Grottenbier Bruin

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

Mid brown and hazy with a large white head. The aroma was cidery and spicy, the initial taste musty, dusty, mildewy and papery like an old attic. There followed malts and sweetness with a curious dryness and a distant hint of something sour. Thought-provoking. Unusual. Very wonderful.

’Beer from the grotto’, this is Pierre Celis’ legendary cave-beer which is predominantly made from Vienna malts, uses spices from distant tropical islands and is cellared for a few years before sale. Quite a unique beer and this is evident when it came to tasting. Poured into a stumpy chalice glass, cool and not cold. Dense, creamy tannish head formed off the pour to sit an inch thick atop a murky, tawny chestnut body with a lovely tinge of red coming through in the lights. Head lasted for the length to frost over the entire glass. Mmmm, malty and wine-like could best describe the rather dry, spicy and almost savoury nose. Hints of ginger root, plum-wine and well-made chocolate pudding emanated from the glass with something else in there I couldn’t quite pin-point (almost like cardamom pods?). Quite vinous in the mouth, even more so than the aroma, and predominantly woody like it was aged in oak. Medium bodied and softly, prickly in carbonation upfront before smoothing out towards the tonsils. Underneath the woody, wine-like malts lie flavours of bitter/sweet chocolate, roasted cashews, nutmeg and ginger root, and a hint of sherry that all melds together beautifully and keeps the palate reasonably dry right through to the malty and earthy, slightly nutty swallow. For 6.5% it makes for an unusually long sipper suited more to an Abt/Quadrupel than a beer of this strength. I liked it, I’ll definitely have to track a few more bottles down. Lovely!!! (33cL, 09/05/08, Int’l Beer Shop, W. Leederville)

Bottle purchased 2004 at Whole Foods, Chicago. Hey, it’s my 750th rating, so let’s rate something from a 750 ml bottle. And that means Belgian! Pours a deep brown with golden highlights. Rocky ecru head fed by streams of bubble. Smells sweet and malty, with a touch of brett. Taste is nice, crisp golden malt. Sweet, but without the usual candi sugar overload. Alcohol warming builds very slowly. Light suggestions of brandy or sherry. Bubbly continues well down the bottle, making it pretty filling. Should be enjoyed with a good meal.

Ruby red in colour with very"old spice" taste. A very different style from Belgium.

Bottle, at Benny. Dark golden with a large off-white head, almost diminishing, unfiltered. Aroma moderate malty, light hoppy. Flavor moderate sweet and acidic/sour, long duration. Light body, watery, soft carbonated. Must be tried again, I got all the sediment in the bottom. The others samples were much better.

Bottle. White head. Dark amber body. Aroma of green apples. Spicy flavor with hints of berries.

Brownish colour with a medium laasting head. Aroma of malts and fruits. Sweet flavoured. Great beer.

Copper, nearly mahogany body with floaties and medium fine bubbly off-white head. Aroma of yeast, malt, cane sugar. Flavor is malty and nutty. Smooth medium, slightly watery palate.