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

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

microbrewlover

Pennsylvania

3.81/5  rDev -11.8%
look: 5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 4

This brew pours a dark brown, almost black with a three finger head which disappears fairly quickly. Little lacing.

The smell is sugary, nutty, yeasty, dank like wet hay. There is also a trace of apple and pear.

The taste is very sweet, lots of sugar, probably brown sugar and maybe molasses. Apple and pear come in after the after the sugar and there is a cracker like taste on the back end. The alcohol seeps through just a little bit.

The mouthfeel is thin, creamy and cracker like. There is a lot of tingling after swallowing probably due to the high carbonation.

Overall this brew is good but I expected better after all of the raving about how good Chimay is. Perhaps some people like this much sugar in a beer but this is just a little too sweet for me.

Serving type: bottle

03-20-2013 23:56:05 | More by microbrewlover

SHerninko

Pennsylvania

4.45/5  rDev +3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A nice bomber bottle shared at a BYOB in Phoenixville, PA (thanks OWEN !)

*A: Nice bottle, nice pour, very good white, tight bubbled head on each pour, consistent. Lacing as you swirled it in a small snifter glass.
*S: Classic triple, fruity, a bit of malt, but mostly orange, lemon, pineapple, grass
*T: More complex than the Allagash Tripel from earlier in the tasting. 2 levels of flavors from the initial tip of the tongue to the finish. Sweetness and tartness. Carbonation keeps it buzzing on your tongue. Alcohol is hidden, just a bit in a champagne sort of way (carbonation).
*M: Nice and creamy. Easy to sip.
*O: It is a Chimay--classic, have to try it at least once, experience where beer began and sip the 100's of years of tradition in a bottle. BLUE...you're my boy!

Serving type: bottle

03-15-2013 13:41:12 | More by SHerninko

oldfart

New Jersey

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

750ml bottle, corked and caged, 9/12 dated cork. Pour into a tulip glass.
Appearance: Came out of the bottle a red mahogany color, a bit cloudy. Thick full head, tan in color, with good lacing.
Smell: Crisp, sweet smell. You can definitely smell the booze, but as a whisky drinker I found that a big plus. Malty with a bit of herbs and tobacco.
Taste: Sweet, malty Belgian style. A bit boozy (see above), definite dark fruits with a lingering bitterness in the aftertaste.
Mouthfeel: Moderately thick with a long finish.
Overall: Good drink, pairs well with cheese. I will certainly be back for more.

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2013 22:39:06 | More by oldfart

Ilafan

Minnesota

3.68/5  rDev -14.8%
look: 4 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

I wanted to LOOOVE this beer. Instead, I just liked it. Quite a bit, actually.

Look: When poured into a Sam Adams glass, it glowed with an auburn reddish brown and a tan head (surprising robust).

Smell: Average. Sweet.

Taste: Like a lot of Belgium beers, this has a rich, full tasting beer. I found that the slightly sour aftertaste was a nice compliment to the 9% alcohol taste. There is also a fruity taste mixed in (apricot??).

Mouthful: Very good

Overall: This is certainly a beer I would have again (and again).

Serving type: bottle

03-13-2013 22:56:56 | More by Ilafan

DAllspaw

Indiana

4.19/5  rDev -3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

pours a deep mahogany, ruby color after a very clear pop, from the cork. Hard to beat a bottle conditioned Belgian. Head dissipates quickly but lacing lasts all the way.

initial smell is typical for he style, heavy on the dark fruits. Taste is very well balanced, hardly any alcohol heat, with nice density in the mouthfeel. Perfectly carbonated, sips very well through the full glass. A steal from Costco for $9 before the holidays.

Serving type: bottle

03-11-2013 23:28:17 | More by DAllspaw

N3rdM3t4l

Oregon

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

750ml champagne corked bottle into wine glass.

A: a thick cloud of large tawny bubbles that fell to a decent sized head. The beer is a cloudy dark delicious ruby tinted coffee color.

S: the yeasty slightly astringent smell I expect from a belgian especially the strong dark. Slightly sweet with a slight roasted notes.

T: the estery notes I expect from a belgian brew, a little fruit like apple. The yeast is really strong in this. A little alcohol burn on the end. Finishes quite sweet.

M: solid medium body with a little bit of bite back.

O: fantastic BSDA but those crazy catholics in Belgium know their beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-11-2013 06:59:42 | More by N3rdM3t4l

Chrysostom

Ohio

4.65/5  rDev +7.6%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.75

MY REVIEW GOT DELETED BECAUSE I TOOK TOO LONG TO WRITE IT. The following review is heavily shortened, and is affected by the 1000-word mega-review (in my typical style) which was deleted and pissed me off. Will review again from calmness in a few days when I re-up at the package store and pick up a few more bottles, and make sure to cut and paste before I hit "submit".

Introduction: this is one of the best of the Quadrupels, and it's the original. All further Quads, come from Chimay Blue.

The Trappists are a Catholic cloistered religious order, one of the strictest there is. They are called the Order of Cistercians of Strict Observance, an 18th-century reforming order which broke away from the original mediaeval Cistercians, themselves a reforming order and a breakaway from the ancient Benedictines.

Thomas Merton, the famous Anglo-American religious and spiritual author of "The Seven-Storey Mountain", was a Trappist monk - in America!, yes, America has Trappist monasteries - at Gethsemani Abbey in Kentucky. Too bad they don't brew beer.

Without further ado, a severely truncated, unreliable review.

P: 750mL corked and caged bottle poured in to Chimay chalice/goblet.

A: Very cloudy dark brown, small head which quickly recedes to nothing. No lacing. Has hints of mud/lighter dark brown when held up to the light. Nothing that can be called a "highlight", as it's the same colour with light coming through it; however, it is appetizing, and typically Belgian.

S: Booze, esters, and malt. As it warms, booze becomes predominant. The smell is small for such a big beer.

T: Dark fruits, carbonation, esters, malt bomb. Some booze. More boozy than St Bernardus Abt 12, but still with deceptively-hidden alcoholic content. The finish is quite long, and astringent/bitter. The hops come through pretty strong, as does a quite noticeable thin mineral-water aftertaste, which is the only thing I dislike about the taste of this beer. 4.25 to 4.5. It's lower in comparison to St Bernardus, which has a very similar flavour, yet has a better finish and no mineral-water aftertaste.

M: Effervescent while still being relatively thick. Finish is long, and leaves a coating of some sort, not a cleansing.

D: High. One could have many of these, to one's own detriment.

O: A veritable illustration of the maxim, "The whole is greater than the sum of its parts." This beer is truly greater than any one of its component ratings. 87-92/100.

I recommend searching for a video on Youtube called "Chimay Brewery Tour", which increased my appreciation for this beer, and shows the fusion of monastic life, passion for beer, and high-technology which goes in to Chimay.

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2013 08:32:25 | More by Chrysostom

zeledonia

Minnesota

4.19/5  rDev -3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 4

Finally trying this Trappist classic. I tend to overlook the European beers for less expensive domestic ones, but it's about time I made my way through some more tasty Belgians. Tasted 1 March 2013, reviewed from notes.

Pours a deep murky brown, but with an amber shade. Clear coming out of the bottle, but dark enough that it's tough to see through. One finger of light yellowish tan head, very foamy and fizzy like carbonation from soda. Slowly relaxes to a thin but complete cap.

Smell is crisp, which is one of the things I really like in the better dark Belgian ales. Despite being sugar-heavy beers, they manage to have this delicate lightness in the smell, softly backed up by those malty aromas. A bit of tobacco, herbal and mildly bitter.

Taste is dark, sweet, and fruity. Figs, brown sugar, but with that unmistakable Belgian yeast twang. I'm liking this a lot. Not quite on the level of some of the best quads and BSDAs, but really close.

Mouthfeel is, well, overcarbonated. Medium-heavy body, a little chewy, and sticky. But it fizzes up much more than I want to, blocking the flavors from me, so that I'm tasting foam instead of beer. Otherwise pleasant, but that carbonation definitely interferes with my enjoyment of the beer.

This beer is really really tasty. The one thing that brought it down for me was the mouthfeel, which I found overly fizzy for a beer like this. But the rest of it is so good that it carries my overall enjoyment well up. I also found it better at relatively cool temperatures (~50 degrees F) than after it had warmed up a bit more.

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2013 03:40:11 | More by zeledonia

RKnep

Pennsylvania

4.94/5  rDev +14.4%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Poured into a Snifter type glass.

Appearance - Dark amber to brown color. Initially opaque then clears. One finger light tan head that diminishes slowly with great lacing.

Smell - Hint of caramel and fruit. Earthy with a hint of hops. Can't stop smelling.

Taste - Wonderful caramel, chocolate, bread, sweet dark fruit flavor. Hard to drink slowly, it's so good. Gets better as it warms up.

Mouthfeel - Great carbonation. You almost want to chew it.

Overall - One of the best I've had, to date. If I ever brew beer, I want it to taste like this.

Serving type: growler

03-08-2013 21:30:23 | More by RKnep

smiga

New Jersey

4.88/5  rDev +13%
look: 5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

At Artisinal NY bottle poured into a Chimay chalice glass.

This is on my 5 beers to take to the moon.

A: Perfect. reddish, woody brown. Beautiful, tight tan head that lasts and laces.

S: Smells earthy rich, mild citrus and a perfect blend of hops and yeast. Keep sniffing so good.

T: smooth, perfect with cheese plate, good with lots of foods. A favorite with dinner.

M: mild carbonation, hoppy with a fruity but not cloying fresh aftertaste. I want to say lemon and orange. Tingly, refreshing, completely satisfying, kissy.

O: ABV of 9.00% Yet it never feels it and I always am both satisfied by one and yet want another.

Serving type: bottle

03-07-2013 02:33:57 | More by smiga

rlee1390

Indiana

4.28/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

A-Cloudy deep ruby, really carbonated, two finger off white head.

S-Raisins, darker fruits, cherries and some spices.

T-Great blend of darker fruits, plums, cherries and raisins. Tad bit of spices as well.

M-Medium bodied, nicely carbonated.

O-Easily the best of the Chimay beers.

Serving type: bottle

03-05-2013 23:58:39 | More by rlee1390

trxxpaxxs

New York

4.01/5  rDev -7.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Pours a dark brown, with ruby tones. There is one full finger of light khaki colored head that take s bit to settle. There is a frothy ring of bubbles along the edges of the beer, and there is a touch of lacing as it drinks.

S: Thew nose is plums, prunes, brown sugar, soaked bread, and a touch of yeast.

T: Sweet to start, with big sugary fruit and bread notes up front. I get the stone fruits... dehydrated so that the sugar is incredible prominent. Yeast and bread are in the middle and the finish.

M: Full bodied beer. It's sweet to start, yeasty in the middle, a bit drying in the finish.

O: This is a great example of a Belgian Dark Ale. No doubt about it. It's not my favorite, but I can respect this beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-03-2013 23:43:20 | More by trxxpaxxs

Maurus

Portugal

4.54/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Dark brown with white head.
Smell: It has an aroma of fruit with a touch of caramel.
The taste is sweet and the alcohol is more noticed in the end.
Overall it is a very good beer and without any doubts one of the best i’ve ever tasted.

Serving type: bottle

03-03-2013 18:02:25 | More by Maurus

brodericksloth

Oregon

4.31/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

dark brown; ample head; disappears gradually; minimal lacing

alcohol burn; not well hidden. multitude of sweet molasses, rum, fruit cake, dark spices

not overly filling but taste is full malty; bakery smell

not a good value for the money, much better beers out there that are much more affordable.

Serving type: bottle

03-03-2013 14:29:02 | More by brodericksloth

alex_hart

Massachusetts

4.34/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

one of my favorite belgian strong darks. one of the many masterpieces done by the trapiste monks.

served in the chimay glass

some dark fruits are present, along with mild yeast and spiciness to the finish. hints of vanilla and toffee. overall just flat out tasty.

this is a pricey brew, but it is a worth while one. if you come across the variety chimay pack with the glass, get it. you won't be upset with what you find.

Serving type: bottle

03-02-2013 04:10:29 | More by alex_hart

kawilliams81

Illinois

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

Poured from a 11.2 oz bottle into a Konings Hoeven chalice.

A- pours a murky brown with a huge 3/4 of the glass tan head (typical of Trappist beers). Some trails and small bubbles on the glass.

S- toffee, bread, big dark fruit notes, and spices.

T- sweet toffee and caramel, dark fruits and vinous notes, some bread/yeast flavors, and slightly spicy finish.

M- medium body and carbonation. Definitely mellowed as it warmed, fairly light and mellow for the abv.

O- very good Trappist, up there with Rochefort and st Bernardus. Alcohol bite mellowed a lot after it warmed.

Serving type: bottle

03-01-2013 04:03:22 | More by kawilliams81

SometimesIfart

Michigan

3.79/5  rDev -12.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.75

A - Pours an extremely dark brown with a two finger off-white head that doesn't retain as well as you would expect and leaves no lacing.

S - Some Belgian yeast and bubblegum, followed by hay and dark sugar.

T - Lots of yeast and bubblegum, Along with moderate amounts of hay up front, Followed by some dark burnt sugar.

M - Light creamy body with moderate carbonation.

O - Overall, It was a solid Belgian brew. Far better than Bernardus 12, But no where near Rochefort 10.

Serving type: bottle

02-25-2013 21:44:00 | More by SometimesIfart

gr0g

New Jersey

4.08/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

11.2oz bottle poured into Trappist glass. Dark brown and cloudy with a two finger head that's not going anywhere. Smells like caramel apples, with a bit of chalky yeast. Some dark fruit such as raisin and plum. Aromatics are surprisingly restrained.

Lots of fruity esters and a touch of sweetness followed by a balancing touch of hop bitterness and alcohol warmth on the finish. Really nice lacing shows on the glass as this is sipped. Prominent dark fruit notes. Mouthfeel hits all the right notes: slightly syrupy, vigorous bottle-conditioned carbonation that scrubs the palate nicely without being too harsh.

Despite the fact that I enjoyed Chimay Bleu, it didn't wow me as much as I'd expected, given its pedigree. Better strong dark Belgians are available, but this is still a benchmark for the style.

Serving type: bottle

02-24-2013 18:09:43 | More by gr0g

M_C_Hampton

Georgia

4.55/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: poured from a 33 cl bottle into a chalice, a dark red orange brown with a huge light tan head that lingers leaving good lacing, almost clear

S: sweet dark fruits, figs, caramel, cherry, yeasty bread, vanilla

T: dark fruits, sour cherry, caramel malt, a light hop bitterness upon finish that dries the aftertaste, vanilla, toffee

M: full bodied with a nice mouth coating, alcohol well hidden, lively carbonation

O: an excellent Trappist ale, rich in flavor with lively refreshing carbonation

Serving type: bottle

02-24-2013 04:11:04 | More by M_C_Hampton

DrDemento456

Pennsylvania

4.31/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4

A - Damn is this beer carbonated! I get well over two inches of head that take quite a bit to settle. Beer itself is a hazy dark amber brown. Gotta love a well crafted Belgium you get the the pillow effect on the head.
S - Very soft tones of dark fruits, mainly dates and fruity yeasts. Not noticeable ABV is always great.
T - Well it's quite good you get the mild fruit tones, some sugary yeasts. The finish is rather dry but as I said it's just light in flavor and well hidden with the ABV.
M - Drinks with a medium body very slick with a very well hidden ABV.
Overall its very light and well hidden ABV make it a exceptional Belgium Strong ale still I couldn't see picking up another one for 6 bucks.

Serving type: bottle

02-24-2013 01:44:11 | More by DrDemento456

capnamerica

Arkansas

4.44/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

I will add more text whenever I have this beer again.

The Chimay Blue Cap, "baptized'
"Grande Reserve" in 750 ml bottles is a dark Trappist beer with a powerful aroma, the complex flavour of which improves across the years. It was first brewed as a Christmas beer, explaining the presence of a "vintage".

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2013 22:26:54 | More by capnamerica

VDODSON

North Dakota

2.2/5  rDev -49.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 1.75 | feel: 1.75 | overall: 2.75

This beer sucks. Taste's like a carbonated milkshake, and is worse than the white version. Cant believe I spent five dollars on this poor excuse of a beer, while I could of got a bomber of Stone IPA for the same price. Those monks are drinking to much of their own product, and they're drunk during the entire process. I will try again once they sober up, and quit adding cinnamon and sugar to their beers. Why is there no one monitoring these drunk monks? What a life huh, drink beer all day and wear a jedi robe.

Serving type: bottle

02-19-2013 20:22:35 | More by VDODSON

JK4Stout

Virginia

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

A: Pours so smooth you almost wonder why this isn't making porn! I love the look of a great Belgian going into a chalice. The head was spot on, whcih was pleasing as I am by far not an expert in pouring.

S: Now this is something interesting. I have had this beer a few times before, but never stuck my snout deep in there. This time I am getting some plum notes as well as a sweetness to rival kittens in sweaters.

T: Love every second of this. I am not a big fan of Chimay White, but the Red and Blue really do it for me. I love the forceful malt flavor that blends well with the sugars. This just proves it isn't all about the hops.

M: Medium, maybe a hair too much carbonation, but certainly doesn't detract much.

O: I dig this brewery, the beer, and the bottle. I kind of wish it were a little more affordable, but maybe I am just thinking that since it is popular price should go down...that is a silly arguement (I am argueing with myself). Perfectly happy with this and my new gold rimmed chalice that came with the pack.

Serving type: bottle

02-17-2013 19:41:40 | More by JK4Stout

Tucquan

Pennsylvania

4.1/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Had this on 2013-02-16 in Bowling Green, KY

A - Rudy-brown with a 3-finger tan, pillowy head that fades quickly leaving moderate lacing.

S - Fresh brown bread, fig, raisin, spiced apple. Pleasant but not terribly strong.

T - Rum cake, brown sugar, holiday spice, alcohol, a hard-to-describe-but-quite-tasty citrus-spicy-tang that makes this beer for me. The right amount of bitterness in the aftertaste.

M - Medium body and carbonation. Initially syrupy but this is cut quickly and it finishes dry.

O - Not as elegant as the Pannepot Grand Reserva I've been having on-tap this past week but it's quite good and as available just about everywhere. Don't know why it took me so long to try this but I'm glad I did.

Serving type: bottle

02-16-2013 18:36:45 | More by Tucquan