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

delta490

Virginia

4.5/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured a 330ml bottle into a tulip glass
A-pours a deep, cloudy ruddy brown. Has a nice thick light tan head that slowly fades away and leaves nice lacing on the glass.
S-A great aroma. Malty, spicy, with a hint of alcohol sweetness.
T-big taste. Malty and fruity, if the beer is too cold it needs to warm up a little to get the full effect. A nice hint of spice/pepper on the finish.
M-A bit carbonated, but it's pleasant on the pallet and it adds to the pop of the spices on the finish.
O- a great example of Belgian strong dark ale. A good gateway to getting into all that Belgian beers offer.

Serving type: bottle

06-20-2013 09:55:54 | More by delta490

hreb

Washington

4.36/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75

2012 vintage. 75cL corked/caged champagne-style bottle served in Chimay's own wide mouth chalice. Beer pours deep brown with a massive, delicious lighter brown foam. Aroma is way sweet, candi sugar, with a little bit of fruit, like dates.

First sip is explosive with flavor. Sweet up front, tangy on the sides, and rich through the middle. Super fine carbonation tickles the front of my tongue and dances all over my mouth. This compliments the malt flavors and contrasts nicely with the super heavy richness that the ale otherwise conveys. Oh, and it 9% ABV it's a great drink, not at all too heady.

Serving type: bottle

06-19-2013 03:15:06 | More by hreb

IchLiebeBier

Virginia

4.25/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Appearance: Cloudy; dark copper

Aroma: spice from the yeast; malty; vinous fruits, almost wine-like

Taste: spicy up front; malty in the mid; finishes with a fairly dry aftertaste

Remarks: My favorite of the Chimay line. Also got to try it at the Inn at Chimay.

Did not score A, T, S, M at that time; disregard those scores

Serving type: bottle

06-15-2013 12:10:12 | More by IchLiebeBier

Dreizhen

Georgia

4.41/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Poured from a 75 cl bottle into a Cantillon chalice. Bottled 2012.

Appearance: Poured a one-finger head. Quickly dissipates in thickness, though a thin layer of foam remains on top. Cloudy, red. Moderate carbonation

Smell: Dark fruits and some chocolate. Some spice. Some malt.

Taste: Dark fruit carries over, but the chocolate really swells here. Spice and malt towards the end. Beginning is certainly not weak, but it builds into something really special. One of the stronger middles I’ve tried out of all of the Trappists I’ve had so far (especially compared to say the Rochefort 8). Good finish.

Mouthfeel: Light for a dark Trappist, but still somewhat heavy. Good carbonation, silky smooth.

Overall: Surprised me in a very good way. I somewhat stuck my nose up at it as one of the most common Trappist beers. Very solid beer, especially for the price and availability (3.50 Euros here to $11 back in the States). Pairs great with Belgian frites.

Serving type: bottle

06-13-2013 17:15:30 | More by Dreizhen

Burkbom23

Connecticut

4.24/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Deep dark amber color, chocolate like brown towards the center of the glass where light isn't coming through. large tan head, pretty good retention. Not a ton of lacing. The color of the beer is amazing, the head and lacing could be better. In the nose we got dark cherries, green apple. Little bit of spice. Taste is bready, yeast. Dark fruit, maybe fig? Some nuttiness towards the end. Alcohol is there. Velvety mouth feel on a medium to full body. For 9% alcohol this is a really drinkable beer. Another solid trappist ale. Liked it better than the Red.

Serving type: bottle

06-13-2013 01:36:12 | More by Burkbom23

dwren89

Virginia

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

Appearance: hazy, murky deep brown, tan foamy head,

Aroma: Sweet malty notes of fig, raisin, slight fusel note detectable,

Taste: Malt heavy with strong flavors of raisin and fig, slight bitterness on the finish,

Mouthfeel: fizzy and well carbonated, full bodied, leaves the mouth tingling after each sip

Overall Impression: With strong and well developed malt flavors in balance with finishing bitterness, this Quad stands up with the best of them

Serving type: bottle

06-12-2013 21:29:02 | More by dwren89

utopiajane

New York

3.98/5  rDev -7.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Pours cloudy and dark brown with just a little bitterness on the nose. Little head that went away fast. Opaque and doesn’t smell too fruity sweet like it’s brother the Chimay Red. Patchy lacing, nice cap. Strong carbonation, toasted malt. floral hops. Medium body and the sweet fruit is in the short finish. A Chimay is guaranteed civility.

Serving type: bottle

06-11-2013 11:59:29 | More by utopiajane

C3likesbeer

California

4.4/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

A- Golden to amber with caramel brown. Not much head or lace. But a good overall abbey ale hazy look. Looks great in the Chimay chalice.

S- Someone said bananas and sure enough you can smell bananas. Also some yeat and raisiny. Nice abbey ale spice. Banana smell not unpleasant.

T- Nice spice notes. Fruity and chewy with a classic abbey ale long finish.

O- Very solid trappist ale.

Serving type: bottle

06-01-2013 04:02:43 | More by C3likesbeer

soju6

Missouri

4.16/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

A: Pours a dark mahogany color with a thick head that fades to lacing.

S: Aroma of fruit, losts of fruit, spices with some sweetness and hint of alcohol.

T: Taste of fruit, some caramel sweetness and spice. Mild bitterness and a dry finish.

F: Moderate body, smooth, well balanced and with a well hidden but warming alcohol feeling. This beer is quite complex as it seems to evolve as it warms.

O: A good world class beer to relax with at the end of the day.

Serving type: bottle

06-01-2013 00:15:46 | More by soju6

mattbk

New York

4.21/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.25

A: Dark brown, very cloudy, long lasting foamy head, fine bubbles. The head is - impressive.
S: Some dark fruit, light raisins, banana esters, nice, not at all a very strong aroma though.
T: Wow. Super rich, raisiny, some banana esters, very rich, sweet, a bit caramelly. Very, very nice.
M: The mouthfeel on this beer is excellent. It is full, yet the carbonation makes it lighter and drier at the end. Definitely a high level of carbonation, but it is not unpleasant.
O: Obviously, a solid beer, actually quite drinkable, yet fairly complex.

Serving type: bottle

05-29-2013 00:47:24 | More by mattbk

joaopmgoncalves

Portugal

3.84/5  rDev -11.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Appearance: Pours a thick dark brown body with a white head.
Smell: Too strong hops, but noticed some raisins.
Taste: For a 9.00% ABV, I was expecting to taste something else than alcohol and yeast. In a recent past, I've tasted some 10.50% ABV more flavouful than this. Yet, you can feel some strong woody notes on it.
Mouthfeel: It gives you a alcoholic warmth you cannot by any means miss so it's pretty much heavy.
Overall: I realize that I had either high expectations on this or I still don't get this kind of beer. Had a few Belgian Strong Dark Ales before but they were a lot better than this one. Still, I might give it a try on the future.

Serving type: bottle

05-23-2013 21:45:13 | More by joaopmgoncalves

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