Allagash Grand Cru

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

Pours a hazy orange bordering on brown, with an off-white head that (for me) only lasted in lacing and a thin film perched atop the brew. Aroma is funky and interesting: clove, coriander, citrus fruit, and a subtle yeastiness contribute to a scent that I could feel (literally feel) get up into my nostrils - think of what a mentholated cough drop feels like when you breath in, and then transfer that (at a lesser magnitude) to your nose - very cool. Taste-wise this is prototypically Belgian but mellower than many others: orange and spice predominates, with a yeastiness that adds character. The finish here is noteworthy: a noticeable hop bitterness works with and against a yeasty sweetness. The finish lasts and lasts.

Pours deep hazy amber with a beige fluffy head. Aroma has lots of earthiness, kiwi, passion fruit, black pepper, spices and green apple. Medium body with a good amount of carbonation. Taste starts with pepper, tart apple, nectar fruit - it is somewhat creamy and tart. Finish has some spicy hops and other spices. At the very end the Belgium yeast comes through. A very enjoyable winter ale that is just as good in the summertime.

bottle from my foster santa. insomnia, bacon egg and cheese sandwich, back porch waiting for the sunrise, and a beer. that’s how a saturday should begin. hazed orange body with a clingy lye soap colored head. smells of cream cheese, grapes, and hair spray. slightly spiced sweetness greets me first, it resolves into a jellybean flavor that lingers. something in this makes me think wheat? some wood notes are here also. i hear the paper delivery guy missing driveways. a touch of bitterness around the sides of my mouth that has a floral edge to it. some cinnamon in this also. an enjoyable brew, and a good start to a day.

One of those suprise beers. Opened the fridge the other day and started shuffling beers around and SUPRISE, this one is sitting in the back, and who knows how long. Anyway it pours out a slightly cloudy orange/light copper color with a very small lacing head. Aroma is of some sweet malts, slight fruit maybe some apple or pear with a touch of spice. Taste stayed true to the aroma with notes of sweet malt, some yeast spices such as corriander and a bit of other sweet/tart spice. Notes of some smoke on the finish. Solid brew from a great brewery

Hazy orange color...decent Spicy aroma (cloves, coriander, nutmeg)... hints of lemon and orange zest, malt, yeast. An amazing, unique, candy-like "orange" flavor with a heavy sweet malty background and a touch of hops. Nice smooth, velvety mouthfeel, good carbonation and a dry finish. Overall pretty great, not too heavy on the spiciness, not too sweet.

[bottle] Spicy, sweet apricot aroma. Pours an orange color, with a short-lived, white head. Tastes sweet, with some good malts and yeast character, along with some apricot/marmalade sweetness. Very nice, fruity sweetness. Finishes with a subtle spicy, smokey note.

750ml bottle, batch 12, golden-orangeish hue, with a small beige head, with a spicy nose of coriander, curaçao, hint of anise, candied orange peels, caramelized malt, toasted malt, with a peachy and apricot fruitiness in the aroma follows through on a medium-bodied palate with a crisp sweet caramelized malt, with a nice candied orange peels fruitiness, curaçao, spicy coriander accent, smooth sweet bready dough malt, note of dried fruits, hint of marmalade, with an honeyish touch, leading towards a sweet candied fruitiness and a faint floral hops bittering finish.

A pretty good tasting mellow beer. Nothing too extravagant, and hard to describe. You can taste hints of fruit in the background, but I can’t really pull out any other distinct flavors...almost like a woody taste to it. I’m not really catching the smoke and licorice, but there isn’t a very mild spice in there somewhere.