Grottenbier Bruin

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

75cl bottle 6.5% the label is red, not blue. says grottenbier, pierre celis signature selection. grottenbier bruin/brune. celebrating my forex gains of eur2000+ last two days, because the us central bank inflated the usd.. one of those beers where you need equal parts of swearing persuation and heavy tools to get the cork out. once cork was dismantled beer was happy and foamed over a bit, but nothing serious. dark orangy brown, large thick offwhite head, that looks a little like soap. very yeasty aroma with faint notes of spices. flavor is caramel, spices, sweetness, dryness, cardemom? perhaps. it’s an okay bruin, balanced and easy to drink, but doesn’t really stand out except for being not bad. will appeal to the general public i’m sure.

750ml corked bottle poured into it’s corresponding glass. Official. Pours a thick choco-brown color with a thin lasting head. The aroma is malty and yeasty, with a nice hoppy bitterness. The taste is smooth and creamy, lots of deep malt flavors with a balanced yeast and hop balance. Very well done Belgian Dubbel, this is top notch. Creamy and easy on the palate, some delicate fruity esters in there too.

Date: 8/1/09 Beer info: Bottled in brown 330ml bottle 6.5% abv BB 17 06 11 Sampling Notes: Served chilled in chalice. Bit of a gush. Murky brown body with small tight offwhite foam. Toasty bread malt nose, reminisant of rye, bit of brown sugar and spice. Carbonation is somewhat low, thick oily texture, drying sensation leaves mouth a bit chalky. There isn’t a great deal to the body, some grain toasty malt, bit of mollasses, odd woody spice, hint of dried fruit. Finishes dry, reasonably bitter. Not a particularly characterful Belgian dark ale, don’t really have much to say about it at all really...

Bottled as Grotten Brown . Pours dark w/medium head. Yeast, fruits etc, taste is spice and some bitterness, overall pretty well done. another quality offering from Watou.

Bottle 0,33 l. Brown, beigish head. Nose is fruity, some yeast, dust. Flavor is malty, spicy, intensely bitter in a strange way. I don’t know if it’s just the image of caves, but it does feel kind of sandy or rocky with all the dryness.

75 cl bottle at Hopheads´ tasting 30.01.09 (Trygve). Amber/brown color, foamy off-white head. Aroma is fruit, yeast, spices and malt. Flavor is sweet malty, spicy, yeast and hops that gives a fine bitterness.

Bottle. Ripe fruits and malt in aroma. Clear dark amber colour with a red hint. LArge beige head. Sweet flavour of plums, cherries and roasted malt. Moderate carbonation.

Sipped on this gentle bruin belgian during our first big snow storm of 2009. Sparkling amber~brown body with copper highlights. Billowing, rocky tan head that takes it’s time to simmer down. Thick/heavy lacing surrounds the entire glass. Delicate aromas of multi-grain bread, bran cereal, brown sugar, and ginger bread. These scents are mellow and pleasantly intermingled. Mild body that is malty and sweet. Drinks smooth and calm. The flavors are very malt forward and have a nice earthiness. Biscuits, dark grains, honey and light molasses balanced out by a gritty sugar effect. Mild yeast elements play a role with fruity flavors. Calm and relaxing brew that resonates with the senses.