Grottenbier Bruin

Brewed by St. Bernard Brouwerij
Style: Abbey Dubbel
Watou, Belgium

33 cl bottle from Bieropholie, served at cellar temperature in a tulip glass.

App.: Appealing deep copper, small yeast flecks and a tight tan head. Aroma: Lots of big, chewy malts - caramel, toffee, treacle; raisins, figs, fruits; slightly herbal with definite warm spices, all balanced by some acidity and slight citrus zing. Palate: Medium body, smooth, soft carbonation, a touch syrupy. Flav.: Woody and tangy, vinous, the sweet, chewy malts are more in the background than they were on the nose, some of the spices and herbs come through; a touch sweet and a little thin at the end; leaves a pleasant light toasted malt finish that is a bit vinous.

Not huge and cavernous, but certainly welcome in my grotto.

Brown bottle, 33 cl, best before 12 01 10, via Importations Privées Bièropholie, savoured on September 30 2007; eye: caramel, lightly hazy, slight effervescence, nice creamy beige head, lacing; nose: yeast, spices, banana, light fruitiness from small dark berries, malt, caramel; mouth: soft, creamy, good balance of malt and caramel, a little wave of banana, spices, a hint of alcohol, finale in malt-caramel with a good presence of yeast, mildly sweet, medium body, quite carbonated; overall: very good FRANÇAIS Bouteille brune, 33 cl, meilleure avant 12 01 10, via Importations Privées Bièropholie, savourée le 30 septembre 2007; œil : caramel, légèrement voilée, très légère effervescence, belle mousse beige crémeuse, dentelle; nez : levure, épices, banane, léger fruitée de petits fruits noirs, malt, caramel; bouche : doux, crémeux, bon mélange de malt et de caramel, petite vague de banane, épices, une trace d’alcool, finale en malt-caramel avec une bonne présence de levure, moyennement sucrée, corps moyen, assez carbonatée; en résumé : très bonne

Wow! This tasted like a mix between a dubbel and a Flemish sour. I know it sounds wierd but what a unique taste. Pour was a dark brown with a huge pillowy 3 finger tan head. Aroma of dark fruits and alcohol. Taste was first sweet, then sour with hints of dark cherry, yeast and citrus. Nice big carbonation. As it warms, the beer bites the gums and the constant battle of sweet and sour rage on to your delight. I’m glad I picked this up.

Rating is the individual maxima of different ratings, as a strange kind of rerate compromise.
330ml bottle (Charters, Peterborough)
Rich malty aroma. Also smooth relaxing bruin taste - malty and liquorice. Drink with low lights at the end of the evening - worth savouring.
Rerate (7-4-7-4-13=3.5)
This is a completely different beer from the bruin I’ve had in the past
Hugely perfumed aroma. Sweet blossoms. Simple grainy body, and loads more blossom. With yeast, more milky and some liquorice.

A dark hazy brown ale with a thick big bubbled light moka head, with small dark floaties. The aroma is nice, veering on a light flemish sour, with light lemon, vinager, horseblanket. In mouth, a nice crisp malt, with light licorice and woody notes, prunes. A bit short in mouth, but very well done. Bieropholie import. BB15/12/06.

Draft under the label Pierre Celis Signature Collection Grotten Belgian Ale: Coffee and raisin aroma. Clear brown with a thick tan head. Tastes of horehound, cherry, and hops, in good harmony. Wood and slight smoke on the palate. Rather nice.

Pours a dark, clear ruby with a nice tan head. Nose is sugary sweet and yeasty with a pungent tone to it overall. Flavor is smooth, woody and sweet. Low yeast flavor, but an underlying sweet tone that hits the tip of your tongue and never comes on strong at all. Wood-like aftertaste. Feel is a perfect balance of carbonation and use of ingredients. Overall a damn good brew. Even and well balanced and one I would constantly go back to time and time again.

Bottle, with Fin, Loz and Traci. Hazel brown, a bit of white head. Brown sugar aroma, a nice dose of overripe banana (usually not a fan of that smell in beer, but it’s done with a gentle touch here) tart cherries, milkshake, banilla. Bright fruit flavor, pepper, very spicy and bright, but some accompanying chocolate notes. A bit of round sourness. Thanks Fin!