Chimay Rouge (Red)

Brewed by Chimay
Style: Abbey Dubbel
Baileux, Belgium

When I poured it out into the glass, the subtle brown tint and fine film reminded me of iced tea. It also had a slight golden tint to it. The beer itself is pretty opaque and formed a pretty minimal head in my glass. This beer had a very large bouquet of fruit in the smell. It was overall pretty citrus-y with a mix of orange and lemon smells in it as well as a small hint of the hops in the beer. Once I tasted it, the smell of the fruit obviously right. It produced a slightly woodsy taste to it (almost reminiscent of cedar). It also had an aftertaste of the hops and barley. The beer was also extremely carbonated. Also, of note, the combination of the carbonation, fruits and the sweet flavors almost made this beer seem like a wine. The progression of flavors and textures in the beer made this probably one of the smoothest beers I’ve ever had.

Bottle. Pour is a very murky light brown. Despite best efforts there is heaps of floating sediment. Resonable slightly off white head that disappears pretty quickly. Aroma is quite sweet with plenty of malt and toffee aromas. Also some alcohol and spiceness and perhaps a little dired fruti. Flavours once again shows heaps of malt sweetness, especially up front, toffee, caramale and spicness. A little thin on the finish with some alcohol coming through. A good beer but probably not as great as I remember it from a couple of years ago.

Bottle. Pours a aubrn color with a small off white head. Head recedes to a small film. Nose is light sugar and toasty sweet malt with a light peppery note even. Palate is full, fluffy with a light peppery finish. Flavors of light yeast with a toasty malt note and some sugars

Bottle at virgils in NYC. Large clove, yeast, and Belgian spice. Sweet malts and dry candied plums.

11.2 oz bottle. Not much aroma here. The little bit I do smell is of grains; slightly sour. Pours muddy brown with little head. Thin island of foam on top. Excellent taste--maybe it’s a little old, though. Not as good as the blue label, but still very good.

Bottle, 33 cl., tasted blind. A red beer with a medium unstable dirty white head. It smells like some dried fruits, some caramel notes also, light malts noticeable, also light sweet. The taste goes similar to the La Trappe Quadruppel, with the difference you taste this is a beer with a lower alcohol percentage. But anyway: a nice (dark) fruity taste, some caramel notes, light sweet, some spices included. Not really an aftertaste, but for this beer it doens’t matter, as it is a good beer anyway.

When it comes to Begium Ales, I am a Strong Ale fan. This beer has a great copper color, nice head, and a better aroma than flavor. The aroma is sweet and the ligher malt/spiced flavor is not as complex or full as Reds bigger brother Blue.

An unexpected surprise at The Wyndham’s wine and cheese party. Pours mahogany with a thick beige head. Aromas of brown sugar, citrus, caramel, and some red fruits. Tastes a bit yeasty, peppery, lots of red fruits. A perfect balance.