Allagash Grand Cru

Brewed by Allagash Brewing Company
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
Portland, Maine USA

12oz bottle. Golden orange. Aroma of orange zest, spices. Flavor are clean. Malt body. Light, refreshing, good.

Batch 15. Sweet honey, orange blossom, light brown sugar, and bubblegum. Mild citrus and fruity hops. Rich dark golden amber, with mild haze, topped with light lacing foamy head. Medium heavy body, with mild warming and smooth carbonation. Starts with tons of rich sweet malt, golden honey and orange blossom. Fruity fresh hoppy bitterness to start, with light bubblegum chalky finish. Well-balanced with a bit of yeast character. Nice strong ale, and not overpoweringly sweet.

Pours a orange hazy amber colour with a small white head. Nose is of red fruits, spices, citrus, and some alcohol. Initial taste begins spicy with nectarine and other fruits. Sweet malts are also apparent. FInishing with a peppery palate and light bitter hops. LIght to medium body. Palate duration is average. Some lacing of te glass and minor head retention. Dry finish.

Cloudy copper pour with a very thin white head. Fruity aroma, banana, coriander and yeast. Lightly carbonated, creamy mouthfeel. A bit sour on the front end and the middle reveals a bit more spicey, peppery character. Finishes dry, lingering spice, hint of the advertised smokiness, but none of the licorice.

Very nice for a sweeter beer. Allagash rarely dissapoints and the Grand Cru is no exception. Moderately high abv makes it all the better.

12oz bottle. Dark orange, opaque pour with almost no head. Aroma of sweet fruity malt, bubblegum, biscuity malt, some caramel and clove/spice. Sweet and fruity flavor up front with the bready malt, clove, and smoke in the finish. Pretty good flavor range, but there’s a little too much carbonation. Maybe it would be better with some age.

12oz bottle. Pours a very cloudy, glowing, pinkish orange with a medium-sized, short-lived, off-white head. The head consists of variously sized bubbles and leaves a little bit of lace on the glass. The aroma is big and fruity - fig, banana, malts, alcohol, bready yeast, anise, and a hint of tart pear. The flavor starts fruity and bready with a touch of spice - like cinnamon coffee cake and soft fruit. The middle of the tongue picks up a firm bitterness - peppery and grassy. The bitterness is almost cloying and leaves an earthiness on the back of the tongue for a long time. The middle and back of the tongue also detect yeast and funky, Belgian esters: fruitcake with peaches, apples, figs, and allspice. After a few sips, the back of the tongue begins to taste the anise that is so noticeable in the aroma. The finish is long and strong with fruit and spice. The mouthfeel is medium to medium-full in body and quite creamy. Despite the heavy level of carbonation, the fine bubbles lighten the body without stinging the tongue, providing a luxurious texture. Overall, a very good and interesting ale. (I’m glad that Allagash is finally distributed to Georgia!)

Pours an opaque strawberry orange with 1/2 inch, very dense and luxurious cream head. Very earthy, dusty nose, strong hints of peach and rock candy; magnificent mouthfeel, like drinking fresh cream (like all the allagash beers I’ve tried) with tastes of chardonnay grapes, lemongrass, peppery hops, astringent bitterness, and long lasting buttery diacetyl. The best of the Allagash belgian beers.