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

Seanniek91

New Hampshire

4.21/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Served from a 12oz bottle into a Chimay chalice.

Appearance- Dark amber/brown with tons of sediment. Quick thin head leaving outstanding lacing.

Smell- Raspberry, cherry, dark fruits in general. Mild peppery spice. Vanilla.

Taste- Cherry, plum, mild spice, bready yeast, no booze.

Mouthfeel- Very light and smooth. Expected it to be more carbonated, but this is very pleasant.

Overall- Quite nice flavors and smell, but i'd like it to be a little heavier in mouthfeel.

Serving type: bottle

02-16-2013 17:09:28 | More by Seanniek91

thecheapies

Pennsylvania

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

L11-482; 063929; poured into a Chimay chalice.

Pours a maroon/mahogany color with a righteous two inches of coarse tan foam. Looks familiar, in a good way.

Plummy, grape, fig, steakhouse bread, sweet nuttiness, almost vinous. Too mellow to call it elixir-y, but there's a medicinal note that I like. Very soft in the nose, and creamy. Refined. Love it.

More plum and grape and sort of wine flavors crossed with darker brown fruits. Fig, raisin, and a note of dried tobacco leaf. Yeasty and caramelized. Rich and with some sweetness. Just great stuff.

Nice wet mouthfeel. Lots of soppy goodness. Tapered carbonation that slowly sweeps the palate clean. Very little stick.

Tremendously self-realized beer. Classically amazing. No further comment.

Serving type: bottle

02-13-2013 05:03:23 | More by thecheapies

kangarooAdam59

Maine

4.58/5  rDev +6%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Into my chalice:

A: dark brown colored body with a massive three finger white head. The head must last for about a good four minutes before it died. Minimal spider web lacing speckled the sides and slid fairly quickly down the sides of the glass.

S: raisins and cherries with light pears and caramels in the background, slightly in a bready sort of way. The yeast is very subdued, but its there.

T: all of the previously mentioned flavors and combined altogether in a sweet bready yet somewhat earthy sort of way.

M: medium with nothing remotely close to having any sort of harshness on the tongue. As many times as I've had this, this is probably the smoothest most Belgian beer on the market. It leaves a sweet sticky aftertaste and a slightly dry finish. Though at 9%, I'd still say fairly sessionable.

O: this is a Belgian I like, probably because the yeast is tamed well. Nice dessert and night cap!

Serving type: bottle

02-13-2013 01:54:13 | More by kangarooAdam59

XxNitExX

Nebraska

4.69/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

Poured into Chimay Goblet

A- Pours a muddy brown with red highlights. Large white head that settles into a thin white line, very little lacing.

S- I smell dark fruits, apples, pears, and strong caramel malts. Little bit of yeast funk towards the end with an overly sweet bread smell also.

T- Starts with a very upfront malt taste that goes into a fruitiness mostly apples and cherries to me. Finishes up again with the overly sweet bread taste that I can't describe well. Does have a nice earthen note throughout though.

M- Lively. Sticks to your mouth and lingers which is not a bad thing at all when it tastes so good!

Overall a very strong performer in a category loaded with great beers. This is a truly must try.

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2013 21:58:35 | More by XxNitExX

Mando603

Pennsylvania

3.39/5  rDev -21.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

750 ml Poured into a Chimay glass.

A - Murky brown with a tight one finger mottled tan head that dissipates quickly
S - Grapes, tart cherries, wine,
T - A lot different from the nose. The dark fruits are at the front but they go away almost as soon as you realize they're there. After that it gets really complex with a sour hoppiness to it. I had a hard time pinning down exactly what I didn't like about it.
M - Champagne like fizz and a cola mouthfeel
O - Since I'm a rookie in the craft beer world I plan on revisiting this beer after I've developed my palette a bit more.

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2013 01:39:30 | More by Mando603

Efay

Illinois

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

A- Dark cherry color, with about two fingers worth of head. Great frothy head retention, not much lacing.

S- Very sweet fruity smell. Lots of pears and apples, but has a hint of an earthy smell.

T- Moderate amount of spice, but still very fruity! Lots of apples and pears, but it seems like there may be some grapes in there too. Maybe a hint of cinnamon, and you can definitely get a robust yeast taste with the beer.

M- Moderate mouth feel, and very little carbonation. A bit on the heavy side, but still and pretty easy drinker nonetheless.

O- I really enjoyed this beer. Very sweet and different from the usual American styles that I'm used to. Definitely would drink this again.

Serving type: bottle

02-03-2013 03:55:06 | More by Efay

Fatehunter

Oregon

4.2/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Poured into a tulip glass. Two fingers of foamy head on a reddish/brown colored body.
The aroma is fresh bread, dark fruit (plum and blackberry), candy and caramel.
The taste is deep and dark. There's lots of fruit and bread going on here. The sweetness is present but maintains a low profile, which is nice.
The texture is slick with moderate carbonation and medium to thicker body.
Obviously a great drink.

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2013 05:33:41 | More by Fatehunter

chugalug06

Colorado

4.29/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.25

Massive bang from an explosive cork..

Puffy/tan/soapy foamy/airy head. Deep purple/red/clear brew. No lacing.

Grapey/apple/pear/banana/toasty/bready/marshmellow

Thin/watery/smooth/dry/crisp/high carbonation/slight sweetness/very belgian/toasty/well malted/delightful/refreshing for a warm winters day

Recommended as an awesome macro transfer brew to Belgians or as a go to from smaller less distributed stores.

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2013 03:04:17 | More by chugalug06

BedetheVenerable

Missouri

4.35/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Presentation: 750ml brown corked/caged bottle, specially-painted for Chimay's 150th anniversary. Splitting this with my wife tonight, into two Chimay chalices, to commemorate the sadness of leaving behind my career as a medieval historian and teacher and a celebration of the next step (whatever that might be). Cheers!

Appearance: A warm, ruddy sienna brew, capped with a dark ivory cap which fades slowly to a thick patchy film. Not quite as much stick as I'd like, but still an attractive brew.

Smell: Wonderfully soft and inviting aroma, with dark sugared fruits (grapes, raisins, plums), sweet/baking spice yeast notes, and just a hint of cork and cellar. Elegant, refined, classic.

Taste: Soft dark fruits (maybe grape, and several others, but none really jump out). LIght notes of sweet yeasty spice. The lightest hint of toasted bread and something earthy on the finish. Sweet flavors, but ends dry.

Mouthfeel: Light as a whisper, almost fluffy. It's amazing that 9% can feel like this.

Overall: Wish the specially-bottled version didn't cost $14.00-plus, but the beer inside (the same as the regular Grande Reserve) is simply brilliant, and usually available for $12.00 a 750ml. I hadn't had this beer for years, and it was one of the first 'real' Belgians I had. I was afraid it wouldn't measure up tonight, honestly. No worries there. Not quite as complex as Westvleteren, perhaps, but this is a stunning beer and widely available. Someday, when I have a solid job, I'm definitely going to buy a case of this to cellar.

95% A

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2013 02:51:00 | More by BedetheVenerable

HuskyinPDX

Washington

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

Bottle opened on 1.26.13

A - Pours a medium cola brown with a one inch tan head that fades slowly.

S - Spices, figs, brown sugar.

T - Same as the nose, a touch sweet, a true Trappist.

D - Good carbonation and a medium body.

O - A nice spicy, nice fruity trappist ale. I can see how this one would age nicely.

Serving type: bottle

01-31-2013 06:07:04 | More by HuskyinPDX

Bashao

Israel

3.74/5  rDev -13.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Appearance: brown murky color.good head.

Smell: some malty scent and a very strong alcohol smell.

Taste: strong malty flavors with Belgian yeast taste.hoppy after notes.

Mouthfeel: full body with medium carbonation.

Overall: nice beer but will not be my first pick.could probably go well with a good meal.

Serving type: bottle

01-29-2013 21:56:37 | More by Bashao

themind

New Jersey

4.23/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A quality trappist brew that leaves you wanting more. Chimay has hit the nail on the head and represents what a Belgium brew should be....and that's awesome! The only issue I have is that the carbonation may be a bit much lowering the drinkability.

Bottom Line: Top notch trappist!

Serving type: bottle

01-28-2013 17:59:28 | More by themind

tdm168

North Carolina

4.16/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

A - upon opening the bottle, foam came spilling out; dark, brownish, caramel amber with a big, off white head that fades quickly to a thin lacing

S - caramel, candy sugar, some baked apples

T - baked apples, caramel, some sugar, a bit sweet at times, some warming alcohol in the finish

M - warm, full bodied, a bit crisp but well carbonated

This is a very nice, balanced beer that is subtle but complex. This is a very malty beer that reminds me more of a quad or a trumped up dubbel. There are hints of candy sugar but the flavor is mostly dominated by rich caramel malts. There are some fantastic esters that add depth to the flavor and really make this is a solid beer. I am impressed also at its drinkability with such a high ABV. This is definitely worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

01-25-2013 22:28:24 | More by tdm168

mrweems

5/5  rDev +15.7%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

I love this beer. This is possibly my favorite. I have yet to find a beer to captivate my tastebuds quite like this.

My favorite beers are ales so i feel a bit biased with reviewing this one.

It's beautiful, smells beautiful, and tastes superb. it almost has a licorice look to the color. The head is a beautiful coffee brown. The taste is a sparkly enchanted ale.

Its a lovely brew, i share with friends when i find out they havent had this before. The ones that dislike it say its to heavy or to thick in taste. So for a beginner beer drinker id say this would be a bit intense for your taste buds if your not used to this type of ale.

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2013 22:48:46 | More by mrweems

Premo88

Texas

3.63/5  rDev -16%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.75

750 ml bottle poured into Belgian ale glass

A: brown ... chocolate with matte amber highlight ... tan head with meringue consistency that really leaps up; i've got to be more careful pouring it, because the head can explode past 1 1/2 inches over the rim of the glass

S: can't smell it. my nose just isn't working ... i can sense the light (almost stale) herbal with a slight spice, but honestly, i'll have to give this one another rating down the road when my nose is working.

T: very drinkable; lighter than it looks (what I'm learning is perhaps a signature of the Belgian ale style) ... clean, crisp, good hops bite but nothing overbearing. i feel like i've eaten toasted chocolate minus the sugar.

F: doesn't move me ... hard to describe, but it just isn't as lively

O: obviously good, possibly not the best in the Chimay red-white-blue line depending on your favorite style. I'm going to need to consume more Belgian darks before I can properly place this one.

Serving type: bottle

01-21-2013 02:03:02 | More by Premo88

Alex-by

Belarus

4.7/5  rDev +8.8%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

0.75l bottle, but too young - only 1 year old.

A - Dark amber color. Head is too big when you pour 1st glass, which is not happening with 0.33l bottles.

S - Sweet malts, caramel, fruits, wine, raisins. Very complex and strong flavor.

T - Even more complicated than smells... Caramel malt, sugar, wine, bitter of roasted malts.

M - medium to full body. Medium carbonation. Creamy. Alcohol was not very apparent

O - Amazing beer. Full of flavours and it gets more flavorful as it is getting warmer.

Serving type: bottle

01-20-2013 09:59:25 | More by Alex-by

richj1970

Alabama

4.43/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Poured from 11.2 oz bottle into tulip glass.

A: Deep mahogany brown with big fluffy off white head. Good retention That dissolves to a thin sheet over the beer.

S: Sweet roasted malts, caramels, dark fruits including raisin and cherry.

T: Malts dominate with some spiciness and fruits in background.

M: Nice carbonation. Bubbly on the tongue with medium body. Some alcohol burn on the tongue in an enjoyable way.

O: This is widely available beer, and very enjoyable. It really sparked my interest and opened my eyes to the craft brewing industry. My life has not been the same after my first Chimay, and I always look forward to the next one.

Serving type: bottle

01-18-2013 02:15:19 | More by richj1970

Clonies720

Texas

4.61/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

Appearance: Pours a dark amber color. Carbonation is almost non-existant. It's fairly clear despite the dark amber color. This beer looks alive and inviting. A thick, two finger head forms and then actually SWELLS up to the top of the glass before bubbling down after a few minutes. Leaves some truly stupendous lacing as it goes down

Smell: Starts off with some rich brown sugar, a lot of yeast with some medium malts with a whispy booze. A bit sweet with an earthy background note. Not a whole lot going on here really.

Taste- Very straight forward and clean flavors. Rich and a bit sweet with a good yeasty flavors. Like the nose it's malty with hidden booze that creeps up on you and dark fruits.

Mouth- A light medium body that is also rich and malty but a tad too bubbly.

Overall: I'd buy and drink it again. It's an extremely smooth, drinkable beer. Difficult to justify the price on it though to me.

Serving type: bottle

01-14-2013 01:00:18 | More by Clonies720

Kevin73

Washington

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

Chimay blue is so well balanced and delicious I keep coming back to it again and again. A bit drier than other quads and highly carbonated. The dried fruit flavors are still there, not overpowered by the malts. Almost no bitterness or aftertaste. Nearly a perfect beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-10-2013 19:17:06 | More by Kevin73

Seaba

Pennsylvania

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

Note: 2 year old bottle.

Pours a nice translucent brown with a decent head that dissipates quickly while keeping lacing throughout the session along with a very thin spotty head.

Taste and smells of dark fruit and caramel.

Very nice carbonation, medium body, slight alcohol.

This is one of the most well known beers of this style and is always enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

01-09-2013 14:48:52 | More by Seaba

warrenout330

Ohio

4.03/5  rDev -6.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

355 ml bottle .... stored away for 2 years

A- pours a deep murky brown... big fluffy off white head.... good retantion still... dissolves to a thin sheet over the beer.... yeast visiable

S- swells of sweet malt, caramel forward... deep dark fruits ... caramelized raisins .... sweet candy....I pick up some cherry in the back

T- this beer always looses me here... not the same as the smell ... caramel malt dominate ....dark fruits, sweet sugary candy...

M- high carbonation still.... bubbly and prickly on the tongue ... medium body... slight alcohol burn on the tongue... feels like a numbing sensation...

O- this is a very easy beer to track down and probably the starting point for beginning in trappiest beers.... this beer becomes phenomenal with years of age.... maybe 2 wasn't long enough but I do know 5 is awesome ....

Serving type: bottle

01-07-2013 02:35:55 | More by warrenout330

KingSlayer

Mexico

4/5  rDev -7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

355 ml bottle, poured into a pint tumbler (shouldve poured it on a chalice, now i repent)

Pours a deep brown chestnut liquid, semi translucent, lots of visible carbonation and yeast strains, head 3 fingers white-light beige colored, medium persistence, poor lacing, persistent top ring, brown colored flakes of yeast floating around.
scents of apple and nuts, spicy hints, lil alcohol, dark fruit like plums, raisins, figs, typical BSDA aroma, lots of esters/fruit, malty/cereals.
palate is complex, very fruity (dark fruits), little cloves/cinnamon dashes, plums, figs, raisins, so sweet. residual hop bitterness, lasting flavor finish, hint of metallic ending.
medium body maybe a little bit more, lots of carbonation (good), bit creamy, lil boozy.
strong beer, warmth sensation, punchy, a little bit too sweet for me. complex rich sweetness
not really my type of beer, but a really good one, could have more of this on special occasion.

Serving type: bottle

01-03-2013 00:00:08 | More by KingSlayer

axeman9182

New Jersey

4.25/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

11.2 oz bottle, served at the Cloverleaf with a matching Chimay chalice.

Chimay Grand Reserve pours a deep mahogany, with no real highlights noticeable. A finger or so of off white foam crowns the beer. Most of it fades away, but a solid iceberg like chunk remains long after. Lacing is pretty sparse. The nose is almost perfection. Lots of plum and fig, and spicy phenols are a secondary aroma. The flavor profile still has some dark fruit esters, and they're joined by a light caramel touch. The pepper and clove spicy notes are definitely more pronounced than in the nose, and just a hair too much so for my taste. The mouthfeel is fantastic, highlighted by a very well dried out body. The carbonation is plenty lively, but there's just a slight lack of creaminess to it. Chimay Grand Reserve is an absolute classic in the craft beer scene, and with good reason.

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2013 04:33:17 | More by axeman9182

artdob

California

3.98/5  rDev -7.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours almost a root beer color, dark but not quite black. Tan foam head diminishes somewhat quickly, readying the beer for drinking without having to don a foam mustache.

On the nose, close your eyes and you might think you are in a bakery at early morning as the ovens are getting going - yeasty bread overtones dominate here.

On the palate, there is an initial sugary sweetness, almost like C&H liquid. This is followed with hints of dark fruits - plums and raisins.

Mouthfeel has a good amount of carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

12-28-2012 05:28:42 | More by artdob

HarryPotHead

Maryland

4.1/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from 11.2 oz bottle into Chimay Chalice.

A - chocolatey brown with copper edges. A one finger head that did not last long. Not much lacing. Some unsettled yeast in the bottom of the glass.

S - sweet smelling figs, raisins, and the scent of pecan pie come to mind. Very nice!

T - tasty but somewhat one dimensional or "well balanced" which makes it hard to pinpoint specific flavors. Not as sweet or fruity as the aroma would lead you to believe. Hops play a minor role here while malts and yeast flavors share top billing. Finishes warm.

M - silky smooth and slick with a decent amount of carbonation.

O - ABV is masked nicely so this brew goes down smoother than you might expect. Very enojoyable, but I felt it was missing something....can't put my finger on it though. Still a very good example of the style.

Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

12-28-2012 00:26:23 | More by HarryPotHead