Chimay Première (Red) - Bières de Chimay S.A.

zhanson88

California

4.08/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Appearance: Pleasant looking caramel color with dark amber highlights. There is an abundance of fluffy, open head that reduces to a moderate amount of lacing.

Smell: Dark fruits and caramel are prevalent on the nose. Also a hint of pepper.

Taste: Nice maltiness, dark fruits and a hint of booze up front, followed by a bit of pepper at the end due to the carbonation. No hops to speak of at any point.

Mouthfeel: Great full mouthfeell with very nice, fine carbonation. Not an overabundance of carbonation to make it fizzy, but just right.

Drinkability: I understand where the hype comes from with this beer. Very nice dubbel style that hides it's ABV effectively.

Serving type: bottle

09-03-2010 02:49:58 | More by zhanson88

TheDoctor

Quebec (Canada)

4.31/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

A:
Pours a rich reddish amber with a fat beige head that pours big and settles to a nice, creamy half-inch. Great retention and great lacing.

S:
Big malt smell but otherwise nothing to write home about. Some dark fruit and bisuity notes. Pretty unobtrusive.

T:
Malty but there is a constant hop presence backing it up. Rich and full of malt, minerals, earth, grass, brown sugar.

M:
Nice, borders on thin but isn't bad. Okay carbonation, creamy (but could be more). Smooth finish with some lingering carbonation-feel and cherries.

O:
Solid beer. Good in all the right ways. The taste is nice and complex but I feel the the hoppy yeasty funk it has is a little too much (it is fucking delicious, but it fights with the overall malty character and prevents me from saying it is well-balanced). Either way, great! Good enough that I have to nitpick it : )
Would certainly have again in a heartbeat!

Serving type: bottle

06-18-2013 00:24:20 | More by TheDoctor

jngrizzaffi

Texas

4.5/5  rDev +9%

06-16-2013 20:27:52 | More by jngrizzaffi

adityashekhar

India

4.25/5  rDev +2.9%

06-16-2013 10:27:02 | More by adityashekhar

Troville1990

Illinois

4/5  rDev -3.1%

06-16-2013 07:17:26 | More by Troville1990

KeyWestGator

Florida

4/5  rDev -3.1%

06-16-2013 03:24:03 | More by KeyWestGator

TKEbeerman

Florida

4.25/5  rDev +2.9%

06-15-2013 22:36:58 | More by TKEbeerman

TheBeeraholic

Ontario (Canada)

4.5/5  rDev +9%

06-15-2013 18:55:19 | More by TheBeeraholic

IchLiebeBier

Virginia

4/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: Cloudy copper with big head

Aroma: spicy hops; malty; dried fruits (raisins?)

Taste: Peppery hops; malty, smooth, well balanced

Remarks: Had it as part of the 4 beer sampler at the Inn at Chimay.

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

Serving type: bottle

06-15-2013 12:10:29 | More by IchLiebeBier

KStark

British Columbia (Canada)

4.5/5  rDev +9%

06-14-2013 14:46:12 | More by KStark

Oakenator

Pennsylvania

4.44/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: Pours a hazy dark brown with a generous head. Head retention is nice - still remaining well after pour. Some spotted lacing sporadically on the glass.

S: Malty and sweetness.

T: Super quality malts - nice and smooth yet multiple layers. Middle to end is a nice candi sugar flavor with a pop of hops somewhere in between.

M: Fun drinking beer - really nice body - not too heavy and not too light.

O: Great brew.

Serving type: bottle

06-12-2013 23:36:28 | More by Oakenator

ackeeper

Illinois

4/5  rDev -3.1%

06-12-2013 18:59:48 | More by ackeeper

superfriend

Wisconsin

3.75/5  rDev -9.2%

06-11-2013 15:40:33 | More by superfriend

utopiajane

New York

3.7/5  rDev -10.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 4

Pours a caramel brown with a quickly disappearing head to a nice cap. Little yeast floating on top. Light fruit and spice on the nose with a lot of bready malt up front. Good lacing, medium carbonation. The body of the beer is a little heavy. The toffee malt and fruit esters combine for a pronounced sweetness.

Serving type: bottle

06-11-2013 12:02:02 | More by utopiajane

JoeLacy

Ohio

4.25/5  rDev +2.9%

06-11-2013 05:09:30 | More by JoeLacy

JohnW58

New York

4.5/5  rDev +9%

06-11-2013 02:28:32 | More by JohnW58

Veebz

Texas

4.25/5  rDev +2.9%

06-10-2013 13:10:00 | More by Veebz

backphish

Texas

4.5/5  rDev +9%

06-10-2013 02:08:09 | More by backphish

dmcjr23505

Virginia

4/5  rDev -3.1%

06-09-2013 21:38:20 | More by dmcjr23505

naturallight1

Nevada

4.5/5  rDev +9%

06-09-2013 20:32:24 | More by naturallight1

Aliano

California

3.75/5  rDev -9.2%

06-09-2013 19:29:14 | More by Aliano

WiscoBrewsco

Wisconsin

4.25/5  rDev +2.9%

06-08-2013 23:52:31 | More by WiscoBrewsco

cgentzkow

California

4/5  rDev -3.1%

06-08-2013 03:26:18 | More by cgentzkow

LuisCaraballo

Georgia

4.5/5  rDev +9%

06-08-2013 00:01:13 | More by LuisCaraballo

coolandy007

Nevada

4.5/5  rDev +9%

06-07-2013 00:41:25 | More by coolandy007