthy musty components of the beer that is clean and robust which helps to differentiate this beer from the herd. All beers that are rated this highly definately need an 'it' quality beyond just meeting the style.

Thanks JNN4V!

Serving type: bottle

08-01-2009 03:35:57 | More by BEERchitect

brendan13

Australia

3.9/5  rDev -8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to Smithflipper for sharing the bottle of this with me. Three years old (making it an '06 I guess) purchased directly from the brewer.

A - Poured into a large wine glass a fairly clear dark golden colour with a fluffy 2cm white head that slowly falls away.
S - Sweet bready malt and spicy notes from added spices and alcohol.
T - Much like the smell, bready sweetness with some spicy alcohol notes and spice hints from the added spices.
M - Light to medium bodied with a moderate level of carbonation.
D - On the sweeter side & fairly high alcohol which limits the sessionability but it's something I'd recommend and I'd drink it again.

Serving type: bottle

07-13-2009 10:41:25 | More by brendan13

waltonc

Colorado

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

Bottle purchased at Bierkraft last fall. Hazy orange with small white head and a tad of sediment toward the bottom of the bottle. Smells like orange peels, alcohol and sweet malt. Tastes...the same. Very sweet. I admit I don't detect the star anise. Might benefit from being a bit drier, but I can't really complain. Body is thick and sticky, carbonation is below average.

Serving type: bottle

07-12-2009 04:45:05 | More by waltonc

LilBeerDoctor

New York

2.55/5  rDev -39.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Reviewed on 05/23/2009. Bottle. Pours a cloudy orange with a thick white head. Aroma of sweet butterscotch, orange peel, and sweet malt. Flavor of more of the same, sweet butterscotch, orange peel, star anise, lots of malt. Meh, not a fan...very sweet.

Serving type: bottle

07-11-2009 14:30:30 | More by LilBeerDoctor

k3n

California

4.78/5  rDev +12.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

750ml bottle from Tangfoot.

Holycow I've been waiting to try this one...

Reddish-amber colored, with plenty of egg-shell head...tightly packed tinytiny bubbles. Not much lacing on the glass, but the color is spectacular when held up to the light.

The nose is light fruit notes and some fresh herbal-ness.

The taste is outstanding. The orange peel is definitely there, along with other fruit notes: apricot, peach, raisin...sweet maltiness underlies the whole thing. There's a lot going on here, and all of it is really freaking good.

Mouthfeel is spot on perfect. Nice zing of crispy carbonation up front, into a rich, smooth and chewy middle. Finish is lingering, with a hint of bitterness at the very tail end, leaving you wanting more. Is there alcohol in here?

Need to find a way to get this more consistently in California!

Serving type: bottle

06-23-2009 02:51:20 | More by k3n

mcallister

Ohio

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

Finally getting around to drinking this. I believe I recieved this in a trade in '06.

Pours nice orange reddish color with a large loose wound yet thick off white head. Great retention with thick lacing. Some yeast particles mingle around with the millions of carbonation bubbles.

Damn complex nose. So much going on I'll just take a stab at things. Big corriander and orange peel and full of belgian yeast character, hints of citrusy hops with a very earthy ester. Candied apples, cotton candy, hints of golden raisin and popcorn with a bit of a buttery aroma?
And much much more.

Christ this is a hell of a beer. Mouthfeel is amazing. Soft and creamy very light on the palate but a huge glycerl makes it entrench the tastebuds.

Anise, corriander and orange peel are all evident as the bottle would say. But there is so much more. Golden raisin, candied apple and some pitted fruit flavors lead through from front middle and finish long into the finish. Slightly sweet but not cloying at all. I could keep going on but it would get repetitive and this keyboard blows. Yay Dell XPS.

Serving type: bottle

05-31-2009 21:10:56 | More by mcallister

popery

California

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

Holy crap, this is a great beer. It is bar none the best American-made Belgian that I've ever had, and actually probably the best Belgian (although I can imagine some Trappists getting even better with age on them). The beer is a glowing golden liquid with an excellent creamy head. The nose and flavor are both very complex. It's a sweet Belgian flavor that works incredibly well. There is a balancing spice of coriander and light pepper. The sweetness is a blend of earthy Belgian tones, candied malt and hops that taste like wildflowers. Hats off to Southampton for this one. The feel is creamy and luscious. Despite being aware of the hype, I was happily surprised at just how much I enjoyed this beer. I split a bottle with good friends, and I wish that I had another to do it again. Ship to California, Southampton. Please.

Serving type: bottle

05-30-2009 07:56:34 | More by popery

JoeyBeerBelly

New York

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

750ml corked & caged bottle served in a snifter.

Hazed orange/amber color with a huge white head that settled down to a layer after a while.
Aroma is spices and yeast.
The taste is filled with sweet fruity flavors of pears and white grapes along with a bunch of spices and candied sugar, very complex and very good.
Medium bodied with a light, crisp feel in the mouth.
A tasty treat to savour and enjoy.

Note: I have had this beer many times in the past but just realized that I have never reviewed it until now.

Serving type: bottle

05-29-2009 02:17:05 | More by JoeyBeerBelly

rye726

Colorado

4.75/5  rDev +12%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Not many American made Belgian Pales tend to reach the same level as their Flemish elders, but this is one of the rare few that do.
Pours a glowing golden oak color with a creamy beige head. Good lacing as well.

Nose is a complex blend or citrus fruits, Belgian yeast, earthy spices, floral hops, caramel malts and spicy alcohol.

Taste has zesty citrus, woody herbs and spices, peppery yeast, fruity malts, carmelized candies and quiet hops to bring everything together.

Thick creamy body is perfectly carbonated. Every sip brings new flavors through the finish. Fantastic ale that deserves to be enjoyed at or above cellar temp. This really opens up as it warms.

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2009 06:28:06 | More by rye726

drseamus

New York

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

Thanks to aerozeppl for shaing in the park. 2003 bottle.

A: Somewhere between dark straw and pale amber. Phenomonal white head to top.

S: Big malt up front with spices behind. Corriander for sure.

T: Nice malt body again with spices. Super smooth and easy to drink.

M: Sweet smooth body. Somewhat thick but very smooth.

D: I haven't had it fresh but goddamn is it good aged.

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2009 22:43:29 | More by drseamus

connecticutpoet

Connecticut

2.2/5  rDev -48.1%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

Sampled at Julio's, reviewed from notes.

Even though I had this in a sample glass, there was still a two finger, rocky head floating on a clear, deep yellow body. The head took a while to die down, and left lacing in the glass.

Aroma... all I got was buttery. I didn't like it. It seemed almost slick with butter.

Taste was sweet, buttery, and not much else. It was like I was drinking liquid popcorn.

Mouthfeel was slightly oily, but a little cloying and sticky at the same time.

Drinkability... sorry guys, couldn't even finish a two ounce sample.

Serving type: bottle

05-06-2009 19:21:48 | More by connecticutpoet

TheDeuce

New York

3.93/5  rDev -7.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Southampton Grand Cru...

Appearance-pours an orange hazy brown, a nice large but even head forms, carbonation is even and active. Really good looking beer.

Smell-coriander and other spices dominate the aroma, alcohol is pungent along with other ester sugars.

Taste/Mouthfeel-heavy spiciness throughout, a little heavy and a lot of burn at the front, easier on the back end. As it warms even more flavors come through. There is a lot going on.

Drinkability-full flavored as it warms flavors get better.

Overall-great beer, complex, fine tasting, a lot of flavors, well worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

03-01-2009 21:23:31 | More by TheDeuce

treyrab

Pennsylvania

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

Had this on several occasions recently. Reviews are from a bottle split with jac5084 at Zeno's.

A: Pours a clear golden copper with a nice one finger head that dissipates very quickly to a slight ring. That ring then dissipates to nothing. Slight carbonation coming up the glass, but you can tell there is not much carbonation in this one.

S: Smell is intense! Very, very sweet smelling with tons of clove, sweet, ripe bananas (the kind that have been sitting on the counter for a week and are brown). Nice spicy yeast, slight vinegar, and tons of light candi sugar.

T: The taste is so damn complex, but also so damn sweet. There are no hops to balance how sweet this beer is. Tons of ripe bananas and sweet, spicy clove. Some nice, sweet caramel comes through along with orange rinds and anise.

Overall, this is a great, great beer. A little too sweet for me, but I will be aging one to drink in, oh, 5 years or so.

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2009 18:24:16 | More by treyrab

MiScusi

California

3.48/5  rDev -17.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A- golden orange, white head, dies down pretty fast .Lots of sediment made it into my glass due to my poor pour.

S- orange marmalade. I can honestly get nothing past that.

T- Malty, spicy... Kinda tastes like a bier de garde. The orange and malt character form to make a malty sweetness. There is something sharp in there that keeps the taste somewhat balanced and away from cloying.

M- pretty viscous. Body is medium overall but it's very slick.

D- Good tasting, interesting flavor, not a bad beer overall, and a little different take on a Belgian Strong Pale Ale with the different spicing of coriander, orange peel, and star anise. Basically a witbier with no wheat (as far as i know).

Serving type: bottle

02-15-2009 20:24:08 | More by MiScusi

gford217

Georgia

4.4/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

750ML bottle, unknown vintage, poured into a tulip.

Pours a bright, hazy brownish orange that is vibrant orange when held up to the light. The massive white fluffy head lasts forever and lingers as a one-inch cap that leaves lots of lacing on the way down.

Initial aroma is massive citrus with oranges and lemons on top of a sweet Belgian yeast background. There are also tons of spices, with the coriander especiallly evident. I can't really place the anise in the nose.

The taste is a tad sweeter than the aroma and starts with a big candi sugar sweetness and plenty of fruit sweetness, both light fruits like apples and darker fruits such as raisins. The coriander comes back strong in the finish wtih an earthy spiciness that lingers for a while.

The mouthfeel is very smooth with lots of carbonation and a great balance of sticky sweetness and spiciness on the palate.

I'm not exactly sure what I was expecting, but my expectations were certainly surpassed. This is a fantastic Belgian style beer and very, very drinkable. Highly recommended!

Serving type: bottle

02-15-2009 02:13:52 | More by gford217

CoolJosh

Pennsylvania

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

I received this in my first in-person trade with treyrab. Neither of us could wait to try this beer, but neither of us wanted to pull this beer our of cellars. Quite the predicament..

Really weak white foamy head, that fades awayyyy. Very still rusty orange, looks semi pleasant, but not quite up to par with my expectations.

Whoooaaa, this smells great for a grand cru, incredibly complex. Tons of orange peel, really nice corriander, lemon, very wet sweet smell. Citrus hops that give off a pinesol fresh scent take contol here and really grab and pull you in.

Wow. Unbelievable corriander, with some great orange peel and slight tart red cherries. This is an unbelievably smooth and delicious. Cool and crisp with some wild complexity.

EDIT: Had this again with in a short time. Messy, to say the least. Spices were all over the place, and an alcoholic taste that was really discomforting. Much harsher then the first time.

Serving type: bottle

01-28-2009 07:53:39 | More by CoolJosh