Atomium Grand Cru - Brouwerij Van Steenberge N.V.

FlatRabbitRed

Arizona

4/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

If you like Belgian beers this one holds up pretty good, had three different ones tonight, and this one fits the bill.

Belgian beers have this fruity Honey twang to them followed by a slight bittering after taste. They are definitely in a class by themselves! I drank this one "Grand Cru" right after a Duval "Golden Ale" ...and you know what, they were pretty much the same thing ...to me anyway. I noticed a difference in the triple and that was that it had three times the flavor!

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2013 14:24:16 | More by FlatRabbitRed

falconxman

Illinois

3.25/5  rDev -15.8%

05-20-2013 15:10:35 | More by falconxman

kristenrae8

Illinois

4/5  rDev +3.6%

04-26-2013 09:50:00 | More by kristenrae8

Rohkey

Michigan

4.25/5  rDev +10.1%

02-19-2013 03:34:33 | More by Rohkey

Kunstman

Wisconsin

4/5  rDev +3.6%

02-18-2013 04:26:27 | More by Kunstman

KillaB

Illinois

3.25/5  rDev -15.8%

01-29-2013 08:44:37 | More by KillaB

cvalleskey

Illinois

3.5/5  rDev -9.3%

01-25-2013 04:27:00 | More by cvalleskey

searsclone

Arizona

3.5/5  rDev -9.3%

12-31-2012 05:56:12 | More by searsclone

krish1984

5/5  rDev +29.5%

12-22-2012 21:34:19 | More by krish1984

cowboy83

New York

2/5  rDev -48.2%

12-19-2012 14:58:09 | More by cowboy83

TheBigLebrewski

Michigan

3.38/5  rDev -12.4%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Appearance is oddly dark - very much the color of honey. Large bubbled head that's pretty thick, and maintains at a 1/4 inch. Decent lacing.

I do not enjoy the smell. Certainly the scent of malt; also of corn.

Surprisingly considering the scent, i did enjoy the taste. A very gentle sourness, but appreciable none-the-less. Pretty par though flavor overall.

Mouthfeel is definitely the beer's strong point. Crisp and tart additions to the flavor.

Overall, this was better than I expected, but nothing too special. Certainly an odd mix of some detrimental attributes, alongside some surprisingly good ones.

Serving type: bottle

12-15-2012 08:02:10 | More by TheBigLebrewski

akttr

Michigan

3/5  rDev -22.3%

12-07-2012 04:32:01 | More by akttr

Biffster

Michigan

3.18/5  rDev -17.6%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Poured from a stubby, the beer is cloudy (even after a few weeks in a fridge upright) and deep straw gold, with amber highlights. The head is big and coarse and just off white, and very persistent. Swirl it, and you will get a big head over and over.

The aroma is fresh and fruity, with big banana, and apple and strawberry in support. There is vanilla, and fresh white bread with just a touch of toast. The hop aroma is barely perceptible. It is sweet with a honey like floral impression.

It starts with a low maltiness that passes to a low to moderate bitterness. It is very spicy and warming, maybe even hot, at the swallow. It is very dry all the way through, but there is a low to moderate malty sweetness that lingers with the spicy dryness. The swallow is, as I said, warm and fairly dry, but there is a lingering bitterness and maltiness that gives it a fuller, more moderate impression.

The carbonation is big - both fluffy and spritzy. Along with the moderate body, the result is a fluffy round mouthfeel that is relatively full for a strong belgian, but by no means coating or lingering. It is, however, somewhat hot and even solventy at the swallow.

I feel like this is a perfect recipe - I love the clean malt and bittering. But the fermentation is questionable. I will give it the benefit of the doubt and question its trip from Belgium to my door as the culprit, but I note a distinct lack of Belgian phenolic aromas, and a distinct harshness at the swallow. This is total speculation, but, with that, combined with the cloudiness despite cold conditioning, I feel like it seems familiar. I have had an experience or two like this as a brewer. This seems like a beer that aged too long before bottling, and then was bottle conditioned at a too warm temperature to compensate for tired yeast. (Sorry for the shameless speculation).

I would give it another try, but this sample was not that exciting.

Serving type: bottle

11-26-2012 00:44:29 | More by Biffster

mychalg9

Illinois

4/5  rDev +3.6%

11-03-2012 16:50:10 | More by mychalg9

tectactoe

Michigan

3.8/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a light golden color with a bit of haziness, but overall nice clarity. The beer is incredibly volatile, it overflowed and went everywhere upon opening the bottle and created a gigantic head, even with a relatively modest pour. The initial smells are most fruity, mainly apple, banana, and some white grape. The taste follows through with the same fruit, banana being the most prominent, with slight grape and apple skins in the background. Lots of wheat and grain flavors come through as the beer warms up. Spices are there, as well, namely clove, although it's more laid back than it is in traditional Belgian beers. The alcohol is slightly warming but not invasive. Carbonation is huge, as it is with most of these styles. Medium body with a crisp overall feeling on the mouth.

Pretty good brew, it's hard to go wrong with a Grand Cru straight from Belgium. Nice addition of apple and grape to the traditional "banana & clove". Very drinkable at 8% ABV, also.

Serving type: bottle

10-15-2012 11:52:30 | More by tectactoe

DrKnife

Oregon

4/5  rDev +3.6%

09-19-2012 00:41:06 | More by DrKnife

Eagle

Oregon

3.75/5  rDev -2.8%

09-17-2012 22:46:43 | More by Eagle

t0rin0

California

4/5  rDev +3.6%

09-09-2012 00:40:25 | More by t0rin0

match1112

Illinois

3.68/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

pours a hazy amber with a thin white bubbly head. aromas of grass, banannas, clove, corriander. taste is pretty sweet. alochol is present. has a medium body feel to it, makes it easy to drink. carbonation is good and a crisp dry finish make this beer very enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

08-26-2012 17:19:48 | More by match1112

Acuity

Michigan

3.25/5  rDev -15.8%

08-18-2012 16:46:56 | More by Acuity

jrfehon33

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev -2.8%

08-04-2012 23:42:01 | More by jrfehon33

JeffTheJuice

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +16.6%

07-05-2012 22:45:59 | More by JeffTheJuice

MarkyMOD

Colorado

4/5  rDev +3.6%

07-01-2012 03:53:06 | More by MarkyMOD

soccerfancooch

Wisconsin

4.25/5  rDev +10.1%

06-15-2012 20:00:28 | More by soccerfancooch

martyl1000

Wisconsin

4.4/5  rDev +14%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I like this better than its much more famous compatriot Delirium Tremens (the fact that Atomium comes at half the price might play a part in that).

Bright and bubbly, even a careful pour producing a billowy, rocky, white head.

Big, complex. Digging the Belgian yeast w/ its delicate tropical fruit. Malt character dominates, though a hoppy thread is strung throughout (except maybe in the aroma).

The malt sweetness and yeasty funk might have been overwrought, were it not for the zippy carbonation and white-pepper on the tongue.

This is 8% alcohol? You'd never know.

Serving type: bottle

06-12-2012 05:57:53 | More by martyl1000