AleSmith Grand Cru Ale - AleSmith Brewing Company

feloniousmonk

Minnesota

4.15/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

The looks of it: rich ruby hue, opaque, slim, beigish sliver of foam.
The smell of it: port wine meets cognac, dark fruits meets a mature, well-mannered alcohol burn, sophisticated and almost sublime, a jammy medley of berries and booze.
The taste of it: surprisingly mellow and light on entering the tongue, satisfactorily full on the palate, merrily leaving it's tracks all over the mouth, tingling the senses from the start. Very snappy, this, brimming over with tasty, cherry brandy flavor, figgy, bready, grapey. Sits prettily on the palate, spilling over with juicy, boozy goodness.
The sum of it:This is a late-night relaxer kind of beer, a swirl-it-in-the snifter during quiet ruminations, and complex contemplation kind of beer...the kind I need right now.
So, thanks Alesmith, and thanks boilermaker88..right beer at the right time...yum...

Serving type: bottle

10-02-2004 07:37:45 | More by feloniousmonk

WesWes

New York

4.38/5  rDev +7.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

The beer pours a ruby red color with a thick frothy offwhite head that slowly fades to lacing. The aroma is good. It has a warm, malty scent that boasts of pale, crystal, and roasted malts along with a fruity Belgian yeast aroma. The esters smell of raisins and figs; very nice. The taste is great. It has a smooth, roasted malt flavor with a bit of crystal malt sweetness. It goes down easy and finishes warm and fruity. It's creamy and delicious. The yeast works well to compliment the array of malt flavors. The mouthfeel is excellent. It's a full bodied beer with adequate carbonation. This is a damn good beer. It has kick ass malt character and yeast esters. It's smooth and creamy; a slow drinker, but an enjoyable one.

Serving type: bottle

10-16-2007 00:56:07 | More by WesWes

drabmuh

Maryland

3.75/5  rDev -7.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

1999 vintage. Thanks Brad. Beer is brown and hazy with no head, appears kind of thin.

Beer has an odd aroma, almost musky but really caramelly, lots of malt character in there, hint of sulfur.

Beer is medium bodied, not quite what I expected. Lots of malt and caramel. Its very butterscotchy, could be a sign of oxidation. I mean this bottle is 11 years old at this point. Its quite alcoholy but not hot or boozy. I can tell that its high but it doesn't dristrat. Overall this beer was OK, the newer version was totally different but they probably weren't even close to the same recipes.

Serving type: bottle

06-09-2010 17:27:07 | More by drabmuh

Mora2000

Texas

4.43/5  rDev +9.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to Exiled for sharing this beer. This is my 1,700th beer and it didn't disappoint.

The beer pours a hazy brown color with a white head. The aroma is sweet sugar with some vanilla and cherry notes. The flavor is cherry, caramel malt, brown sugar, alcohol, Belgian yeast and Belgian candi-sugar. Medium mouthfeel and medium carbonation. A great American-made Belgian-style beer. Glad I got to try this one.

Serving type: bottle

06-26-2010 18:51:41 | More by Mora2000

metter98

New York

4.15/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: The beer is clear brownish amber in color and has a light to moderate amount of carbonation. It poured with a two finger high beige head that has very good retention properties.
S: There are light to moderate aromas of dark fruits (cherries and plums stand out in particular) and spices in the nose.
T: The taste is similar to the smell and has a slight amount of sweetness with flavors of dark fruits and notes of spices.
M: It feels medium-bodied on the palate and has a moderate to high amount of carbonation.
D: The beer is definitely a sipper due to its strength but the alcohol is well hidden from both the smell and taste.

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2011 05:03:16 | More by metter98

Gueuzedude

Arizona

4.35/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Vintage bottle 2003, Sampled April 2005
This beer sits a rich amber color, and pours with a thin head that disappears pretty quickly. The aroma is thick with notes of dark fruit, I get notes of raisins, figs and a solid caramelized bread note. The aroma is quite evident and quite enticing. The taste is sweet with a thick-mouth coating feel to it that is quite satiating. The flavor is quite fruity, again I get notes of raisins as well as notes of prunes. I was not expecting this beer to be so thick and hearty, but it is and I really like it.

Serving type: bottle

04-20-2005 05:40:49 | More by Gueuzedude

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

4.43/5  rDev +9.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Alesmith's Grand Cru poured out as a really nice reddish brown color, the head was white and pretty thick looking. There was a bit of lacing on the glass after each sip. I let this one sit for just a few moments before i dove into it. I wanted to let it warm up a little before my first time. The aroma of the beer had just a slight funk or tartness to it otherwise it was pretty hoppy and had some nice earth tones to it. The taste was much better than I expected. I was thinking it was going to be a sour ale of some kind, but it turned out to be a really nice blend of something like a brown ale with an IPA and then a touch of sour in the faint distance. The mouthfeel was smooth and very easy to drink, even though I tried making mine last a while by sipping it. Overall I found this beer to be quite impressive and enjoyed it a lot. Will be looking forward to have it again one day.

Serving type: bottle

06-15-2011 18:11:10 | More by Knapp85

russpowell

Oklahoma

3.88/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Been sitting on this bottle since New Years, time to see what have here..

Pours an effervescent auburn with 2 fingers of sand colored head. hazes towards the bottom, some head retention & lacing

S: Plums, other dark fruit, toffee, & a touch of caramel

T: Plums, a bit of booze, a bit of smokeyness & peaches up front. Toffee, dryness, slight herbal hops, appleskins & plums. Finishes with pecans, dryness, & appleskins

MF: Sticky, with moderate carbonation & medium body

Drinks good, but there's not enough Belgian flair here for me. Hides the ABV very well

Serving type: bottle

07-31-2008 02:39:48 | More by russpowell

Halcyondays

California

4.13/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On-tap at the Beachwood BBQ, in Seal Beach, CA,

A: Pours a dark red-brown, with a full off-white head, with fair lacing in the end, but looks good right off the bat.

S: Medicinal herbal esters, mixed with dark fruit and malt.

T: Malty at first, then the Belgian character kicks in, one of the most medicinal, phenolic beers I have had out there, but not in a Ren and Stimpy, "All Purpose Icky-Tasting Medicine", kind of way, but a complex herbal character that really added to the enjoyment of the beer. Also, I got flavours of orange and tangerine, mint jelly - which was weird, some cherry as well, maybe some Luden's flavour, but it is slight, a sweet flavour of malt and dark fruit end the beer.

M: Smooth and phenolic, easy to drink for 10% for sure, tastes more like 6, though there is some warming solvent character to this brew for sure.

D: Another excellent beer from Alesmith, they just consistently put out good beer that is easy to find in California, one of the better and more interesting American-made BSDA's out there.

Serving type: on-tap

01-24-2008 00:25:54 | More by Halcyondays

jwc215

New Jersey

4.1/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to PhxHorn for this!

750 ml bottle - gold-foiled poured into tulip glass:

Pours dark amber with a thin off-white head that eventually dissipates to leave a ring and some trailing lace.

The smell is of toffee, spiced bread, plums, stewed/dried apricot and peach. Complex. Malty, with a touch of smoke.

The taste is of rich toffee - towards chocolate at times - caramelish with spicy, slightly roasted fruitiness - stewed apricot/peach/prune - slightly grapey. Fruity and malty, but with an herbal bitterness that lingers. Rum-like booze is there, but not sharp. Abv high for a beer, but not sharp.

Rich, especially in aroma. There is a bitter touch to it, and alcohol there, but not overwhelming. A rich, delightful "sipper".

Serving type: bottle

05-27-2009 02:13:41 | More by jwc215

WVbeergeek

Ohio

4.03/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: Ruby brown thin cream colored head lacing is thin and spread unevenly across my tasting glass. Aroma: Deep fruit infused notes cary across my schnose, all blended with upfront alcohol tones and candi sugar sweetness with a blend of spices that just work. Taste: Very big in flavor this brew sits on the palate, touch of upfront alcohol to let you know who's boss. Then she creeps in with a blend of barleywine like caramel rich malt backbone blended with a dubbel raisin and tart fruit notes somewhat of a curveball. The hop profile stands out quite well for a Belgian style with this much alcohol, not too hoppy but definitely has some balls. Mouthfeel: Medium body a bit syrupy on the palate, decent big beer from the Alesmith brewing company. Drinkability: I feel that this beer is meant to be drank in smaller portions after about seven or so ounces I would get tired of the flavor and the texture just sits on the palate need a cleanser with this one.

Serving type: bottle

04-12-2004 20:34:08 | More by WVbeergeek

RblWthACoz

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a slightly fogged brown with a very thin creme head. Nose is touched with caramel with some yeast and sugar. Flavor is robust and mildly sweet with an earthy tone. Nice, but perhaps a bit too rustic and earthy. It's still nice though; make no mistake. Feel has a fairly full but not obtrusive carbonation. Overall this is pretty easy to drink. Definitely well made, but lacks a certain edge that would take it to a higher level of appreciation for me. (I mean, it is a Grand Cru and all)

Serving type: bottle

03-11-2008 06:29:40 | More by RblWthACoz

barleywinefiend

Washington

4.33/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: Poured a briwnish ruby color with a big fluffy head and some good sedementation.

S: Smelled spicy with dried fruits, perhaps plums and raisins with some spiciness and tons of sugar.

T: Provided a nice warmth and stickiness. Lots of sugar, malt and other good stuff.

M: Big bodied, s bit sticky sweet, well carbonated, creamy

O: Very good

Serving type: bottle

06-02-2008 00:48:46 | More by barleywinefiend

smcolw

Massachusetts

3.88/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Reddish, light brown color and clear. Great start to the head although it leaves no lace on the glass

Very strong port-like sweetness to the nose. No spice, hop or yeast aroma that I normally detect in most "Belgians".

Rich texture with a moderate level of carbonation to make this a chewy brew. This could be called the sherry of beers, although the finish is far more dry than I'd ever expect. I can detect subtle hop which prevents the alcohol oiliness from showing up. It's a deceptively balanced beer even though it is sweet (caramelized sugar and molasses).

This one is growing on me as I continue to sip. Do not expect a Belgian style here as much as a barley wine, but a very good one.

Serving type: bottle

07-06-2008 18:45:05 | More by smcolw

Wasatch

Utah

4.35/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured this one into Unibroue tulip. Nice dark amber color, some carbonation, quick white head, some lacing around the edges. Scents of sweet malts, grapes, raisins, caramel, and figs. Taste is sweet and caramel like. A nice warm feeling in the throat on the way down. Medium body. Very drinkable, Another excellent brew from AleSmith.

Serving type: bottle

10-15-2006 21:42:43 | More by Wasatch

jdhilt

New Hampshire

4.53/5  rDev +11.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Pours a one finger, cream head that quickly fades leaving no lace. Nose is raisins and alcohol. Cloudy amber color. Light carbonation and medium bodied. Flavor is caramel, raisins and some alcohol. Pricey - $12.70 for a 750ml bottle from Colonial Spirits Acton, Ma.

Serving type: bottle

02-14-2008 23:52:10 | More by jdhilt

rhoadsrage

Illinois

4.97/5  rDev +22.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

(Served in a chalice)

A- This beer pours a slightly dense amber body with a good carbonation of tiny bubbles supporting a creamy light caramel colored head. The head last as a thin film with nice lacing for most of the beer.

S- This beer has a soft yeasty note of faint bananas and circus peanuts which are subtle and balanced soon give way to a bolder toasted note and a robust caramel sweetness at the finish.

T- The rich caramel malt flavor has some darker roasted notes to it with a soft alcohol heat and white raisin quality. There is a soft cola note that gives way to an apple butter note to the malt and a soft toasted malt flavor to boot. The finish is a soft herbal bitterness that wraps up the malt flavors quite nicely without big hop flavors.

M- This beer has a medium mouthfeel with a soft alcohol heat and a tight little fizz in the finish that enhances the herbal bitterness.

D- This beer has a great depth of flavor and a perfect support of the wonderful caramel malt. This grand cru is like a great loaf of fresh bread. It doesn't wow you with over-the-top flavor or huge amounts of flavor but it has that amazing freshness and subtle complexity to make this beer stand out.

Serving type: bottle

03-13-2008 18:43:11 | More by rhoadsrage

Jason

Massachusetts

4.3/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Presentation: 1 pint 9 oz champagne magnum that is corked, capped and foiled. Light amount of sediment is on the bottom and stay compact while pouring. 2000 vintage.

Appearance: Tarnish copper with brownish hues, thick and creamy light tan lace straps its self to the glass and leaves a trail all the way down to the bottom.

Smell: Spicy and orangey with a sweet alcoholic nose. Fruity and estery with hints of ripe plum. More spiciness than anything else.

Taste: Smooth to the point of being unreal with a luscious creamy back, mellow alcohol character drapes its sweet and spicy flavours over the tongue. Maltiness is sizable with traces of caramel and a mouth feel that is close to syrupy. Spiciness from the alcohol doubles up and with a hint of yeast brings levels of complexity. Hops? Well they are there but not in any way seen with all of the flavours bursting and thus there is no need for even a modest presence. Mild citric peel with a big plum like fruitiness, alcoholic esters make their move but the spiciness stays on top. A heavy hand of residual sweetness is left over for the spice loaded finish to deal with.

Notes: This is a stellar brew with a deceiving alcohol. Complex flavours keep things in balance with a well rounded spiciness and big malt foundation.

Serving type: bottle

04-27-2002 19:53:58 | More by Jason

Billolick

New York

4.63/5  rDev +14%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Large champagne bottle, gold foil, capped, no vintage or best before indication. Poured dark murky plum brown, very minimal carbonation, no head, no lacing. Bold nose of rum, smoke, vanilla, nice.

Deep, bold, intense and complex brew. Notes of rum soaked raisins, oak, smoke, figs, vanilla. Port like. World class brew, fine night capper, or with some tasty rich foods, roasts, bbq, stinky cheese etc.

BSDA lovers go get some to wrap yourself around

Serving type: bottle

09-16-2006 14:16:41 | More by Billolick

jlindros

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Not sure if this is '09 or '10 vintage as I have both in the cellar but they are not marked.

Pours a fizzy big bubbled almost 1 finger head that fades at a med pace with some lacing, over slightly hazy cranberry dark reddish mahogany colored beer.

NOse is strong, some booze comes right out with some Belgian yeast and esters, some dark fruits from the yeast as well as nuts, fig, nutmeg, spices, etc, and very slightly phenolic. Some sweet candy and syrupys, dark malts, esters round it all off.

Taste starts with dark malts, it gives a slight dark porter like flavor to start and surprisingly. Comes with light chocolate malts and slightest hint of roast, biscuit, plenty of caramel and dark crystal malts, and plenty of reddish malts, very malty, and even a bit creamy malt flavor. Booze comes through as well, not too strong but def some tingly and warming booze, fairly hot. Belgian yeast, bringing some dark fruits, fig, raisin, apple, pear, other fruits, nuts, spices, nutmeg, hint of cinnamon. The yeast and booze brings some esters as well, but fits in well. Some light raw cherries come through as well. Finishes still a bit hot but mellows a bit, dries slightly but still a bit on the sweet side, some lingering dark creamy malts, light fruits and esters all lingering. Well balanced and tasty, the booze is def present but not too heavy and doesn't interfere too much.

Mouth is a bit heavier bodied, decent carb for the style, and hot boozy.

Overall not bad, nice malts, nice Belgian yeast flavors, fruits, nuts, spices, a bit syrupy, but its pretty hot and boozy and the slight aging didn't mellow it at all, the esters actually fit with the style well, but nice overall. A few more years aging may help.

Serving type: bottle

09-03-2011 01:20:49 | More by jlindros

mdfb79

New York

4.1/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

From 7/24/10 notes. Had at the CL cdc release.

a - Pours a mahogany color with no head and moderate carbonation.

s - Smells of cherries, dark fruits, spices, and sweet sugar.

t - Tastes of dark fruit, molasses, and a hint of alcohol.

m - Medium body and no carbonation.

d - A pretty good Belgian style dark ale. I enjoyed the smell a lot and would like to try again.

Serving type: bottle

07-27-2010 02:00:51 | More by mdfb79

ppoitras

Massachusetts

4.43/5  rDev +9.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

750ml bottle obtained via trade with kmpitz2. Thanks for the opportunity... Capped and foiled.

Poured into a Rapscallion glass, formed a 1 1/2" light tan head over the dark reddish copper brew. Exuberant carbonation generated while sitting in the glass makes the head grow and grow. Superb foamy lacing. Aroma is slightly spicy, slightly fruity, a bit yeasty, a lot going on, but could be a bit more intense for the style, in my opinion. Taste is light dark fruits coupled with malty depths, sliding into the slightest alcohol flavor, but all the warming one would expect from an abv 10. For the style, mouthfeel and drinkability are excellent. Grand indeed.

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2005 01:49:29 | More by ppoitras

weeare138

Pennsylvania

4.55/5  rDev +12.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

This is an aged, 2004 vintage bottle that I've been sitting on for a while...
Appears a faintly transparent dark amber with a small light tan head that fades to a small cap. Scattered lacing is left around the glass.
Smell is of spicey Belgian yeast, vanilla, doughy, light orange, sugary candy, and coriander.
Taste is of the mentioned aromas with a warming syup, brown sugar, along with cocoa, and vanilla.
Mouthfeel is chewy, syrupy, with brown sugar, mildly spiced, and full bodied. Delicious.

Serving type: bottle

12-28-2006 20:52:46 | More by weeare138

Zorro

California

4.1/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a hazy chestnut brown ale with no head at all.

Smell is raisins and brown sugar with a bit of caramel and pineapple make up the bulk of the scent. Spicy black pepper and nutmeg scents ride on the alcohol fumes from this.

Taste is brown sugar and chocolate cake in the first sip. Spicy black pepper and coriander are the next flavors to appear. Mild chocolate and fruit show up next. Flavorful but it could be more.

Mouthfeel is good.

A nice drinkable double but this one just isn't all that in the flavor department. I might be a bit spoiled on the easy availability of La Chouffe here but this just isn't quite up to the level of Belgium's best.

Serving type: bottle

11-01-2005 04:06:09 | More by Zorro

Viggo

Ontario (Canada)

4.38/5  rDev +7.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a slightly hazy brown/orange, tiny white head, some spots of lace,. Smell is sweet, with caramel, brown sugar and apple. Taste is huge, caramel and apple, some vanilla toffee, tootsie roll finish. Mouthfeel is medium bodied with low carbonation, very smooth. 2004 edition, nicely aged. Thanks DrJay!

Serving type: bottle

04-11-2006 00:16:37 | More by Viggo