Brooklyn Grand Cru - Brooklyn Brewery

BDIMike

Ohio

4.22/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a very nice cloudy golden color with a bit of a darker tint. There isn't much of a head to the beer, just a thin white one that goes away immediately.
Smell has a nice fresh wheat to it, but also a strong bit of sugar as well.
Taste is much richer than the smell. It starts with a nice fresh wheat taste, but has a very strong sugary punch to it along with some plum-like fruits.
Mouthfeel has a smoothness to it. There is almost a grainyness to the sugar, like it hasn't been stirred in yet, which I actually like.
Drinkability is great for such a strong and complex beer. There is a ton of taste to this beer, but nothing that overbears the tastebuds. Great beer that has awesome taste and even good for a long session of drinking, which I think I might commence right now...

Serving type: growler

01-10-2009 02:00:16 | More by BDIMike

gregory12

Connecticut

4.25/5  rDev +3.2%

04-12-2012 18:34:57 | More by gregory12

BillyBoysPie

Kentucky

4.88/5  rDev +18.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

On tap at Sergio's World Beers, Louisville, KY.

In a pint glass. Healthy inch and a half of dense bone white foam over very bubbly golden liquid. It looks great.

Effervescent in the nose - rhubarb, golden delicious and granny smith apples, light barley scents and crisp pine notes. Great light smell, but there's clearly substance here. Some of the sweet yeast is present. I'm excited about getting to drink this.

Yum. Super flavor - starts with some bitter lemon and rhubarb. Sweet yeast and apples are next. Then crisp pine notes, but very subdued so the fruit flavors still dominate. Super.

Very few things beat the feeling of this beer in your mouth. Effervescent, lightbodied, and refreshing but still has depth of flavor, is easy to drink, and makes you remember why you drink beer.

Great beer. Really, really great. I'm hoping to encounter this again even though it was brewed once.

Serving type: on-tap

01-22-2010 02:16:17 | More by BillyBoysPie

pershan

Maryland

3.95/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Had this on-tap at Frisco Grille in Columbia, MD.

Let me just say that the very first keg I ever had on tap at home on my CO2 system was a keg of Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout (15.5 gallons of heaven, IMHO). I have always been a fan of their beers, and their Grand Cru is no exception:

A: A slightly cloudy straw-yellow with a thin white head poured into a pint glass - so far, so good.

S: Maybe it was because I had just had a Flying Dog Woody Creek White, but I didn't discern much of anything in the aroma - maybe just a bit of malt sweetness.

T: A big malt and hop presence, with alcoholic esters, caramel, and hop bitterness dominating - this is a big beer to be sure.

M: A slight bit of fizziness, with some bitterness and astringency on the sides of the tongue and back of the mouth, but not cloying or overdone.

D: A nice addition to Brooklyn's stable of beers, well worth the price - good job to Garrett Oliver and the rest of the crew at Brooklyn.

Serving type: on-tap

05-07-2009 17:54:22 | More by pershan

rtratzlaff

North Carolina

4.43/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Brooklyn Grand Cru came to the table a cloudy golden body with a bone white head.

This beer is bready and spicy in the nose.

Taste is similar to the smell with an alcohol presence that pleasing rather than hot and sharp.

Overall, a good spicy beer with plenty of character.

Serving type: on-tap

03-24-2009 21:07:29 | More by rtratzlaff

JohnQVegas

Tennessee

3.98/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Growler from Bierkraft, Brooklyn.

Pours hazy gold with a slight orange tint, with a healthy white head.

Aroma is fruity - bananas and apricots, with a big fresh-baked-bread note coupled with a spicy yeast presence.

Taste is sweet candy and wheat up front with a big yeasty spice presence, with overripe golden fruit coming on a fairly clean, lightly yeasty finish.

Light bodied, creamy carbonation.

Really a nice beer, very drinkable for the abv and style.

Serving type: growler

01-31-2009 23:33:37 | More by JohnQVegas

hopdog

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap.

Poured a medium and hazy golden color with a smaler sized white head. Aromas of fruitiness (bananas), citrus, and some spiciness. Tastes of same fruitiness (applies, pears, and bananas), citrus, and spices. Lively body. Reminded me of a Tripel.

Notes from: 7/30/08

Serving type: on-tap

01-07-2009 18:57:50 | More by hopdog

LilBeerDoctor

New York

2.2/5  rDev -46.6%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

Reviewed on 9/3/08. On tap at the Gingerman. Pours a light yellow orange with a small white head. Aroma is pretty faint but predominately honey. Flavor of Belgian yeast, honey and other fruitiness, very odd tasting. Thick and syrupy texture, almost like a mead. Couldn't finish the glass. This is an odd, strong, sticky, heavy beer and I did not care for it.
5/4/4/2/10 (2.5/5)

Serving type: on-tap

12-26-2008 16:46:21 | More by LilBeerDoctor

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

3.85/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Funky aroma with a nice yeast. Orange with a white head and big lacing. A little aggressive carbonation. Taste is yeasty, orangey,corriander, cloves, and the mouthfeel of honey and wheatish - it rolls off the tongue.
A great Belgian, lovely.Cole's with Mike.

Serving type: on-tap

12-10-2008 04:09:05 | More by northyorksammy

Billolick

New York

4.33/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Always nice to try a new creation from Good ole Brooklyn Brewery. On tap at Barcade in Brooklyn (within a mile of the brewery) Poured cloudy light yellowy amber, off white head, spritzy nose of clove, banana, lemon/lime and a hint of ginned up alcohol. Flavorful, bold, com0lex and truly tasty stuff. More of all the flavors picked up by the nose. Citrus, pepper, tart apple, Belgian yeasty goodness carry the freight. Love the style, nice job here by the Brooklyn brewing crew. Bottle this one please.

Serving type: on-tap

11-30-2008 14:54:01 | More by Billolick

Viggo

Ontario (Canada)

3.9/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Goblet on tap at Cole's in Buffalo.

Pours a cloudy light amber, almost banana yellow, very thin white head forms, quickly settles down to a thin ring, then disappears completely, few spots, looks alright. Smell is neat, bananas, oranges, lots of spice, vanilla, bubblegum, apples, alcohol, yeasty bread, pretty neat, spice is just right. Taste is banana and clove, bubblegum, wheat, honey, yeast, alcohol, oranges, spices, oats, dry bready finish. Mouthfeel is medium to light bodied with high carbonation, a little rough on the palate but generally pretty well done. I wouldn't turn this one down.

Serving type: on-tap

11-26-2008 03:46:29 | More by Viggo

BeerFan

New Jersey

4.35/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Previous draft-only Brewmaster Reserve beer that was on tap in my basement. I used my old Blanche de Brooklyn tumbler for this one. Poured a cloudy yellowish color with a nice, white fluffy head. Nice lacing down the entire glass. I could smell the orange and lemon peels. Taste starts out on the sweet side. Picking up notes of honey and coriander. The Hallertauer Perle hops then move in on the back end micely so it's not too sweet. Very easy drinking for a 8.4% beer. Brooklyn's website describes this as a Strong Spiced Ale. A witbier is spiced and this is on the strong side, but I prefer to call this a Double Wit with some Tripel characteristics. Excellent carbonation for this medium-bodied beer.

Serving type: on-tap

11-18-2008 14:53:04 | More by BeerFan

PBoegel

New York

4/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

From notes on tap late summer at Mahar's in Albany.

Aroma profile was outstanding, light perfume like flower and spice, a touch a munich like maltiness as well as subtle peppery spice.

Flavor was much the same leaning toward a little more peppery spice from the yeast in the finish, extraordinarily drinkable and another great beer from the Reserve series.

Hopefully this is one that gets made at least once a year.

Serving type: on-tap

11-06-2008 15:07:50 | More by PBoegel

waltonc

Colorado

4.33/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at Blind Tiger. Apparently this is a witbier, but it was definitely much different than any witbier I have had before. The first flavor that jumped out at me when sipping this was, surprisingly, corn! Maybe my tongue was just thrown off from drinking stout beforehand, but I was definitely tasting corn in this. Floral, slightly sweet, and very well balanced. Mouthfeel was medium with fairly generous carbonation. A very good brew overall.

Serving type: on-tap

11-06-2008 03:26:37 | More by waltonc

dnichols

Washington

3.88/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: It poured a slightly hazy, yellow body with a two finger white head that retained well. There was a sparse curtain of lacing that held up well before falling into the liquid.

S: It smelled like light sweet grains and malts with floral and citrus hops.

T: It had a nice clean sweet malt front with distinct wheat flavors and sweet lemons complemented by floral hops and spices.

M: It was light to medium bodied with a smooth and zesty presence in the mouth. Medium to heavy carbonation with a clean dry finish.

D: It was a tasty, complex and enjoyable beer. It was light enough and smooth enough to go fairly long into a session.

Serving type: on-tap

11-01-2008 23:04:14 | More by dnichols

treyrab

Pennsylvania

4.38/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Zeno's has outdone itself once again by getting this on tap! Tried it tonight with jac5084...

A: Semi hazy yellow copper with almost no head. Very low carbonation which surprised me. This one does not lace the glass at all either.

S: Very, very complex smell...but different from other grand crus I have had. It smells of tons of light fruits, particularly banana. None of the dark fruits I usually get from grand crus. A lot of spice and Belgian yeast also. No noticeable hops.

T: Tastes like a banana that has been sitting out for a week...very sweet banana, almost candy-like banana...but it is phenomenal. Nice orange flavors also complemented by a nice yeast/spice flavor.

Overall, this is an exceptional grand cru. A little more complex than most, but way more refreshing.

Serving type: on-tap

10-23-2008 20:23:10 | More by treyrab

Nickls

District of Columbia

4.33/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

(From notes)

A - Hazy orange gold color, very thin white head which was a function of the pour given by the bartender (they filled it to the rim with the brew, and didn't leave any room really)

S - Orange and lemon were the predominant aromas, with a good yeastiness for the style.

T - Not nearly as tart as the smell suggested. Definite orange and lemon flavors, with some sweetness

M - A touch creamy, and not as carbonated as expected. Very rich for the style, but it was very good

D - Hugely drinkable and refreshing especially given the ABV

Overall, this was like a hybrid between a Belgian Wit and a German Weisse to me, and very interesting. I would highly recommend.

Serving type: on-tap

10-23-2008 02:15:01 | More by Nickls

Lexluthor33

New York

3.95/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured a Golden color with some haze.

The aroma of citrus,wheat,banana and some spices.

The taste is sweet,malts,honey hints,hops and oranges. Sugar and some coriander.

The feel was yeasty,medium body and carbonation. Creamy and not way I could tell that it had such a high ABV.

Notes: I liked this,but I felt it was a tad too sweet to have more than one. The balance was good and I must say I did enjoy this beer very much.

Serving type: on-tap

10-21-2008 03:02:03 | More by Lexluthor33

Bitzy

New Jersey

4.72/5  rDev +14.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Wow! Popped in Rattle and Hum for a lunch time beer and knew to pick this one right away (Brooklyn Brewmaster's series duh!!!). Having tried other witbiers before along my journey of craft beer palate development (the past 2 years), I I knew ths one would probably be just as awesome if not better. Especially since Garret Oliver is a master of all styles of beer and has porven himself him and again.

This beer really hit the spot. It took the witbier style to a whole new level. The sweetness from the wheat, spices, and honey layered nicely in between the banana, clove, and other spices; all typical for this style. The ABV was hidden so well that the tinge felt at the end of each sip only added to the greatness of this fine brew. In the end, I couldn't pin down what exactly made Brooklyn Grand Cru so "Yummy", But I could've had a few more pinrs if I had time.

P.S. This could be the perfect for converting girls (or even guys lol) to the world of real beer. THe cute british bartender at Rattle -n- Hum said she loved it (wink,wink).

Serving type: on-tap

10-17-2008 21:56:21 | More by Bitzy

aubuc1

Florida

4/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

on tap at the lost kangaroo pored in to a chimay goblet.

smell is candy sweet, banana and a little spice

taste is a little bubble gummy with a wheat beer base. some spicw also.

good carbonation and a preey bold taste make the mouthfeel good

not much alcohol feel and great taste with great smell make it very drinkable

Had a glass from a keg aged one year, and now the beer is lightly sour and has improved considerably. Age it if you can.

Serving type: on-tap

10-16-2008 20:43:50 | More by aubuc1

CrellMoset

Virginia

3.98/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at Tyler's Taproom and Restaurant, Durham, NC, enjoyed during the break between the two sessions of the WBF, served in a traditional American pint glass, properly logoed.

Appearance: A hazy, yellow/golden-bodied beer with a head of average retention that yields a ring of snow white foam. Carbonation is light and sparse.

Aroma: Wheat, other pale grains, light citrusy notes, floral hops, clove, banana ... is that everything on the checklist? Certainly so. Fits the bill for a "witbier meets tripel" matchup.

Taste: See above, really. Fruit, wheat, floral hoppiness, earthy yeasty spices and fruit ... it's all there.

Mouthfeel: Smooth and even, full-bodied, a little spritzy, even.

Drinkability: This is most certainly not a witbier, heh. It's definitely more like a Saison, or at least a Belgian strong pale. Maybe that's what happens when witbier meets tripel, I dunno, but either way, it's a pretty damn good beer. Has all those great Belgian notes that a Belgian beer should have while managing to keep all of them in balance. Recommended if you see it on tap.

Serving type: on-tap

10-07-2008 23:39:17 | More by CrellMoset

wagenvolks

Texas

3.93/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

On-tap at Raleigh Times bar.

I'm poured a generous, 20 oz pint of crisp yellow, goldenrod-colored brew. Slightly hazy & well-carbnated, the head of Grand Cru is nicely retained, off-white, and leaves satisfactory spackels of lacing along the insides of the glass. Lots of spice prevalent in the aroma: coriander, citrus peel, pepper, and more. The yeast brings light, fruity notes of lemon, banana, and a hint of pineapple. The hops (and apparently chamomile flowers) add a floral finish.

The flavor is could easily qualify as a "Double Wit", with its intense presence of cloves, coriander spice, banana bread, and yeasty deliciousness. A lasting kiss of honey, more spice, and some hops seals the deal. Body is a bit thicker than I'd like, which doesn't really detract from the mouthfeel, but it does limit the drinkability. Overall, though, this was a tasty brew that I'd definitely recommend to others.

Serving type: on-tap

10-04-2008 03:42:19 | More by wagenvolks

Pinto21

Pennsylvania

4.3/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

On tap at Boxer's here in H-dun. Got a pitcher for my two associates and I.

Nice white lacing and head. Copper cloudy gold color that just looks great.

Smelled of orange, banana, and some clove. It was a bit overpowering though

Taste was a bit more calmed down and was the same as the smell. Really a tasty and complex beer. The alcohol was a bit present but just added to the complexity of flavors.

Best Witbier I've had so far

Serving type: on-tap

10-01-2008 02:11:33 | More by Pinto21

Imstillthegman

Delaware

4.18/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to Aerozeppl for this growler. Sent for Growling at the Moon.

This one pours out a fairly clear golden color. Thin white head leaves very minimal lacing. Lots of bubbles in this one.

The aroma consists of yeast, honey, coriander, orange peel, and some herbal hops. This one smells pretty darn good and only gets better as it warms.

The flavor is sweet and yeasty up front with some nice spice following up. There's a nice hint of sour fruit right at the swallow. Tasty brew.

Thinner medium body with very active carbonation. Slightly drying aftertaste with just a touch of bitterness. No sign of the alcohol in this one. Very easy drinking and highly enjoyable. Thanks for the chance to try this tasty brew!

Serving type: growler

09-30-2008 21:17:13 | More by Imstillthegman

Douglas14

California

4.33/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a rich, golden color with a nice fluffy head that leaves pretty good lace. The nose is of candy, sugar, and possibly a bit of hops. The taste follows the smell but it is way more complex...spicier and possibly with hints of vanilla and definitely orange peel. It is silky in the mouth. Awesome beer.

Serving type: on-tap

09-30-2008 20:26:01 | More by Douglas14