AleSmith Grand Cru

Brewed by AleSmith Brewing Company
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
San Diego, California USA

LIght brown cloudy pour with no head. Aroma of malt, caramel and some bananas. Taste is very sweet toffee and caramel. Long lasting finish.

750 ml bottle

I have been sitting on this for a special occasion. That happens to be the Louisville Cardinals as 2007 Orange Bowl champions. Nothing like a beer with a hint of oranges in it to celebrate the biggest victory in school history. Thanks to whomever sent me this in a trade - it proves that Alesmith is among the best brewers in the country.

Aroma / Appearance - The deep caramel body left a thin to nonexistant head. A clear stick lacing slid down the sides of the glasses leaving behind layers like beer strata. A combination of cherries, caramel, orange liquer, chocolate and honey form a very inviting nose with slightly sweet impression.

Flavor / Palate - Chocolate dipped cherries fill the mouth after the first sip. Next comes a blend of orange rinds, vanilla, honey and caramel. The mouthfeel is very dense but flat. A vinous aftertaste precedes a dry semisweet finish. Only towards the very end does the almost 11% ABV alcohol make itself known. Otherwise you could sip on this all night without noticing the effects.

Bottle. Small white lasting head on top of a clear brown looking beer with a small layer of nice yeast at the bottom of the bottle. Light, and quite simple, aroma of raisins and caramel. Flavor is all about sweeet caramel, butterscotch and sugar without ever being cloying. Light carbonation with smooth mouth feel. If there ever was a 10% ABV session beer this is the one! This is something I very seldom have experienced in the authentic Belgian ales! Another world class ale from Alesmith to confirm this brewery as among the (if not *the*) best in the World and my first 20/20.

Aromas and flavors of candied fruits and caramel. Almost a hint of molasses, which is interesting, because the beer is only a darkish brown. Very nice.

Light brown/reddish in colour with a fizzy beige head. Sweet aroma with caramel and a bit of fruityness. There is quite a bit of alcohol in the flavour, but it doesn’t overpower and still allows the ripened fruit flavours to come through with toffee and caramel like malty flavours. The body is thin, but in a drinkable sort of way.

I’ve had a 2003 vontage of this and it did not stand up.

Purchased in August 2006. Pours a somewhat hazy garnet with little head formation. Aroma is sweet and fruity, with notes of raisin and fig in addition to clove and a bit of woodiness. Flavor is intense and sweet, with a ton of yeasty and candy sugar flavors. Hoppiness is minimal. Some vanilla and smoke is in there as well. This subsides into a warm, alcoholic finish. Despite the bold taste, the mouthfeel is on the thin side, but not in a weak way; it’s just light on the tongue. Nice Belgian; happy 25th birthday to me!

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.

2006 bottle. Pours a translucent deep ruby amber with a med tan bubbly head. Aroma of various fruits, plums, grapes, tropical fruits, malty sweetness, toffee, caramel, candi sugar and Belgian yeast. Flavor of Belgian yeast, toasted sweet malt, lots of caramel/toffee/earthy, some hop bitterness hidden in there but it really helped to bring out the complexity of this beer. Also getting a lot of various dark fruits in flavor too. Great American made Belgian.us