AleSmith Grand Cru

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

750 ml bottle 2003 vintage. Sampled at KP’s cellartasting. I forget who brought this? Pours a moslty clear with slight hazy deep amber with a nice head but fades slightly. Aroma is fruity with lots of esters, yeasty, more candied fruits- raisin and plum and lots of caramel malts. Flavor is mollasses, plum, raisin, mostly sweet, then finishes dry and highly carbonated, and slightly astringent. Pretty good overall.

750ml bottle poured in a tulip glass. The Grand Cru pours flat looking but suddenly a billion little bubbles rise and join into a frothy party of sensation. Such energetic little bubble burn their lives out quickly though leaving behind murky carmel colored sea of anticipation. The aroma is a gift of breath from a dough boy who ate pears. The first sip takes you by suprise: at first you think the beer is flat but a quick burst of carbonation sneaks down the middle of your tongue like a small child rushing between your feet unexpectedly. A solid taste foundation of fermented fruit occupies the middle of the wagon train of taste. Finally, bringing up the rear is a mouth-coating taste of acidic bile. The end of the beer blew this one for me.

750ml bottle poured a clear reddish amber with a LARGE lasting amber head. Aromas of plums, raisins, molasses, hint of chocolate and vinous. Palate was medium bodied and warming. Flavors of yeast, grapes, and some faint chocolate and vanilla notes with a waming lingering sweet finish.

Thanks to Harlequinn for trading. No year. Deep ruby. Dense, fizzy, light tan head settles quickly. Nose: rich, roasty, caramelly malt, dark fruits, vanilla, lively yeast with just a touch of funk to it, some dough, subtle alcohol. Flavor: toasted grains, rich malt, toffee, dark fruits, same yeast, candi sugar, alcohol, cashews, bittersweet anise, other subtle herbal or plant like notes, and some crisp hops towards the dry, yeasty, roasty, alcoholic finish. Full/medium, smooth body is very dry and airy in the center with roasty creaminess surrounding. Clean, dry aftertaste leaves you wanting more. My favorite style, AleSmith doesn’t disappoint.

Resampled 11/06. Hate to rerate it, because this is NOTHING like the draught I had earlier this year. But I have to call it like I find it, and it makes me really sad!<P> Original rating: 7/10, 4/5, 8/10, 5/5.<P> Sampled at the 4th Boulder Strong Ale Fest. Beer poured a clear, medium amber-brown color with a small, creamy/frothy, off-white, diminishing head. The aroma was moderately malty with notes of sweet toasted grain, cookie and caramel; hoppy with moderate notes of herbs; yeasty notes of moderate dough; miscellaneous scents included notes of light oak and vanilla and moderate amounts of sour green apple, spicy alcohol, honey. A hint of banana in the retros. The flavor was heavily sweet, moderately bitter with a light, sweet, mderately bitter, moderately tangy finish. Full and tasty. The body was medium, the texture was creamy, the carbonation was lively and the finish was lightly alcoholic. <P> 11/6 rerate: 750 bottle. Beer is clear, medium-to-dark brown with a tiny, nonexistent, white, disappearing head. The aroma is oxidized and dead. It’s malty with a light note of caramel, roasted grain; Hoppy with a light floral note, moderate resin; Yeasty with a moderate note of dough, basement; Heavy note of wet cardboardy oxidation, moderate raisin/date, light sherry. The flavor is moderately sweet, moderately bitter, with a long, dirty, lightly acidic, moderately sweet finish. Lots of nasty cardboard/boozy retros. The body is full, the texture is watery and the carbonation is flat.

Thin, soapy looking head with light carbonation. Rich meaty aroma with soy sauce, grapes, figs, raisins (basically your run of dark sweet fruits) and alcohol. Slightly hazy, dark mahagony brown in color. Sweet flavor yet tart with more raisins, figs and dark fruit. Did not detect the vanilla that they are boasting. Finish is a little dry and roasty. Good stuff. Would like to try this one again sometime.

Re-rate 1/4/2007 After 20 months of aging, omg. It’s like wine. Rich, dark fruits; highly alcoholic; amazing aroma, like a sweet wine with beer characteristics. Fantastic. A little age shapes this stuff into something amazing. All of the almost uncoordinated, sweet esters have united and matured into a fruity deliciousness that I had not anticipated: the fruits have darkened, and matured wonderfully.

4/19/2006 Tap @ brewery. This may be my first Grand Cru... Reddish-amber with a tan head and good lacing. Aroma is almost tropical with pineapple, clove, orange, alcohol, roastiness, banana--the esters are out of control. Body is medium/full, light and creamy carbonation, dry, mouthwatering. Alcoholic warmth is noticeable, malty sucker! Caramel, fruits--banana, plumb, raisin, prune. Roasty. Was smitten by this brew because it is somewhat over the top with fruitiness, but roasty and delicious. <3

Pours a deep copper color with a very subtle tan head that bales quikly. Aroma of some fruits and spices. On the palet it is very smooth.....almost too smooth......just kidding.