Chimay Grande Réserve (Blue) - Bières de Chimay S.A.

Blindpigbiz

California

4.11/5  rDev -4.9%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Chimay blue grand reserve '11

Style/abv: quadruple/9%

Smell: dark leather and oak

Taste: scotch-like spice with an oaky sweetness adjunct with luxuriously sweet dark cocoa and cream--toast and black licorice are other notable flavors

This beer pairs impeccably well with beniges and a scoop of vanilla bean on top with mocha and blueberry drizzle; it's also great with gourmet burgers and bacon

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2013 23:05:00 | More by Blindpigbiz

Robert_Ray

Arizona

4.75/5  rDev +10%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

There is no perfect beer or ale! But this one is close. A true gift of God made by his servants. Bought a 750ml for about $15. Worth every penny. The Blue is a real treat. Better to leave in the glass a few minutes and let it start to warm a bit to release all of its potential and some of the CO2. Smooth as silk and full mouth feel with a hint of the strong alcohol content. Add this one to your bucket list.

Serving type: bottle

05-17-2013 02:47:11 | More by Robert_Ray

djura

Serbia

3.33/5  rDev -22.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A - Chestnut brown to orange color,almost no foam,huge carbonation. Color is really beautiful.

S - Very weak aromas,some caramel and dark fruits.

T/M - Lots of bubbles in the mouth,low bitterness,caramel,chocolate,fruits,but nothing too high. Sweet and warm taste,you could feel alcohol,but it is good balanced,so it is better then average strong ales.

O - I am disappointed,but important is that this beer is high quality product. It is not by my taste. Also,this is like Champagne of beers. Very refreshing carbonation in it.

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2013 18:38:47 | More by djura

DerAtomsmasher

Washington

3.91/5  rDev -9.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 4

Pours darker than you would expect from a vaunted Belgian ale.

Nose is toasted dark bread, banana-y, but mostly rum raisin.

Tastes somewhat alcoholic, but full of dates, sort of buttery and not much hop crispness. Did leave a sort of cloying caramely sweetness behind. Not as clean as I would have liked.

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2013 03:30:12 | More by DerAtomsmasher

GarthDanielson

New Hampshire

4.18/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Poured from a bottle into a chalice, the beer is a dark, hazed, almost opaque, amber-brown coloring with a tall, dense, yellowish head that starts around an inch and settles into a thick film. Aromas of richly sweet date and grapes, giving it a wine-like characteristic. Some subtle spicing of nutmeg and all-spice, with a tone of alcohol throughout, as well. Smells balanced and rich. Flavors are very rich, with heavy old-world fruit sweetness giving a rich and robust blast to the palate. Nutmeg and clove clean up the tail end of the palate, and there is a tangy toffee sweetness that carries through into the aftertaste. The carbonation keeps the beer light and crisp despite full flavors and a full body. Clean, smooth finish, with a tangy sweet and slightly boozy linger. Very solid, very balanced, and very tasty.

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2013 01:09:35 | More by GarthDanielson

stephenjmoore

Maryland

4.36/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

2011 Vintage

A- Light brown in color with just enough transparency to see some carbonation bubbles rising from the bottom of the glass. Thick and frothy tan head goes down quickly, but leaves a nice layer of bubbles for the duration.

S- Belgian yeast, tree fruits, hazelnut, tart cherries, grainy bread, raisins. Really eclectic aromas in this one.

T- Quite a bit of sweetness comes through, with the fruity esters leading the way with the nutty and grainy flavors balancing it out. Aftertaste of fruit preserves, with a little bit of hazelnut.

M- Very bubbly and carbonated. The coating in the aftertaste is tremendous. This one is full bodied, but has a fizzy feel to it.

O- I was extremely impressed with this beer the first time I tried it. Comes close to a quad, with very diverse flavors and a great feel.

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2013 21:18:12 | More by stephenjmoore

Curtis

Utah

4.08/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 4.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25

Poured into a Boulevard Brewing Co tulip glass I use when reviewing special beers, primarily Belgians. Nice plop from the cork, a strong indication of the carbonation level to come. Nice fizz with a thick head that dissipates very quickly. Very dark amber color, hints of ruby red. when held up to the light. Mouth feel is a little excessive from the carbonation. It could mellow a bit with more cellar time, like several months: I bought this one only two weeks ago and have been itching to try it.. Not real sure about this at first, wasn't at all what I expected. Starting to like it more and more with each sip. Noticing sherry, caramel, VERY mild hops, dark Belgian candy sugar. Nicely blended, well-crafted, a very good desert beer with chocolate. Alcohol content is hidden well, but still present. The only "knock" for lack of a better term would be very mild smell, and the slight over-carbonation of this particular bottle at this time. Smell would take away from the complexity of the blend. I really can see it mellowing with age and moving up a couple of notches. As the glass sits for a couple of minutes and the carbonation dissipates, the true nature of this beer comes out, especially the sherry, caramel roasted malt and the complexity of the blend..

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2013 06:31:58 | More by Curtis

polloenfuego

Ontario (Canada)

4.29/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Poured from a 33 cl bottle smuggled back from Belgium into a goblet

A: Dark brown with a hazy hue, resembled a nice deep caramel. It was well foamy at first but quickly dissipated leaving a small halo at the top of the beer.

S: Fruity alcohol with a touch of the Belgian hops coming through. The fruitiness is quite prominent.

T: I tasted spices, dark fruits, yeast, and a fair bit of alcohol (more than I was expecting).

F: Strong carbonation, a nice medium feel.

O: This was not really what I expected. That being said, it was a great beer and well worth the year of waiting while it sat patiently in my beer cave. I found the alcohol taste a little more forward than I expected but it was overcome by the other qualities of this beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-10-2013 21:58:07 | More by polloenfuego

RaphaelSC

Brazil

4.31/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

I'm tasting a Chimay blue, batch 2012.

A: Dark brown caramel with a cloudy texture, just one finger head that dissipates in a couple seconds left just a ring of foamy.

S: A mix of alcohol sweetness with hops. Thin caramel notes can be found.

T:A delicate banana flavor, with woody notes like other trappists, a little alcoholic feel emerge in the end, but the predominant flavors came from the hops. Chimay blue feels to me less dry than its red sister.

M: Starts with toffe then become bitter with some alcoholic warmth, carbonation is ok, a very drinkable beer, but not differs itself too much of the Red version which dissapointed me.

O: A great beer, a little more complex than Chimay Red but for the same price, however for the same price of other trappists like Westmalle Trippel and Rochefort 10, Chimay cannot endure, at least to me, but it worth the try!

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2013 04:46:38 | More by RaphaelSC

TheSevenDuffs

Ontario (Canada)

3.79/5  rDev -12.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Bottle to snifter. Best Before 2018.

A - Deep amber with a slight copper glow around the bottom; otherwise opaque. One finger of tan coloured head.

S - Belgian yeast esters, clove and spice are dominant with dark fruit, brown sugar and raisins.

T - Yeast, spice and clove notes with brown sugar, toffee and raisin.

M - Medium body, moderate carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

05-08-2013 01:54:36 | More by TheSevenDuffs

CrazyIrishman34

Rhode Island

4.46/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.75

This beer pours a nice mahogany brown with a off white head. The head ends of at about 2 fingers and is persistent. The flavor is malty with dried fruit in the finish. Over all a great beer that you can come back to year after year. I recommend this beer to anyone that like Belgian beers.

Serving type: bottle

05-07-2013 00:05:42 | More by CrazyIrishman34

Jacurdy60

Alabama

4.24/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 4.25

A-Pours a brownish garnet color with a towering beige, off white head that retains well throughout and cascades down the glass slowly as I sip and leaves faint lacing.

S-Warming spice, slightly phenolic, rich fruits (bananas, dates, figs), a bit boozy

T-Faint cinnamon, toasted bread, rich fruits come in again, as do the phenols. Finishes with a warming spicy feel

MF-Medium bodied with a crisp feel and clean finish. Very refreshing.

O-Exceptional brew. Complex, but all notes in the nose and on the palate make a strong presence. Well-balanced, alcohol is hidden well. My only complaint would be that it feels too carbonated and needs to finish with a creamier feel

Serving type: bottle

05-06-2013 01:09:24 | More by Jacurdy60

Rutager

British Columbia (Canada)

4.44/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

One of the first craft beers I had. It's about time I reviewed it.

Appearance. Pours a deep brown with a little orange when held to the light. Topped with over a finger of light khaki head.

Smell. Brown sugar and spicy belgian yeast, bruised apples, some cloves and sweet malts, even a little orange.

Taste. Brown sugar, spicy belgian yeast, light spices, apples and some earthy hops.

Mouthfeel. Meidum+ body, medium-strong (but soft) carbonation.

Overall. Pretty hard to say anything negative about a beer like this. A standard for the style and never a disappointment.

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2013 03:02:22 | More by Rutager

TWHartman

Minnesota

4.1/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

Poured into a wide, trappist style glass.

A- Pours a dark amber with a clean white head that reduces down to thin lace. Carbonation steadily diffuses up from center of glass. Mine has little black flecks in it visible when holding it to light, I'm not sure if they are supposed to be there, there look like finely ground black pepper

S- Dark dried fruit, like raisin, plum or dates. Sweet, honey or treacle smell.

T- again, dark dried fruit like raisin, plum or date, but also with a sharp tart finish, like green apple. It has an almost Dr. Pepper flavor with a crisp, tart finish.

M- This is actually my favorite part of the beer, there is a lot of carbonation diffused in the body of the beer that pleasantly fizzes up in the mouth, almost soda like. From the smell I was expecting a syrupy, cloying mouthfeel but the carbonation makes it finish light and crisp despite the sweetness.

I generally dont like to drink trappist beers, but this was a nice experience, gained a new appreciation for the style and maybe I will have to drink more.

Serving type: bottle

05-03-2013 02:09:15 | More by TWHartman

schwemjw

Ohio

4.41/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 3.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

A: murky brown, a one finger head that seems to be sticking around. poured like champagne

s: Nice caramel malt, a biscuit quality that morphs into dark fruit. figs and an overly rip grape.

t: wonderful! sweet figs, raisins, brown sugar up front with a citrus undertone. a yeasty, oatmeal raisin cookie middle and a finish reminiscent of cherries and molasses. wonderfully complex

M: medium bodied. there is a bit of alcohol in the finish with just enough carbonation. this bad boy definitely lingers.

O: complex, yet easy drinking. There is alot going on here to think about. but it drinks fairly easy. this is exactly what i think about when i think of a belgian beer; tart, sweet, bready, yeasty, malty and oh so good. if you are looking to get into belgian beers, this is a must try.

Serving type: bottle

05-01-2013 06:03:27 | More by schwemjw

olilitewu

Arizona

4.08/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

This beer is wonderful.
only issue to it is probably its smell, which is nothing too special, but with lots of fruity notes.
Beer has malty bitterness, caramel, plum-dark red fruity notes with plenty of sweetness
Lots of complexity and layers of flavors in the beer, but without clashing with one another.

Serving type: bottle

04-30-2013 08:24:24 | More by olilitewu

TwelveOunces

Kentucky

4.49/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

11.2 oz bottle poured into a Chimay Goblet

A- Pours a murky, viscous copper brown color. Very dark and hazy. A half finger of an off tan colored head.

S- Big dark fruit, A bit of a rum spice in this beer. A sweet candy sugar and caramel malt.

T- A big feel at first. A 50/50 split right up front of caramel, breaddy malts and a dark fruit assauly. There is a ton of fig and plum in this beer. The malt is so silky smooth and creamy sweet it should be a crime. A sweet dark fruit bouquet in this beer. A nice spice profile reminicent of a spiced rum.

M- Thick and chewy and very high carbonation. Works extremely well.

O- A masterful beer. Very delicious and well made. Cant believe it took me so long to pick some up.

Serving type: bottle

04-17-2013 23:13:42 | More by TwelveOunces

mjc3151

Illinois

4.63/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Poured from 22 oz. bomber into a Solemn Oath snifter glass.

A - dark brown

S - smells like raisins, can smell the Belgian yeast.

T - tastes like it smells. tastes like raisins, with a fruity background and Belgian yeast element.

M - smooth, goes down easy with a slight carbonation feel to it.

O - An unbelievably tasty beer. Then again it is a Belgian and I LOVE Belgians, so i am a bit biased. Try Brooklyn's Local 2. It is very similar and much cheaper, so try that one and compare the two.

Serving type: bottle

04-17-2013 02:41:14 | More by mjc3151

dar482

New York

4.11/5  rDev -4.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

The color is caramel and brown, like dark brown iced tea.

The aroma has boozy, dark fruit, malt, with a decent head.

With the taste, there is a smooth and booze taste. There is malt, Belgian yeast, and bread. It really is a light beer for the style. There’s the obvious quad fruits of plums and stone fruits. Easy drinking.

There is a light body for a quad.

In the end, I had this with St. Bernardus 12 and Rochefort and it fell in the last place. Fine beer. Not my favorite, but probably the most drinkable of the three.

Serving type: bottle

04-12-2013 07:33:27 | More by dar482

KYGunner

Kentucky

4.26/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Poured ever so slowly this highly carbonated ale create a bubbly, champagne like head. Beautiful bright ruby hue there was a touch of sediment that twirled through the murkiness.

Fruity sweetness hits the nose with cherry, date, prune and grape must. Wine alcohol aromas are hidden amongst candied, sugary sweetness. Slightly soft the aroma is weak but varied.

Very smooth on the tongue this is as diverse as any. Candied fruits like date fig and prune start but then a bready maltiness takes over. Alcohol warmth fills the chest as raisin and even licorice finish it out. Small amount of alcohol stays on the tongue but other than that this is a real triumph.

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2013 20:07:35 | More by KYGunner

HabiMendes

Rhode Island

4.59/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

This cooper/ruby-toned beer has a creamy, lightly-tanned neck. The aroma only pronounces at the right serving temperature (higher than usual), showing a toasty/caramelly tone, with strong fruity esters (apples, pears, bananas, dark fruits). A little perfume and spice are also present. The taste displays the malt profile appropriately, which is harmonized with the alcohol here. The body is medium and well-carbonated, and the hops are very discreet. The end is dry, and the aftertaste appears as a crescendo, with sharp bitterness.

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2013 03:06:12 | More by HabiMendes

Roman5150

Michigan

3.93/5  rDev -9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25

750ml bottle into tulip. Paired with gouda and manchego cheese.

Appearance: very dark beer, 1 finger fluffy off white head.

Aroma: very sweet dark fruits, grape, sweet mango and apple

Taste: a lot sweeter than other trappist beers. Raisins and bread notes in the aftertaste, with a sweet wine like finish. Alcohol is pleasantly disguised by the sweetness. As it warms im almost getting notes of apple and coriander. Very subtle citrus taste in the beginning.

Mouthfeel: almost a little too carbonated, gets a lot smoother as it warms.

Overall: Honestly, i like Chimay Red more. Everyone seems to like the Blue the most, and i've yet to try the Yellow, but this one was just too sweet for me. It is still a very good beer that i will be buying again and again as i'm a huge fan of trappist beer, but i really thought the red was more balanced. Which is weird because I usually like the higher abv beers more. If you've had other trappist beers, this one is probably the most unique out of the 6 trappidt breweries i've tried. Not the best, but a great beer worthy of trying, if they are sold out of Chimay Red...

Serving type: bottle

04-05-2013 01:17:01 | More by Roman5150

Beer-A-Lot

Virginia

4.33/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Poured into goblet.

Never ever not a great beer. So smooth. Bready, balanced, loads of figs. Love the heat. Velvety. Medium full body. I love all the Chimays, but I now prefer this to the others. The Belgians do big beers that are balanced better than anyone. Consistently a great beer. How could anyone not love this?

Serving type: bottle

03-30-2013 18:29:02 | More by Beer-A-Lot

Groomsy

Kentucky

4.39/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a a bomber into an Orval chalice. Bottled on 08/12, so this is still fairly young.

Chimay Blue pours a murky brown and has highlights of ruby red when held to the light. Streams of carbonation come from the bottom of the glass and support a quickly-fading head of a white soapy head that leave stringy lacing down the glass. A great-looking beer, though it doesn't leave the lacing for which it's usually renowned – this probably has to do with the relatively young age of the bottle, maybe.

Sweet mother of pearl, the nose on this beer. I can only think to list the descriptors: caramel, toffee, fig, raisins, rum-soaked cherries, slight citrus (orange peel?), fresh-cracked pepper, bread, and rum. It's incredibly gorgeous and complex. A swirl of the glass revive some faint earthy/musty notes as well as signature Belgian yeast aromas, calling to mind clove and fresh-baked wheat bread.

Chimay Blue is incredibly layered and complex, and only grows more so as it warms. Starting off with a peppery bite, the beer smooths over with flavors of roasted malt, dark fruit (think figs, raisins, etc.), bread, and tart cherries soaked in alcohol. The dark fruit seems to dominate on the middle of the palate, and it finishes with a dry, alcoholic sweetness with notes of clove and other spices. I would be very interested to see how this beer changes with age, but unfortunately, I have no other bottle by which to judge.

While quite carbonated and zesty, Chimay Blue has a body that matches its flavor and appearance. Its medium body is dry with some lingering fusel alcohols, but these alcohols provide a fairly “normal” finish to the complexity of the rest of this beer.

Trying Chimay Blue is a moment which every beer drinker should look forward to. This is a beer which I savored over the course of about two hours or so, and I am grateful to have tried it in a time span which I knew would be uninterrupted. Beautifully layered and complex – I am eager to try this with some age on it.

Serving type: bottle

03-29-2013 02:17:54 | More by Groomsy

gcamparone

Rhode Island

4.74/5  rDev +9.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

Poured from a 22 oz bomber into a La Trappe goblet. Allowed to warm as I drank it. Purchased in Wakefield, RI.

A- Pours a muddy brown, cloudy opaque body with a perfectly carbonated 2" off white head that reduces slowly and leaves some lacing.

S- Candi sugar, citrus zest, orange juice, cloves, bananas. A deeper whiff reveals cocoa powder, coffee beans, apples, toffee, molasses, figs, tart cherry. One of the most complex beers I've ever smelled.

T- Starts off with spices, bananas, candi sugar, brown sugar and molasses, and develops into a more citrusy, tart fruit, cherry and apple flavor. The finish is slightly roasty. The long aftertaste is tart fruit, white grapes, and lemons. The flavors come through more as it warms, and it also gets smoother and more creamy.

M- Medium carbonation, medium body but drinks like a lighter bodied belgian.

This was one of the most complex beers I've ever tasted. It took characteristics from every belgian styles and incorporated them intricately to create a masterpiece. An excellent representation of the style, others can only try to match it.

Serving type: bottle

03-26-2013 01:08:18 | More by gcamparone