Chimay Bleue (Blue)

Brewed by Chimay
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
Baileux, Belgium

Mmmmm! I love this beer! If I had the money, i’d drink it every day! 750ml, ’08 bottle. Poured into Chimay goblets for the full experience. Beaut amber/ruby colour, with nice tan head. Nice complex flavours of yeast, alcohol, dried fruit (figs?), caramel... mmm.

Since I don’t like to use flowery terms in describing beer I’ll just say that after living in both the Netherlands and Belgium this is one of the best beers I’ve ever had. I’ve been drinking this for years and other than Rochefort 10, Westy 12 and the St Bernardus Apt 12 this is about as easy to drink and tasty beer you can find.

My first beer to rate. 750ml 2009 Grande Reserve blue label. Tan color long lasting head. Dark amber body with a pleasing light smell. Slight malty taste which I could enjoy anytime of the day. I think I’m going to enjoy tasting beers better than wines! Cheers!!

750ml bottle. 2008 vintage I’d been saving to drink on my birthday, did not disappoint. Very lively when poured. Ruby, cooper colour with a thin head of almost tan foam. Aroma of wild fruit and berries with a hint of spice. The flavour moves through the mouth from top to bottom and front to back and leaves a lingering port aftertaste.

750ml bottle, ’08 vintage, courtesy of Swolf3, thank you Steven. Dark brown pour with a nice white head. Sweet candy aroma, dried fruit (raisins), very nice. Very smoth, creamy mouthfeel. The taste is slightly sweet with more dark dried fruit, very tasty, very happy to have this again, been along time.

Very dark cloudy brown with a big rock head, but the heads retention leaves something to be desired, and why is there no lacing? Is this an old bottle? Very disappointing looking pour, I’ve seen this beer pour better. The smell is a woody alcohol with tingly spice, and just a hint of yeast, the aroma is a touch weak but still good. The taste is smooth and yeasty, I’m noticing some cheery in the finish. Aged wood and maybe some nuttiness, very complex and hard to break down beer. The beer seems to be a touch thin (did I cellar this bottle to long?) and tons of carbonation to tickle the throat. This beer is very good and very complex and I think just had a bad bottle because I swear its better then I scored it

It’s been about 4 years since I have had this beer and since I have been on a little Belgian kick lately I thought I’d pick this one up tonight. Pours a hazy dark colour that cannot be classified as brown or black...but more of a deep hazy amber with more light showing through at the base of the glass with a nice smooth round head on top. Smell is rather faint but cheery, brandy and other fruit notes can be picked up. Taste is very balanced and smooth as hell. The 9% alcohol is barely detected and the finish retains some nice bite of hops. The subtle qualities of this beer cannot be understated: smooth texture, soft carbonation, a slight wine-like feeling, but retaining a nice bready, biscuity backbone. I could taste lots of figs, apricots, and some small bits of smoke.

Tasted blind with savvy1982 vs Rochefort 10, Westy 12, and Dieu du Ciel! Rigor Mortis Pours a dark brown with caramel highlights. Small but retaining head. Aroma is faint... Almost non-existent. Some yeast, dark fruit, orange, anise, apples, and seaweed. Very tight nose. Tastes better than the nose. Cherries, apples, toast, plums, cinnamon, clove, salt all on the palate. Mouth feel is soft, but not lively. OK, but not great.